That’s what was in the author’s mind as well. He added a footnote: ” Worth noting that these comics fell within/adjacent to the Franco-Belgian comic tradition

That’s what was in the author’s mind as well. He added a footnote: ” Worth noting that these comics fell within/adjacent to the Franco-Belgian comic tradition (Bande dessinée or BD for short), which have a very different reputation from their American comic book counterparts. Superheroes are, thankfully, approximately non-existent and BDs are generally respected as an art form, and their appeal cuts across a much broader age range.”