French publisher

Guy Delcourt, 61, started Groupe Delcourt when he was 28 years old. He tells China Daily during his first visit to China that he is enthusiastic about the project for many reasons.

"It's an ambitious project with good-quality stories. It's an international project that is unified in writing and diversified in terms of artwork," Delcourt says.

"Liu Cixin is an undiscovered genius in France. I see great possibilities for him."

Delcourt says that science fiction is the strongest genre in his field, with 9,500 comic books or graphic novels being published since 1986, including 600 new titles annually, such as The Walking Dead and Little Vampires.