Michel Rabagliati was born in 1961 in Montreal, where he grew up in the Rosemont neighborhood. After briefly pursuing typography, he studied graphic design and began working as a freelance graphic designer in 1981. He launched his career in advertising illustration in 1988. Since 1998, his comic books have revolutionized the Quebec comic book scene. With his Paul series, Michel Rabagliati has become a leading figure in Quebec comics. He was the first Quebecer to win the Fauve FNAC-SNCF Audience Award at the 37th Angoulême International Comics Festival for Paul à Québec. In 2017, he was named a Companion of the Arts and Letters of Quebec. In 2022, he received the Athanase David Award and was named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in France. In Canada, he is a member of the Order of Canada and the National Order of Quebec.