The Book Pirate’s Musings on… Graphic Novels vs. Comics
The Book Pirate’s Musings on…
Graphic Novels vs. Comics
I have a hard time reading graphic novels. As a kid, I was never allowed to read comic books, so I focused on young adult novels, mainly Choose Your Own Adventure. I am able to finish reading a graphic novel in a timely fashion because I just read the words and ignore the pictures. Since the time has come for me to grow up and read graphic novels like an adult, I will force myself to sit down with the book a second time and spend much more time looking at the artwork instead of the words.
There are some people out there who write off graphic novels as nothing more than comics. The stereotype is that comics are for kids. Ask any real comic book fan and they will be able to tell you that that is not true. Sure, there is that one end of the spectrum with the Batman and Spiderman comics. In contrast though there are comics that are not meant to be read by kids. They can contain dark, mature plots often involving graphic violence, gratuitous nudity and a few choice swear words. It is so easy to only see these two categories that people never spend much time looking at the in between, the comics that can appeal to both audiences without seeming childlike.
I realize that I am probably not using the terms “comic” and “graphic novel” correctly. In my opinion, what sets the two apart is the way they are packaged. “Graphic novels” come in a book format and will have an overall, contained storyline. “Comics” on the other hand bring to mind the typical comic book that you see on spinning racks at your local bookstore. These may or may not have a storyline that is connected, but the reader has to wait a month to find out what happens next.
But what about comic anthologies you ask? Well, when you think about it those are sort of like short story anthologies. The difference being that instead of stories being told by words, they are told with pictures and words. I think the defining characteristic is that the stories are contained and the reader does not have to go out and buy the next issue to continue the plot.
Then there are books like Scott Pilgrim which has an overall storyline but is being released in volumes over time. Surely by my definition this book would be a comic right? Well, no. I consider it a graphic novel. Harry Potter was released in the same fashion, connected story spanning several books. Scott Pilgrim books are on the thick side, 205 pages in the latest volume. If the publisher was trying to market it as a normal comic book they would have to thin it down and staple the pages together instead of giving it a nice sold, glue based binding.
So I guess in the end the difference between comics and graphic novels is simply a matter of one having staples and the other not. Should you find yourself in a bookstore holding a comic/graphic novel and unsure of which it is, ask yourself this:
Are there staples?
If yes, it’s a comic book.
If no, it’s a graphic novel.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Great post. I have worked in comic shops for about 15 years or so and this is what I can add and mabey help clear things up a bit…
Comic Book: 22 pages w/o the ads, usually not self contained, ie will continue next issue. With the growing industry of independent comic books some of these rules have been put aside.
Prestige Format Comic Book: usually at least 48 pages, self contained story. it is easy to confuse this with the graphic novel(see below) but ask any comic store owner that has been through the turbulent 80s and 90s and they will tell you there is definitely a difference. At one time you could not purchase prestige format books in most book stores, only comic stores.
Trade Paper Back (TPB): a compilation of comic book issues that have previously been released individually. The ideal TPB is a self contained story, but this is not always the case.
Graphic Novel: very similar to a prestige format comic book, but larger and always self contained. The main difference between TPBs and graphic novels is that the material in graphic novels is always the first way it has been printed, anything else falls into a different category.
Digest: A digest is the Scott Pilgrim type of format. They have grown a bit over the years but you can still see the roots at the checkout line in grocery stores, with Archie books. Digests are pocket sized books that are much thicker than a regular comic and also come out on a regular basis.
Anthology Comic Book: Just like a TPB, but it is not bound. Just like a regular comic book it is also stapled.
Those are the basic categories, free of charge.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Great post. I have worked in comic shops for about 15 years or so and this is what I can add and mabey help clear things up a bit…
Comic Book: 22 pages w/o the ads, usually not self contained, ie will continue next issue. With the growing industry of independent comic books some of these rules have been put aside.
Prestige Format Comic Book: usually at least 48 pages, self contained story. it is easy to confuse this with the graphic novel(see below) but ask any comic store owner that has been through the turbulent 80s and 90s and they will tell you there is definitely a difference. At one time you could not purchase prestige format books in most book stores, only comic stores.
Trade Paper Back (TPB): a compilation of comic book issues that have previously been released individually. The ideal TPB is a self contained story, but this is not always the case.
Graphic Novel: very similar to a prestige format comic book, but larger and always self contained. The main difference between TPBs and graphic novels is that the material in graphic novels is always the first way it has been printed, anything else falls into a different category.
Digest: A digest is the Scott Pilgrim type of format. They have grown a bit over the years but you can still see the roots at the checkout line in grocery stores, with Archie books. Digests are pocket sized books that are much thicker than a regular comic and also come out on a regular basis.
Anthology Comic Book: Just like a TPB, but it is not bound. Just like a regular comic book it is also stapled.
Those are the basic categories, free of charge.