What is a Graphic Novel?

May 6th, 2009 by Mike

So maybe you were thinking comic books were just for kids. Perhaps you gave a look of longing as you passed the comic store wishing there was a way for you to enjoy comics again. Fortunately for you, there is a solution…Graphic Novels! Now we need to ask, what is a graphic novel?

Graphic novels are like a longer form of comic books. Generally, a graphic novel comprises a story depicted with all the text in a spoken (or a thought bubble) form combined with imagery and art. In addition it is customary to see a note from the artist, writer, or editor setting up the storyline or just describing the process that brought about the story or what went on during its creation. In Japan, graphic novels have been around for a long time, where animation and comics are a part of the culture and held in a high regard, but in the United States they are a relatively new phenomenon.

Graphic novels are the crossroads where long form stories and comic books meet. In the beginning, graphic novels were mostly just bound versions of several issues of a comic book series. Over the past couple decades however, the graphic novel in the United States has become a way to express story arcs and background information outside of the regular storyline. This allows the graphic novel to pick up where the series left off.

The advent of the graphic novel also allowed the comic genre to delve into more adult issues. Some were simply darker looks at a story that was familiar, such as Frank Miller’s Dark Knight series, or a drawn look at historical events, such as the People Who Make History series featuring figures such as Mother Theresa, Paul Revere, and Gandhi.

Graphic novels aren’t just for kids anymore. With their rich art and history, their combination of old style comic book features and long story format, and there more adult oriented themes, it is easy for you to walk into your local comic book store, head held high and say, “Show me your graphic novels, please!”