From: Morishima , Janna <JMorishima>
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 09:59:11 -0400

Hi everybody, This is my first post -- I've been following the graphic novel discussion with rapt interest.

I would like to venture one comment on the definition of a graphic novel. I remember reading somewhere -- it might have been in Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" -- that a graphic novel is a *format*, not a genre. In other words, it is simply a certain way to tell a story, not a type of story.

I agree with Monica Edinger that graphic novels and comics are pretty much the same thing. Sometimes, as far as I can tell, the publishing industry uses the two terms to distinguish between a publication which is book-length (graphic novel) and a publication which is one installment in a longer story, usually about 32 pages and printed on cheaper paper (comic). Individual comics are often bundled into a full book and then sold as a graphic novel.

McCloud's definition of a comic is "Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information." For me, this definition is a little too broad, because it could be used to define children's picture books, which are not necessarily comics. One difference between picture books and comics is that picture books are read from page to page, whereas comics are read in panels
(usually) across and down each page.

But McCloud is right to emphasize that the term "comics" doesn't refer to subject matter, printing process, or school of art. Basically, the same genres and subsets which exist in "literature" exist in "comics" -- non-fiction, westerns, superheroes, romances, detective stories, even cookbooks and how-to manuals (common in Japanese manga).

Thanks for the great discussion!

-Janna Morishima Scholastic 557 Broadway New York, NY 10012

Subsets? all consider a comic book to be a graphic novel per se? A subset therein? Frankly, I think that the two concepts are different forms of communication/expression. And it is a disserve to not recognize the separate and distinct formats..." also been wondering about subset definitions, if they even exist. The various lists and recommendations - all welcome, to be sure - represent a mix of typical literary genres. Are they subsets, as Karen asks? define "graphic novels" or to make a distinction between genres - if genre distinctions matter at all. Some of the examples might be Avi's "City of Light, City of Dark: A Comic Book Novel" (notice the subtitle there); Raymond Briggs's "Ethel & Ernest: A True Story;" the Tintin or Asterix books; Spiegelman's "Maus," or Winick's
"Pedro & Me." Or others... There are plenty! the phrase "graphic memoir." I was trying to clarify what this book seems to be within the "graphic literature" being discussed energetically this month. So don't worry about making up a definition. Somehow that seems to go along with the whole idea, doesn't it?
Received on Thu 15 Apr 2004 08:59:11 AM CDT