tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post6035206468100628869..comments2023-11-09T07:51:21.497-05:00Comments on The Boston Bibliophile: Graphic Novel Monday: What IS a Graphic Novel?Marie Cloutierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14938166831865436287noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-64815497364317110112010-06-28T13:34:25.958-04:002010-06-28T13:34:25.958-04:00I'll totally back you on a new name! All of th...I'll totally back you on a new name! All of the 'graphic novels' I've read so far are actually memoirs, and I'm never quite sure what to actually call them.Jen (Devourer of Books)https://www.blogger.com/profile/12749409263374016356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-73363053954032382782010-06-26T15:14:42.258-04:002010-06-26T15:14:42.258-04:00I've swung around to preferring the term "...I've swung around to preferring the term "comics" to "graphic novels", just because "graphic novels" does sound like it refers to one particular thing and not, as you say, memoirs, etc. But then with "comics" you run into the issue where you say "a comic memoir" and you mean comics, but it sounds like you mean funny. It's a problem. I'd love there to be a useful word to cover any graphic novel type book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-53241241340641891922010-06-25T03:45:30.384-04:002010-06-25T03:45:30.384-04:00Really great post, Marie. I never thought about h...Really great post, Marie. I never thought about how many different forms of graphic novels are really out there. I have not read one yet (smile) but I do want to read Persepolis and Blankets. I just have yet to do so. I can't get into Manga, which I tried first on a recommendation. I didn't like the three I tried. <br /><br />I don't consider comic strips to be graphic novels, personally. I don't think of comic strips as designed to be in book format. I agree that they are more like collections or anthologies, much like a collection of short stories is not called a novel. Just my thoughts on it!Beccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02706544792110129160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-31485784602462393752010-06-22T12:49:41.086-04:002010-06-22T12:49:41.086-04:00Andi, I like "sequential art" but it lea...Andi, I like "sequential art" but it leaves out the idea of narrative. Oh well, we may not solve this dilemma but it's fun to try!<br /><br />Logan, exactly. Comics brought together between two covers just don't seem the same to me, even if they are very similar.<br /><br />Bermuda, that's exactly a big part of the confusion. I wish there were a more precise term that still could be applied generally.<br /><br />Bellezza, well that probably just means you haven't been reading the right books! :-)Marie Cloutierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14938166831865436287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-78019269814271031152010-06-21T21:41:39.235-04:002010-06-21T21:41:39.235-04:00Oh, I hate to be a big baby, but...graphic novels=...Oh, I hate to be a big baby, but...graphic novels=boring to me. However, I do appreciate how they encourage the boys in my class to pick up a book!Bellezza https://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-10886819217043595442010-06-21T14:13:31.999-04:002010-06-21T14:13:31.999-04:00I do think of graphic novels as fiction, which I&#...I do think of graphic novels as fiction, which I'm sure isn't right. I have heard the term graphic memoirs as well.bermudaonionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10726401178972099557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-46477853921251299432010-06-21T11:40:00.936-04:002010-06-21T11:40:00.936-04:00A very intriguing question. I find classification...A very intriguing question. I find classification elusive frequently, both outside the graphic novel books as well as within. There's definitely a difference between a graphic novel (say, <i>Blankets</i>) and a comic book collection (say, <i>The Sandman</i>). While Gaiman's masterpiece was a monthly comic book issue, the entire series can read as one long graphic novel to me. And yet, I hesitate to call it so.<br /><br />I definitely cannot classify <i>Calvin & Hobbes</i> or <i>Peanuts</i> as graphic novels, though. They seem more like collections or anthologies. <br /><br />Again, an excellent post that's got my mind to thinking.logankstewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12269634215857320344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-75376451450680630722010-06-21T11:38:55.120-04:002010-06-21T11:38:55.120-04:00What to call them is certainly the eternal argumen...What to call them is certainly the eternal argument in academia. I wrote my thesis on Fables, by Bill Willingham, and went round and round with my director about what to call them. Fables is an ongoing series, and the 'graphic novels' are just collections of the monthly comics. While my habit is to call them graphic novels, my advisor liked the term "graphic album" which is typically a British term, I think, which refers to a collection of comics. <br /><br />At the most vague, we can also call any illustrated book which depends on sequence "sequential art." Thanks, Scott McCloud! So, yeah, I don't have any good answer, and I devoted two and a half years of my academic life to the subject.Andihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05220718933942181809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-57399502906893052562010-06-21T11:30:51.422-04:002010-06-21T11:30:51.422-04:00Diaryofaneccentric, exactly- but so many things ma...Diaryofaneccentric, exactly- but so many things marketed and touted as graphic novels are collections of comics, so it gets fuzzy.<br /><br />Petty, I know what you mean! Sometimes these terms that are set to describe a category of books can cause as much confusion as they're meant to clear up!<br /><br />Valerie, I never thought of that use of "graphic" as related to graphic novels but you're right!<br /><br />Zibilee, I'm glad that you enjoy the feature :-) You're always such a consistent reader (and commenter) and I really appreciate that. I think STITCHES is wonderful; I don't know how old your kids are but keep in mind it's a little more on the "mature" side. :-)Marie Cloutierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14938166831865436287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-61472792746585315142010-06-21T10:59:19.965-04:002010-06-21T10:59:19.965-04:00I so love these graphic novel Monday posts because...I so love these graphic novel Monday posts because I had never really been exposed to graphic novels before, and now I have a go to place where I can hear all about all different kinds of graphic novels. I have been keeping a list of all the titles you have mentioned that interested me and am planning on doing some shopping soon. I already have bought a couple, and a couple for my kids, but there are some out there that I really want to get my hands on right away! I am particularly thinking of Stitches in this instance.Zibileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05857638467064749190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-36016254469327966162010-06-21T09:31:55.336-04:002010-06-21T09:31:55.336-04:00I dislike the term "graphic novel" for t...I dislike the term "graphic novel" for two reasons. the first is that the word "graphic" itself can mean describing something in high detail such as "graphic sex" or "graphic violence"; rather than only meaning graphic as in pictorial form.<br /><br />Secondly, the "novel" part. It seems to me that many graphic novels that I've read or have heard of are not actually novels, but non-fiction or based on non-fiction. For example "Maus" is based on the author's dad's Holocaust experience but there weren't actually cats, rats, and pigs talking/dressing like humans back in those days (or ever). <br /><br />So it should definitely be broken down in sub-genres!Valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10401551604933163595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-24703216627530794022010-06-21T08:19:50.957-04:002010-06-21T08:19:50.957-04:00Thanks for this informative post. To be honest jus...Thanks for this informative post. To be honest just what people meant when they talked about graphic novels always puzzled me but then I also wonder about what people mean by cozy novels.Felicity Grace Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17852843882007267665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359999156621466745.post-66492580691312368822010-06-21T07:18:59.688-04:002010-06-21T07:18:59.688-04:00Interesting post. It certainly gives you a lot to...Interesting post. It certainly gives you a lot to think about. I've wondered the same thing, not just about graphic novels, though. Classification is a tricky thing sometimes.<br /><br />I thought the Peanuts and other comics were considered comic collections. I never would have grouped them with graphic novels.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com