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Question: What's a Graphic Novel!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
The answer to this question will vary, depending on whom you ask!.

Ask an older comic book enthusiast, and you'll probably be told a graphic novel is a single, original story, aiming at a more mature audience than traditional comics, never having been printed as a comic book!.

Ask a younger comic book enthusiast, and you may be shown a copy of Frank Miller's 300 hardcover, which was originally printed as individual comic book issues!.

Ask a manga reader, and you'll be referred to any number of digest sized paperback books, almost always eastern in origin, with the story serialized across multiple volumes!.

Ask a Peanuts fan, and you'll be shown books reprinting a number of Peanuts comic strips, originally syndicated in newspapers!.

Ask a librarian, and you'll likely be directed to sections of the library featuring all these types of books, and then some!. Furthermore, each section may be aimed at different age groups - kids, teens, and adults!.

Who's right!? In many regards, they all are!. The phrase "graphic novel" has evolved over the years, and depending on what comics you've read in your lifetime, what era of comics you grew up in, and what graphic novel marketing you've been exposed to, your interpretation of what a graphic novel is will likely vary from someone else's view!.

In my opinion:

A graphic novel is not defined by the matter of comic content, or genre, or the supposed maturity level of the story presented!. Nor is it a judgment of the storyline's length or complexity!.

A graphic novel is simply a description of the format in which comic material is presented!. Which is to say – it’s a book, usually perfect bound, available in a paperback (softcover) or hardcover binding!.

In other words, a graphic novel is a comic book that looks like, feels like, tastes like, a book!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Its like if a comic book and a regular novel had a lovechild!.!.!.!.its a really long comic book with a more in-depth plot and more character development (like a novel) but formatted just like a comic strip with mostly pictures and captions/thought bubblesWww@QuestionHome@Com

Basically it's a comic book!.
Most people read the japanese ones!.
The ones where you read from right to left!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

the ones i have seen have been long novels basically summed up into a lot shorter version with comic book style pictures!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

it's like manga; books that are chiefly illustrations=)Www@QuestionHome@Com

novels like james pattersons are and stephen king!Www@QuestionHome@Com

A highly illustrated book, like the Bone series!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

A way of justifying why a grown adult man would by a comic book!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

basically a really long comic bookWww@QuestionHome@Com

A different name for comic book!.Www@QuestionHome@Com