Mike wrote:
"Since I'm an old geezer I've been confused about the
distinction, if any, between what we used to call 'comic
books' versus what today are called 'graphic novels.'"
Graphic novels, largely pioneered by Will Eisner of Spirit
fame, began as a longer, single shot form of graphic
storytelling. They afforded authors/artists the opportunity
to explore more serious, more adult themes than comic books,
which still carried the stigma (and Comic Code Authority
seal) of being for kids. In other words, they were long form
comics for grown ups. With the (long since imploded)
independent comic boom, these values trckled down into
regular comics, eventually leading the majors to set up
alternative, more adult lines of comics like DC's
Vertigo.
While original graphic novels are still being written (for
instance, Eisner continured producing them until his death),
the distinction between comics and graphic novels has become
at least partly, if not largely, a matter of marketing and
presentation. For instance, in this case, Coward is a perfect
bound (has a spine) trade paperback graphic novel that
collects the first five issues of the comic book Criminal.
Graphic novels have a continuing shelf life and are available
in chain bookstores, whereas comic books generally have the
short shelf life of a periodical, especially outside of comic
book shops (which sometimes hang on to past issues).
Mark
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