Comics and graphic novels differ in story completeness, length, and presence of ads. Graphic novels cover a story in its entirety and are usually made for adults. Comics are periodicals with ads and are often sold in specialty stores. Graphic novels are available in mainstream bookstores and libraries. Comics are often viewed as inferior, but some are worth thousands of dollars. Both forms can have mature themes and appeal to adults. The distinction between the two is debatable and may just be a marketing term.
Comics and graphic novels differ in terms of story completeness, length, and the presence of advertisements. The latter publication tends to be easier to find in bookstores and libraries, and are usually made more for adults. Even the identification numbers are not the same. Some people see comics as more “common” and less artistic, but they can be worth thousands of dollars to collectors, making it debatable which form is more valuable.
Completeness of history
A standard comic usually includes the beginning, middle, or end of a story, so a person typically can’t read or buy just one to learn the entire plot or discover the characters. Conversely, a graphic novel tends to cover a story in its entirety. If writers and artists decide to create a sequel, they design it as a complete new story with a beginning, middle, and end.
Some graphic novels are designed from the outset to tell a long story that can’t logically be broken down into a shorter format. Using this format allows the author the creative freedom to tell their story in an original way without adding sudden cliffhangers or changing the natural flow of the story. In other cases, a comic book collection will be published in novel form. This type takes those individual comics that told the different parts of the story and combines them into a single reading experience, often with clear divisions between each part.
Publishers also sometimes release comics as a collection in book form, which is a bit confusing when trying to make a distinction. They often do this with very popular titles, such as Garfield, Peanuts or Calvin and Hobbes. Titles give a clue here, because these collections usually give some indication of how the publication was organized, such as by year or theme.
Length and format
Taking into consideration the completeness of the story, in general, a comic is 21 to 24 pages long. Most take only 10 to 30 minutes to read, making them perfect for filling short periods of spare time. Graphic novels can be three to six times as long, ranging from 60 to 120 pages, but usually a person can still finish one in one sitting.
Comics are periodicals, typically printed on magazine-style paper and simply bound with staples. Graphic novels, on the other hand, can sometimes be found in hardcover, although this is less common than paperback versions. Paperback covers are usually thick and glossy, and the novels are bound like other more traditional books.
Ads
Publishers often include eight to ten pages of ads in a comic, bringing the total number of pages to about 32. Many of these ads are internal, meaning they are designed to draw attention to other work or products from the same company . Others come from other companies and these help cover production costs. Typically, graphic novels contain little or no marketing. As a result, they are typically much more expensive.
Where to find them?
Most comics are often sold direct through specialty stores, with only a few getting wider distribution to booksellers and libraries. Graphic novels are usually available in mainstream bookstores and libraries, although some comic book stores carry a few titles.
Maturity assessment
Graphic novels tend to be aimed at adult readers, so they often have mature themes that aren’t appropriate for children. The work of one of the most recognizable graphic novelists, Frank Miller – author of Sin City and 300, among many others – is definitely not for the faint of heart. Contains significant references to sex and violence, with the illustrations leaving little to the imagination.
People often think that comics are specifically aimed at a child or teen audience, although many adults also enjoy the themes. Some concepts tend to be quite universal, such as good battling evil, the pursuit of romance, or dealing with everyday life events like school. Children’s comics are often good for beginning readers because the text tends to be fairly simple and describes what appears in each frame of the work.
However, this distinction is not always a hard and fast rule. For example, Japanese manga, which is a type of comic, often explores more adult themes. There are also a number of comic book titles known for their violence and other adult themes. A children’s comic can also be collected in a graphic novel format, although these tend to be a little less common than adult titles.
Log in
Similar to any other novel, graphic novels are assigned an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), a 13-digit identifier used with books. In the US they also have Library of Congress archival numbers. Comics, by contrast, usually have an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN), an eight-digit number used only with serials.
Acceptance and value
Even though comics are enormously popular, in general, many people tend to view them as an “inferior” art form, in part because they assume they are largely designed for children or have simple themes. Graphic novels are generally more accepted, some even make bestseller lists and can compete directly with more traditional novels. Those that combine a series of comics may be more appealing to adults who may feel self-conscious about buying individual comics to read. A number of comic writers argue that the distinction is just a marketing term designed to sell the more expensive format.
Despite the usual view of comics as “common”, some of these publications have been enormously successful to the point of strongly influencing the culture. Phrases, characters and objects of famous characters such as Spiderman, Superman and Batman, for example, have spread to other fields, including music, television and toys. The top-grossing American film of 2008 was “The Dark Knight,” based on the Batman comics, while in 2012, it was “The Avengers,” based on Marvel Comics superheroes.
Another way comics have become more accepted is for their actual financial value. Very rare ones can be worth thousands of dollars. People also collect graphic novels, but when they do, it’s usually because they love a particular art style or storyline, not because they’re looking for an investment.
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