Over the years I’ve read countless books, from huge dictionaries and encyclopedias
to children’s books, short stories, trivia, essays, poetry, and novels. But I never read a graphic novel, until now.
The
comic-book format to adult stories is fascinating. I can’t believe I waited this long to enter
the world of illustrated stories. As a
kid I enjoyed comic strips and comic books, though I wasn’t deep into
them. I certainly appreciated how they
conveyed concepts and action through few words and great imagery. Now that concept has popularly transferred
over to the adult world.
“Graphic
novels” is a name that on one hand, sounds like what it is – novels that have
graphics or artwork. But it also sounds
like novels that are very graphic in detail to violence. I guess sometimes a graphic novel can be
detailed with violence AND illustrated.
It’s
a growing genre, for sure. What a nice idea it is to combine talented
illustrators with great writers. The
cultural arts are so important for an evolving society. There’s room in the book publishing industry
for books in all genres and in all types of formats. It seems logical that with many of us growing up
reading comic books so that we continue into adulthood with the same format,
just different subject matter.
A
Publishers Weekly article from 2013
notes that graphic novels have exploded in the 21st century. The article stated: “Acclaimed books like Art
Spiegelman’s Maus (1991) and Alan Moore's and Dave Gibbon’s Watchman (1987) have
spurred academic interest in comics, which opened many doors for the
medium. The 2000s brought a slew of new
classics as traditional publishers put out much-lauded, award-winning titles
like Marjane Satropis’s Persepolis (2000), Allison Bechdel’s Fun Home (2006),
Raina Telgemeier’s Smile (2010), and Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
by Chris Ware (2000).”
Comic-Con
is certainly a very happening event in the publishing industry, and graphic
novels are a part of that. Graphic novels
are getting more shelf space in stores, too.
In
2014, the comic and graphic novel market hit a new 20-year high – sales to
consumers in the US and Canada reached $935 million – a 7% hike over 2013
sales. It’s on pace to rocket past a
billion dollars this year. In 2013, 85
million print unit sales happened for the top 30 comic books. It reflected its highest such number since 2007. It seems to run
opposite the digital reading trend. Still, comic sales remain lower than peaks
in the 1950’s or early 90’s.
Comic
book sales fuel big-screen adaptations. The movies then further people’s
interest in reading the comic books.
Maybe
we need a graphic novel or comic book that showcases a book-related theme or a
writer-turned-superhero. Could there be a
movie deal, too?
My
son loves Diary of a Wimpy Kid, a terrific graphic novel series for the 8-12
segment. But graphic novels are also embraced
by teens, young adults, and older people.
Perhaps as the younger generation that first embraced the format grows
older, the genre will grow with them, both in content and market size.
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