Saturday, April 7, 2012

G is for Graphic Novel



I got a little long-winded again yesterday, so I'll try to behave today. Luckily for you, I have not read too many graphic novels. When they first started floating into the bookstore I worked at years ago, I thought they were merely glorified, hardbound comic books (or manga). Now, I enjoy comic books just as much as the next person - don't get me wrong. I just could not really see much point in paying such high prices for a hardcover when the silly paper business was working just fine.

I see the error in my ways. I know there is a difference. (Yes, the distinction is ignored and abused from time to time, but what isn't?) Honestly, I find the recent graphic novelization of EVERYTHING EVER lately quite exciting. Maybe it will open doors to reading for kids who were intimidated by the prospect before. I'm not saying that graphic novels are training wheels (I'm an artist myself and love what I have seen), but they can be gateway or crossover books.



As for graphic novels that I have experienced personally, there are only a few. Most of them were bedtime stories for my daughter when she was tired of the picture books I was bringing home. However, I did have the opportunity to review The Girl Who Owned a City for Lerner Publishing Group. I enjoyed it a lot. I will definitely read more.

I wonder when we'll get The Lord of the Rings graphic novels...

9 comments:

  1. Food for thought anyway...haven't read too many graphic novels myself, but t.v. and film sure doesn't hold anything back, does it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, they don't and they always take so many liberties with the story. :-(

      Delete
  2. Haha, AWESOME. I wrote about graphic novels too! And I so agree. Make a friggin LOTR graphic novel already!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved your post! You've read way more than I have. Who do we need to talk to about a LoTR gn?! Wait! I've got it! WE CAN DO IT! I can totally do stick figures in Paint - you do the word bubbles. :-D

      Delete
  3. Let me know when The Lord of the Rings comes up - love the books and the movies. A graphic novel would be awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I too erroneously believed that these were just long comic books. J. O'Bar's The Crow changed my mind. Definitely one worth reading!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've thought about how abruptly children go from books with illustrations to those without when they are in school, at least it was like that when I was a child. I loved books that had a visual element, and as an adult, the idea of a graphic novel is appealing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Back when... it was Classic Comics. Some of those were actually gateway drugs to serious books for me. I'm trying to visit all the A-Z Challenge Blogs this month.

    ReplyDelete

You are going to put words in my box?! *squeezes you* Now I shall stalk YOUR blog!