What's the difference between comics and graphic novel? In my column in StarMag today, I use the terms interchangeably, but on reflection, I think that while all graphic novels can be called comics, not all comics can be called graphic novels.
Here's my rationale: A novel is an extended fictional work (or story) in prose form. A graphic novel would be the same, but using sequential art (usually paired with text/a script) to tell the story.
Comics are sequential art of any length, even one panel. In that case, it would not be a graphic novel. But a comic of, say, 140 pages, that tells a fictional story would be a graphic novel.
Therefore, graphic novels, being made up of sequential art, are comics. But comics aren't always graphic novels.
Definitions of Comics:
Typically only a separate section on Sundays; daily
papers will include a page or more of comics in another section.
Although new colour printing technology has seen the spread of the use
of colour in comics (and other editorial content) to daily editions,
for many years the expense of colour printing meant that only the
Sunday editions of many newspapers carried most comics in full colour. - The NationMaster reference website
Juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence. - Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud (HarperPerennial, 216 pages, ISBN: 978-006-097-6255)
Comics (sometimes spelled comix) are combinations of
words and images into a medium for telling stories. They are typically
printed on paper, with the most common formats being newspaper strips,
magazine-format comic books, and larger bound volumes called graphic
novels.
- Wikipedia, entry on Comics
Definitions of Graphic Novel:
Generally, any self-contained story in a single binding
that uses a comic book-like page layout. In the comic book industry,
the term is sometimes used to refer only to self-contained stories of
48 or more pages that has not been previously published serially. (The
minimum page count varies; 64, 72, and 96 pages are other popular
cut-off points.) - The Comic Book Awards Almanac glossary
"Graphic novel" (sometimes abbreviated GN) is a term
for a kind of book, usually telling an extended story with sequential
art (i.e. comics). It is not strictly defined, and is often used to
imply subjective distinctions between a given book and other kinds of
comics. - Wikipedia, entry on the graphic novel
P.S. I don't claim to know very much about graphic novels/comics. I like a comic strip as much as the next person and I have several Bloom County, Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side compilations. I also have a few Too Much Coffee Man comics and Lat's various books. I owned all of the above many years before I came to possess my first graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, but, hang on, now I realise that Lat's Kampung Boy is a graphic novel. I guess I never gave the format much thought. I just took it for granted, just I took all books and the pleasure they give for granted.
Maria Gripe, Swedish children's book author, died yesterday, 5th April, 2007. She would have been 84 on 25th July. Her husband, Harald Gripe, the illustrator, died in 1992. She leaves behind a daughter, Camilla,who is also a children's author, although her books are not translated into English.
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