Should Graphic Novel Be Considered As Literature?


What is a graphic novel?

A Graphic novel is a compilation of comic content in book form. Usually, the term ‘novel’ is used to refer to lengthy fictional work; the term ‘graphic novel’ is used in a broader sense including fiction as well as non-fiction. It is different form the term ‘comic book’ which pertains to periodicals.

Origin of the graphic novel

In the 1940s, a comic book series name Classic Illustrated was launched. The series adapted classic novels in the public domain into comic books so that young readers could enjoy them. This was the origin of the graphic novel which later morphed into its current form after going through several evolutionary steps.

Should Graphic Novel be considered as Literature?

A few people scoff when they see graphic novels in stores or libraries. They would wonder why these novels are kept with other books. Most of us think of these books as nothing more than a collection of colorful images with very little dialogues printed inside small boxes embedded within the image. There are, however, some of these books that tell a legitimate story.

Some of us woud remember reading ‘Black Beauty’ in which the story was written as it is but with aid from graphic images. The images somehow rendered the story more real.

There are some graphic novels that should be considered as literature. These would include image stories that consider very touchy subjects. 300, Maus and V for vendetta are only a few examples of this genre.

There are some graphic novels that are created just for the purpose of spending time. They simply do not have any creativity or art value. However, there are many that do have an artistic value. They have depth as well as amazing insight. Moreover, they are also bestsellers in their own realms. These graphic novels are able to compete with the real novels both terms of number of books sold as well as the value that they offer to their readers.

When the author of a graphic novel also works as its illustrator, he / she should be given more credit since he / she is able to show the readers exactly what they should see. They are not only able to read the words but also see their manifestation.

Reading a graphic novel also expands the imagination of a reader. Where the words a not enough to depict a scene, the accompanying image could fill the void perfectly.

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