Are graphic novels and comic books the same thing? Not quite. While they may look similar, there are some key differences between the two. A graphic novel contains a beginning, a middle and an end, offering the kind of resolution you expect from a novel. This makes it longer and more substantive than a comic book, which is a serialized extract from a larger narrative.
Comics are recognizable as regularly published periodicals that feature sequential works of art. Graphic novels, on the other hand, tend to resemble real stories and can distort history and facts in the minds of the less educated. In 1964, Richard Kyle used the terms graphic story and graphic novel in an article about the future of the comic book medium for a self-published fanzine or fan magazine. Graphic novelists have tried to separate themselves from comic book artists in the popular imagination.
Comic book artists are sometimes viewed as people who take advantage of an ongoing story and do what they need to do to maintain an audience and demand. The first comics date back to the 1920s, when newspaper strips containing comics were collected and reprinted. People often think that comics are aimed specifically at children or teenagers, although many adults also like the themes. Some popular comics include Batman, The Incredible Hulk, Superman, The X-men, Wonder Woman and The Fantastic Four.
Comics and graphic novels differ in terms of the integrity of the story, length and presence of advertisements. Comics use staples to hold pages together, a binding method known as saddle stitching. Readers used it to express their opinion that comics were more substantive than non-readers could believe; the same non-readers uttered the term with a touch of condescension, as if comic book fans were simply trying to disguise their hobby with more sophisticated language. Like any other novel, graphics receive an international standard book number (ISBN), a 13-digit identifier used with books.
From the 1930s to the 1950s, fondly known as the Golden Age of Comics, comics began to feature now-iconic heroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Green Lantern.Several comic book authors argue that the distinction between graphic novels and comic books is just a marketing term designed to sell the most expensive format. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which one you prefer.
