Comics and graphic novels both tell a story in words and drawn pictures. The main difference is the format: a comic usually comes out in short, regular issues that each tell part of a longer story, while a graphic novel is a book that tells a whole story in one volume.
For a long time, people saw comics as something for children only. The term "graphic novel" helped drawn stories win a wider, adult audience. But how big is the difference really? What makes a comic a comic, and what makes a graphic novel?
Whichever one you read, it should not matter, as long as you enjoy stories told in this artistic and unique way. If you still want to know how the two forms differ, read on.
Comics vs. graphic novels
The similarities
Start with the obvious. Comics and graphic novels both tell a story not only through the written word, but through drawn pictures as well. The illustrations can be black and white or in color, realistic or abstract.
That is where the similarities end.
The differences
One of the biggest differences is that comics are usually published in a serial format. The story continues from issue to issue, and each issue covers only a small part of it, so readers wait eagerly for the next one.
A graphic novel usually contains a large part of a story, or a whole story in itself. There can be sequels, but a series of graphic novels often ends after only a few volumes, with the story complete and wrapped up.
In terms of plot, comics tend to have a light tone, with humorous strips and stories, or to tell adventure stories. Graphic novels are thought to take on more "mature" topics, with greater complexity.
Still, it would be too simple to say that comics are only for a younger, "immature" audience. Comics can deal with serious topics and problems just as well as graphic novels can.
Because each issue is short, comics are produced and published faster and more regularly than graphic novels. They usually have a paper cover and only a few pages. Some series bring out a new issue every month, some even every week. As periodicals, they can carry an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number), and you can buy them at newsstands, in comic book stores, and on their own shelves in many bookstores.
Graphic novels can also have a paper cover, but many are bound like hardcover books. They have far more pages than a standard comic, and they take longer to produce. Since graphic novels are closer to books than comics are, they get an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). Their production is more lavish and their scope bigger, so they also cost more than a comic.
The line between the two is not always sharp. A run of comic issues is often collected later into one bound volume and sold on the same shelf as graphic novels.
In short: how to spell check a Word document online
| Comic | Graphic novel | |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | Paper cover | Softcover or hardcover |
| Number | ISSN | ISBN |
| Release | In a series of issues | As a whole |
| Story | Continues from issue to issue, with no set end | A beginning, a middle, and an end |
| Tone | Often light, funny, or adventurous | Often more "mature" content |
If you want to tell a story of your own, in pictures or in words, the 4 storytelling basics are a good place to start. For the many other forms a story can take, see the different types of literature.