This came up in an answer to one of my other questions. I've been in stores and seen paperbacks called "graphic novels." Is there a difference between graphic novels and comic books -- other than in length?
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14"Graphic novel" is a more palatable term for grown-ups ashamed of liking comics... – Andres F. Jan 21 '12 at 13:46
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1Seems like whenever the publisher decides to collect a complete series of a more "adult" comic, it is called a "trade paperback" and is considered a "graphic novel". I'm not sure about this though. – Ellie Kesselman Mar 12 '12 at 09:10
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4In the UK, about 15 quid. – Paul D. Waite Jan 07 '13 at 16:21
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1You could argue that a "graphic novel" is more likely to be standalone (i.e. a whole story), or that they contain stories that are more "adult" in nature, but really Andres F. has it right -- it's often a euphemism for "comics". – Django Reinhardt Apr 27 '14 at 23:12
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2Same question elsewhere with a more detailed answer : http://literature.stackexchange.com/questions/771/how-are-graphic-novels-different-from-comic-books – Autar Feb 08 '17 at 13:45
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In my experience the difference can be a number of things, depending upon the publisher and book store:
- Length (graphic novels are longer),
- Issue rate (comics are issued weekly or monthly, one-offs or compendiums are graphic novels), or
- Target audience (graphic novels are aimed at adults, comics at the teen and afficionado markets).
