How are Graphic novels different from Comic books?

Have you also discovered somebody reading a graphic novel in the name of a comic book lately? People are often seen mixing graphic novels with comic books. Let’s excuse them for this commonly committed mistake. After all, both graphic novels and comic books are similar to a great extent as the two consist of illustrations and texts as main ingredients of storytelling. It is apt to say that both contribute largely to the reader’s knowledge and vocabulary. But, graphic novels are different from comic books in many ways. Let’s discuss some points of difference.

Completeness: A graphic novel as its name suggests tells a complete story having a proper beginning, middle and end while a comic book offers excerpts from large stories. Even if multiple series of graphic novels are released, each series is complete.   

Suitability: Undoubtedly, both graphic novels and comic books offer a wide range of vocabulary and build confidence in readers. Yet, graphic books are more suitable for fast-paced, energetic and ravenous readers whereas comic books are suitable for beginners to inculcate the habit of regular reading in them.

Frequency:  Publishers tend to issue the serialized addition of a comic book in short intervals such as weekly and monthly to bind the interest of readers. That’s not the case with a graphic novel as it is complete in itself. Graphic novels are usually published in series. And the series are released on a yearly basis.

Continuity: Readers cannot enjoy a comic book until they have read the previous part or addition of the story whereas graphic novels can be read as and one when one wishes. Parents are amazed to see their kids often seen reading and revising the stories of their favourite graphic novels.

Length: Graphic novels are way larger than comic books having more complex plots. Since graphic novels describe complete narratives, they provide detailed description of characters, incidences and events.  Hence, they are larger and lengthier as compared to comic books.

Graphic novels and comic books can be fictional as well as non-fictional. There’s no doubt that both- graphic novels and comic books create sharp readers as reading them may not only sharpen one’s vocabulary but also it can help improve memory and develop empathy among kids at an early age. Let us conclude by admitting that graphic novels and comic books are similar yet different in considerable ways.