Comics, especially superhero comics, are a very popular form of telling stories. They sell well and generate much interest – but, even though Hollywood has recently (re)discovered them, most of this interest is among children and teens. This is certainly okay, but may also be one of the reasons most mainstream comics are, well, not exactly prime examples of good storytelling.
Graphic novels, on the other hand, tend to set higher artistic standards for themselves. They tell a story with drawings and words – sequential art, as Will Eisner called it – but they try and tell a complicated story which has something to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the human condition. However, many graphic novels are, to put it bluntly, no fun at all.
I like graphic novels and comics. A lot. But while the bland clichés and artificial climaxes of many mainstream comics fail to engage my attention, the lugubrious depth and slow pace of most graphic novels fails to engage my enthusiasm, which is just as bad.
Hence – Comics’ By Products. Here I’ll write about graphic novels and trade paperbacks (collections of comics first published in magazine format) which manage to forge the magic amalgam of excitement and intelligence which makes the medium – for me, at least – one of the most rewarding forms of art and entertainment.
