What?

Why?

How?

• Same format as comic books

• Text & illustrations present information

• Medium, not genre

• Book-length, usually contain one story

A Graphic Novel Page

Pages consist of a variety of elements

• Panels-squares or rectangles that contain a single scene

• Gutters-space between panels

• Dialog Balloons-contain communication between/among characters

• Thought Balloons-contain a character’s thoughts

• Captions-contain information about a scene or character

• Sound Effects-visual sound clues i.e.. Wonk! Pow!

How to Read a Graphic

Novel Page

Graphic novels are read left to right, just like traditional texts

Dialog Balloons

dialog balloons are read left to right or top to bottom as is appropriate.

1

2

35

4

Sometimes it can get a little more complicated…

1

3

2

4

But the basic left to right rule still applies to panels

and dialog balloons as well

1

2

3

45

67

Thought Bubble

Sound Effect

Panel

Gutter

Caption

Dialogue Bubble

Frame

Scream Bubble

Thought Bubble

Sound Effect

Panel

Gutter

Caption

Dialogue Bubble

Frame

Scream Bubble

Major Types

Humor

Non-Fiction

Fantasies

Adaptations

Spin-offs

or

Realistic Fiction

Personal Stories

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780375422300&z=y

Toon Books

• For age 4+

• Can be read to or by children

• Vetted by educators

http://www.toon-books.com/book_bpno_sample_01.php

• Manga=comic books

• Period before WWII=beginning of modern manga

Manga

How to read a Manga Page

Unlike traditional western books, Manga is read right-to-left and “back” to “front”

Often, if you start at what looks like the front of the Manga, you will see a message like this

Panels are read right to left

1

2

3

4

5

13

4

2

8

5

6

7

10

9

11

As are dialog balloons

Common Manga Character Traits

Large, expressive eyes

Small noses

Tiny mouths

Types of Manga

• Shonen: teenage boys

• Shojo: teenage girls

• Shonen-ai / Yaoi=boys love

Manga Adaptations

Popular & Respected

• Read by everyone

• Artists & writers well respected

• Much anime based on manga

• perceived as subversive=attractive!

• Ratings

• “God of Manga” Osamu Tezuka

• Hayayo Miyazaki: anime & manga

Names to Know

First comic “strip”

• Appeared in New York World: 1895

• R. F. Outcault

• Increased sales

Katzenjammer Kids

• 1897

• Used word balloons

• Used multiple panels to tell story

Early 20th Century

• Windsor McCay– Chalk-talk artist– Broadway musical– Animated movie

Popularity Grows• By early 1900’s, over

150 strips in syndication

• 1929: Tarzan

• 1931: Dick Tracy

The Comic Book

• 1933-reprints of comic strips

• Initially free

• 1935-original stories & characters

• 10 cents each

Popular comics

• Superman– First superhero– On newsstands: 1938

• Characters spun-off into radio & movies

• Superheroes big during World War II

After WWII: crime, science fiction and horror comics

Shades of things to come…

• The Spirit published as book-type supplement

• National newspapers

• Educated readers

1950’s: comics in crisis!

• Frederic Wertham

• Comics examined by US Senate

• Comics banned and burned

A New Beginning

• Late 1950’s: Justice League of America born

• 1961: Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, & Spiderman

• 1960’s: Self-published underground comics

• 1978-Will Eisner coins term

• 1986- Batman: the Dark Knight Returns

• 1987- The Watchmen

Milestones in the Graphic Novel World

• 1992- Maus: A Survivor’s Tale wins Pulitzer

• 2005-”Graphix” imprint launched

• 2006- American Born Chinese named NBA finalist for Young People’s Literature

• 2007- American Born Chinese wins Printz Award for excellence in YA literature

• 2007 The Invention of Hugo Cabret finalist for NBA

• 2008 Invention wins Caldecott

• 2007-YALSA creates new annual booklist: “Great Graphic Novels for Teens”

• 2009-NYT Graphic Books Bestseller List

• 2009- David Small’s Stitches NBA finalist

New Graphic Classics

• Marvel Illustrated

• IDW

• Manga Shakespeare

• Classical Comics

Educational GNs

President Obama

collects both

Spider-Man and

Conan the Barbarian

comics

Why Graphic Novels & Manga?

• 6.3 million secondary school students reading below grade level.

• Average American age 15-24 spends only 7 minutes of daily leisure time reading.

• >57%of high schoolers devote 3 or more hours of an average school day to electronic viewing.

• Students with access to variety of reading materials=higher average reading scores.

• Present complex material in readable text

• Serve as a bridge to more difficult reading

• Challenge readers of more traditional literature

• Embrace nature of multimedia world

• Fulfill NCTE’s “21st Century literacies” (multiple streams, simultaneous information)

Graphic Novels & Manga:

• Public Library

• Local comic stores

• Book stores

Checking Out Graphic Novels & Manga

Purchasing

• Many traditional library suppliers offer graphic novel titles.

• Local comic stores

• Book stores

Collection Development Policies

• Clear (enough) definition

• Selection criteria

• Maintenance

• Challenges

Classification & Shelving

• Within general collection

• Format specific (PS, NC or 741.5)

• Graphic Novel designation

• DNC

Learning more about Graphic Novels & Manga!

School Library Journal

Library Journal

Diamond Comics Bookshelf

Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Reviews & More

• Get Graphic!

• Graphic Novel Resources: SUNY at Buffalo

• First Second Books

• Public Square Books