Graphic novels are unique among all other genres in the fact that they can be any other genre while still being a graphic novel. While there is no real definition of what a graphic novel is it is generally recognized as a type of comic book that contains a lengthy and complex storyline similar to a novel and is often aimed at a more mature audience. The term also can encompass short story anthologies and bound collections of previously printed comic books series (Wikipedia.org).

            In simpler terms and from my research and interviews I believe that a

graphic novel can best be defined as a novel length work of literature that fuses the written elements with the illustration and uses book like printing and binding methods.

            It is impossible to consider the graphic novel without also considering the history of the comic, as graphic novels are an extension of this form of literature. The following is a brief history of comics and graphic novels summarized from several sources including: the 101 best graphic novels by Stephen Weiner, Marvel comics: Five fabulous Decades of The Worlds Greatest Comics by Les Daniels, interviews with various graphic novel collectors and Information found on wikipedia.org

            An argument could be made that cave paintings depicting battles and tribal rituals were the first comics mankind produced. However, American comics began in 1895 with the publication of the first newspaper strip, The Yellow Kid by R.F. Outcault. Comic strips became popular and soon almost every newspaper in the United States featured a Sunday or daily comic strip.

            Comic books didn’t become popular until the 1930’s when newspapers offered short collections of reprinted comic strips. This form of comic took off and soon publishers started offering original periodicals of short serialized stories. The 1930’s saw the creation of many of the superheroes we know today like The Human Torch, Superman and Batman. The 1940’s and 1950’s saw the expansion of comics to include romance stories, westerns, crime, horror, lowbrow humor and science fiction.

            In the 1960’s as America looked inward at our society, more complex and flawed characters became the focus of comics. Tortured heroes like Spiderman and societal outcasts like the X-Men were born and began to offer a more challenging view of American society and our values. Comics stopped being an idealized medium and began to tackle real life problems and cultural hypocrisies. At this same time, underground comics with more subversive and radical viewpoints started circulating.

            In the 1970’s the first comic book shops were opened giving underground comics and mainstream publishers an even playing field. Independent comic book writers finally had a forum to sell smaller niche market comics at a profit. This led to a rapid increase in the types of comics produced. The illustrations in comics were also becoming more sophisticated and vibrant as better printing techniques were developed and new art styles incorporated into the comic book.

            1978 saw the very first true graphic novel. Will Eisner coined the term while pitching his heavily illustrated work A Contract With God. It was a biting commentary on society that expressed the view that it is a miracle that people care enough about each other to insure survival. It featured a collection of short stories that showed survival in terms of financial generosity, cleverness, invisibility and forgiveness. Often Eisner would allow illustration to take the place of words conveying actions or events in his stories.

            By the 1980’s a majority of comics were no longer written for 10 year olds but for young adults and adults who could appreciate the complex stories and character personalities that would span years of a comics publication. The writing had become more refined, the stories more demanding and challenging and the artwork had become more expressive and instrumental in conveying the emotions and tone of the stories. Publishers started collecting years of past comic books and reprinting them in volumes that spanned a particular character’s arc or a plot line.

            The graphic novel grew out of this new sophistication and the demand of readers to be able to experience their favorite characters and stories in one book rather than wait months to see what happens next and then be left without resolution until the next issue arrived at their favorite comic book store.

            By the end of the 1980’s several publishers ceased producing serialized comics and concentrated solely on new graphic novels. This led to an explosion in the quality and variety of graphic novels available. The importance of artwork in graphic novels became more apparant and fully integrated into the stories. More than just illustrating the prose, the art became a vital element in the telling of the story. The written word and the artistic expression became fused so that both were necessary in reading the work.