Definition of Graphic Novel
According to the The Oxford English Dictionary online [A.] 7. graphic novel, a full-length (esp. science fiction or fantasy) story published as a book in comic-strip format.
More definitions
Snowball, C. (2006). "Graphic novels: telling tales visually" Synergy, 4(2), 18-22.
What are graphic novels?
There is much discussion on the exact definition of a graphic novel
and the differences between graphic novels, comics and comic books. Joe
Sacco, author and illustrator of a number of non-fiction graphic
novels, prefers the term comic book to graphic novel (Reynolds, 2005),
probably because non-fiction graphic novel is an oxymoron.
For my research, I am using the definition of librarian Steve
Raiteri. A graphic novel is ‘any trade paperback or hardcover book
consisting of work in comic-book form’ (Raiteri, 2002, p.148). This
includes book-length stories, collections of stories and works of
non-fiction. This does not include collections of comic strips such as
Garfield or Peanuts.
Graphics novels are a format, rather than a genre (Kan, 2003). They
include many different genres and are thus accessible to a wide range
of readers (Goldsmith, 2005).
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