Wikipedia* describes a graphic novel as “a type of comic book, usually with a lengthy and complex storyline similar to those of novels and often aimed at mature audiences. The term also encompasses comic short story anthologies, and in some cases bound collections of previously published comic book series (more commonly referred to as trade paperbacks).” It also describes the term as “evolving.”

The Darker Mask: Heroes From The Shadows (A Tor Book, NY 2008), available from Amazon, would fit in the evolving definition, I believe.

As panelists Gary Phillips, co-editor of the above, and Naomi Hirahara and Gar Anthony Haywood, two of its eighteen, award-winning contributors, spoke, it became clear their dark, mature theme collection qualified as a graphic novel because its characters have special powers and each story’s preceded by a comic-style illustration. They advised against starting this kind of book, however, because the wave of popularity for them has crested.

Epublishers avoid this novel type due to the added expense of the illustrations and customer complaints about slow downloads.

Fascinated, I came home to research what was to me a new, although old, genre. I began with Stan Tychinski at http://www.graphicnovels.brodart.com/history.htm where he tells us it may have had roots as far back as 1732, when Benjamin Franklin’s satirical cartoons and drawings influenced people for the American Revolution. He presents the age of comics, worldwide, from then until now.

The Darker Mask is spine chilling. If you loved the comics as a teen, drop by that special section and see if you don’t come away, as I did, with a couple of graphic novels for your collection.

Carolina Valdez – Where passion unlocks the sweet ecstasies of love
http://www.carolinavaldez.com

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_novel