The Curse of the Comic Book

There is a certain stigma that has always been attributed to graphic novels that undermines the significance of the writers and the material. The use of illustrated pages somehow denotes the medium for many, as the instant parallels between graphic novels and comic books are drawn.

As the art form has evolved so too have the authors and the opportunities to explore these parallels. For some, graphic novels are a way for creators to comment on the comic book culture and its conventions, while others have found that the use of graphic novels can elevate their work to a realm that could not otherwise be reached. Graphic novels and comic books are deeply intertwined, however the distinctions between the two are important and must be observed to properly understand each outlet as a literary form. These two forms of literature share certain practicalities but often use them to serve different means.

Art Spiegelman’s Maus burst onto the scene as monthly serial in the magazine Raw. Individually the series slowly unfolded the tale of Vladek Spiegelman and his experience throughout the occupation of Poland and the holocaust. Once collected into one single book, it became defined as a complete graphic novel, telling all of  “My Father Bleeds History” together. Rather than separated and solely existing as a backup feature in a larger magazine, this focused collection told a coherent uninterrupted story, similar to a novel. Unlike the comic book, this graphic novel could exist as complete story by itself.

Maus was a turning point, which proved the value of a consistent narrative that existed beyond a 22-page monthly periodical. The subject material alone proved that simply because this novel contained images did not mean that it was aimed at a youth based readership. The images used here were utilized to further explore the metaphor of Maus’s characters.

Much like George Orwell’s Animal Farm Spiegelman attributes human experiences and characteristics to non-human protagonists.

By doing this he is able to comment on the relationship between the Jews and the Nazi’s in a very topical, relevant way that uses the metaphor to help expand upon his comparison. Spiegelman manipulates the expected conventions of comic books by turning “Tom and Jerry” animals into relatable, important individuals.

 Conversely, Christopher Ware’s graphic novel Jimmy Corrigan the Smartest Boy on Earth uses the conventions of the medium to critique itself. Unexpectedly dropping in traditional transitions like “and so” and “thus” he acknowledges that these clichés are cheap and easy ways to move the scene along. Ware uses these techniques seemingly uselessly, so that no setting or character dynamic changes between these abrupt pauses.

His page layouts also seem to be an explosion of self-referral, fitting in as many boxes as he can into his grids with many of the same or repeated images. Comic books use the grid as a path, telling the story from one end to the other, while Jimmy Corrigan seems to bounce back and forth between character, setting and progression. This book is certainly a novel that requires attention to the simplicity of the art, which can be tedious at times, very unlike the explosive, detailed pages of many modern comic books.

Both of these books do their best to establish the necessity of their chosen medium. Comic books are often filled with advertisements and exist as part of a larger arc, while graphic novels tend to be self-contained, and don’t suffer from the small size, or advertisers pandering. Graphic novels and comic books can both deal with a wide range of topics that aren’t limited to any particular medium, and through the addition of artwork, both are built up in a way that allows them to transcend simple text.

Alone Maus would have been a powerful story, but to actually see renditions of emotions, actions and consequences we become more immersed in the material. Ultimately comic books exist similarly to a television show, a quick cheap form of entertainment, while graphic novels are more like film, a further developed story with a clear ending. Both use similar techniques and styles to elucidate their point, but one is able to exist by itself in its entirety, while the other must do it’s best to maintain interest. Each has learned aspects about story telling and technique from the other, but both strive to meet different ends.