I'm writing a lengthy reserch paper on whether or not graphic novels, which have grown in popularity over the past few years, are worthy of being called a literary movement. There are some that say graohic novels are just comic books yt others say that they are brilliant pieces of lit. So what are your oppions?

Manga is a graphic novel that studied abroad in Japan for two years. =)

Anyway, all the books you are mandated to read in school are of literary merit by their very nature. Whether or not YOU think they're crap is irrelevant. Time has tested and proven them worthy of their place among the elites.

Ethan Frome, for example, is possibly the worst crap I've ever read in my life. But, it's considered a work of literary merit and I agree. Just personally, I found it boring and self-indulgent.

Well, what do you mean by style? That you read from right to left instead of left to right? That it's usually in the anime style? That's only because manga comes from a different country. The styles of graphic novels vary all over the world, but they're still graphic novels. As long as it is a long story, told mostly through images, it is a graphic novel.

Style mainly......

Ok then. How are manga and graphic novels different?

well....considering half of what Shakespeare wrote was litrtally crap (this is coming form a sjakespeare fan) oh and you can't forget the scarlet letter and theres walden and anything written by thoreau thats carap....There are a million "Literary" books that are crap...

Still I see graphic novels and manga as two different categoriesthats like saying the matrix and calender girls are the same. I mean they are both movies but one is a chick flick while the other is full of action and violence. SO while manga is similar to a graphic novels...it's its own thing:manga

quote:

Some of the books i have read in my school have not been worthy of literary merit...

Examples?
You may not like the book but for them to be taught in a school chances are they have literary merit.

Some of the books i have read in my school have not been worthy of literary merit...

If by literary movement, do you think that it will pick up and become it's own entity, then yes. Just as these chick-flick-turned-book-turned-chick-flick-again bullshit things have become popular among tanners and high-school girls, graphic novels will too become more and more popular. More writers will write them, more producers will turn them into movies, up until a new type of writing takes the forefront.

Are they of literary merit (like some of the books we read in school?) no. They're well-written (some of them) but none so far have the immediate, well-rounded moral lesson most merited books do.

But give it time.

I don't think there's any question that good graphic novels have literary merit. Neil Gaiman is a damn good literary and graphic novelist, for instance, which I think helps to bridge the gap considerably. You might want to check out Gaiman's work if you haven't already; Harlan Ellison writes about Gaiman's ability/skill/value/what have you as a writer in the introduction of Sandman volume 4: Season of Mists. Failing that, you might try emailing Gaiman about it to see what he thinks. Be an impressive primary source. From what I understand he tends to respond to fan mail and the like.

That said, what's your definition of a literary movement?

Manga books are Graphic Novels.

when I say graphic novels i mean 300, Sin City, The Watchman, V for Vendetta, From Hell, etc. I however do not really see

when I say graphic novels i mean 300, Sin City, The Watchman, V for Vendetta, From Hell, etc. I however do not really see manga as graphic novels I see them more as, well, manga...

My mom, an english major currently teaching English at high levels of education, is very good friends with a known graphic novelist with many peices of works out. HE agrees with my definition.

What kind of graphic novels are you talking about. I say manga is literature, but comic books, however are not...