Begining of my report

How do Graphic Novels Relate to Digital Games?

Contents?

· Introduction.
· Definition of a Graphic Novel.
· What are differences and similarities between graphic novels, comics and manga?
· Brief History of the Graphic Novel.
· Western Comics.
· Eastern Graphic Novels.
· Layout of a Graphic Novel/Manga.
· Graphic Novels that have been transformed into games.
· What process do the creators do to transform graphic novels to digital games?
· What difficulties when changing occur?
· Conclusion/Summary
· Appendices?
· Bibliography

Introduction

My report will be reportage on graphic novels and their transmission to digital games. The report will explain where graphic novels come from, why & how they were created, who created them and what they are? Furthering this I will reflect on what difficulties the creators may have had
produce the novel. Also I will explore why a graphic novel is laid out the way it is. Most importantly however I will reflect on the differences between graphic novels and games. Such as what & how are characters chosen to be in the game or novel? Why are new characters introduced to the games when they aren’t in the novel? What part of the novel will become the games storyline?

Definition of a Graphic Novel

My Answer

A graphic novel is a series of artwork that creates a story; ‘an image is worth a thousand words’. And thus therefore the graphic novel can tell a story without having to describe a scene or a character’s looks because the reader can see it.

Also according to About.com “There are differing viewpoints as to how broadly “graphic novel” should be defined.

According to Scholastic, “The term graphic novel is now generally used to describe any book in a comic format that resembles a novel in length and narrative development.”

According to an article by Keir Graff in the American Library Association’s Booklist/February 1, 2003, “A graphic novel, like a regular novel, is a stand-alone story that is published as a book. It’s easy to get confused, though, because some people will still use comics for the whole genre or graphic novel for any comic-style work that’s handsomely published, even if it’s just a collection of superhero stories.”

In The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Creating a Graphic Novel, authors Nat Gerther and Steve Lieber give a broader definition: “A graphic novel is a comics project of substantial length that is designed to be understood as a single work. Fiction, nonfiction – even a comic’s format cookbook – would count as a graphic novel.” (Page 13, 2004 edition. ISBN: 9781592572335)

The broadest definition comes from the No Flying, No Tights Teen Graphic Novel site, run by Robin Brenner, Teen Librarian at the Brookline (MA) Public Library and others: "The shortest definition of a graphic novel is this: a book-length comic."”

What are differences and similarities between graphic novels, comics and manga?

My View Point

The first most obvious similarity is that all use sequential artwork to present a story, According to Savannah College of Art and Design, which offers a degree in sequential art, “The field of sequential art encompasses graphic novels, comic books, comic strips, children’s books and storyboards for animation and film. Sequential artists combine words and pictures to form
entertaining and effective narratives.” Also most often the story will be present the dialog in the form of speech/thought bubbles with boxed captions for the narrator.

For the differences however according to About.com “However, comic-style books are generally hardbound or soft bound like picture books. They are longer than comic books but not as long as novels. Graphic novels are also available in hardbound or soft bound editions but are ubstantially longer than comic books or comic-style books. To further confuse matters, some librarians, educators, and authors use the term “comic(s)” to refer to all three: comic books,
comic-style books, and graphic novels.”

My view is that a comic i.e. The Beano, Dandy and The Simpsons etc… are short stories that are generally resolved within the same comic and/or have more than one story within it. A graphic novel however I think is a story that it the length of a regular novel that then can have a sequel of novels following it i.e. X-men, Batman and Avengers. Finally Manga my thoughts are that manga tells a long story over a number of books but the story can be split into Arcs i.e. Bleach, Naruto and Rurouni Kenshin.