| a novel in the form of comic strips. |
| graphic novel n. A novel whose narrative is related through a combination of text and art, often in comic-strip form. |
graphic novel
Long a fixture on the fringes of American popular culture, the graphic novel seemed poised to enter the literary mainstream once again in 2004. The year saw the film adaptation of Harvey Pekar's American Splendor nominated for an Academy Award, the final issues of both Dave Sim's 6,000-page magnum opus Cerebus and Jeff Smith's influential Bone, and the long-awaited debut of Alan Moore's Lost Girls. With collected volumes of Sandman by Neil Gaiman (see Biographies) and Japanese manga titles becoming a common sight on public library shelves and film versions of landmark books such as Sin City, Watchmen, and Batman: Year One in production, the graphic novel had reached levels of respectability and marketability that transcended the disparaging label "comic book."
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