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Manga:Comics or Book Novel?




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The Big Bang



Joined: 17 May 2007
Posts: 48
Location: Chicago,IL[english second lang]
PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2007 4:23 pm Reply with quote
Me and mine have been having this argument on this subject for a while. I personally think that manga is a novel. Because,It more expensive than a regular comic. Also,its closer to novel lenght than to a comic.
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Jedi General





PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2007 4:26 pm Reply with quote
Manga are usually listed under the category of "graphic novels." That being said, they are actually kinda both in a way.

EDIT: Graphic novels are essentially comic books at their roots. It's just that GNs are normally longer and usually more complex in they're storyline than your average comic book.


Last edited by Jedi General on Thu May 17, 2007 4:30 pm; edited 2 times in total
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jgreen



Joined: 14 Mar 2005
Posts: 1325
Location: St. Louis, MO
PostPosted: Thu May 17, 2007 4:26 pm Reply with quote
I'm not sure what you're asking here, but I think the term you're looking for is "graphic novel." The words "comic book" and "graphic novel" are pretty much interchangeable, although people usually say "comic book" when they mean the 32-page pamphlets and "graphic novel" when they mean the thicker, bound books. Manga has been published in both formats, although currently the only manga being released in comic book form is Blade of the Immortal.
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marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 4:26 pm Reply with quote
I would place them as closer to comics than novels, if I had to make the distinction, but because of the term "graphic novels" I don't have to. Of course, lots of comics can be found in the graphic novel section, albeit in collected editions.

But I'd say that the visual element makes them stand out from novels, even if price-wise they are similar (which sucks in a way, because you can read a volume of manga much faster than a similarly sized work of prose).
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:48 pm Reply with quote
They can be called Japanese comics, because the Japanese use the term comics at times to refer to manga.
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BrothersElric



Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Posts: 1996
PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2007 4:15 pm Reply with quote
I've always seen graphic novels, or manga if you will, as it's own genre separate from the two, and one that can be loved by both fans of comics and novels at the same time. Of course, I've also seen comics as the same thing, only comics are more in the periodical type of reading, whether in magazine format or in your newspapers, so for that reason, novel readers have a hard time getting into them. Plus, of course, the difference is in the stories, which graphic novels/manga seem to generally have more novel-styled stories.

I think though the best way to describe graphic novels/manga is as a visual form of novel. It's actually why I personally prefer them and comics to actual novels, being a visual kind of person and all.
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sandy_taty



Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 132
Location: Los Angeles, CA
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:24 pm Reply with quote
Graphic Novel: A novel whose narrative is related through a combination of text and art, often in comic-strip form.

Comic Book: A book of comics strips or cartoons, often relating a sustained narrative.

Everybody here have repeat the definition of both, as you can see both are pretty much the same, and I'm demostrating you with textual support.

http://www.answers.com/topic/graphic-novel http://www.answers.com/Comic%20Book[/url] Razz
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ishmael



Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Posts: 128
PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2007 7:15 am Reply with quote
Actually, graphic novels and comics are interchangeable terms, the graphic novel term was coined to make some comic sound more mature, as some adult were reluctant to purchase comics or consider comics at the same literar level tahn a novel (for studies or university work). But like jgreen said, if you go to stores, nowadays, graphic novels is attributed to longer works or anthologies, while comics is attributed to 32 pages.

Marie-Antoinette definitionis also correct, as some people will consider some work as more mature, and thus will use the term graphic novel.

I heard that in two separate docs on TV.
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Reno-chan



Joined: 23 Jun 2006
Posts: 67
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:00 pm Reply with quote
They're listed under graphic novels, but I don't think it's really worth arguing about. They're compilations of comics and thus can be called trade paperbacks or comics or graphic novels (this appears to be interchangeable w/ comics and trade paperback, though I think it's more means comics published in book form to begin with).
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Silvercat



Joined: 10 Aug 2003
Posts: 23
PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:01 am Reply with quote
A lot of manga is first put out in anthologies, which have a chapter or two from several different manga all published in a big phone book like magazine. They are then collected and published in the "book" sized we know and love.

These anthologies are sorta like if several different pamphlets comics where published together (which I wonder why comic book companies don't do this?)
American comic after they are first put out in pamphlets are sometimes (nowadays, usually) collected into "trades".

The term Graphic Novel, as other had said, was coined to try to bring respect to comics, since the term comic brings to mind "funny books"and "children stuff". People where putting out intelligent/adult/mature/whatever comics, that where more like "Graphic Novels" then those cheap "funny books".

These early Graphic Novel where also put out in only in"trade" paperback form, bound together.

Now, you can use Graphic Novel and Trade interchangeably. Though, some still say there is a difference, a "Graphic Novel" has a flow more like a book, than something written to be read in monthly installments of 32 pages, then complied together. And a "Trade" is a run of those pamphlets bound together.
But to confuse matters, there are titles like "Watchmen" which was put out first in pamphlet form, but reads like a novel and many titles are 'written for the trade', meaning they make a story arc last about 6 issues, so can easily be put into compilations.

All that to say, manga are comics. That collected manga and collected comics can all be referred to as "Graphic Novels" or "Trades" if you like.

I personally say "manga" when talking about manga and comics when talking about Western comics, and use "Graphic Novel" and "Trades" interchangeably.

I really hope this make sense, I can't sleep and am tired.
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Andrue



Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Posts: 79
PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:10 am Reply with quote
jgreen wrote:
I'm not sure what you're asking here, but I think the term you're looking for is "graphic novel." The words "comic book" and "graphic novel" are pretty much interchangeable, although people usually say "comic book" when they mean the 32-page pamphlets and "graphic novel" when they mean the thicker, bound books. Manga has been published in both formats, although currently the only manga being released in comic book form is Blade of the Immortal.


most people dont know the difference.
alot of people i know still call my graphic novels comic books.
and also, i was very sad when ranma 1/2 and dragonball dropped their monthyl comic format. i have almost every issue of both.
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