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Graphic novels

9 June 2008

'So why is it that publishers seem to ignore the natural evolutionary step of adapting their own novels to penetrate an increasingly lucrative market? It's down to a clash of cultures. For too long has the poor old comic book, and its big brother, the graphic novel, been overlooked by the intelligentsia as nothing more than a way to get children interested in reading books. Yet graphic novels are an expanding market, as any visit to a bookseller would reveal. And their subject matter is just as varied as any in the fiction department...

Publishers are masters at what they do; but they're not so good when it comes to stepping outside their comfort zones. To make an impact they should be collaborating with an art studio or comic publisher that has a track record in producing quality graphic novels. The keyword here is quality. It sometimes feels that mainstream publishing underestimates the sophistication of the average comic book reader.'

Andy Briggs in Publishing News