Graphic Novels have been around for about 25 years, according to Charless Vess. They can be thought of as being related to comics with some important differences.
"These new publications were bound in hardcover with a longer and generally more ambitious story. Being printed on better papre in a larger size, the art improved as well,
and ranged from simple black and white portrayals to complex and fully painted works." ["Crossing the Borders," by Charles Vess. Locus Magazine, Issue 510, Vol. 51, No. 1, July, 2003]
This distinctive media finally gained official recognition from the American Library Assoc. in 2002 when the theme for Teen Read Week was "Get Graphic @ Your Library"
Now there are regular reviews and columns of Graphic Novels in Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. In addition, vendors such as BWI and Baker and Taylor have websites which are developed especially for helping librarians and booksellers with developing Graphic Novel collections.
Manga, which refers to Japanese comics in English translation, have gained steadily in popularity since being introduced in the early 90's. Tokyo-pop, which introduced titles such as Sailor Moon and Chobits, will have 500 titles in the U.S. market this year. The success-and critical acclaim- Director Hayao Miyazaki has enjoyed with his film versions of Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, have created new audiences for the manga.
Selected Graphic Novel and Manga links: