I can't find consensus. The terms are used so erratically on the web. And everything sounds so plausible.

Watchmen was notable as being the first collected series graphic novel, spinning out of a new comics vehicle called the limited series, which were designed to only last a finite number of issues. This limited series concept would prove to be a major factor in today's collected series graphic novels.

See? Why not. I'm down with that, as well as with the usage in the NYT article.

I interpret "trade paperback" as a term used by the industry to describe the format of the product, while "graphic novel" is a vague to meaningless term used to market the product to the masses.

amych: bittorrent is great for picking up big runs of books (like: Every Ultimate X-Men Ever! style) but seems to be very sporadic with releases of individual books. As I'm not currently in reach of a comic book store (god, this town sucks), I need my individual fixes until i can pick them up in real form...

"graphic novel" is a vague to meaningless term used to market the product to the masses.

For "masses", substitute "people who like to say they don't read comics".

graphic novel

The joke is how many years librarians have been fighting over what to call visual print works of non-fiction. That goes double when it's a not-funny visual print work of non-fiction, like Maus, because then 'comic book' is also ruled out.

The other joke is how many people look at the term 'graphic novel' and think it means, by definition, some kind of hard core sex or violence.

I think the word 'graphic' needs a take-back-the-night rally.

I think 'graphic' needs to take back the day. It seems very at home in the night.

As noted, "graphic novel" was part of a marketing ploy on the part of the comics industry to get bookstores to carry their products. It was tied with the pushing of comics-are-art agenda and the early examples published as whole works, rather than series collections. (Things like, Will Eisner's Contract With God - which is where I first saw the phrase "graphic novel.") Anyway, Sandman kind of blew that distinction out of the water since they've been successfully marketed in bookstores for yonks now, have the imprimatur of ART and are collected trades.

After that was a storyline about Christian's history which isn't essential to the current plot.

Are you mad, man? Since when is graphic monkey love not essential to the plot??

(You know I'm just playing. That issue sucked. I loved the China stuff, though.)

Spider-Man the Musical?

My used trade score today? Two Fables trades, Animal Farm and Storybook Love. And now, they have NML 2-5. Still missing #1. If it does show up there, it's going to be hard to resist picking them all up and buying. Hell, I almost did it now. I don't even have very much idea what it's about or why it's so great. Also, they had Officer Down. Is that one good?

I did some issue-reading. Seaguy is fucking ridiculous. It's relentlessly weird. It's generally enjoyable, but I feel like I'm missing the point. Unless Grant Morrison just feels like having fun.

Sleeper went over my head. I don't know who any of the characters are or what's going on or why it's going on or anything.

Ex Machina is very cool. I'll be following it.