Creating Comics, Part 4: Comic Books vs. Graphic Novels
In recent years, there have been several major shifts in the comic book as a product. Traditionally, comic books were produced inexpensively on newsprint with a limited color range. They were also supported by advertising. Since the 1990s, however, comic books have become increasingly more sophisticated, with high quality glossy pages, a broad range of colors, and eye-popping artwork that isn’t restricted to its panels. Many comics also run few, if any, ads, and instead rely on circulation sales to make them money.
But since comic books cost so much to produce while generating minimal sales, many publishers are wondering if it isn’t a better idea to publish graphic novels instead. After all, while comics are only really available at around 2,000 specialty stores in North America, graphic novels are available at most of the territory’s 10,000 bookstores. Graphic novels are also easier to order (since they have ISBNs) and they stock well since they sit nicely on shelves. While the cost of entry is higher (since artists are paid by the page), a graphic novel has a lot of longevity, and can be a consistent money-maker if it stays in print.
Bearing all this in mind, I thought it might be a good idea to offer a comparison of the two formats, and then share my own views on which format is best for which type of book.
Comic Book
Defining characteristics
• Softcover (heavy paper or cardstock).
• Staple-bound.
• Newsprint or glossy pages.
• 6 ⅝” × 10 ¼” (North America).
• Generally 24-48 pages.
• Generally categorized by issue number.
• Generally part of a series.
• Generally released on a monthly basis.
• Generally found at comic book stores.
Strengths
• Controlled, often low production cost.
• Potential monthly readership.
• Inexpensive to print.
• Low reprint costs.
• Lightweight, easy to ship in large quantities.
• Highly collectible.
• Advertising vehicle.
• Small amount of content means multiple issues can be generated from a single story.
Weaknesses
• Higher consumer cost per page than graphic novels (13.6 cents per page for a $2.99, 22 page comic book versus 11.4 cents per page for a $14.99, 132 page graphic novel).
• Story can be interrupted by advertising.
• Low print run and/or collectible nature can make early issues difficult to find.
• Not widely available.
• Difficult to order back issues without exact information.
• Require bags, boards and index boxes to store properly.
Graphic Novel
Defining characteristics
• Softcover (heavy paper or cardstock) or Hardcover.
• Glue-bound, sometimes stitched.
• Glossy pages.
• No standard dimensions.
• Can be stand-alone or part of a series.
• Generally 96-200 pages.
• Generally categorized by ISBN.
• Often available at bookstores and comic book stores.
Strengths
• One-time production cost.
• More expensive books require fewer copies sold to break even.
• Shelve nicely, easy to merchandise.
• Have longevity, often remaining in print for years if they are popular.
• Substantial, represent a value to the reader.
• Higher quality than comic books.
• No advertising.
• Often provide readers with better value than monthly comic books.
Weaknesses
• Expensive (many are $14.99-$24.99)
• Many are simply reprints of old stories.
• Much larger gap between volumes than between comic book issues (6 months to 1 year or more).
• Only titles within the last decade are widely available.
• Lack of standards in size and format results in some books being oversized or pocket-sized.
Which format is most profitable?: This is a tough question, because statistically comparing an original graphic novel with a single issue of a comic book won’t generate a consistent trend. Many graphic novels are one or two-man operations, while many comic books have an entire team due to their monthly schedules. Also, some comics do far better as graphic novel collections than they ever did in single issues; DC’s Sandman and Watchmen are two notable examples.
In the case of original issues versus graphic novel collections, graphic novel reprints certainly appear to make more money than single issues because they don’t have to account for production costs and because they bring in more revenue per book. Surprisingly, however, if production is removed from the equation and only initial print runs are compared, monthly comic books tend to generate slightly higher revenues per page!
Which format is easier to produce? I would definitely say that graphic novels are the easier format to produce, assuming the company can afford to front the printing and production costs. The reason I say that is because monthly comic books must come out regularly once they’re released or retailers and consumers will not take them seriously. Graphic novels come out so infrequently that retailers and consumers are more forgiving if they’re late.
The drawback is that revenue takes longer to make its way back to the company once production begins, but as I’ve illustrated in other articles, graphic novels have wider access to multiple markets and are easier to sell.
Is it a good idea to print a monthly comic book and then collect every six issues or so into a graphic novel collection?: It can be, and this is the business model that most comic book publishers are using these days. I like the system because it expects the monthly comic books to earn back a quick return on production costs, and then relies on the graphic novels to generate profits. In the broader publishing industry, it often takes 18 months or more for a newly signed book to appear on shelves. In the comic book industry, it’s possible to release six issues of a story over six months and then republish them all into a graphic novel collection the day after the sixth issue hits shelves. If a publisher managed to break even on the monthly books, every graphic novel collection sold is pure profit after some slight production, marketing and printing costs. And what’s more, if the book keeps on selling, it can continue to build revenue for the publisher for years.
What I don’t like about this system is that publishers generally don’t make any changes to the original work to make the story fit together; they just reprint the books as they were in the monthly issues and stick the covers in the back. This is fine if you just want to read the story, but it cheapens the feel of the book overall. As a writer, I’ve always tried to keep my books flowing from issue to issue so that the breaks between books feel like chapter breaks, but most writers have no problem repeating panels or dialogue between issues.
Some publishers add supplementary materials, which are nice, but that usually angers fans who bought the monthly issues and who don’t want to have to re-buy the books in a new format just to get the extra content. If publishers could find some way for those buying the monthly issues to be able to read the exclusive content on their websites or to receive discounted supplement books, it would solve this problem.
I also wish publishers would get out of the mindset of just cramming six issues into a graphic novel and putting it out. At Dabel Brothers Productions, we’ve tried to plan our graphic novels so that they end at a natural break in the story and tell a full story of their own. In some cases, we’ve just kept the series down to six issues so that the collections (such as George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight) are the full story. Graphic novels are roughly the comic book equivalent of a film; there’s no reason they should end a story arc 5/6 of the way through the book and then begin a new story in the final chapter.
What about manga? It’s doing well without monthly comic books…: This statement is true, but what a lot of people forget about manga stories is that they started out as serialized stories in Japanese magazines like Shonen Jump. The manga we read in North America are reprint collections of Japanese comics that are generally 3-4 panels per page. As comic books, they lack substance. As black and white paperback collections, they present a better value for consumers.
When VIZ Media started publishing manga in the US in the late ‘90s, they tried the comic book approach and discovered that pocket trade paperback books were the way to go. Incidentally, Dark Horse had been doing this for years; their Lone Wolf and Cub series was always sold in trade paperback format.
Also, as a side note, manga is printed in black and white because that’s the way the comics were originally drawn, not just because it’s cheap. Japanese artists are masters or precision, and their line art is very neat and clean. They don’t need colors to have vivid imagery. American artists, on the other hand, usually do. I would advise any American publisher against black-and-white books unless they’re going to hire a killer art team with tight pencils and crisp inks.
Tomorrow, we’ll touch on the last chapter of my “Creating Comics†series – Creativity versus Marketability.
-SJJ
Articles, Comic Book Publishing | SeanJJordan | 
August 6, 2007 3:27 am
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