Teach me how to read graphic novels?

Seainasive · 2022-02-17T13:23:20+00:00

I just can’t get on with them. I read a lot, both fiction and non, usually quite fast. Reading only the words in a graphic novel doesn’t work of course as so much information is contained in the drawings. But when I slow down & properly look at the artwork, I seem to lose the flow of the story. Can you help?

MsAmerica · 22/02/2022 03:58

I'm led to ask, Why?

To me, they may be called "graphic novels," but most of them seem like simplified comic books for people who don't like to read. So I'm not sure why anyone would want to try.

That said, I've only read two, Maus (which is brilliant) and Persepolis. I see that Maus recently shot back up on the bestseller list.

DwangelaForever · 22/02/2022 07:34

@MsAmerica

I'm led to ask, Why?

To me, they may be called "graphic novels," but most of them seem like simplified comic books for people who don't like to read. So I'm not sure why anyone would want to try.

That said, I've only read two, Maus (which is brilliant) and Persepolis. I see that Maus recently shot back up on the bestseller list.

What a boring answer.

MedusasBadHairDay · 22/02/2022 08:07

I wonder if you'd find it easier to read all the words then go back and look at the artwork? It might also depend on which books you're reading, I know there've been some where I've found the artwork distracting rather than helping with the flow of the story.

ItWorriesMeThisKindofThing · 22/02/2022 08:22

I’m a fast reader and I have the same problem. I just struggle with how disjointed the story seems to become, and I feel I’m moving my eyes all the time and it makes me headachy!

Original poster

Seainasive · 22/02/2022 18:58

I was given Stand Still Stay Silent by Minna Sundberg for Christmas. I really like the artwork but I’m struggling to remember who’s who from page to page!

OP posts:

MsAmerica · 27/02/2022 21:30

DwangelaForever
What a boring answer.

I was checking to see what more exciting answer you might have posted, but i don't see any at all. Persepolis and Maus are both two highly praised books, so I'd love to know what's "boring" about them, especially if you weren't suggesting anything yourself.

Footle · 28/02/2022 11:42

@MsAmerica , I think Dwangela may be a bit of a dwat.

Fairislefandango · 28/02/2022 11:53

I'm the same, OP. I read a lot of books,and I'm not intellectually snobby about graphic novels, I just find them an incredibly annoying and slow format to readin when one is used to continuous text.

burnoutbabe · 28/02/2022 11:56

I liked tin tin but I read do fast that graphic novels are too slow for me.

I cope with this by just not reading them.sane as I don't read war and peace or long books about fantasy worlds.

JaninaDuszejko · 28/02/2022 13:20

I think that if you've tried some graphic novels and haven't got on with them it's OK to say they are not for you. I quite like them and have read a few but they hit a different spot than a novel. Somewhere between a piece of art and a poem or short story.

If you want to try another I'd recommend Esther's Notebooks by Riad Sattouf. It started as a weekly comic strip in a newspaper and so consists of 52 single page vignettes so no issue with holding a story in your head. But they work together to create an impression of modern French childhood. The French really love their graphic novels and Esther's Notebooks is a best seller there so comes highly recommended.

ThanksItHasPockets · 01/03/2022 00:58

Graphic novels aren’t ‘for people who don’t like to read’. They are for people who prefer to read in a different way. You have to think of them as a completely different form and reading them is a skill quite different to reading continuous prose. They are rarely my first choice and my personal preference is prose but if you want a hybrid to try out the form then I recommend Hugo by Brian Selznick.

MedusasBadHairDay · 01/03/2022 08:41

@ThanksItHasPockets

Graphic novels aren’t ‘for people who don’t like to read’. They are for people who prefer to read in a different way. You have to think of them as a completely different form and reading them is a skill quite different to reading continuous prose. They are rarely my first choice and my personal preference is prose but if you want a hybrid to try out the form then I recommend Hugo by Brian Selznick.

I don't think it's even about preferring to read a different way. It's not an either or situation.

Personally I just enjoy reading, and reading graphic novels just expands the range of reading material available to me.

Belathecreator · 10/03/2022 09:02

@Seainasive

I was given Stand Still Stay Silent by Minna Sundberg for Christmas. I really like the artwork but I’m struggling to remember who’s who from page to page!

Is that the post-apocalyptic Scandinavia story? Because I had the same issue with names and I read quite a lot of graphic novels and webcomics (which Stand Still was originally).

Not sure I can help with how to read them, I've never really thought about it. Worth noting though that some of those that were originally on the web are designed to be viewed one strip or chapter at a time.

DameHelena · 14/03/2022 14:50

I know what you mean, OP. I read Persepolis recently and it is brilliant, but I had to 'train' myself to slow down and not be scared to look at the artwork, read the text, and repeat as necessary until it all sank in.
It became more habitual as I got further through.
And I do implore people to read it.

Pazuzu · 18/03/2022 14:31

Simplified comic books? Maus, The Killing Joke (most of the Batman GN's are brilliant tbh), Watchmen, Saga (ok, it's not strictly a GN but it's superb so there) and so on would disagree.

I'd suggest it's a case of keep trying until you find one you click with. You soon get used to it.

An idea maybe to think of a film you really like that is based on a comic/graphic novel and then try that. Given just how much is based on comics these days, The Boys/30 Days of Night/Watchmen/Kick Ass/The Walking Dead/Men in Black etc etc etc, you should be able to find something.