Publishers Marketplace: Buzz, Balls & Hype

I'd like to introduce everyone to a new guest blogger. Starting today and then appearing every other Tuesday John Shableski will be writing a for BB&H. His column will be called The Graphic Novels Guy and he'll be reporting on this fascinating aspect of publishing.

John has spent 20 years doing marketing and promotion for radio,cable television, retail and real estate.
"I learned the most from my days in Top Forty radio as a morning show host and as program director where you were only as good as your next great promotion. I joined the publishing and distribution world when I was hired by Brodart Co. where I developed the graphic novel program for libraries," he said.

John now works for Diamond Book Distributors as a sales manager with a focus on the independent bookstore market, public and school libraries. (Diamond is the largest distributor of graphic novels in the world.)

Welcome to The New Rock And Roll How Graphic Novels are Changing Publishing

Graphic Novels are "The New Rock and Roll."

That's a pretty audacious line to brand onto this new entertainment format but calling graphic novels "the new rock and roll" is probably the most accurate description I can think of.

For those of you who have just begun hear or read about graphic novels, here's some history. The term graphic novel is something that the late, great Will Eisner gets credit for and, as the legend has it, he used the term as a pitch to get his book A Contract With God published. It was a long-form comic book that he knew wouldn't get a second thought if he told the publisher that it was indeed a comic book.

I should also point out that graphic novels are a format and not a genre. Genres are what you will find within the format.

Looking over the past couple of decades there were some hints that graphic novels were growing in popularity though they had not yet achieved any real recognition from the publishing industry. There was Eisner's aforementioned first project, which was followed by books from other creators with titles like Blankets by Craig Thompson, Persepolis and collected efforts like Alan Moore's Watchmen, and Sandman by Niel Gaiman.

One title that pushed the door open a little further for the industry though was Maus by Art Spiegelman. Not only did Maus win a special Pulitzer 1992, but it drew an ever greater focus on the format due to Spiegelman's subject matter --- a depiction of the Holocaust using animal caricatures. Some critics were outright disgusted, but teachers and librarians (who play a very important role in this) soon discovered a great tool they could use to reach new readers.

Hop over to the mirror blog to continue to read columnist John Shableski- The Graphic Novel Guy- who will be reporting on -- what else - the graphic novel scene for BB&H every other week.

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