Once considered the bane of literature, graphic novels have recently earned academic recognition and critical accolades, reports Publishers Weekly.
“Acclaimed books like Art Spiegelman’s 'Maus' (1991) and Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s 'Watchmen' (1987) have spurred academic interest in comics, which opened many doors for the medium,” PW writes. “The 2000s brought a slew of new classics as traditional publishers put out much-lauded, award-winning titles like Marjane Satropis’s 'Persepolis' (2000), Alison Bechdel’s 'Fun Home' (2006), Raina Telgemier’s 'Smile' (2010), and 'Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth' by Chris Ware (2000).”
A 2002 presentation of graphic novels to a rapt audience during an American Library Association panel cemented the comics’ literary and artistic value.
