Graphic Novels in Bookstores... Go Where?

ChimeraCreative · Post by **ChimeraCreative** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:54 am

On another board there's a small comic forum and there was a discussion/argument about where graphic novels should be placed in bookstores. A few people said all the graphic novels shouldn't be lumped together in one section because they disapprove of horror/literary/historical graphic novels being placed among the superhero titles. Most folks (the comic book geeks) disagreed and want all their graphic novels in one place cuz who the hell wants to scour the store for non-mainstream titles?

Did anyone want to weigh in on this? Should there be more distinction/placement between graphic novels in bookstores? Does anyone even buy graphic novels at bookstores?

(Mind you, I wouldn't mind more distinction between the manga and graphic novels sections.)

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:03 am

Back home, the bookstore I frequented had a decent graphic novel/TPB area that eventually spanned an entire side of an aisle, and the opposite had all the manga on it. I really liked going to one spot for all my comic searches there as they usually had more to offer than my comic shop because they'd order just about any fucking book they could.

The only downside is that bookstores tend to be utter SHIT at keeping them in order. At one point all Marvel was in a section, all DC, and all Dark Horse/Indie were together but as people go through them they get mixed, and the employees I knew there said it was a nightmare to try to fix so they stopped caring.

Numerous times I damn near volunteered for the job just so I could go through things and put them in order.

So in short... they should be in their own area for easy of viewing, but actually need to be kept up so the books can be found.

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:28 am

Keep them all together. I have yet to see a bookstore where the graphic novels are mixed with the regular books. Makes no sense.

At best, you could put, for example, one crime graphic novel with the crime books. And under the graphic novels, you put a shiny note that says something like "Do not forget to check our graphic novels section for more crime!!". Especially if the author of the graphic novel is a best-selling author.

That's how I would do it. But obviously the few people at the small comic forum on another board are wrong.

Python · Post by **Python** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:09 am

Graphic novels should be separate from regular books. They should also be separate from Manga. All three are completely different mediums.

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:57 am

And manga should be put in the basement. Locked. And someone should throw the key in the gutter.

MGM · Post by **MGM** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:44 pm

And then fill the gutter with concrete.

Trades and GN should go in a different section. On alphabet, so no employee can fuck that up.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:46 pm

XIII wrote:And manga should be put in the basement. Locked. And someone should throw the key in the gutter.

Amen, brother.

Graphic novels should have their own section, as they do here.
Here they are place at the end of the fantasy/sci-fi sections, next to the series.

Like Tragic said though, someone needs to keep that shit fucking organized. You cannot find a thing there unless it is a giant absolute edition.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:38 pm

XIII wrote:At best, you could put, for example, one crime graphic novel with the crime books. And under the graphic novels, you put a shiny note that says something like "Do not forget to check our graphic novels section for more crime!!". Especially if the author of the graphic novel is a best-selling author.

I've seen this done with Gaimen's and Moore's work, since they're bigger names and with Gaimen at least has other non comic work that's prevelant in that store. But it didn't last long. They'll also publicize a few books on the end of the aisle to help push them along

The French Biscuit · Post by **The French Biscuit** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:02 pm

I concur with the keep them seperate crowd. Mostly for easy access by people who read them a lot, it's just more convenient that way.

And you should sprinkle manga throught the store just to piss off the haters.
But I say that with love and affection.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:24 pm

I see no reason to separate them, keep them all together. Usually they are sorted by company which doesn't really bother me, but horrible selections do bother me. I want a nice, huge selection but only get a small sampling =o/

Python · Post by **Python** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:26 pm

jedispyder wrote:I see no reason to separate them, keep them all together. Usually they are sorted by company which doesn't really bother me, but horrible selections do bother me. I want a nice, huge selection but only get a small sampling =o/

If I'm looking for a Graphic Novel, I do not want regular books and manga all jumbled in together with them, especially if I don't remember the author's name. That would be verra annoying and would add unnecessary time to locating a book.

I would prefer them to all be separate, that way even if I don't know the author's name, I can still locate what I am looking for quickly.

XIII wrote:And manga should be put in the basement. Locked. And someone should throw the key in the gutter.

Nah. Manga has the superior storytelling, imo.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:13 pm

Python wrote:

Nah. Manga has the superior storytelling, imo.

Your opinion is wrong, imo.
And my own opinion is right.
So go with my opinion.

Teehee.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:41 pm

Python wrote:If I'm looking for a Graphic Novel, I do not want regular books and manga all jumbled in together with them, especially if I don't remember the author's name. That would be verra annoying and would add unnecessary time to locating a book.

My point got skewed, I mean keep them together but separate from other books. So have them be in a section specifically for graphic novels...

Python · Post by **Python** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:13 pm

wolf_2099 wrote:Your opinion is wrong, imo.
And my own opinion is right.
So go with my opinion.

Teehee.

Considering I read both forms of media and you don't...

My opinion is more valid than yours. =oP

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 3:14 pm

No, wolf's is still the more valid because he doesn't read manga.

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:24 am

I agree with most of what you guys are saying. Give comic books/graphic novels and manga their own respective sections.

And for the love of Bob, put the graphic novels in some kind of order. Everytime I go into a Barnes & Nobles, Borders and I head to the graphic novel section, the graphic novels are all mixed up.

CountD · Post by **CountD** » Tue May 12, 2009 9:33 am

in my shopping bag.

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Tue May 12, 2009 1:22 pm

I agree with the trades being in their own little area with Manga near by. I have no desire to split them out around the store by genre, where I won't be able to browse through all of them as easily. Split them by publisher in their own area and/or by genre but still in their own area.

Wulf, Arn, read Death Note, you'll both bloody enjoy it!

Also, this cluttered business. On one hand the problem is the lack of staff attention given to the graphic novel and manga section, but on the otherhand it's people putting things back in the wrong place! Contributing to this problem is not having that much space to display these books whilst having too many books for this space. Everything needs to be crammed in and it's then difficult to put something back once you've pulled it out, which encourages you to put it elsewhere.

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:34 am

Hey, read Death Note yourself!

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Wed May 13, 2009 12:06 pm

No! You go read Deathnote!