Blog Post #3

I think using graphic novels as a medium for storytelling is one of the best. They give readers the whole picture instead of them having to visualize the content themselves. Graphic novels are the best since they contain little dialogue, which also helps the reader process easier. 

I never thought about using graphic novels to tell a non-fiction story, but I thought that the Pride of Baghdad did a fantastic job. Even though it was based on a true story, the author and the illustrator got to take a creative route with the dialogue of the animals and the VERY graphic depiction. (I did not like seeing the giraffe's head blown off)

I haven't read a graphic novel in a while, because I used to find them time consuming and boring. But now having read the Pride of Baghdad, I think I should give them another chance. I found it really enjoyable and a simplistic read, which is what I love. I would not consider them less legitimate works of storytelling, I think the illustrators of these works are really talented and having all of the little details in graphic novels plays a huge part in the overall story. I also think particularly with the Pride of Baghdad, the author worked hard to display a message in the novel. 

I think overall, the idea of graphic novels has changed a bit with the popularity of Hollywood films. I definitely watch the Marvel films and back when I started to watch them in middle school, I attempted to read some graphic novels, but at the time I just couldn't get into them. I think there is a large percentage of Marvel and DC lovers who already read the graphic novels, and then watch the movies. But I'm sure there is a group of people who watched the movies first and then got into the graphic novels. I think those who don't like the graphic novels, are just turned off by the fact that the novels are not as lavish and sense-immersive as the films.