The Graphic Novels Guy

My Pitch to JK Rowling
Let’s invite Oprah to the party.

I keep thinking back to one of the conversations during the SPLAT 2008 Graphic Novel Symposium a couple weeks back.  One of the questions posed to our panel: Who is Reading Graphic Novels, was about finding a big cross-over graphic novel that would appeal to everyone.  I was originally hoping the Stephen King effort with Marvel, Dark Tower: A Gunslinger Born was going to be that book.  The book sold really well (over 100,000 copies and still counting) and there will be a follow up in the prequel series.

While King’s efforts have pushed the doors even wider and brought greater recognition to the format, there is yet to be that one biiiiiig event. The one that gets corporate America talking about graphic novels like they did with Harry Potter, The Da Vinci Code, cell phones and Pac Man.  It has to be a moment that makes the CEO’s start throwing around the term ‘graphic novels’, as if they have been selling them their entire careers.

Here is my publishing dream come true:  JK Rowling announces on the Oprah Winfrey show that she has decided to continue the story of Harry Potter, but in a graphic novel format.   “And”, says Ms. Rowling, in my dream, ”I have decided to tell the stories of Harry’s parents and the origins of Snape and Dumbledore in this exciting format.”

If anyone reading this article has Ms. Rowling’s contact information, please do forward this to her.  I am really not ashamed to beg for your help on this. 

Now to you Ms. Rowling, I understand that the superhero guys have already asked you to consider adapting the Harry Potter series as a graphic novel.  At the time, it may have just been too soon to consider it.  May I suggest you take a look at what King and the gang at Marvel did with Dark Tower?  Artemis Fowl came out quite nicely as a graphic novel too. 

Think of how many more readers would read and enjoy the stories as a graphic novel.  With the new format, the size of the book would certainly be less intimidating.  Sure, millions of people bought the Potter books, but that’s only a fraction of the population.

I know you don’t need the money.  It’s not about that.  My plea to you is that you allow more kids to see how fantastic Harry’s world is in the full-color setting of a graphic novel.

Ms. Rowling, the American publishing world is waiting breathlessly for Dan Brown’s next book.  I think they would go absolutely insane over a graphic novel telling of Harry Potter.  When the Oprah Winfrey show sends out the news release promoting your new graphic novel project, CEO’s around the U.S., the U.K. and probably the planet, will finally understand why kids (and adults) love reading graphic novels.

It would be like the Beatles coming to America-again.

This weekend brings the Spring Book Show in Atlanta.  I highly recommend attending the program. Larry May and his family really have a good thing going there.  If you want to learn more go to www.springbookshow.com

Next time:  Graphic Novels Invade BOOK EXPO?

John Shableski works for Diamond Book Distributors as a sales manager with a focus on the independent bookstore market, public and school libraries.  He's been a panelist at Book Expo, a moderator for library panels at the New York Comic Con, a guest speaker at library events, regional book shows and a symposium coordinator.  He is currently collaborating on several graphic novel symposiums across the country.  He can be reached via email at shjohn@diamondbookdistributors.com

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[Steven]

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