The Rise of the Graphic Novel

Random House Graphic just announced a new imprint dedicated to publishing graphic novels for kids and teens that will launch in Spring 2020. This comes on the heels of HarperCollins announcing the launch of their graphic novel imprint, Harper Alley, in the fall of 2020. This reflects the rapidly growing popularity of the graphic novel format among young readers.

Many experts are crediting graphic novels with helping to foster a love of reading, as well as building an appreciation for the classics. The visual element attracts readers in a fundamental way and aids in helping understand texts perhaps previously overlooked by readers of all ages. The Mueller Report has even been given the graphic novel treatment.

With the rise in streaming platforms and the growth of book-to-film and television adaptations from beloved novels, more and more producers are looking towards graphic novels as inspiration for the big and small screen.

“Random House Graphic believes in the importance and power of comics storytelling, and the central place of visual literature in our world and culture today. The imprint’s mission is to transform the childhood reading experience by making high-quality graphic novels accessible to every type of reader.”

“Random House Graphic is dedicated to publishing the best in kids and YA graphic novels,” explains Gina Gagliano, Publishing Director of RH Graphic. “It’s an incredibly exciting time for the graphic novel medium—with more readers coming to these stories, and new groundbreaking books being published, the category is expanding by leaps and bounds. We can’t wait to share our contributions to it with readers, booksellers, comic book sellers, educators, librarians, and everyone who loves books and comics.”R

At Kelley & Hall, we are thrilled to be working with Andrew Trainor on his debut graphic novel, BLUEFALL,and experience the growth of this market firsthand.