By: Anja Racke
You're probably noticed that whenever you walk into a library, bookstore, or comic shop, the books are usually shelved under certain labels. Labels like "YA Fiction," "children's Books," "Science Fiction & Fantasy," etc. Most bookstores and comic shops categorize their books based on two factors: age category and genre. Age category and genre labels are essential marketing tools in the publishing industry because they help put books in the hands of the correct audience. Age category and genre labels are the simplest way of saying, "If you like this kind of book, you might like this one too!" So if you plan on publishing a comic or graphic novel in the future, you'll want to know how these labels work so you can promote your story properly.
Age Category
Age category refers to the age group that a book-or comic is aimed at. There are two main age categories: Children's and Adult. The Children's category is often broken down into even more age categories, such as Young Readers, Middle-Grade, and Young Adult (YA). Now let's take a closer look at all these age categories.
Adult or Mature
Approximate Age Range: 18+
In the Adult category--often called "Mature" in the comic world--anything goes. Adult comics and graphic novels are never edited for content. People often associate Adult books and comics with things like sexual content, excessive violence, and explicit language, but an Adult comic doesn't need any of these things to be considered Adult or Mature. If it deals with any mature themes or is too complex for children to understand, it will probably be labeled as Adult.
Important Note: People often equate age category with the age of a story's protagonist, but this is false! Some people assume that because a book or comic has a teenage or child protagonist, it must be a children's book. However there are many examples of stories with young main characters that still deal with very mature themes, and therefore those stories should be classified as Adult. For example, Stephen King's It may have young characters in it, but it is most certainly not meant for children.
Young Adult (YA) or Teen
Approximate Age Range: 13-18
Young Adult--or Teen, as it’s sometimes called in the comic world--is a very complicated age category, probably the most complicated. YA books and graphic novels are aimed at teens, but are often read by pre-teens and adults as well, making it hard to determine what should and shouldn't be allowed in YA stories. You can often get away with a certain amount of swearing and violence in YA, but YA comics and graphic novels may be edited for content.
A Note on YA Novels vs. YA comics and Graphic Novels:
Traditional YA novels often aren't edited for content. It isn't that uncommon to see some mature themes and even some sexual content appear in YA novels these days. Unfortunately for us comic creators, we can't get away with the same things novelists can. Sadly, comics and graphic novels are often much more heavily criticized--and in the worst cases, even banned--for including mature content. It is probably safest not to include any nudity or explicit sexual content in a YA comic or graphic novel.
New Adult
Approximate Age Range: 18-25
Important Note: The New Adult age category DOES NOT EXIST in traditional publishing or comics publishing.
You may have heard that there is another age category between Adult and YA called New Adult. While some self-published creators do label their work as New Adult, this category does not exist in traditional publishing. There is no New Adult section in the bookstore or comic shop. I do not recommend trying to market your story as New Adult. Usually it is best to turn a New Adult story into a YA or Adult one.
Middle-Grade
Approximate Age Range: 8-12
Middle-Grade books will be edited for content. You may be able to get away with some light swearing (one d-word here or there) and some light violence, but not much else. Middle-Grade graphic novels are also usually shorter and less wordy than YA or Adult ones. These comics need to be easy for a child to consume and understand.
Young Readers and Young children Approximate age range: Kids first learning to read to about age 7
These graphic novels and comics need to be completely kid friendly. They are typically very short with very few words. Each page of a Young Children's comic usually only has about 1-3 panels on it, and the illustrations are typically very simple. The main point of these comics is to help teach kids how to read on their own.
Genre
Genres are the various categories a story can be classified under based on its style and content. Works in the same genre typically utilize similar tropes, character archetypes, and other genre conventions. We can't possibly go over every single possible genre label, but here are some of the most popular comic and graphic novel genres.
Superhero
This is the most popular genre in mainstream comics. The superhero genre is exactly what it sounds like: stories with superheroes. Other popular character archetypes in this genre include the sidekick, the anti-hero, the supervillain, the mentor, and the love interest. There are superhero stories in all age categories.
Horror
The horror genre is categorized not necessarily by the content within, but by the emotional response these stories create: fear. Most horror stories feature some sort of "monster," but that monster can be literal or figurative, real or paranormal. Common horror tropes include characters getting picked off one by one, untrustworthy characters, and unhappy endings. Horror stories are most popular in the adult age category, but there are horror stories written for children.
Romance
This genre is extremely popular within manga and webcomics. Not unlike the horror genre, the romance genre is defined by its emotional core: love. And while romantic subplots can exist in other genres, a story is considered part of the romance genre if the romance is the A-plot, or the main plot. Common romance tropes include love triangles, enemies-to-lovers, and forced proximity. Romance stories are most successful in the young adult and adult age categories, since most children in the younger age categories can't relate to romance.
Mystery
In the mystery genre, the plot usually revolves around a crime being committed and a character on characters trying to figure out whodunnit and/or prevent more crimes from occurring. Common mystery archetypes include the suave detective, the unreliable protagonist, and the witness. Mystery stories can be written for any age, but children's mysteries typically don't revolve around a murder.
Sports
Sports comics revolve around a cast of characters participating in the same sport. The plot typically involves competition and rivalries within the sport, but other times the sport is just a backdrop for a larger conflict. Sports stories can be written for all ages.
Science Fiction
Science fiction is a kind of speculative fiction in which the science, technology, and/or politics of today are extrapolated upon. The science that exists within science fiction typically doesn't exist in real life, but it is still based in reality and within the realm of reality. Science fiction often, but doesn’t have to, include aliens, space travel, and futuristic settings. There are science fiction stories in all age categories.
Fantasy
Fantasy is another kind of speculative fiction based in myth and legend. Fantasy stories involve elements that don't exist in real life, whether that be magic, monsters, and/or talking animals. Common fantasy elements include fictional/fantastical races, royalty, and wizards. Fantasy stories can be written for all age categories.
A Note on Genre:
Many stories can fit into more than one genre. For example, your comic may have elements of science fiction, fantasy, and romance. But advertising your comic as an adult science fiction fantasy romance every time you talk about can be a bit much. It might be a good idea to just pick one or two of the most relevant genre labels to use for your comic or graphic novel.
And that's your basic overview of the most common comic and graphic novel genres! Your story may fit into another genre, but I couldn't possibly list them all. The important thing about genre labels is just that you're able to capture the attention of the readers in that genre. So along with labeling your comic as the correct genre, don't be afraid to play into genre conventions that fans love.
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