My curiosity was sparked by some arguing on Slashdot pertaining to comic books.  This is not a new issue, but I am curious what the general consensus on the forums is. There is contention amongst fans and even writers of comic books about the use of the term "Graphic Novels" to describe certain comics and trades.  From Wikipedia:

Some in the comics community have objected to the term "graphic novel" on the grounds that it is unnecessary, or that its usage has been corrupted by commercial interests. Writer Alan Moore believes, "It's a marketing term ... that I never had any sympathy with. The term 'comic' does just as well for me. ... The problem is that 'graphic novel' just came to mean 'expensive comic book' and so what you'd get is people like DC Comics or Marvel comics — because 'graphic novels' were getting some attention, they'd stick six issues of whatever worthless piece of crap they happened to be publishing lately under a glossy cover and call it The She-Hulk Graphic Novel...."

Author Daniel Raeburn wrote "I snicker at the neologism first for its insecure pretension — the literary equivalent of calling a garbage man a 'sanitation engineer' — and second because a 'graphic novel' is in fact the very thing it is ashamed to admit: a comic book, rather than a comic pamphlet or comic magazine."

Writer Neil Gaimen, responding to a claim that he does not write comic books but graphic novels, said the commenter "meant it as a compliment, I suppose. But all of a sudden I felt like someone who'd been informed that she wasn't actually a hooker; that in fact she was a lady of the evening." Comedian and comic book fan Robin Williams joked, "'Is that a comic book? No! It's a graphic novel! Is that porn? No! It's adult entertainment!'"

Some alternative cartoonists have coined their own terms to describe extended comics narratives. The cover of Daniel Clowes' Ice Havendescribes the book as "a comic-strip novel", with Clowes having noted that he "never saw anything wrong with the comic book". When The Comics Journal asked the cartoonist Seth why he added the subtitle "A Picture Novella" to his comic It's a Good Life, If you Don't Weaken, he responded, "I could have just put 'a comic book'... It goes without saying that I didn't want to use the term graphic novel. I just don't like that term".

What do you think about term "Graphic Novel"?  Is this a case of using fancy words that display insecure pretension or does the term better suit certain works than "comic" or "trade"?

I prefer graphic novel.  Comic Book connotes super hero bullshit for me.

Ummmm....real books. 

Is that okay? 

I call 'em books.

"Graphic Novel" is a term people use to instill themselves with a false sense of maturity when reading comics because apparently that is childish and one word can't mean multiple things.

yeah it's a case of fancy words for the most part. Although Graphic Novels tend to be around a particular size, that size tends to be 4-12 issues of a comic book in one book bound package. It's insanely pretentious  and literally wrong to say otherwise.

I've only ever read Watchmen and The Killing Joke and neither of them made me want to read more of these "graphic novels." Honestly, I just think they're comic books with hardcovers, but then again, I don't read comics or graphic novels regularly at all.

I read some graphic novels but they are horror, not like superhero stuff.

Yes I do.

 I honestly don't mind which term is used, they're both as valid as each other in my mind.

I read comic books. Everyone at my LCS reads comic books.

The only people I that I know of that read "Graphic Novels" are the ones that pick up a hot trade after seeing the movie it inspired.

I just use graphic novels for stuff that's larger/longer than any regular comic, and it's not collected from an ongoing series. Stuff like Watchmen, Killing Joke, Scott Pilgrim I'll call graphic novels, but it's only because "comic book" makes me think of stuff that's still going on in a consistent way.

I don't normally use the term graphic novel, but I don't mind when people do.

Comicbook: single issue like batman# 2

Graphic novel: long form story telling. Examples- return of the dappermen, superman: earth one

I've always used Graphic Novel as the term for collection of a contained story. Individual issues I just call comic books. Although I understand using graphic novel as a blanket term because most people hear comic and think "Kids stories".

" I prefer graphic novel.  Comic Book connotes super hero bullshit for me.

It likes calling a movie a Film.  If it deserves the fancy name, I will use it.

"

 I'm totally gonna start using "Moving pictures" or "Talkies"     "

love me some sandman and dkr

" I prefer graphic novel.  Comic Book connotes super hero bullshit for me.

It likes calling a movie a Film.  If it deserves the fancy name, I will use it.

"

To me graphics novel are just the fancy word for Hardcover comic book, how is Watchmen diferent from a comic book? how´s Kickass and many other of the so called graphic novels?, and I do like comics moslty Marvel and the stories are pretty great this days if you consider them "childish" because of Superheroes and the style of the artwork then your missing a lot wich is the story , I admit it they can get pretty goofy sometimes but I like that , I dunno to me its the characters and the writing that keep me getting them.

I think it depends on the product, but anything Marvel or DC super hero related will always be a comic book.

I generally just say comics.  

Hmmm. To me a comic book is a short (~20-30 page) softer book bound by a couple of staples. Physically comic books are more like a magazine.

Neither, I read books and play videogames, that`s about all I can cram into my spare time.

No, because I'm horrible at reading pictures. 

Both, manga included. I don't really buy em very often though.

I think it depends on the product, but anything Marvel or DC super hero related will always be a comic book.

I'm American damn it.

  

  

I use both interchangeably.

I've only read Watchmen and The Killing Joke, both by Alan Moore. I really liked them and have been meaning to read some of Frank Miller's stuff.

I've only ever read Watchmen and The Killing Joke and neither of them made me want to read more of these "graphic novels." Honestly, I just think they're comic books with hardcovers, but then again, I don't read comics or graphic novels regularly at all.

I kind of read both, super hero comics are my thing but I enjoy the occasional graphic novel

I sometimes use the term graphic novel when talking about a collected  set of comics, but for the most part I say comics.

Yes I do

To me comic books are a short 20-30 page monthly comic, while graphic novels are at least 100+ page comics that are ether one self contained story or a part of a small collection of them.

Yup almost every day on the train. I get alot of dirty looks for what im reading.