In preparation for an essay I will soon write, I have been closely reading the graphic novel Safe Area Gorazde by Joe Sacco. In the book, Sacco reports on the experiences of the townspeople of Gorazde during the Balkan war in the 1990s. To write this book, Sacco combined his journalism and graphic talent to produce a news-like account in the digestible form of a graphic narrative.

Compared to a newspaper, Sacco’s graphic journalism is more understandable, but simultaneously less accessible. It is presumably less accessible simply because it takes longer to get the full story then reading an online article would.

In my creative writing class this week, we learned about literary journalism, and how it differs from regular reporting. Literary journalism can be described as “nonfiction’s answer to fiction”, as it combines literary tactics (such as symbolism, suspense, and characterization) while telling stories that are entirely true, much like a classical journalist would. Further, literary journalists often immerse themselves in their topic for the long term, much like Sacco did. Our professor did not mention where graphic journalism fits into the classification of literary journalism, but Sacco’s novel does have a lot in common with.

What really interests me is what role graphic (or literary) journalism should play in our everyday consumption of news. Of course, it is impractical to assume individuals have the time or perhaps the patience to read a 230 page comic book explaining an issue. Conversely, it is hard to deny the deepened understanding I have gained of the Balkan war since reading Safe Area Gorazde. There is also the accessibility of books like this, as they are far more expensive than a newspaper, and are not free like many online newsites. Additionally, Sacco’s books are more difficult to locate than by a google search. (In my opinion, Amazon still has some work to do.)

But news has always been a pivotal component to any society. Whether it be a newspaper or the town crier, the public must be informed. In this age where statistics are so readily available, perhaps Joe Sacco, and other literary journalist bring an essential dimension to the 24-hour news reel.