--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One way of understanding a graphic novel…" description: "\"One way of understanding a graphic novel is that it's an ambitious comic and one way or another my comics have had ambitions. I have no problem with es..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/art-spiegelman-14058_ambition_one-way-of-understanding-a-graphic-novel_2033302.jpg" --- # One way of understanding a graphic novel is that it's an… ![“One way of understanding a graphic novel is that it's an ambitious comic and one way or another my comics have had ambitions. I have no problem with escapism. When I get my depressions all I want to do is escape reality.” quote by Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/art-spiegelman-14058_ambition_one-way-of-understanding-a-graphic-novel_2033302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/art-spiegelman-14058_ambition_one-way-of-understanding-a-graphic-novel_2033302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/art-spiegelman-14058_ambition_one-way-of-understanding-a-graphic-novel_2033302.jpg) > “One way of understanding a graphic novel is that it's an ambitious comic and one way or another my comics have had ambitions. I have no problem with escapism. When I get my depressions all I want to do is escape reality.” [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Graphic novels blend ambition with escapism; the author uses them to flee depression. **In simple terms:** Comics can be ambitious and a way to escape. Key Takeaway Use art as a healthy escape. Themes art escapism mental health comics Mood thoughtful empathetic Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - Depression management - creative projects - reading for relief Key Concepts creative expression psychological coping Questions to Reflect On - When does escape become avoidance? - How can art aid recovery? A Different Perspective Escapism may avoid confronting issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Escape reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape-reality/) [Escapism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapism/) [Graphic novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graphic-novels/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [It's not an accident that, while bookstores are all in a tizzy, one of the more lively and alive sections is the so-called "graphic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/it-s-not-an-accident-that-while-bookstores-are-all-in-a-tizzy-one-of/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [In the '40s and '50s, a lot of teachers and librarians saw the graphic novel as the enemy of reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-luen-yang/in-the-40s-and-50s-a-lot-of-teachers-and-librarians-saw-the-graphic/) [Gene Luen Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-luen-yang/) > [To me any given story has its appropriate form. There might be some story I get involved with that's begging to be a graphic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/to-me-any-given-story-has-its-appropriate-form-there-might-be-some/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [I think with something like 'Watchmen' you can genuinely call that a graphic novel because it has the weight and the intent of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/i-think-with-something-like-watchmen-you-can-genuinely-call-that-a/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [I don't think anyone has written a great graphic novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-don-t-think-anyone-has-written-a-great-graphic-novel/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [I never wanted to make a graphic novel. As soon as you become a 'writer,' you have to be intelligent all the time... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-never-wanted-to-make-a-graphic-novel-as-soon-as-you-become-a-writer/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [Comics are actually dubbed by euphemistic label of graphic novel, which became a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-mouly/comics-are-actually-dubbed-by-euphemistic-label-of-graphic-novel/) [Francoise Mouly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-mouly/) > [The graphic novel? I love comics and so, yes. I don't think we talked about that. We weren't influenced necessarily by graphic novels but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/the-graphic-novel-i-love-comics-and-so-yes-i-don-t-think-we-talked/) [Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/) > [I mistrust the term graphic novel because it sounds like a good thing to put on a tee-shirt. That's why the French like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-mistrust-the-term-graphic-novel-because-it-sounds-like-a-good-thing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I wrote a graphic novel called 'Soul Stealer' with big, beautiful, epic artwork by Chris Shy. It grew into a trilogy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-easton/i-wrote-a-graphic-novel-called-soul-stealer-with-big-beautiful-epic/) [Michael Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-easton/) > [I started on the original comics from Stan Lee and all the artists and storytellers did from there, and I got to the graphic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-helman/i-started-on-the-original-comics-from-stan-lee-and-all-the-artists/) [Josh Helman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-helman/) > [“The book is almost always better than the movie. You could have no better case in point than FROM HELL, Alan Moore's best graphic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/the-book-is-almost-always-better-than-the-movie-you-could-have-no/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [I always loved comic books and I'm still a great fan of the graphic novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-hill/i-always-loved-comic-books-and-i-m-still-a-great-fan-of-the-graphic/) [Walter Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-hill/) > [ We \[Rodriguez and Frank Miller\] wanted to take the movies and turn them into a graphic novel, so that people wouldn't even know what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rodriguez/we-rodriguez-and-frank-miller-wanted-to-take-the-movies-and-turn-them/) [Robert Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rodriguez/) > [In many ways, my entire graphic novel career was a long diversion. Originally, all I wanted to do was to be an underground cartoonist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/in-many-ways-my-entire-graphic-novel-career-was-a-long-diversion/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) ## More by Art Spiegelman > [The book has very specific qualities. Let's say in 2300 they discover the physical book, after having lived with the digital book for several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/the-book-has-very-specific-qualities-let-s-say-in-2300-they-discover/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [Comics seem to be cooking these days. It's like being a rock star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/comics-seem-to-be-cooking-these-days-it-s-like-being-a-rock-star/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [In 1908, you could easily earn $20 to $200 as a cartoonist. What's amazing is that it's still true!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/in-1908-you-could-easily-earn-20-to-200-as-a-cartoonist-what-s/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I wanted to create comics as soon as a I learned humans were behind them, that they were not natural phenomena like trees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-wanted-to-create-comics-as-soon-as-a-i-learned-humans-were-behind/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [What we're losing culturally the fastest, aside from natural resources and oil and the idea of democracy and social justice, is the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/what-we-re-losing-culturally-the-fastest-aside-from-natural-resources/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I would say that, in the future, the book will be reserved for things that function best as a book. So, if I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-would-say-that-in-the-future-the-book-will-be-reserved-for-things/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [Sometimes I'm drawing onto a computer directly, sometimes I'm drawing on paper , so I can't really talk about drafts. It's just like having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/sometimes-i-m-drawing-onto-a-computer-directly-sometimes-i-m-drawing/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I think as soon as I figured out - and this must have been incredibly young - that comic books were made by humans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-think-as-soon-as-i-figured-out-and-this-must-have-been-incredibly/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [“I'm not talking about YOUR book now, but look at how many books have already been written about the Holocaust. What's the point? People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-m-not-talking-about-your-book-now-but-look-at-how-many-books-have/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [No matter what I accomplish, it doesn't seem like much compared to surviving Auschwitz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/no-matter-what-i-accomplish-it-doesn-t-seem-like-much-compared-to/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I'm supposed to be making comics, so I had to do it the best way I knew how, which is what those guys at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-m-supposed-to-be-making-comics-so-i-had-to-do-it-the-best-way-i/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [With any work worth its salt, you have to trust the author enough to take its measure. And if you apply too many preconceptions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/with-any-work-worth-its-salt-you-have-to-trust-the-author-enough-to/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I always had more allergies toward the superhero comics than the others. I thought those were aimed more toward the people who would beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-always-had-more-allergies-toward-the-superhero-comics-than-the/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [“Anja? What is to tell? Everywhere I look I'm seeing Anja... From my good eye, from my glass eye, if they're open or they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/anja-what-is-to-tell-everywhere-i-look-i-m-seeing-anja-from-my-good/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [“DOWN THESE MEAN STREETS A MIDGET MUST GO!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/down-these-mean-streets-a-midget-must-go/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) [Explore all 47 Art Spiegelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One way of understanding a graphic novel is that it's an ambitious comic and one way or another my comics have had ambitions. 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