Afraid Quote by Marjane Satrapi
“People are so afraid to say the word 'comic'. It makes you think of a grown man with pimples, a ponytail and a big belly. Change it to 'graphic novel' and that disappears.”
About This Quote
Source Graphic Novel: Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi, 2000
The term “comic” carries stereotypes that can marginalize the medium; renaming it “graphic novel” removes those biases.
In simple terms: Changing the label reduces stigma.
Key Takeaway
Use inclusive language.
Themes
stereotypes
language
media perception
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
observational
When to use this quote
- book marketing
- library classification
- educational curricula
- media criticism
Key Concepts
cultural bias
branding
identity
perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How does naming affect audience expectations?
- What other terms carry hidden bias?
A Different Perspective
Labels alone don’t change content quality.
![“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 they were looking at. It's still visual storytelling, but it's approached completely different. The two mediums don't have to be separate mediums. They can be one…” quote by Robert Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/123/robert-rodriguez-8016_comic_we-rodriguez-and-frank-miller-wanted-to_184423.jpg)
