The term graphic novel became popular in the 1980s when people wanted to distinguish between the colorful comic books aimed at kids and more complex stories aimed at order,more mature readers. While classic comic books feature crime-fighting superheroes graphic novels cover many genres and are frequently about real-life issues.
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes Which follows two friend through the summer after their high school graduation is a early example of a graphic novel that was made into a film. Another recent graphic novel adaptation is Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis Which documents her youth in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution of 1979.