Melissa Pansing/For The Post

Stephen Richter relaxes with his new graphic novel, "Smoog and the Eye of the Trillagryyn" in Universe of Superheroes store at 19 W. Washington St. Richter spent three-and-a-half years writing, drawing and publishing his book. It goes on sale Sept. 23.

Tonya Weaver bought her first graphic novel less than a year ago. Now Weaver owns a large storage box filled with them and said she's addicted. Whether it's the fantastical, fairy-tale world of "fables" or the political satire of "Transmetropolitan," Weaver finds herself delving deeper into the realm of illustrated literature.
"A lot of the public doesn't take them seriously enough," said Weaver, a third-year graduate student at Ohio University. "I think graphic novels are just as culturally important as TV or radio."
To many, graphic novels might seem like juiced-up comic books, but there are distinct differences, said Elliott Klein, employee of Universal Superheroes, 19 W. Washington St.
"Graphic novels look like a comic but read like a novel," Richter said. Generally they have more complex, over-arching story lines that are meant to be read in several sittings. Most graphic novels include more than a hundred pages of sprawling, experimental artwork.
"Comic books try to stay with one style because the comic becomes known for its artistic work," said Klein. "Graphic novels have a little more play room."
Flipping through the pages of "The Walking Dead," by Robert Kirkman, involves taking in black-and-white blood-spattered zombie battles. In "The Sandman," by graphic-novel icon Neil Gaiman, surreal images mingle and drift from page to page. "Sin City," by Frank Miller, is gritty, chaotic and dismal.
"There is something out there for everyone," said Klein, as he picked through the large graphic novel shelf at Universal Superheroes.
There are graphic novels dealing with the Holocaust, Sept. 11 and even the history of the Trojan War.
Recently, graphic novels have made their way into the movies with "Ghostworld" in 2000, "American Splendor" in 2003 and "Sin City" this spring.
Athens resident Stephen Richter has written, drawn, published and is now promoting his own graphic novel, "Smoog and the Eye of the Trillagryyn." Although it's more of an "illustrated adventure" than a graphic novel, said Richter, there is an over-arching, developed, near-200-page story line (and appendix).
"Smoog" took Richter three-and-a-half years to complete. He said he enjoyed working with the graphic novel format because the end product "looks really good," and it was easier to produce with "Kinko's as your publisher.""With (the graphic novel format), you can't say everything, but at the same time, you can say a lot with pictures," Richter said.
Richter will be having a book signing for "Smoog and the Eye of Trillagryyn" at 4 p.m. Sept. 27 at Follett's University Bookstore, 63 N. Court St. To view the first chapter of "Smoog," as well as Richter's other scribblings, go to his Web site at www.richterscale-cartoons.com.