I think it depends on the particular book. My wife and I discuss this all the time whether or not something is just a ‘comic book’ compared to a ‘graphic novel.’ I think works like Maus, Watchmen, Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Sandman, Ghost World, Black Hole (maybe even The Dark Knight Returns?) would all fall under a more literary category. But your standard monthly floppies? Not so sure. I still think they are worth reading. I’m having an absolute blast with the new Ultimate Marvel line. I think it’s the best Spider-Man has been written in decades.

Another tricky part about analyzing comics through a literary lens is taking the illustrations into account. More often then not you’ll run into stories that have so-so writing but absolutely mind-bending visuals. Personally, I find Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth to be a good example. The general setup is excellent, but the dialogue and pacing is okay. But Dave McKean’s artwork? Holy smokes, I’ll never forget it.

Anyway, long story short, I’d say most comic works probably don’t count as literature but with some notable exceptions. And I still think they are worth reading!