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's graphic novel has just won the graphic novel category of the , the first time it has been awarded.

And I'm delighted. Not about Asterios Polyp's win - I haven't yet read the novel - but that such a mainstream prize should establish the graphic novel as a category. For those who are not yet drawn to the genre, such a prize serves a useful function of highlighting excellence and generating interest.

There are plenty of reviews to read on Mazzucchelli's book, including ; most of them will quickly lead you to his 1990s collaboration with Paul Auster and Paul Karasic in creating .

Which might mean that this prize leads you to discover not just one new novel but two.