United Kingdom, July 25 -- John Cusack wrote a graphic novel because he didn't want to have to "negotiate" his vision.

The 60-year-old actor has largely stepped out of the spotlight in recent years but made a rare public appearance at San Diego Comic-Con to introduce his debut graphic novel Momo - a 1972 heist and road trip story featuring an extraterrestrial twist - and he's explained the reasoning behind his new career direction.

He told Variety: "Well, I always thought they were the closest things to film, really.

"You know, you're picking out shots and they're so cinematic. I wanted to tell a story, but I didn't want to negotiate telling a story.

"When you ask somebody to put $20 or $30 million into a bank account [to finance a fi...