I’m looking for an introduction to the world of the graphic novel.
Does anyone here read them and have any recommendations?
The most impressive works I’ve read were Akira, Transmetropolitan, and the Lone Wolf and Cub series. And more recently a short one called Crecy.
Transmetropolitan is great.
If you’re not averse to superheros, then the two mandatory reads would “The Dark Night Returns” and “Watchmen”
The Preacher series would be required reading too
Grant Morrison does a lot of good stuff - his Doom Patrol run is a favorite of mine - and a lot of people like The Invisibles.
Eddie Campbell’s “Bacchus” is a cult favorite that i enjoyed - as is the Cerebus the Ardvaark series.
Joe Sacco does more real-world stuff and he’s a great artist - he’s done books on the mideast conflict and so forth - if you’re looking for something more down to earth, i’d pick up some of his stuff.
probably there are a million other titles and authors i’m forgetting to mention . . .
there’s so many different styles and subjects out there, the best thing is to just find a comic shop with a good selection and browse for a while - you’re bound to find some cool shit of interest
Well, that ‘Crecy’ that I mentioned is also written by Warren Ellis, but it’s a much more different piece of work than Transmet. It’s just a one-issue release, and it’s an account of the battle of Crecy told from the point of view of an English longbowmen with some excellent black and white artwork to boot. Recommended.
Funnily enough I am about to begin Watchmen and I hope it’s worth the hype because I would normally veer away from the superhero stuff, simply because I haven’t seen anything which isn’t just lame and cliche. I mean, they still draw women in skin-tight lycra with ridiculously large breasts, how can I take that shit seriously? 
Hmmm…I might look at Doom Patrol some time then but I had read a few issues of The Invisibles and it was a bit all over the show, the artwork was nice, but I just couldn’t get into it…the writing felt too much like Revenge of the Nerds, if you know what I mean…
Anyway, I’ll give those other ones you mentioned a look. And how about Alan Moore’s other work - From Hell, and V for Vendetta, have you read those?
Frank Miller has done a lot of great series. I have to ask whether you want the best story or the best art? because for me there are some graphic novels that were visual epics, like Kingdom Come and Wolverine/Havoc. The first Arkham was great.
From the world of manga, I seriously suggest Naussica and Appleseed.