Moore Graphic Novels

After having taken two courses in college about comics, cartoons, animation, etc. (go liberal arts!), I figured it was about time I read a few graphic novels. I'd read excerpts, and also a copy of David Small's new book, "Stitches", but never anything that had anything to do really with DC or Marvel or manga.

But this spring break, I plunged in: finding the graphic novels section of B&N (which was squeezed in the back by the teen books and sci-fi...eeek...), I decided to reach for something that had been recommended to me several times: "Watchmen" by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons and colored by John Higgins. AMAZING. I hear the movie was terrible (even though the trailer with that Muse song was sooo goood), which I can totally understand because the plot was so non-linear and, obviously, played with time.

The juxtapositions of text and image, including multiple layers of media, like the pirate comic that boy reads, or the inclusion of different articles and pieces written about the characters, gave the book so much depth that I'll definitely need to read it again to get everything I can out of it. But I do have to say...what was up with that ending??? I wasn't a big fan. Though the dialogue got a little self-serving in its existentialism at times, it was an engrossing read. And c'mon, who wouldn't want to be able to go to Mars?

The other book I read was the first volume of "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" which was definitely entertaining and another book written by Moore that plays with iconic superheroes except in this book, those characters are from various literature, like Nemo, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man, Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty, among others. Not as deep, but certainly a fun read. I'm definitely going to buy the other segments and I recommend the first, if not for its intricate illustrations and fun references to London settings (there's even a reference to Oliver! at one point. So funny). Haven't seen the movie version of the book, but probably won't.

I'm so so so afraid to go into manga now that I've taken a class about manga and I've seen people in B&N engrossed in these scary backwards books with cutesy imagery but I'm kinda curious...have any of you read any manga and can recommend something so I don't make a mistake?? plz? ^_^