My favorite series ever- and one of my favorite reads at all, pictorial or not- is Sandman by Neil Gaiman.
Through the series Gaiman makes you feel every single human emotion many times over, and there are so many compelling and universal themes. The amazing thing too is how he does this with so many different characters, stories inside stories inside stories, Greek and Roman mythology, Christian and Muslim religious mythology, comic book lore, and even literary historical figures.	
 William Shakespeare is a character, as well as Cain and Abel from the bible, Orpheus from classic mythology, etc. Batman, Constantine and many other DC/Vertigo universe characters show up all-be it briefly and often in different forms. There is a man who one day just decides he's never going to die, and, well he doesn't, just because he chooses not to. There are serial killer conventions, and real life doll houses, and Death is the sweetest woman you could ever hope would be the one to come to you when it's all over.
I highly recommend this to anyone who can read and has a soul. You will love it.