ravnsdaughter

I got into reading science fiction and fantasy relatively late in life, though I'm familiar with a lot more authors than I've read because of working in a library for a while. So, I have two questions for my f-list in this regard:

First, what series would consider to be scifi/fantasy classics and/or must-reads?

Second, I've never read anything by Neil Gaiman, but would like to. Which book should I start with?

Third, graphic novels. What would be a good one to start with? (keep in mind I can't stand anime).

Edit: stuff I have read/really liked, off the top of my head:
copious amounts of Marion Zimmer Bradley (she's a favorite author of mine)
Lord of the Rings
Piers Anthony's Incantations of Immortality
A few books of the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, I'm slowly working my way through them (and love them to bits)
Rick Cook's Wizard's Bane series (another favorite)
The Kushiel trilogy and the followups, by Jacqueline Carey (which I consider fantasy, anyways)