Not cool enough for graphic novels

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Everyone else reads them.  Everyone else enjoys them (okay, I work at an art school....).  I even teach (and like) one: The Color of Earth, a really great Bildungsroman from a Korean master of manwha, in my World Literature course. 

But, I'm discovering that I don't like graphic novels.

When asked to pilot a new course--Narrative Studies--I really wanted to include a graphic novel.  How hard could it be to find a great one, really?  There are so many classics, so many that people rave about.

I started with Watchmen several months ago. I mean that I literally started reading Watchmen several months ago.  It wasn't going well, so I gave V for Vendetta a try.  I nearly gave up 40 pages in.  But it got better, considerably better.  But I don't think it's a book I can teach--for a host of reasons.  But I'm still struggling through Watchmen!

 I haven't finished it yet; I'm forcing my way through it little by little, making slow progress. 

On my bookshelf, I still have Maus and Persepolis (either of which I could use for World Lit), but I'm so disillusioned with the genre that I can't see to pull them off the shelf.  The art is rather unimpressive (and almost distractingly bad compared to others), so I'd be focusing on story, which is fine, as that's what books are for.  But...I'd rather just read a pictureless book then.

Perhaps I'm too old, too old-fashioned, not eclectic enough for graphic novels.  Or perhaps I'm just reading the wrong things.