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Preacher
Preacher, Volume 8: All Hell's a-Coming
Following the events of the Preacher: Salvation collection, Jesse Custer wants to renew his quest to find God and hold him accountable for all of his actions. But before he can continue down that path, he must reunite with his girlfriend Tulip. In this edition, we look back and see how Jesse and Tulip first met as well as how she became so deadly proficient with a gun. Also, after making amends with his love, Jesse seeks revenge against his former friend and compatriot Cassidy for the things that the Irish vampire did to Tulip during the time that they both believed the Preacher to be dead.
Collects: Preacher #51�58, Preacher Special: Tall in the Saddle
Collects: Preacher #51�58, Preacher Special: Tall in the Saddle
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2000
19 people are currently reading
2,237 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,534Ìýbooks3,093ÌýfollowersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from:
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
March 31, 2021
Yasssssss! This is something! Here I am at the penultimate volume and finally think I know what this book has been about all along? Will Jesse find Tulip again? What will they say to one another? Where's Cassidy. In fact... who the Hell,, what the Hell, is Cassidy? Will Arseface stay at the top? Where's Starr and co. These questions and more are answered in this volume, and by now I very much care about every single solitary character. Many claim this is Ennis' best ever work, and at this stage in this series, it's hard to dispute that. 9.5 out of 12.
March 24, 2014
As I’ve previously stated, I firmly believe that anyone who hasn’t already completed the entire run of Preacher should NOT be reading any reviews or summaries of these later volumes. All I can safely say is that this is an interlude before the final volume in which nothing big seems to happen, but it’s critical for setting the stage of the ending. Also, if you ever find yourself performing oral sex in an alley in exchange for heroin, you might want to take a second look at your life choices.
If you have read it already or just like to live dangerously:
Next stop: The Alamo
If you have read it already or just like to live dangerously:
Next stop: The Alamo
February 9, 2017
Guess who has gotten back together? This one's heartwarming and and heartbreaking, and the rest of the time, we get to see the dark side of Cass.
Yes, that's right, we get to know just how big a ponce that wanker really is.
My ire is stoked in equal measure to how relieved I am that Jesse and Tulip are on the mends.
As for Starr? Omg he's still one of the most absolutely pathetic super-villains I've ever read and pure comedic gold. Still.
All the dominoes are set up and ready to fall for the last Volume. I can't wait to see if god ever gets properly chastised. :)
Yes, that's right, we get to know just how big a ponce that wanker really is.
My ire is stoked in equal measure to how relieved I am that Jesse and Tulip are on the mends.
As for Starr? Omg he's still one of the most absolutely pathetic super-villains I've ever read and pure comedic gold. Still.
All the dominoes are set up and ready to fall for the last Volume. I can't wait to see if god ever gets properly chastised. :)
February 25, 2021
This is the penultimate collection of a series where they really should be read in order. In this one we learn about Tulip's childhood. We also see Tulip realize that Cassidy isn't the right guy for her and how she reunites with Jesse. There is also a one off where we share a small adventure of Tulip, Amy, and Jesse that has nothing to do with the main story arc.
For the most part I loved this collection. The look into Tulip's childhood was amazing. It was at the beginning of the collection and I was immediately enthralled by this collection. Her reuniting with Jesse was a touching story line and is basically set up for the finale. The mini adventure was very enjoyable and I liked the new character. I couldn't give this five stars because there was one issue I thought was terrible. It explored Jesse's journey and it was crude, unnecessary filler. I know it is ironic for me to say something is crude in this comic when this comic has been crude for its entire run. I have enjoyed the crudeness but there was a point to it. I didn't think there was a point to it in this comic and it felt like the authors did it just for the fun of it.
I am looking forward to the finale and I believe it will be shocking and explosive. The pieces are set for it thanks to this collection and the authors did a commendable job with that aspect. I still applaud the authors for taking a likeable character and doing a one eighty with him. This was a very good collection of this comic as it has all the trademarks that this comic is known for. It is crude and funny while being touching at the same time.
For the most part I loved this collection. The look into Tulip's childhood was amazing. It was at the beginning of the collection and I was immediately enthralled by this collection. Her reuniting with Jesse was a touching story line and is basically set up for the finale. The mini adventure was very enjoyable and I liked the new character. I couldn't give this five stars because there was one issue I thought was terrible. It explored Jesse's journey and it was crude, unnecessary filler. I know it is ironic for me to say something is crude in this comic when this comic has been crude for its entire run. I have enjoyed the crudeness but there was a point to it. I didn't think there was a point to it in this comic and it felt like the authors did it just for the fun of it.
I am looking forward to the finale and I believe it will be shocking and explosive. The pieces are set for it thanks to this collection and the authors did a commendable job with that aspect. I still applaud the authors for taking a likeable character and doing a one eighty with him. This was a very good collection of this comic as it has all the trademarks that this comic is known for. It is crude and funny while being touching at the same time.
August 28, 2019
A lot more relevance to this one.
I finally flew through one of these. I enjoyed this volume more than some of the others. I appreciated the recap that was included in the beginning, as it has been some time between reads for me. The characters' backstories all start getting revealed- really pulling the heartstrings. Definitely connected with the characters more, while other's gained tons of empathy. Loved the feminism girl power stuff. I was shocked at the twists!
The best word to describe this series would be a slow burn.
One more to go!
I finally flew through one of these. I enjoyed this volume more than some of the others. I appreciated the recap that was included in the beginning, as it has been some time between reads for me. The characters' backstories all start getting revealed- really pulling the heartstrings. Definitely connected with the characters more, while other's gained tons of empathy. Loved the feminism girl power stuff. I was shocked at the twists!
The best word to describe this series would be a slow burn.
One more to go!
January 21, 2015
This is another Ennis book that has been dragged on too long...the last volume, Salvation, was great...this? Not so much...back to homophobia, vampires, and the Church...oh and stupid violence. I rate this as 2 stars because Tulip has a great backstory, and because Jesse is still ok. Cassidy has always been a dick, how is this a revelation??? Thanks for the horrible reading day Garth!!
December 25, 2022
Numero incentrato su Tulip e Jesse. La storia di Tulip prima di Jesse, il loro incontro, i primi anni di pazzie (con la sua amica Amy sempre accanto a lei).
La loro riunione adesso, finalmente.
E quindi, conseguentemente, Jesse che deve venire a patti con Cassidy. E per farlo va a caccia della storia del vampiro, scopre cose e personesi prepara per un incontro che decide di posporre.
Tra due mesi avranno la loro resa dei conti (con Cassidy che mi ha stupito, tutto mi sarei aspettato tranne che si presentasse come nulla fosse, con faccia di bronzo e tentativi di sminuire o di screditare Tulip), dopo immagino aver regolato i conti con Dio e con il Graal.
Graal che continua a esistere, anche se malconcio.
Come malconcio scopriamo essere Facciadiculo, truffato dal suo manager e lasciato senza un soldo in mano a una folla inferocita. Avrà un qualche senso nella trama questa cosa? Boh.
Bello comunque leggere del passato di Tulip e di Cassidy, ora sembra che siamo pronti ad andare avanti verso la metà finale con più decisione e sicurezza da parte dei protagonisti.
La loro riunione adesso, finalmente.
E quindi, conseguentemente, Jesse che deve venire a patti con Cassidy. E per farlo va a caccia della storia del vampiro, scopre cose e personesi prepara per un incontro che decide di posporre.
Tra due mesi avranno la loro resa dei conti (con Cassidy che mi ha stupito, tutto mi sarei aspettato tranne che si presentasse come nulla fosse, con faccia di bronzo e tentativi di sminuire o di screditare Tulip), dopo immagino aver regolato i conti con Dio e con il Graal.
Graal che continua a esistere, anche se malconcio.
Come malconcio scopriamo essere Facciadiculo, truffato dal suo manager e lasciato senza un soldo in mano a una folla inferocita. Avrà un qualche senso nella trama questa cosa? Boh.
Bello comunque leggere del passato di Tulip e di Cassidy, ora sembra che siamo pronti ad andare avanti verso la metà finale con più decisione e sicurezza da parte dei protagonisti.
May 12, 2018
This volume was okay but honestly there were just too many different things going on for it to feel like an entirely coherent narrative to me so that's the reason for the 3 star rating. I know he was trying to tie up loose ends and bring back old characters for cameos before the final volume but that's never really my favorite thing to read. It is always nice to get a bit more of Tulip's backstory though, and to a lesser extent Jesse's. It is not so nice to get more Cassidy's backstory because the more you know about Cassidy the more you hate him but ... [shrugs]. Honestly this entire series is just me being differing levels of annoying with both Jesse and Cassidy and it's giving me whiplash lol. Excited to finally finish up my reread with the last volume, especially because I have literally NO recollection of how this all ends.
December 23, 2024
"Damned if that don't look like justice to me."
October 5, 2016
5 Insane-Stars! ☆☆☆☆�
The beginning starts off with Tulip and her escape from Cassidy and also gives a glimpse into her childhood. And i must say, its f#%ked up to see what made Tulip the person she is today. I mean the way her father died... Just f#%k!! And then Tulip's only friend gets raped... F#%K!!!
Insane sh!t happens in this book! ...like, one of the two 'sexual bounty hunters' detectives had to suck off 'fifteen guys' till they came for gas money because they were broke. -What?!
Then, a bar owner by the name of Joe Soap gets chemically castrated by the police by accident because they got him confused with a local pedophile, with the name 'John' Soap. -How in the hell does that happen?!
Cassidy gets caught sucking his dealer's d!ck for some drugs by his girlfriend! -i know...freaking insane!
Some f#%king guy ate another man's arm while he was under anesthesia! He didnt know he was being eaten until he turned his head! - Holy-F#%k-Balls!
The odd thing is, i thought i liked Cassidy's character, but after reading about his past, ...I started having huge second thoughts. Then after two more pages, I couldn't stand him! I cant believe I hate Cassidy. :(
Hahahahahaaaa! Seeing Herr Starr screaming at the old lady to start moving made me laugh out loud!
I think Herr Starr had the best comedic lines.
"We're going to wipe him off my arse like a DINGLEBERRY."
"My c#%k is in the b!tch's mouth. And not in a good way." -the b!tch was a DOG!
His countless failed attempts to kill Eisenstein were just as hilarious! The countdown frames had me smiling from ear to ear.
There was an accent or language problem though, because i couldnt understand a select few lines that were said, (ex.: "...dont let that good ol' boy act fool you, 'cause that son of a b!tch was ready to cock our goose.") -cock your goose?!?! What the f***?
Or this line...
"He knows i got him buffaloed." -buffaloed?! ...believe it or not but its an actual word. Why Jesse knows this random word which has dozens of contradictory meanings is beyond me. It either could mean, to intimidate or to overpower. Lol or it means, a large group if oxen. ...jesus.
And i must WARN everybody, the Horse-killing scene is traumatic. Its wrong on so many levels.
The beginning starts off with Tulip and her escape from Cassidy and also gives a glimpse into her childhood. And i must say, its f#%ked up to see what made Tulip the person she is today. I mean the way her father died... Just f#%k!! And then Tulip's only friend gets raped... F#%K!!!
Insane sh!t happens in this book! ...like, one of the two 'sexual bounty hunters' detectives had to suck off 'fifteen guys' till they came for gas money because they were broke. -What?!
Then, a bar owner by the name of Joe Soap gets chemically castrated by the police by accident because they got him confused with a local pedophile, with the name 'John' Soap. -How in the hell does that happen?!
Cassidy gets caught sucking his dealer's d!ck for some drugs by his girlfriend! -i know...freaking insane!
Some f#%king guy ate another man's arm while he was under anesthesia! He didnt know he was being eaten until he turned his head! - Holy-F#%k-Balls!
The odd thing is, i thought i liked Cassidy's character, but after reading about his past, ...I started having huge second thoughts. Then after two more pages, I couldn't stand him! I cant believe I hate Cassidy. :(
Hahahahahaaaa! Seeing Herr Starr screaming at the old lady to start moving made me laugh out loud!
I think Herr Starr had the best comedic lines.
"We're going to wipe him off my arse like a DINGLEBERRY."
"My c#%k is in the b!tch's mouth. And not in a good way." -the b!tch was a DOG!
His countless failed attempts to kill Eisenstein were just as hilarious! The countdown frames had me smiling from ear to ear.
There was an accent or language problem though, because i couldnt understand a select few lines that were said, (ex.: "...dont let that good ol' boy act fool you, 'cause that son of a b!tch was ready to cock our goose.") -cock your goose?!?! What the f***?
Or this line...
"He knows i got him buffaloed." -buffaloed?! ...believe it or not but its an actual word. Why Jesse knows this random word which has dozens of contradictory meanings is beyond me. It either could mean, to intimidate or to overpower. Lol or it means, a large group if oxen. ...jesus.
And i must WARN everybody, the Horse-killing scene is traumatic. Its wrong on so many levels.
September 13, 2009
So conflicted over this one. It's homophobic, anti-French, reactionary, ultra-conservative, sex-negative... gotta love all that Preacher right-wing weirdness, right? But then there's this whole backstory about Tulip that's kind of cheesy but I [heart:] Tulip so that's oh, just so MFing dandy.
Then there's a Very Special Episode of Preacher Starring Cassidy's Drug Problem And His Manipulation of Tulip, during which I realized that in creating Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and in putting together that weird storyline about Willow addicted to magic, Joss Whedon was not just cribbing from Preacher; he had watched every Preacher Afterschool Special starring Melissa Gilbert and basically appropriated its weird, glib comments on drug addiction and destructive relationships. It's all so pat it kinda hurts; even if it's satisfying, even if it feels streetwise, it's ultimately a COMIC BOOK, and it feels like a comic book treatment of drugs. Bummed me out.
This... this is not why people who read "real" literature think all comic books are crap -- but if said literature people DID read comic books (rather than just sneering at them), such people would probably gesture fanatically at the half-assed glib pat treatment of drug addiction, the reactionary xenophobic politics and the ultra-simplistic, essentially anti-female version of female empowerment (via high-caliber firearms) offered and say "See! See!?!" while jumping up and down and waving their berets and bleating "Sacre Bleu!" until they puke their coq a vin all over the floor of some Marxist classroom at The University of Milktoast Pansies, San Francisco Campus.
Would I agree with them? Not really, because we get to see Tulip's tits, and assloads of people get killed, which rocks. Awesome.
And comic books are there to be comic books. I still love Preacher... but let's call a spade a spade.
Then there's a Very Special Episode of Preacher Starring Cassidy's Drug Problem And His Manipulation of Tulip, during which I realized that in creating Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and in putting together that weird storyline about Willow addicted to magic, Joss Whedon was not just cribbing from Preacher; he had watched every Preacher Afterschool Special starring Melissa Gilbert and basically appropriated its weird, glib comments on drug addiction and destructive relationships. It's all so pat it kinda hurts; even if it's satisfying, even if it feels streetwise, it's ultimately a COMIC BOOK, and it feels like a comic book treatment of drugs. Bummed me out.
This... this is not why people who read "real" literature think all comic books are crap -- but if said literature people DID read comic books (rather than just sneering at them), such people would probably gesture fanatically at the half-assed glib pat treatment of drug addiction, the reactionary xenophobic politics and the ultra-simplistic, essentially anti-female version of female empowerment (via high-caliber firearms) offered and say "See! See!?!" while jumping up and down and waving their berets and bleating "Sacre Bleu!" until they puke their coq a vin all over the floor of some Marxist classroom at The University of Milktoast Pansies, San Francisco Campus.
Would I agree with them? Not really, because we get to see Tulip's tits, and assloads of people get killed, which rocks. Awesome.
And comic books are there to be comic books. I still love Preacher... but let's call a spade a spade.
September 7, 2015
Here's the book where all the threads start tightening up - everything that's gone before is coming together slowly, and we get to feel some measure of resolution to face the Big Climax Of All The Things.
Tulip's origin story is beautiful, poetic and absolutely appropriate to the woman we've gotten to know.
Jesse's little cross-country driving trip is more than a little amusing, picking up some interesting characters along the way and hearing out their bizarro stories.
Then we get into the shit for Starr and oul' Proinsas. Those two boys done fucked up and we're aimin' to show them how to spell comeuppance. Savouring the smell of meat cookin' folks? I know I am.
How’s about we end off with a little horse-rustlin? Chalk one more up to Ennis' fascination with old west, straw-chewin cowboys. And as usual, a good meaty story built on one of the thinnest, trodden-til-paper-thin of premises.
Tulip's origin story is beautiful, poetic and absolutely appropriate to the woman we've gotten to know.
Jesse's little cross-country driving trip is more than a little amusing, picking up some interesting characters along the way and hearing out their bizarro stories.
Then we get into the shit for Starr and oul' Proinsas. Those two boys done fucked up and we're aimin' to show them how to spell comeuppance. Savouring the smell of meat cookin' folks? I know I am.
How’s about we end off with a little horse-rustlin? Chalk one more up to Ennis' fascination with old west, straw-chewin cowboys. And as usual, a good meaty story built on one of the thinnest, trodden-til-paper-thin of premises.
July 31, 2016
I cannot fathom how can the TV show bring in all the evil fun in this series, all the violence, blasphemies, with all the sex, drugs, impending armageddon and vampires in between. Preacher volume eight, the penultimate volume to this excellent series prepares everything towards the end. But except for Jesse and Tulip gearing up for their eventual encounter with god, things are not going fine with Herr Starr and Arseface (the literal dickhead and assface respectively).
I liked how Ennis left a blatant meta on how he answers all the criticisms given to him in writing the series. All you have to do is to say those two words man, two words.
Nope, I am not pumped up and hyped to read the last few issues. It is the end of a great series and somehow I don't want to end this read.
I liked how Ennis left a blatant meta on how he answers all the criticisms given to him in writing the series. All you have to do is to say those two words man, two words.
Nope, I am not pumped up and hyped to read the last few issues. It is the end of a great series and somehow I don't want to end this read.
May 18, 2012
I think, considering that this was the penultimate episode of a story that has so many characters and plot threads, this volume was as good as could be expected.
There is a lot of variety in this issue -- Tulip's back-story, Jesse's cross country drive, Jesse and Tulip's reunion, a bit of color on Amy, more skeletons in Cassidy's closet, further degradation of Herr Starr, and a car-thievin', horse-rustlin', adventure from Jesse, Tulip and Amy's past. The end of that particular story is one of my favorite moments of the comic, where Jesse, riding his horse off into the sunset, ponders asking Tulip and Amy to have a threesome with him.
There is a lot of variety in this issue -- Tulip's back-story, Jesse's cross country drive, Jesse and Tulip's reunion, a bit of color on Amy, more skeletons in Cassidy's closet, further degradation of Herr Starr, and a car-thievin', horse-rustlin', adventure from Jesse, Tulip and Amy's past. The end of that particular story is one of my favorite moments of the comic, where Jesse, riding his horse off into the sunset, ponders asking Tulip and Amy to have a threesome with him.
September 10, 2016
One-and-a-half stars. During this volume, I concluded that the Preacher series is really just a testosterone-heavy romance. The (supposed) plot it introduced early on (Jesse's quest ) has been given very little attention throughout the series. Instead the series has mostly consisted of off-topic detours from that plot, all while making the actual focus Jesse and Tulip's relationship. With each new episode bringing its own form of uncommunicative hand-wringing, this is undeniably true:
(1) The series is, first and foremost, a love story. (Think Mickey and Mallory, but with less charisma. There seems to be little-to-no hero in these anti-heroes.)
(2) The setting is a hyperviolent, hyper vulgar contemporary Western. (Think vigilante justice, but without any internal moral compass or respect for human life.)
(3) The hook is the spiritual question it poses, which the reader hopes will elevate the story above just being a sophomoric shock factory...but the author teases it out so long with very little insight. (This does not bode well for the final volume.)
Now, there's nothing wrong with a love story, but it both seems out of place and is unconvincing in this hateful piece full of male chauvinism, homophobia and all-around bigoted redneck characters. (These criticisms are also true of the main characters.) The story is this: two thrill kill vigilantes in love, running around stirring up trouble by acting tough, insulting and proud; shooting first and asking questions later; and believing themselves (and their lives) to be of greater importance than anyone else they encounter. I just can't find anything to enjoy here. This type of story is dated and of a different era. I cannot fathom it receiving today the praise it received when it came out. I think it aims to bring the timelessness of Westerns together with Tarantino level violence/vulgarity, but all it comes off as is obnoxious, chauvinistic and haphazardly bigoted. (Natural Born Killers was twisted, but it was unquestionably a commentary/parody of media sensationalism. Preacher is merely sensationalistic.)
In this volume, we learn that Tulip really has no other goal beyond the men in her life, be it her father or Jesse (whom, after she believes he is killed, she mourns so fiercely as to render herself catatonic). Throughout the series, the backstories of the other characters have varied in how rewarding they are, but Tulip's might be the only one that gives absolutely no motivation to her story. As a result, her only function in this story is to love the male hero. This poorly written choice is among the most insulting things in this series, even more so because it is one of the only offending things in the series that wasn't on purpose.
(1) The series is, first and foremost, a love story. (Think Mickey and Mallory, but with less charisma. There seems to be little-to-no hero in these anti-heroes.)
(2) The setting is a hyperviolent, hyper vulgar contemporary Western. (Think vigilante justice, but without any internal moral compass or respect for human life.)
(3) The hook is the spiritual question it poses, which the reader hopes will elevate the story above just being a sophomoric shock factory...but the author teases it out so long with very little insight. (This does not bode well for the final volume.)
Now, there's nothing wrong with a love story, but it both seems out of place and is unconvincing in this hateful piece full of male chauvinism, homophobia and all-around bigoted redneck characters. (These criticisms are also true of the main characters.) The story is this: two thrill kill vigilantes in love, running around stirring up trouble by acting tough, insulting and proud; shooting first and asking questions later; and believing themselves (and their lives) to be of greater importance than anyone else they encounter. I just can't find anything to enjoy here. This type of story is dated and of a different era. I cannot fathom it receiving today the praise it received when it came out. I think it aims to bring the timelessness of Westerns together with Tarantino level violence/vulgarity, but all it comes off as is obnoxious, chauvinistic and haphazardly bigoted. (Natural Born Killers was twisted, but it was unquestionably a commentary/parody of media sensationalism. Preacher is merely sensationalistic.)
In this volume, we learn that Tulip really has no other goal beyond the men in her life, be it her father or Jesse (whom, after she believes he is killed, she mourns so fiercely as to render herself catatonic). Throughout the series, the backstories of the other characters have varied in how rewarding they are, but Tulip's might be the only one that gives absolutely no motivation to her story. As a result, her only function in this story is to love the male hero. This poorly written choice is among the most insulting things in this series, even more so because it is one of the only offending things in the series that wasn't on purpose.
July 14, 2020
All the hell came...
January 4, 2020
NOV 2011 RE-READ:
Things start to pay off, with Cassidy's true colors and story coming to light, Tulip and Jesse reunited, the Grail falling apart at the hands of Starr's monomaniacal pursuit of revenge against Jesse, and everything else starting to set up for the final apocalyptic volume.
For all it sounds like, it's a very human volume, with minimal supernatural business. The side characters introduced (both Amy, nicely fleshed out, and her bartender friend) are done so gently. Even Tulip's backstory, with its occasional spurts of violence, feels less over the top than much of what we've seen. We also get a one-off special of Jesse, Tulip, and Amy's younger days, which shows a bit more where each of these characters is coming from (in truly Texan xenophobic style).
One of the best issues collected here is Jesse's late-night drive toward New York, and the various folks he picks up hitchhiking. They're a typical band of Ennis zanies (including a few we've run into before), but it's mostly talk, not asskicking and cosmic commanding.
A good, all-around book, and the relative calm before the storm.
-----
JUN 2016
Pretty much hit all the notes below. Tulip's origin story is great, Cassidy's true colors are horrifying, and Jesse's cross-country drive is delightful.
-----
JAN 2020
In some ways, it's very odd to wait until the penultimate volume (more or less) to delve into some of this -- Tulip's backstory, Cassidy's backstory, the Jesse/Tulip/Amy triangle -- but in other ways, it all lets it pay off in a fashion that giving it to us in more detail earlier wasn't really needed.
Notes in comparison to the TV series: For the most part, none of this happens, at least not the big items. Cassidy's extremely sordid past, Tulip's background, or all the Amy stuff simply never makes it onto the screen. A deep pity, that, as they serve mostly to inform how the both series will end.
Things start to pay off, with Cassidy's true colors and story coming to light, Tulip and Jesse reunited, the Grail falling apart at the hands of Starr's monomaniacal pursuit of revenge against Jesse, and everything else starting to set up for the final apocalyptic volume.
For all it sounds like, it's a very human volume, with minimal supernatural business. The side characters introduced (both Amy, nicely fleshed out, and her bartender friend) are done so gently. Even Tulip's backstory, with its occasional spurts of violence, feels less over the top than much of what we've seen. We also get a one-off special of Jesse, Tulip, and Amy's younger days, which shows a bit more where each of these characters is coming from (in truly Texan xenophobic style).
One of the best issues collected here is Jesse's late-night drive toward New York, and the various folks he picks up hitchhiking. They're a typical band of Ennis zanies (including a few we've run into before), but it's mostly talk, not asskicking and cosmic commanding.
A good, all-around book, and the relative calm before the storm.
-----
JUN 2016
Pretty much hit all the notes below. Tulip's origin story is great, Cassidy's true colors are horrifying, and Jesse's cross-country drive is delightful.
-----
JAN 2020
In some ways, it's very odd to wait until the penultimate volume (more or less) to delve into some of this -- Tulip's backstory, Cassidy's backstory, the Jesse/Tulip/Amy triangle -- but in other ways, it all lets it pay off in a fashion that giving it to us in more detail earlier wasn't really needed.
Notes in comparison to the TV series: For the most part, none of this happens, at least not the big items. Cassidy's extremely sordid past, Tulip's background, or all the Amy stuff simply never makes it onto the screen. A deep pity, that, as they serve mostly to inform how the both series will end.
March 14, 2011
I know that one of Preacher's major appeals is its shock factor and gross-out humor. But, while I generally enjoy it for that reason too, I sometimes find myself wishing that Garth Ennis would give it a rest. I mean, we get your point already, Garth: America is filled with inbred, gun-toting racists. But, for page after page, he keeps ramming that point home. (I'm sure he'd love the usage of "ramming" in that last sentence.)
The problem is that, as far as social commentary goes, it's pretty blunt and one-dimensional, and I feel like it tends to distract from some actually genuinely interesting situations and character developments. Tulip's flashback story with her father, Jesse and Tulip's relationship, Jesse trying to reconcile his past friendship with Cassidy with the horror stories he learns about him in this volume... these things are all handled with a subtly and maturity not found in many comic books. The problem is that you have to wade through the obligatory stories of chemical castration, sexual bounty hunters and hunters getting shot while crapping in the woods just to get to them. It probably also doesn't help that some of the humor hasn't aged particularly well, and some stuff comes off as borderline homophobic (see: ramming comment above.)
That's not to say that I would remove all the gross-out humor. Far from it. For each eye-rolling forced shock, there's a great moment with the perpetual rise and fall of Herr Starr. Or, the broad commentary on fame that's been Arseface's side story. Take out all the gory and goofiness, and you'd have a neutered Preacher comic... and what fun would that be? I just wish it was more naturally executed sometimes.
The problem is that, as far as social commentary goes, it's pretty blunt and one-dimensional, and I feel like it tends to distract from some actually genuinely interesting situations and character developments. Tulip's flashback story with her father, Jesse and Tulip's relationship, Jesse trying to reconcile his past friendship with Cassidy with the horror stories he learns about him in this volume... these things are all handled with a subtly and maturity not found in many comic books. The problem is that you have to wade through the obligatory stories of chemical castration, sexual bounty hunters and hunters getting shot while crapping in the woods just to get to them. It probably also doesn't help that some of the humor hasn't aged particularly well, and some stuff comes off as borderline homophobic (see: ramming comment above.)
That's not to say that I would remove all the gross-out humor. Far from it. For each eye-rolling forced shock, there's a great moment with the perpetual rise and fall of Herr Starr. Or, the broad commentary on fame that's been Arseface's side story. Take out all the gory and goofiness, and you'd have a neutered Preacher comic... and what fun would that be? I just wish it was more naturally executed sometimes.
April 28, 2019
After six months of drug-induced sex with Cassidy, Tulip O’Haire escapes the devious vampire’s clutches and reunites with the one she truly loves, Reverend Jesse Custer. The two of them clear up their misunderstandings and their relationship becomes stronger for it. Now all that’s left is for Jesse to ask around town about how dark of a past Cassidy truly has. Meanwhile, the Grail still have plans to assassinate Jesse. Plus, a certain disfigured recording artist faces backlash for his “controversial� messages. All of this will come to a head in the ninth and final installment of Preacher. But for now, enjoy this violent appetizer.
When I first started reading this volume, I expected it to suffer from the same problems as its seventh predecessor. I thought it was going to be yet another hackneyed drama with all of the “good stuff� conveniently left out. By the time I got to the horsemeat storyline, I was proven dead wrong. In fact, the way those horses were butchered wasn’t at all “deliciously violent�. It was downright disturbing. While I never like to see animals treated in that way, I do appreciate being unsettled and uncomfortable during a series that prided itself on offensive content. The horse butchers were the villains of that storyline, so watching them get their rightful beatings was well worth the discomfort.
That doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate the dramatic aspects of this graphic novel. On the contrary, I loved seeing Jesse and Tulip back together again. Not only is their romance a healthy one, but they’re also equal when it comes to beating up the bad guys. They’re both good with guns, they’re both vicious brawlers, and they both do their fair share of rescuing each other. It makes Cassidy look even more disgusting when you realize just what kind of a person he really is. He tried to keep Tulip for himself, but Tulip saw right through the lies and put a bullet through his chest. She’s a keeper, but only for Jesse Custer.
Speaking of our dear friend Cassidy, the way his acquaintances describe him to Jesse is another part of the Preacher series that could be considered disturbing. For the first few editions, he was a fun-loving friend who’d never stab his friends in the back. In this edition, he’s described as a selfish jerk who disrespects women, spends money on drugs, and has no room in his heart for love. I hated Cassidy so much after hearing this that I wanted Jesse to exact his revenge right then and there. But that’s what makes Cassidy such a convincing shades-of-gray villain: he can manipulate his way out of any dangerous situation. He’s the kind of creep you’d see on Dr. Phil’s show. Or Jerry Springer’s show, either one would be fine.
All in all, this was a fun little comic book even though it didn’t have nearly as many of the screwed up moments as its predecessors. I have a feeling we’ll get more of those in the final volume. For what it’s worth, I’m looking forward to that final volume. Will Jesse finally put God in his place? Will Cassidy get the comeuppance he deserves? Will the Grail finally assassinate Jesse in a nuclear fallout showdown? What will become of Tulip if she loses her boyfriend again? I legitimately want to know the answers to these questions and this graphic novel put me in that mood. Another passing grade for you, Garth Ennis!
When I first started reading this volume, I expected it to suffer from the same problems as its seventh predecessor. I thought it was going to be yet another hackneyed drama with all of the “good stuff� conveniently left out. By the time I got to the horsemeat storyline, I was proven dead wrong. In fact, the way those horses were butchered wasn’t at all “deliciously violent�. It was downright disturbing. While I never like to see animals treated in that way, I do appreciate being unsettled and uncomfortable during a series that prided itself on offensive content. The horse butchers were the villains of that storyline, so watching them get their rightful beatings was well worth the discomfort.
That doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate the dramatic aspects of this graphic novel. On the contrary, I loved seeing Jesse and Tulip back together again. Not only is their romance a healthy one, but they’re also equal when it comes to beating up the bad guys. They’re both good with guns, they’re both vicious brawlers, and they both do their fair share of rescuing each other. It makes Cassidy look even more disgusting when you realize just what kind of a person he really is. He tried to keep Tulip for himself, but Tulip saw right through the lies and put a bullet through his chest. She’s a keeper, but only for Jesse Custer.
Speaking of our dear friend Cassidy, the way his acquaintances describe him to Jesse is another part of the Preacher series that could be considered disturbing. For the first few editions, he was a fun-loving friend who’d never stab his friends in the back. In this edition, he’s described as a selfish jerk who disrespects women, spends money on drugs, and has no room in his heart for love. I hated Cassidy so much after hearing this that I wanted Jesse to exact his revenge right then and there. But that’s what makes Cassidy such a convincing shades-of-gray villain: he can manipulate his way out of any dangerous situation. He’s the kind of creep you’d see on Dr. Phil’s show. Or Jerry Springer’s show, either one would be fine.
All in all, this was a fun little comic book even though it didn’t have nearly as many of the screwed up moments as its predecessors. I have a feeling we’ll get more of those in the final volume. For what it’s worth, I’m looking forward to that final volume. Will Jesse finally put God in his place? Will Cassidy get the comeuppance he deserves? Will the Grail finally assassinate Jesse in a nuclear fallout showdown? What will become of Tulip if she loses her boyfriend again? I legitimately want to know the answers to these questions and this graphic novel put me in that mood. Another passing grade for you, Garth Ennis!
October 20, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
Preacher follows a gang of three washed-up misfits that have all been dealt cruel hands by fate. First there’s Jesse Custer, a vulgar, foul-mouthed yet all-around upstanding and gentlemanly preacher living a dull life in a small Texas town called Annville. He wears the mantle of a preacher while exuding the aura of a gritty, spaghetti western antihero. He spends more time praying to John Wayne and channeling Clint Eastwood than he ever spends seeking guidance from God.
Things take a major turn for Jesse when he accidentally gets possessed by the spirit of a supernatural entity called Genesis, the cursed child born out of the forbidden fornication between an angel and a demon. The entity contains the essence of absolute goodness and absolute evil, fusing together with Jesse’s soul and granting him unimaginable power. Now a force to be reckoned with, Jesse makes himself quite a few dangerous enemies and he doesn’t plan to let his newfound powers go to waste. He has a bone to pick with the scum of the earth and plans to use his powers to make amends with his past trauma and regrets. Most of all, he has it out for God more than anyone else for allowing all the chaos and evil in the world to spiral out of control in the first place. He goes on a journey to find God and give him a piece of his mind.
Along his journey, Jesse reunites with his ex-girlfriend Tulip and befriends an Irish, vampire junky named Cassidy. Tulip is a hotheaded gunslinger that was raised by her tough-as-nails yet affectionate, sharpshooting father who taught her how to hunt, stand on her own two feet and take no nonsense from anybody. She’s a wild tomboy with a lot of heart and has quite a bit of catching up to do with Jesse after he abandoned her for unknown reasons at the peak of their relationship.
After hearing Jesse’s story about fusing with Genesis and going on a mission to find God with his newfound powers, Cassidy happily joins the preacher on his quest while Tulip works on patching things up with Jesse after learning of the dark secrets behind his sudden disappearance. Cassidy also has some demons of his own to work out as he battles with alcoholism, drug addiction and a wavering moral compass on top of never being able to walk around in broad daylight because of the curse of vampirism placed on him as a young boy. Despite their numerous imperfections, the three come together in hopes of finding God. Not in the metaphorical sense, but to kick his ass for abandoning his throne in heaven, neglecting his duties and letting humanity drown in the cesspool he created with his own hands. The three outlaws seek to set things right through very unsavory means.
Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy encounter some incredibly disturbed villains along the way, including Jesse’s own family of backwater devils that include a tyrannical religious grandmother obsessed with maintaining pure bloodlines, a violent psychopath that brutally murdered anything Jesse dared to love as a child, and a crazed hillbilly with a fetish for farm animals. Then there’s a secret religious order akin to the Illuminati called The Grail, which includes the outrageous Klaus Starr whose violent antics along with his obsession of trying to use Jesse’s powers to fulfill his own plans usually end up leaving him with a few missing limbs and making a mockery of himself. There’s even a KKK loonie that built himself a giant sex doll made out of the severed, bloody body parts of butchered livestock. The violence is so outrageously gruesome that it somehow manages to be equally horrendous and hilarious. A lot of the dark and shocking moments in this series are delivered with heavy undertones of black comedy, making you laugh, cringe and gag all at the same time. It’s a wild ride that pulls no punches, and the scares are absurdly creative if nothing else.
The three protagonists have a lot of depth to them, every villain is a wicked bastard and the side characters all have their own heartwarming struggles to overcome. The most notable minor character that I was rooting for from beginning to end was a mentally disabled boy nicknamed Assface. The boy idolized Kurt Cobain to an unhealthy degree and unfortunately, he thought that following in his idol’s footsteps by blowing his head off with a gun would earn himself the love and admiration he always wanted. After his failed suicide attempt, he’s left with a gaping hole that continuously oozes fluid from his now deformed face, which earned him the nickname Assface. Instead of letting his deformity bring him down, he goes on his own personal journey of self-discovery and finding comfort and acceptance through rock music. This is just one of many touching tales throughout the series.
Preacher is outrageous, shocking, and it isn’t afraid of offending anybody with its sharp-edged humor, but it also captures the personal flaws and imperfections that every single person carries. The action is spectacular, the characters are heroic and monstrous in equal measure, and you can never prepare yourself for whatever bizarre travesties it will throw at you next. Stephen King even cited Preacher as being a big inspiration behind his surreal fantasy masterpiece The Dark Tower, and it’s not hard to see how. It’s the perfect blend of gritty western, dark fantasy, shock humor and over the top horror-fueled action sequences. It’ll definitely send you through an unforgettable trip through the wild west.
***
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Preacher follows a gang of three washed-up misfits that have all been dealt cruel hands by fate. First there’s Jesse Custer, a vulgar, foul-mouthed yet all-around upstanding and gentlemanly preacher living a dull life in a small Texas town called Annville. He wears the mantle of a preacher while exuding the aura of a gritty, spaghetti western antihero. He spends more time praying to John Wayne and channeling Clint Eastwood than he ever spends seeking guidance from God.
Things take a major turn for Jesse when he accidentally gets possessed by the spirit of a supernatural entity called Genesis, the cursed child born out of the forbidden fornication between an angel and a demon. The entity contains the essence of absolute goodness and absolute evil, fusing together with Jesse’s soul and granting him unimaginable power. Now a force to be reckoned with, Jesse makes himself quite a few dangerous enemies and he doesn’t plan to let his newfound powers go to waste. He has a bone to pick with the scum of the earth and plans to use his powers to make amends with his past trauma and regrets. Most of all, he has it out for God more than anyone else for allowing all the chaos and evil in the world to spiral out of control in the first place. He goes on a journey to find God and give him a piece of his mind.
Along his journey, Jesse reunites with his ex-girlfriend Tulip and befriends an Irish, vampire junky named Cassidy. Tulip is a hotheaded gunslinger that was raised by her tough-as-nails yet affectionate, sharpshooting father who taught her how to hunt, stand on her own two feet and take no nonsense from anybody. She’s a wild tomboy with a lot of heart and has quite a bit of catching up to do with Jesse after he abandoned her for unknown reasons at the peak of their relationship.
After hearing Jesse’s story about fusing with Genesis and going on a mission to find God with his newfound powers, Cassidy happily joins the preacher on his quest while Tulip works on patching things up with Jesse after learning of the dark secrets behind his sudden disappearance. Cassidy also has some demons of his own to work out as he battles with alcoholism, drug addiction and a wavering moral compass on top of never being able to walk around in broad daylight because of the curse of vampirism placed on him as a young boy. Despite their numerous imperfections, the three come together in hopes of finding God. Not in the metaphorical sense, but to kick his ass for abandoning his throne in heaven, neglecting his duties and letting humanity drown in the cesspool he created with his own hands. The three outlaws seek to set things right through very unsavory means.
Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy encounter some incredibly disturbed villains along the way, including Jesse’s own family of backwater devils that include a tyrannical religious grandmother obsessed with maintaining pure bloodlines, a violent psychopath that brutally murdered anything Jesse dared to love as a child, and a crazed hillbilly with a fetish for farm animals. Then there’s a secret religious order akin to the Illuminati called The Grail, which includes the outrageous Klaus Starr whose violent antics along with his obsession of trying to use Jesse’s powers to fulfill his own plans usually end up leaving him with a few missing limbs and making a mockery of himself. There’s even a KKK loonie that built himself a giant sex doll made out of the severed, bloody body parts of butchered livestock. The violence is so outrageously gruesome that it somehow manages to be equally horrendous and hilarious. A lot of the dark and shocking moments in this series are delivered with heavy undertones of black comedy, making you laugh, cringe and gag all at the same time. It’s a wild ride that pulls no punches, and the scares are absurdly creative if nothing else.
The three protagonists have a lot of depth to them, every villain is a wicked bastard and the side characters all have their own heartwarming struggles to overcome. The most notable minor character that I was rooting for from beginning to end was a mentally disabled boy nicknamed Assface. The boy idolized Kurt Cobain to an unhealthy degree and unfortunately, he thought that following in his idol’s footsteps by blowing his head off with a gun would earn himself the love and admiration he always wanted. After his failed suicide attempt, he’s left with a gaping hole that continuously oozes fluid from his now deformed face, which earned him the nickname Assface. Instead of letting his deformity bring him down, he goes on his own personal journey of self-discovery and finding comfort and acceptance through rock music. This is just one of many touching tales throughout the series.
Preacher is outrageous, shocking, and it isn’t afraid of offending anybody with its sharp-edged humor, but it also captures the personal flaws and imperfections that every single person carries. The action is spectacular, the characters are heroic and monstrous in equal measure, and you can never prepare yourself for whatever bizarre travesties it will throw at you next. Stephen King even cited Preacher as being a big inspiration behind his surreal fantasy masterpiece The Dark Tower, and it’s not hard to see how. It’s the perfect blend of gritty western, dark fantasy, shock humor and over the top horror-fueled action sequences. It’ll definitely send you through an unforgettable trip through the wild west.
***
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September 26, 2018
The penultimate volume. We get to see Tulip's origin, as well as more of Cassidy's origin as well. Also, our crew is reunited, but Cassidy finds himself a little unwelcome. The character of Cassidy is probably the most complex of the series, as I find myself loving him, hating him, pitying him, and more. There's also a modern day western tale of Jesse, Tulip and Amy involving horse thieves which was a great story but had some disturbing scenes, even for this series.
Great series, too bad the next volume is the last!
Great series, too bad the next volume is the last!
June 15, 2020
Cassidy zklamal a Tulip je kráva, amen.
November 7, 2020
Geç oldu ama bu bir aşk çizgi romanıymış... Ahh bee
November 12, 2022
A step below the others so far.
November 25, 2017
The penultimate book of this series is mostly an interlude showing some of Cassidy's past and how Tulip and Jesse met. Still brutal and often irreverent, but fun. Looking forward to the finale of this very well crafted story!
October 18, 2021
This is the second to last volume, so there's a bit of wrapping up for several characters, meeting of others and some extra backstory for our main supporting cast.
In one way not a lot actually happens - the main story doesn't really progress, and we do spend quite a bit of time in the past - but delve a bit deeper and this volume does put things into play for our final showdown and does end a couple of characters arcs.
all in all a great read, can't wait for our finale!
In one way not a lot actually happens - the main story doesn't really progress, and we do spend quite a bit of time in the past - but delve a bit deeper and this volume does put things into play for our final showdown and does end a couple of characters arcs.
all in all a great read, can't wait for our finale!
August 11, 2012
04 January 2013
Rating: * * 1/2
I think if I weren't one volume away from completing this series I would quit. Some of the things I originally loved about Preacher are the very things I can't stand now. Initially, I had mad respect for Garth Ennis for putting such shocking things onto paper. However, the highfalutin political rants divert greatly from a truly compelling story.
**WARNING**
If you easily get queasy and you are a wuss when it comes to animal suffering, skip pages 235-237.
Preacher, Vol. 8: All Hell's a-Coming begins with Tulip getting back to her good ol' self. I was cheering her on and felt happy to see her taking a stand. I enjoyed her backstory, and it made me like her character even more. I loved the image of her thrown into the snow from the recoil of the gun.
The other strong point to the story were the parts with Herr Starr. That grumpy bastard adds just the right amount of insane comedy. The moving walkway and failed assassinations bits had me in stitches. I've come to really love this wackadoodle.
I really hate what's happened with Cassidy. I don't mind turning a once beloved character into a douchebag to add drama to the story...if it's done right. This character twist just isn't all that interesting.
Again, there were several diversions from the main plot that took away from being able to sink your teeth into the story. The hitchhikers and Arseface felt unnecessary. These interruptions felt a lot like being on a roller-coaster that suddenly stops before the big belly-dropping fall.
The shock value feels forced now, whereas it naturally flowed within the story in the earlier volumes. Thank goodness there is only one volume left. Regrettably, I just really want this series to be over. It's not terrible, but it's starting to feel like having to listen to a long-winded relative.
Memorable moments:
Rating: * * 1/2
I think if I weren't one volume away from completing this series I would quit. Some of the things I originally loved about Preacher are the very things I can't stand now. Initially, I had mad respect for Garth Ennis for putting such shocking things onto paper. However, the highfalutin political rants divert greatly from a truly compelling story.
**WARNING**
If you easily get queasy and you are a wuss when it comes to animal suffering, skip pages 235-237.
Preacher, Vol. 8: All Hell's a-Coming begins with Tulip getting back to her good ol' self. I was cheering her on and felt happy to see her taking a stand. I enjoyed her backstory, and it made me like her character even more. I loved the image of her thrown into the snow from the recoil of the gun.
The other strong point to the story were the parts with Herr Starr. That grumpy bastard adds just the right amount of insane comedy. The moving walkway and failed assassinations bits had me in stitches. I've come to really love this wackadoodle.
I really hate what's happened with Cassidy. I don't mind turning a once beloved character into a douchebag to add drama to the story...if it's done right. This character twist just isn't all that interesting.
Again, there were several diversions from the main plot that took away from being able to sink your teeth into the story. The hitchhikers and Arseface felt unnecessary. These interruptions felt a lot like being on a roller-coaster that suddenly stops before the big belly-dropping fall.
The shock value feels forced now, whereas it naturally flowed within the story in the earlier volumes. Thank goodness there is only one volume left. Regrettably, I just really want this series to be over. It's not terrible, but it's starting to feel like having to listen to a long-winded relative.
Memorable moments:
May 31, 2016
This book is the weakest of the bunch so far, in my opinion. It had a lot of stuff happening but none of it really stood out as great.
The beginning started with a little backstory on Tulip and Amy. Why she hates guns. I kind of liked this arc, but it almost was too cliched and too brief.
After that there is an issue with Custer on the road picking up people that was more or less pointless. Then we have some reunions which were a little too saccharine to be believed. Then Custer goes on a little history search of Cassidy. Miraculously bumping into someone that knew him, at a very opportunistic moment. I did like the history of Cassidy, though. He really can be a monster, as Custer initially said in the first book.
The moment when Jesse
Which brings us to more history, of when Jesse, Tulip, and Amy did some bad things.
Intermixed is the demise of Arseface, who you just have to feel sorry for. But man, he's a dumbass just like his father said.
Also, a little bit with Starr and the Grail. Despite being Allfather, he still has old ghosts to deal with. Most of this stuff was slap stick humor, which seemed kind of stupid.
Reading my review, I maybe should have made this book 3 stars. It's almost like Ennis took a break and it was ghost written by someone else. I hope the next, and final, book makes amends.
The beginning started with a little backstory on Tulip and Amy. Why she hates guns. I kind of liked this arc, but it almost was too cliched and too brief.
After that there is an issue with Custer on the road picking up people that was more or less pointless. Then we have some reunions which were a little too saccharine to be believed. Then Custer goes on a little history search of Cassidy. Miraculously bumping into someone that knew him, at a very opportunistic moment. I did like the history of Cassidy, though. He really can be a monster, as Custer initially said in the first book.
The moment when Jesse
Which brings us to more history, of when Jesse, Tulip, and Amy did some bad things.
Intermixed is the demise of Arseface, who you just have to feel sorry for. But man, he's a dumbass just like his father said.
Also, a little bit with Starr and the Grail. Despite being Allfather, he still has old ghosts to deal with. Most of this stuff was slap stick humor, which seemed kind of stupid.
Reading my review, I maybe should have made this book 3 stars. It's almost like Ennis took a break and it was ghost written by someone else. I hope the next, and final, book makes amends.
July 9, 2024
This is one of the best volumes in the Preacher series.
It opens with Tulip's backstory. Her dad taught her to be tough, how to shoot, how to defend herself and what it is to be a good guy in this world. This story also covers how she first met Jesse and later how she got away from Cassidy.
There's a single issue covering Jesse's trip from Salvation to New York intent on finding Tulip. It's enjoyable for the commentary about America. Anybody who argues that this comic is jingoistic is apparently not paying attention. Several characters--mostly immigrants--speak of how this is a good country because it gives people hope and room to dream.
Cassidy's backstory is revisited with an old friend giving Jesse the lowdown on Cassidy. All the parts that Cassidy left out are brought to light here and Jesse is left wondering if he even really knew Cassidy at all.
Starr is not to be left out either as he deals with Eisenstein, the man who recruited him into the Grail, and who has been tasked with dealing with Starr's outrageous behavior. And yes, Starr does suffer dismemberment again at the end of this volume.
This sets up well for the thrilling conclusion in Alamo. At times, I think like Amy does: "I wish I could be you. Either one."
It opens with Tulip's backstory. Her dad taught her to be tough, how to shoot, how to defend herself and what it is to be a good guy in this world. This story also covers how she first met Jesse and later how she got away from Cassidy.
There's a single issue covering Jesse's trip from Salvation to New York intent on finding Tulip. It's enjoyable for the commentary about America. Anybody who argues that this comic is jingoistic is apparently not paying attention. Several characters--mostly immigrants--speak of how this is a good country because it gives people hope and room to dream.
Cassidy's backstory is revisited with an old friend giving Jesse the lowdown on Cassidy. All the parts that Cassidy left out are brought to light here and Jesse is left wondering if he even really knew Cassidy at all.
Starr is not to be left out either as he deals with Eisenstein, the man who recruited him into the Grail, and who has been tasked with dealing with Starr's outrageous behavior. And yes, Starr does suffer dismemberment again at the end of this volume.
This sets up well for the thrilling conclusion in Alamo. At times, I think like Amy does: "I wish I could be you. Either one."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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