Amazing potential, not quite fulfilled., 26 Sep 2007
No spoilers.

I finished reading this series a short time ago, and after the initial excitement of the early volumes, I was so disappointed at the rest that I've finally decided to get it off my chest in a review.

The story gets off to a cracking start - I'd never seen a graphic novel like this before. The themes are awesome and cosmic. The violence is... violent and quite funny at times. It's shocking. If your jaw doesn't drop open a few times as you read it, you probably have tetanus. It has a few wonderful, memorable moments that you'll never forget.

But for me the whole thing has two major problems.

First - the pervy sex and cuss words,blasphemy, etc... I have no problem with these as such, but it's as if the writer got so excited about being able to do all that x-rated stuff in a comic book, that he just got carried away and *overdid* it. I mean to the point where it becomes a distraction from the story rather than something to carry it forward.

I kept thinking that it was like when a little kid discovers a cuss word, and keeps using it over and over - just because he can. It can be funny at first, but eventually it just gets intensely irritating. After the first few volumes, the Preacher series goes through a stage where it's almost a self-parody, putting the story on 'hold' and taking time out to be as shocking and offensive as possible, just for its own sake.

But my biggest beef with the series was how it all ended. Like I promised, there are no spoilers here - but I felt it just kinda fizzled out in a slightly-rushed, semi-resolved sort of way. Personally, I felt it was a far from satisfying ending, and haven't felt so cheated since I watched the final episode of the TV series 'Alias'.

If you're into graphic novels, you've probably GOT to read this. I don't regret the experience but didn't regard it as a keeper - I promptly sold all my copies, and it's VERY unusual for me to buy a graphic series and not keep it on my shelves.

One of the best comics ever., 02 Apr 2007
This is a superb adult comic.

The characters are great and the humour is black.

I haven't completed the series but I am yet to be dissapointed.

If you are reading this then you are into this kind of thing. Don't delay any longer, dive right in.

One word.......WOW, 01 Apr 2007
Preacher is the most fantastic Graphic Novel I have EVER read. It is like the drug of the comic world- once youv'e had a taste you aint never going back! - you'll have to get all the others in the series no matter what - its that addictive!

Dismiss any thoughts of the title meaning this is gonna be too religious or something. It isn't. It's characters (an Irish Vampire, a gun toting fiesty female, and a cussing, fist fighting Preacher) are strong and very well written. The storyline - smooth, well paced and imaginative. And its amusing (not in a comedic way, but twisted in such an imaginative way you cannot help but turn the page quicker every time in amazment).

I have never heard a bad word said about this novel by anyone who's read it and I would highly, highly recommend it to Everyone!

That fella's got a face like an..., 07 Jan 2006
Recently I decided to check out some new comic titles - by "new" obviously meaning ones I haven't read yet, as Preacher ran from 1995 to 2000. While Preacher is of course a well-known title among comics/graphic novels, it was mostly a shot in the dark. Well, when I turned the light on, there was a big smoking bullet hole right in the bullseye.

I started out skeptical. Take Cassidy: an Irish vampire. It felt pretty thrown together, but before long you're loving the guy for being such a reliable jerk. The craziest things happen in Preacher, but in the end all you can do is laugh your head off and turn the page.

Not that it's all smiles, of course. The sheer amount of flesh-rending gunshot wounds in the entire Preacher series is staggering. And pitting God Almighty as the antagonist is a pretty damn brave thing to do - we may live in a fairly liberal western world, but surely some things people still don't suffer to be taken lightly. Be warned, Jesse Custer is not strictly a moral man, and some may find offense in the comic's easily dispensed violence and unforgiving treatment of 'bad folks' (until they remember that it is, after all, just a comic, that is).

Preacher is a fresh take on the mythology of America, strong plot, surprises for even the most cynical among us, one-liners and panels that make you burst out laughing ("Paulie, you sure you're not just ****ed in the head?"), strong characters (Tulip must be one of the toughest chicks ever seen in comic books), and no compromises. Pick up Gone To Texas and be assured that every issue after it is at least as good as the last.

To buy or not to buy, 22 Jul 2005
Of course you have to buy Praecher but you cant buy just one you have to get them all. thestory is captivating the characters multilayered, each with a past that gets slowly revealed. the writing is quick and witty. the art is imaginative as well.

Amazing potential, not quite fulfilled., 26 Sep 2007
No spoilers.

I finished reading this series a short time ago, and after the initial excitement of the early volumes, I was so disappointed at the rest that I've finally decided to get it off my chest in a review.

The story gets off to a cracking start - I'd never seen a graphic novel like this before. The themes are awesome and cosmic. The violence is... violent and quite funny at times. It's shocking. If your jaw doesn't drop open a few times as you read it, you probably have tetanus. It has a few wonderful, memorable moments that you'll never forget.

But for me the whole thing has two major problems.

First - the pervy sex and cuss words,blasphemy, etc... I have no problem with these as such, but it's as if the writer got so excited about being able to do all that x-rated stuff in a comic book, that he just got carried away and *overdid* it. I mean to the point where it becomes a distraction from the story rather than something to carry it forward.

I kept thinking that it was like when a little kid discovers a cuss word, and keeps using it over and over - just because he can. It can be funny at first, but eventually it just gets intensely irritating. After the first few volumes, the Preacher series goes through a stage where it's almost a self-parody, putting the story on 'hold' and taking time out to be as shocking and offensive as possible, just for its own sake.

But my biggest beef with the series was how it all ended. Like I promised, there are no spoilers here - but I felt it just kinda fizzled out in a slightly-rushed, semi-resolved sort of way. Personally, I felt it was a far from satisfying ending, and haven't felt so cheated since I watched the final episode of the TV series 'Alias'.

If you're into graphic novels, you've probably GOT to read this. I don't regret the experience but didn't regard it as a keeper - I promptly sold all my copies, and it's VERY unusual for me to buy a graphic series and not keep it on my shelves.

One of the best comics ever., 02 Apr 2007
This is a superb adult comic.

The characters are great and the humour is black.

I haven't completed the series but I am yet to be dissapointed.

If you are reading this then you are into this kind of thing. Don't delay any longer, dive right in.

One word.......WOW, 01 Apr 2007
Preacher is the most fantastic Graphic Novel I have EVER read. It is like the drug of the comic world- once youv'e had a taste you aint never going back! - you'll have to get all the others in the series no matter what - its that addictive!

Dismiss any thoughts of the title meaning this is gonna be too religious or something. It isn't. It's characters (an Irish Vampire, a gun toting fiesty female, and a cussing, fist fighting Preacher) are strong and very well written. The storyline - smooth, well paced and imaginative. And its amusing (not in a comedic way, but twisted in such an imaginative way you cannot help but turn the page quicker every time in amazment).

I have never heard a bad word said about this novel by anyone who's read it and I would highly, highly recommend it to Everyone!

That fella's got a face like an..., 07 Jan 2006
Recently I decided to check out some new comic titles - by "new" obviously meaning ones I haven't read yet, as Preacher ran from 1995 to 2000. While Preacher is of course a well-known title among comics/graphic novels, it was mostly a shot in the dark. Well, when I turned the light on, there was a big smoking bullet hole right in the bullseye.

I started out skeptical. Take Cassidy: an Irish vampire. It felt pretty thrown together, but before long you're loving the guy for being such a reliable jerk. The craziest things happen in Preacher, but in the end all you can do is laugh your head off and turn the page.

Not that it's all smiles, of course. The sheer amount of flesh-rending gunshot wounds in the entire Preacher series is staggering. And pitting God Almighty as the antagonist is a pretty damn brave thing to do - we may live in a fairly liberal western world, but surely some things people still don't suffer to be taken lightly. Be warned, Jesse Custer is not strictly a moral man, and some may find offense in the comic's easily dispensed violence and unforgiving treatment of 'bad folks' (until they remember that it is, after all, just a comic, that is).

Preacher is a fresh take on the mythology of America, strong plot, surprises for even the most cynical among us, one-liners and panels that make you burst out laughing ("Paulie, you sure you're not just ****ed in the head?"), strong characters (Tulip must be one of the toughest chicks ever seen in comic books), and no compromises. Pick up Gone To Texas and be assured that every issue after it is at least as good as the last.

To buy or not to buy, 22 Jul 2005
Of course you have to buy Praecher but you cant buy just one you have to get them all. thestory is captivating the characters multilayered, each with a past that gets slowly revealed. the writing is quick and witty. the art is imaginative as well.

Mythology, 23 Jul 2007
Garth Ennis forewards this issue. He speaks of growing up with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood and of a long desire to add his own hero to the Western canon. In Saint of Killers he may just have managed to add a gunslinger who can stand toe to toe with them all. The first page of the elderly pizza owner recounting the tail - having grown apart from his hot shot lawyer son floored me.
The other two character preludes were entertaining, but it's the saint, barrel still smoking that walked away with me after the last page.

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I was surprised by how much I liked this seeing as it is a detour for Preacher. It was fun to see something different from the main story arc, and it was great to actually enjoy the adventures of three of the most unsympathetic characters in the series so far; the Saint, Jody and T.C.

Needless to say, if you've never read Preacher, do. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of comics or not, it is hard to think of anything more imaginative or entertaining than this series. Gory and funny in equal measures, Preacher: Ancient History is a prime example of this classic and acclaimed series. Give it a shot - this book is as good an introduction to the series as any. And if you like this, wait until you get to the main story!!

And now for something somewhat different, 22 Feb 2007
Honestly, this book is far more interesting than many of the others in the series, considering it is generally thought of as "filler". It begins with a truly gritty tale of The Old West, one that I feel is better realised than any Western you'll see.

The Saint Of Killers is absolutely one of the most striking points in the Preacher series, and this dips deep into his story. From being a soldier, a husband and a father, this book follows his journey to taking The Angel Of Death's position as Saint Of Killers.

Although the first story is the most enjoyable, the second and third are excellent as well. We see the strangely touching story of 'Arse Face', and a brilliantly violent little adventure starring T.C. and Jodie, who are played as anti-heroes rather than The Bad Guys. Which is fun!

Also interesting about this book, Steve Dillon had nothing to do with it, so you get to enjoy Ennis's wonderful world of Preacher as seen through the eyes of a few different artists, each really amazing in their own right.

Of course, if you're looking at these reviews, and you've bought the previous instalments, you'll get this anyway. But, just in case you were having any doubts: BUY THIS BOOK NOW.

A good starting point, 20 Feb 2007
This, the fourth volume in the Preacher series, gives us three backstories about some of the background characters - the Saint of Killers, Arseface and Jesse's redneck relatives Jody and T.C. - altogether more enjoyable than any of the previous volumes, I thought, and in fact I would recommend readers wanting to get to know the series to start with this volume rather than any of the earlier three.

Time to get a little sidetracked, 12 May 2004
I don't know about anyone else, but I found volume 4 of the PREACHER library to be a nice change of pace, and an enjoyable little sidetrack away from the main storyline. It was interesting checking out the back story of some of the series' most notable supporting cast members. I also enjoyed seeing other artists' (aside from Steve Dillon) renditions of these characters. If you're looking for a few amazing PREACHER tales that are off the beaten path, then 'Ancient History' won't disappoint!

If you thought the Saint of Killers was an unpleasant character in PREACHER's main storyline, wait'll you see his origin story! A man so full of hate that he literally does the impossible: freezes hell over! Oh yeah, then there's the part where he offs the devil before he really gets his killing spree goin', which gives you an idea of how much of a bad mofo he really is. Speaking of the devil(!), this particular story arc reveals the name he prefers to go by. And it's NOT Satan, Scratch, Be'elzebub, or Lucifer!

The second part depicts how PREACHER's beloved horribly disfigured teenager with a heart of gold, Arse-Face, came to be. I'll not go into too many details about it; let's just say his decision to drastically alter his facial features was a misguided attempt to emulate a particular grunge artist's suicide. 90s American teenage angst, substance use, and physical & mental abuse abound in this ish.

'The Good Ol' Boys' features quite a few moments of gratuitous, gory violence in the over-the-top vein of Paul Verhoeven action flicks. There's also a few great scenes featuring that Ennis-trademark you're-not-supposed-to-laugh-at-that-style humor, highlighted by one hillbilly's disgustingly hilarious fond memories of- um, romance- with various inanimate objects and members of other species. Throw in a gorilla getting bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat, and a swamp chase featuring a middle-eastern cartel boss whose attempts at using various English-language curses are both pitiful and gut-bustingly funny, and-well, you'll hafta see it to believe it...

'Late

Amazing potential, not quite fulfilled., 26 Sep 2007
No spoilers.

I finished reading this series a short time ago, and after the initial excitement of the early volumes, I was so disappointed at the rest that I've finally decided to get it off my chest in a review.

The story gets off to a cracking start - I'd never seen a graphic novel like this before. The themes are awesome and cosmic. The violence is... violent and quite funny at times. It's shocking. If your jaw doesn't drop open a few times as you read it, you probably have tetanus. It has a few wonderful, memorable moments that you'll never forget.

But for me the whole thing has two major problems.

First - the pervy sex and cuss words,blasphemy, etc... I have no problem with these as such, but it's as if the writer got so excited about being able to do all that x-rated stuff in a comic book, that he just got carried away and *overdid* it. I mean to the point where it becomes a distraction from the story rather than something to carry it forward.

I kept thinking that it was like when a little kid discovers a cuss word, and keeps using it over and over - just because he can. It can be funny at first, but eventually it just gets intensely irritating. After the first few volumes, the Preacher series goes through a stage where it's almost a self-parody, putting the story on 'hold' and taking time out to be as shocking and offensive as possible, just for its own sake.

But my biggest beef with the series was how it all ended. Like I promised, there are no spoilers here - but I felt it just kinda fizzled out in a slightly-rushed, semi-resolved sort of way. Personally, I felt it was a far from satisfying ending, and haven't felt so cheated since I watched the final episode of the TV series 'Alias'.

If you're into graphic novels, you've probably GOT to read this. I don't regret the experience but didn't regard it as a keeper - I promptly sold all my copies, and it's VERY unusual for me to buy a graphic series and not keep it on my shelves.

One of the best comics ever., 02 Apr 2007
This is a superb adult comic.

The characters are great and the humour is black.

I haven't completed the series but I am yet to be dissapointed.

If you are reading this then you are into this kind of thing. Don't delay any longer, dive right in.

One word.......WOW, 01 Apr 2007
Preacher is the most fantastic Graphic Novel I have EVER read. It is like the drug of the comic world- once youv'e had a taste you aint never going back! - you'll have to get all the others in the series no matter what - its that addictive!

Dismiss any thoughts of the title meaning this is gonna be too religious or something. It isn't. It's characters (an Irish Vampire, a gun toting fiesty female, and a cussing, fist fighting Preacher) are strong and very well written. The storyline - smooth, well paced and imaginative. And its amusing (not in a comedic way, but twisted in such an imaginative way you cannot help but turn the page quicker every time in amazment).

I have never heard a bad word said about this novel by anyone who's read it and I would highly, highly recommend it to Everyone!

That fella's got a face like an..., 07 Jan 2006
Recently I decided to check out some new comic titles - by "new" obviously meaning ones I haven't read yet, as Preacher ran from 1995 to 2000. While Preacher is of course a well-known title among comics/graphic novels, it was mostly a shot in the dark. Well, when I turned the light on, there was a big smoking bullet hole right in the bullseye.

I started out skeptical. Take Cassidy: an Irish vampire. It felt pretty thrown together, but before long you're loving the guy for being such a reliable jerk. The craziest things happen in Preacher, but in the end all you can do is laugh your head off and turn the page.

Not that it's all smiles, of course. The sheer amount of flesh-rending gunshot wounds in the entire Preacher series is staggering. And pitting God Almighty as the antagonist is a pretty damn brave thing to do - we may live in a fairly liberal western world, but surely some things people still don't suffer to be taken lightly. Be warned, Jesse Custer is not strictly a moral man, and some may find offense in the comic's easily dispensed violence and unforgiving treatment of 'bad folks' (until they remember that it is, after all, just a comic, that is).

Preacher is a fresh take on the mythology of America, strong plot, surprises for even the most cynical among us, one-liners and panels that make you burst out laughing ("Paulie, you sure you're not just ****ed in the head?"), strong characters (Tulip must be one of the toughest chicks ever seen in comic books), and no compromises. Pick up Gone To Texas and be assured that every issue after it is at least as good as the last.

To buy or not to buy, 22 Jul 2005
Of course you have to buy Praecher but you cant buy just one you have to get them all. thestory is captivating the characters multilayered, each with a past that gets slowly revealed. the writing is quick and witty. the art is imaginative as well.

Mythology, 23 Jul 2007
Garth Ennis forewards this issue. He speaks of growing up with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood and of a long desire to add his own hero to the Western canon. In Saint of Killers he may just have managed to add a gunslinger who can stand toe to toe with them all. The first page of the elderly pizza owner recounting the tail - having grown apart from his hot shot lawyer son floored me.
The other two character preludes were entertaining, but it's the saint, barrel still smoking that walked away with me after the last page.

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I was surprised by how much I liked this seeing as it is a detour for Preacher. It was fun to see something different from the main story arc, and it was great to actually enjoy the adventures of three of the most unsympathetic characters in the series so far; the Saint, Jody and T.C.

Needless to say, if you've never read Preacher, do. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of comics or not, it is hard to think of anything more imaginative or entertaining than this series. Gory and funny in equal measures, Preacher: Ancient History is a prime example of this classic and acclaimed series. Give it a shot - this book is as good an introduction to the series as any. And if you like this, wait until you get to the main story!!

And now for something somewhat different, 22 Feb 2007
Honestly, this book is far more interesting than many of the others in the series, considering it is generally thought of as "filler". It begins with a truly gritty tale of The Old West, one that I feel is better realised than any Western you'll see.

The Saint Of Killers is absolutely one of the most striking points in the Preacher series, and this dips deep into his story. From being a soldier, a husband and a father, this book follows his journey to taking The Angel Of Death's position as Saint Of Killers.

Although the first story is the most enjoyable, the second and third are excellent as well. We see the strangely touching story of 'Arse Face', and a brilliantly violent little adventure starring T.C. and Jodie, who are played as anti-heroes rather than The Bad Guys. Which is fun!

Also interesting about this book, Steve Dillon had nothing to do with it, so you get to enjoy Ennis's wonderful world of Preacher as seen through the eyes of a few different artists, each really amazing in their own right.

Of course, if you're looking at these reviews, and you've bought the previous instalments, you'll get this anyway. But, just in case you were having any doubts: BUY THIS BOOK NOW.

A good starting point, 20 Feb 2007
This, the fourth volume in the Preacher series, gives us three backstories about some of the background characters - the Saint of Killers, Arseface and Jesse's redneck relatives Jody and T.C. - altogether more enjoyable than any of the previous volumes, I thought, and in fact I would recommend readers wanting to get to know the series to start with this volume rather than any of the earlier three.

Time to get a little sidetracked, 12 May 2004
I don't know about anyone else, but I found volume 4 of the PREACHER library to be a nice change of pace, and an enjoyable little sidetrack away from the main storyline. It was interesting checking out the back story of some of the series' most notable supporting cast members. I also enjoyed seeing other artists' (aside from Steve Dillon) renditions of these characters. If you're looking for a few amazing PREACHER tales that are off the beaten path, then 'Ancient History' won't disappoint!

If you thought the Saint of Killers was an unpleasant character in PREACHER's main storyline, wait'll you see his origin story! A man so full of hate that he literally does the impossible: freezes hell over! Oh yeah, then there's the part where he offs the devil before he really gets his killing spree goin', which gives you an idea of how much of a bad mofo he really is. Speaking of the devil(!), this particular story arc reveals the name he prefers to go by. And it's NOT Satan, Scratch, Be'elzebub, or Lucifer!

The second part depicts how PREACHER's beloved horribly disfigured teenager with a heart of gold, Arse-Face, came to be. I'll not go into too many details about it; let's just say his decision to drastically alter his facial features was a misguided attempt to emulate a particular grunge artist's suicide. 90s American teenage angst, substance use, and physical & mental abuse abound in this ish.

'The Good Ol' Boys' features quite a few moments of gratuitous, gory violence in the over-the-top vein of Paul Verhoeven action flicks. There's also a few great scenes featuring that Ennis-trademark you're-not-supposed-to-laugh-at-that-style humor, highlighted by one hillbilly's disgustingly hilarious fond memories of- um, romance- with various inanimate objects and members of other species. Throw in a gorilla getting bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat, and a swamp chase featuring a middle-eastern cartel boss whose attempts at using various English-language curses are both pitiful and gut-bustingly funny, and-well, you'll hafta see it to believe it...

'Late

Preacher the man, 01 Jul 2004
I believe this is one of the best graphic novels about in this day and age. The story of Jesse and his amazing abilty for a cross between good and evil outstands me. I do believe the writers and artists deserve a pat on the back and a drop of the old bourbon. The charcters are well detailed and very well put forward.

I first started to read the novels out of my public library and always eargly awaited the next one to pop up. When it did i thought i was in heaven so to speak

I hope this will continue as well as the marvel comics did and if you like your graphic novels hot and gory this is the one for you. BUT, you have to read from the beginning to truly understand Jesse's well being and how he came about.

As my old mate Jesse Custer would say.

"Until the end of the world"

Clearification of the Grail, 09 Jul 2001
This book (volume 3, which collects #18-26) picks up the tale right where the last issue in "Untill the end of the World" left us, with Jesse going on his way to rescue Cassidy from the Grail. Before the actual rescue operation begins we first get a little intermission-window-tale (#18) where Jesse meets a man at the airport who tells him a story about the time when he used to know Jesse's father in Vietnam. Not really an important factor for the rest of the story, but plenty entertaining. After that (#19-24) the search for Cassidy is on and you get to read a tale that makes the intentions of both the Grail as Starr a lot clearer (which was indeed a little neccesary). Starr however is expecting Jesse and waiting to ambush him, and the Saint of Killers is also on his trail again. Starr himself isn't having an easy time either since the allfather of the Grail comes checking up on him, a sign he thinks that they suspect something about his little scheme. With that we get to meet "the greatest treasure of the Grail" (who isn't exactly how you expect him to, to say the least) and Jesse meets a creature who learns him more about the Genesis entity. This is really a very good part of the story and, I dare say, the most important part of the TPB for those who are following the main story. Off course it's also filled with humorous little sub-plots you would never have thought of yourself in a million years, like we're growing used to from Ennis it seems. Finally the last part of the book (#25,26) handles the origin of Cassidy. It shows how and when exactly Cassidy became what he is now, how he learned to live with it, and how come he's in America now (being an Irish bloke). This little part falls a bit out of line in the Preacher saga sometimes (makes you think of Heartland, for those who've read it) when Garth makes clear how he feels about Ireland.

Like I said, a lot more about the Grail and their goals becomes clear now which really comes to the good of the series. It gets really clear what each player is in it for and what they hope to achieve. The bizar humor stays at the good level it's been for a while now, keeping the series a laugh-riot along the way of the great story. Dillons art is as good as before, clear and expressive without taking the attention of the story too much. A worthy successor after "Gone to Texas" and "Untill the end of the World"

Ouch., 10 Mar 2001
Preacher - It rocks all the remaining taboos in our society. This book is sick, and should be banned immediately. The very notion of the Grail, lead by the grotesque AllFarther D'Aronique, inbreeding the descendants of Christ for two millenia, and the horrendous depiction of the new messiah are heresy and blasphemy of the highest order. If ever there was a good argument for the burning of books, this piece of depraved filth is it. I loved every page of it. Comics don't get any better than Preacher, and Preacher don't get any better than this. More Please - 5 stars isn't enough. All that and I didn't mention Frankie the Eunoch - it's characters like him that Ennis does best. Pure genius from cover to cover.

Houmoruos and exciting. Love, death and a lot of violence!, 31 Mar 2000
This book starts with a story from Vietnam. It is about Jesse Custer`s father and this story gets really nasty, like in the other "Preacher" books. Then Jesse gets a picture of his father by a former friend of his.

We then get to meet the Allfather,who is an enourmous bloke who leads a christian sect! Here, we also meet Herr Starr, who we can learn much more about in later Preacher stories.

The best part of the story is when the Saint of Killers comes into it. He sure lives up to his name! In this issue he also meets Jesse Custer.

At the end Cassidy tells the tale of how he became a vampire. Cassidy is my personal favourite charachter and I loved this story.

What do I think about this comic book? I was brought up by Christian parents, and I want my children to have another kind of life experience then I had as a child. Actually, if I get children I will teach them to despise the Christian morality. I will teach them to like things like sex, death and rock`n roll. To put another way, I will teach them to read "Preacher"!

Amazing potential, not quite fulfilled., 26 Sep 2007
No spoilers.

I finished reading this series a short time ago, and after the initial excitement of the early volumes, I was so disappointed at the rest that I've finally decided to get it off my chest in a review.

The story gets off to a cracking start - I'd never seen a graphic novel like this before. The themes are awesome and cosmic. The violence is... violent and quite funny at times. It's shocking. If your jaw doesn't drop open a few times as you read it, you probably have tetanus. It has a few wonderful, memorable moments that you'll never forget.

But for me the whole thing has two major problems.

First - the pervy sex and cuss words,blasphemy, etc... I have no problem with these as such, but it's as if the writer got so excited about being able to do all that x-rated stuff in a comic book, that he just got carried away and *overdid* it. I mean to the point where it becomes a distraction from the story rather than something to carry it forward.

I kept thinking that it was like when a little kid discovers a cuss word, and keeps using it over and over - just because he can. It can be funny at first, but eventually it just gets intensely irritating. After the first few volumes, the Preacher series goes through a stage where it's almost a self-parody, putting the story on 'hold' and taking time out to be as shocking and offensive as possible, just for its own sake.

But my biggest beef with the series was how it all ended. Like I promised, there are no spoilers here - but I felt it just kinda fizzled out in a slightly-rushed, semi-resolved sort of way. Personally, I felt it was a far from satisfying ending, and haven't felt so cheated since I watched the final episode of the TV series 'Alias'.

If you're into graphic novels, you've probably GOT to read this. I don't regret the experience but didn't regard it as a keeper - I promptly sold all my copies, and it's VERY unusual for me to buy a graphic series and not keep it on my shelves.

One of the best comics ever., 02 Apr 2007
This is a superb adult comic.

The characters are great and the humour is black.

I haven't completed the series but I am yet to be dissapointed.

If you are reading this then you are into this kind of thing. Don't delay any longer, dive right in.

One word.......WOW, 01 Apr 2007
Preacher is the most fantastic Graphic Novel I have EVER read. It is like the drug of the comic world- once youv'e had a taste you aint never going back! - you'll have to get all the others in the series no matter what - its that addictive!

Dismiss any thoughts of the title meaning this is gonna be too religious or something. It isn't. It's characters (an Irish Vampire, a gun toting fiesty female, and a cussing, fist fighting Preacher) are strong and very well written. The storyline - smooth, well paced and imaginative. And its amusing (not in a comedic way, but twisted in such an imaginative way you cannot help but turn the page quicker every time in amazment).

I have never heard a bad word said about this novel by anyone who's read it and I would highly, highly recommend it to Everyone!

That fella's got a face like an..., 07 Jan 2006
Recently I decided to check out some new comic titles - by "new" obviously meaning ones I haven't read yet, as Preacher ran from 1995 to 2000. While Preacher is of course a well-known title among comics/graphic novels, it was mostly a shot in the dark. Well, when I turned the light on, there was a big smoking bullet hole right in the bullseye.

I started out skeptical. Take Cassidy: an Irish vampire. It felt pretty thrown together, but before long you're loving the guy for being such a reliable jerk. The craziest things happen in Preacher, but in the end all you can do is laugh your head off and turn the page.

Not that it's all smiles, of course. The sheer amount of flesh-rending gunshot wounds in the entire Preacher series is staggering. And pitting God Almighty as the antagonist is a pretty damn brave thing to do - we may live in a fairly liberal western world, but surely some things people still don't suffer to be taken lightly. Be warned, Jesse Custer is not strictly a moral man, and some may find offense in the comic's easily dispensed violence and unforgiving treatment of 'bad folks' (until they remember that it is, after all, just a comic, that is).

Preacher is a fresh take on the mythology of America, strong plot, surprises for even the most cynical among us, one-liners and panels that make you burst out laughing ("Paulie, you sure you're not just ****ed in the head?"), strong characters (Tulip must be one of the toughest chicks ever seen in comic books), and no compromises. Pick up Gone To Texas and be assured that every issue after it is at least as good as the last.

To buy or not to buy, 22 Jul 2005
Of course you have to buy Praecher but you cant buy just one you have to get them all. thestory is captivating the characters multilayered, each with a past that gets slowly revealed. the writing is quick and witty. the art is imaginative as well.

Mythology, 23 Jul 2007
Garth Ennis forewards this issue. He speaks of growing up with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood and of a long desire to add his own hero to the Western canon. In Saint of Killers he may just have managed to add a gunslinger who can stand toe to toe with them all. The first page of the elderly pizza owner recounting the tail - having grown apart from his hot shot lawyer son floored me.
The other two character preludes were entertaining, but it's the saint, barrel still smoking that walked away with me after the last page.

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I was surprised by how much I liked this seeing as it is a detour for Preacher. It was fun to see something different from the main story arc, and it was great to actually enjoy the adventures of three of the most unsympathetic characters in the series so far; the Saint, Jody and T.C.

Needless to say, if you've never read Preacher, do. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of comics or not, it is hard to think of anything more imaginative or entertaining than this series. Gory and funny in equal measures, Preacher: Ancient History is a prime example of this classic and acclaimed series. Give it a shot - this book is as good an introduction to the series as any. And if you like this, wait until you get to the main story!!

And now for something somewhat different, 22 Feb 2007
Honestly, this book is far more interesting than many of the others in the series, considering it is generally thought of as "filler". It begins with a truly gritty tale of The Old West, one that I feel is better realised than any Western you'll see.

The Saint Of Killers is absolutely one of the most striking points in the Preacher series, and this dips deep into his story. From being a soldier, a husband and a father, this book follows his journey to taking The Angel Of Death's position as Saint Of Killers.

Although the first story is the most enjoyable, the second and third are excellent as well. We see the strangely touching story of 'Arse Face', and a brilliantly violent little adventure starring T.C. and Jodie, who are played as anti-heroes rather than The Bad Guys. Which is fun!

Also interesting about this book, Steve Dillon had nothing to do with it, so you get to enjoy Ennis's wonderful world of Preacher as seen through the eyes of a few different artists, each really amazing in their own right.

Of course, if you're looking at these reviews, and you've bought the previous instalments, you'll get this anyway. But, just in case you were having any doubts: BUY THIS BOOK NOW.

A good starting point, 20 Feb 2007
This, the fourth volume in the Preacher series, gives us three backstories about some of the background characters - the Saint of Killers, Arseface and Jesse's redneck relatives Jody and T.C. - altogether more enjoyable than any of the previous volumes, I thought, and in fact I would recommend readers wanting to get to know the series to start with this volume rather than any of the earlier three.

Time to get a little sidetracked, 12 May 2004
I don't know about anyone else, but I found volume 4 of the PREACHER library to be a nice change of pace, and an enjoyable little sidetrack away from the main storyline. It was interesting checking out the back story of some of the series' most notable supporting cast members. I also enjoyed seeing other artists' (aside from Steve Dillon) renditions of these characters. If you're looking for a few amazing PREACHER tales that are off the beaten path, then 'Ancient History' won't disappoint!

If you thought the Saint of Killers was an unpleasant character in PREACHER's main storyline, wait'll you see his origin story! A man so full of hate that he literally does the impossible: freezes hell over! Oh yeah, then there's the part where he offs the devil before he really gets his killing spree goin', which gives you an idea of how much of a bad mofo he really is. Speaking of the devil(!), this particular story arc reveals the name he prefers to go by. And it's NOT Satan, Scratch, Be'elzebub, or Lucifer!

The second part depicts how PREACHER's beloved horribly disfigured teenager with a heart of gold, Arse-Face, came to be. I'll not go into too many details about it; let's just say his decision to drastically alter his facial features was a misguided attempt to emulate a particular grunge artist's suicide. 90s American teenage angst, substance use, and physical & mental abuse abound in this ish.

'The Good Ol' Boys' features quite a few moments of gratuitous, gory violence in the over-the-top vein of Paul Verhoeven action flicks. There's also a few great scenes featuring that Ennis-trademark you're-not-supposed-to-laugh-at-that-style humor, highlighted by one hillbilly's disgustingly hilarious fond memories of- um, romance- with various inanimate objects and members of other species. Throw in a gorilla getting bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat, and a swamp chase featuring a middle-eastern cartel boss whose attempts at using various English-language curses are both pitiful and gut-bustingly funny, and-well, you'll hafta see it to believe it...

'Late

Preacher the man, 01 Jul 2004
I believe this is one of the best graphic novels about in this day and age. The story of Jesse and his amazing abilty for a cross between good and evil outstands me. I do believe the writers and artists deserve a pat on the back and a drop of the old bourbon. The charcters are well detailed and very well put forward.

I first started to read the novels out of my public library and always eargly awaited the next one to pop up. When it did i thought i was in heaven so to speak

I hope this will continue as well as the marvel comics did and if you like your graphic novels hot and gory this is the one for you. BUT, you have to read from the beginning to truly understand Jesse's well being and how he came about.

As my old mate Jesse Custer would say.

"Until the end of the world"

Clearification of the Grail, 09 Jul 2001
This book (volume 3, which collects #18-26) picks up the tale right where the last issue in "Untill the end of the World" left us, with Jesse going on his way to rescue Cassidy from the Grail. Before the actual rescue operation begins we first get a little intermission-window-tale (#18) where Jesse meets a man at the airport who tells him a story about the time when he used to know Jesse's father in Vietnam. Not really an important factor for the rest of the story, but plenty entertaining. After that (#19-24) the search for Cassidy is on and you get to read a tale that makes the intentions of both the Grail as Starr a lot clearer (which was indeed a little neccesary). Starr however is expecting Jesse and waiting to ambush him, and the Saint of Killers is also on his trail again. Starr himself isn't having an easy time either since the allfather of the Grail comes checking up on him, a sign he thinks that they suspect something about his little scheme. With that we get to meet "the greatest treasure of the Grail" (who isn't exactly how you expect him to, to say the least) and Jesse meets a creature who learns him more about the Genesis entity. This is really a very good part of the story and, I dare say, the most important part of the TPB for those who are following the main story. Off course it's also filled with humorous little sub-plots you would never have thought of yourself in a million years, like we're growing used to from Ennis it seems. Finally the last part of the book (#25,26) handles the origin of Cassidy. It shows how and when exactly Cassidy became what he is now, how he learned to live with it, and how come he's in America now (being an Irish bloke). This little part falls a bit out of line in the Preacher saga sometimes (makes you think of Heartland, for those who've read it) when Garth makes clear how he feels about Ireland.

Like I said, a lot more about the Grail and their goals becomes clear now which really comes to the good of the series. It gets really clear what each player is in it for and what they hope to achieve. The bizar humor stays at the good level it's been for a while now, keeping the series a laugh-riot along the way of the great story. Dillons art is as good as before, clear and expressive without taking the attention of the story too much. A worthy successor after "Gone to Texas" and "Untill the end of the World"

Ouch., 10 Mar 2001
Preacher - It rocks all the remaining taboos in our society. This book is sick, and should be banned immediately. The very notion of the Grail, lead by the grotesque AllFarther D'Aronique, inbreeding the descendants of Christ for two millenia, and the horrendous depiction of the new messiah are heresy and blasphemy of the highest order. If ever there was a good argument for the burning of books, this piece of depraved filth is it. I loved every page of it. Comics don't get any better than Preacher, and Preacher don't get any better than this. More Please - 5 stars isn't enough. All that and I didn't mention Frankie the Eunoch - it's characters like him that Ennis does best. Pure genius from cover to cover.

Houmoruos and exciting. Love, death and a lot of violence!, 31 Mar 2000
This book starts with a story from Vietnam. It is about Jesse Custer`s father and this story gets really nasty, like in the other "Preacher" books. Then Jesse gets a picture of his father by a former friend of his.

We then get to meet the Allfather,who is an enourmous bloke who leads a christian sect! Here, we also meet Herr Starr, who we can learn much more about in later Preacher stories.

The best part of the story is when the Saint of Killers comes into it. He sure lives up to his name! In this issue he also meets Jesse Custer.

At the end Cassidy tells the tale of how he became a vampire. Cassidy is my personal favourite charachter and I loved this story.

What do I think about this comic book? I was brought up by Christian parents, and I want my children to have another kind of life experience then I had as a child. Actually, if I get children I will teach them to despise the Christian morality. I will teach them to like things like sex, death and rock`n roll. To put another way, I will teach them to read "Preacher"!

It was very helpful., 10 Dec 1998
The book was very helpful to me. It's a great book filled with useful stories and jokes.

Preacher: Dead or Alive is a stunning collection of the cover art from Garth Ennis' acclaimed Preacher series. Graphic-novel lovers know that the downside of not traipsing to the local comic shop every month is not getting hold of every cover of their favourite tale--and when the artist is as good as Glenn Fabry missing out on the cover art means missing out on a vital part of the Preacher product. Happily, all 66 issue covers are included here and, importantly in such a book, they are reproduced in their full glory without logos or text, alongside spin-off series' covers, graphic novel covers and black and white preliminary sketches. Also collected within are posters, trading cards and two covers previously deemed "too extreme". The book has an introduction by Ennis, a foreword by Fabry and running commentary on the creative process of one of the best comics to emerge for years. Fabry first came to comic lovers' attention with, arguably, the definitive rendering of 2000AD's Slaine but it is here with his full-colour Preacher covers that we really see what a master of the genre he has become. --Mark Thwaite

Amazing potential, not quite fulfilled., 26 Sep 2007
No spoilers.

I finished reading this series a short time ago, and after the initial excitement of the early volumes, I was so disappointed at the rest that I've finally decided to get it off my chest in a review.

The story gets off to a cracking start - I'd never seen a graphic novel like this before. The themes are awesome and cosmic. The violence is... violent and quite funny at times. It's shocking. If your jaw doesn't drop open a few times as you read it, you probably have tetanus. It has a few wonderful, memorable moments that you'll never forget.

But for me the whole thing has two major problems.

First - the pervy sex and cuss words,blasphemy, etc... I have no problem with these as such, but it's as if the writer got so excited about being able to do all that x-rated stuff in a comic book, that he just got carried away and *overdid* it. I mean to the point where it becomes a distraction from the story rather than something to carry it forward.

I kept thinking that it was like when a little kid discovers a cuss word, and keeps using it over and over - just because he can. It can be funny at first, but eventually it just gets intensely irritating. After the first few volumes, the Preacher series goes through a stage where it's almost a self-parody, putting the story on 'hold' and taking time out to be as shocking and offensive as possible, just for its own sake.

But my biggest beef with the series was how it all ended. Like I promised, there are no spoilers here - but I felt it just kinda fizzled out in a slightly-rushed, semi-resolved sort of way. Personally, I felt it was a far from satisfying ending, and haven't felt so cheated since I watched the final episode of the TV series 'Alias'.

If you're into graphic novels, you've probably GOT to read this. I don't regret the experience but didn't regard it as a keeper - I promptly sold all my copies, and it's VERY unusual for me to buy a graphic series and not keep it on my shelves.

One of the best comics ever., 02 Apr 2007
This is a superb adult comic.

The characters are great and the humour is black.

I haven't completed the series but I am yet to be dissapointed.

If you are reading this then you are into this kind of thing. Don't delay any longer, dive right in.

One word.......WOW, 01 Apr 2007
Preacher is the most fantastic Graphic Novel I have EVER read. It is like the drug of the comic world- once youv'e had a taste you aint never going back! - you'll have to get all the others in the series no matter what - its that addictive!

Dismiss any thoughts of the title meaning this is gonna be too religious or something. It isn't. It's characters (an Irish Vampire, a gun toting fiesty female, and a cussing, fist fighting Preacher) are strong and very well written. The storyline - smooth, well paced and imaginative. And its amusing (not in a comedic way, but twisted in such an imaginative way you cannot help but turn the page quicker every time in amazment).

I have never heard a bad word said about this novel by anyone who's read it and I would highly, highly recommend it to Everyone!

That fella's got a face like an..., 07 Jan 2006
Recently I decided to check out some new comic titles - by "new" obviously meaning ones I haven't read yet, as Preacher ran from 1995 to 2000. While Preacher is of course a well-known title among comics/graphic novels, it was mostly a shot in the dark. Well, when I turned the light on, there was a big smoking bullet hole right in the bullseye.

I started out skeptical. Take Cassidy: an Irish vampire. It felt pretty thrown together, but before long you're loving the guy for being such a reliable jerk. The craziest things happen in Preacher, but in the end all you can do is laugh your head off and turn the page.

Not that it's all smiles, of course. The sheer amount of flesh-rending gunshot wounds in the entire Preacher series is staggering. And pitting God Almighty as the antagonist is a pretty damn brave thing to do - we may live in a fairly liberal western world, but surely some things people still don't suffer to be taken lightly. Be warned, Jesse Custer is not strictly a moral man, and some may find offense in the comic's easily dispensed violence and unforgiving treatment of 'bad folks' (until they remember that it is, after all, just a comic, that is).

Preacher is a fresh take on the mythology of America, strong plot, surprises for even the most cynical among us, one-liners and panels that make you burst out laughing ("Paulie, you sure you're not just ****ed in the head?"), strong characters (Tulip must be one of the toughest chicks ever seen in comic books), and no compromises. Pick up Gone To Texas and be assured that every issue after it is at least as good as the last.

To buy or not to buy, 22 Jul 2005
Of course you have to buy Praecher but you cant buy just one you have to get them all. thestory is captivating the characters multilayered, each with a past that gets slowly revealed. the writing is quick and witty. the art is imaginative as well.

Mythology, 23 Jul 2007
Garth Ennis forewards this issue. He speaks of growing up with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood and of a long desire to add his own hero to the Western canon. In Saint of Killers he may just have managed to add a gunslinger who can stand toe to toe with them all. The first page of the elderly pizza owner recounting the tail - having grown apart from his hot shot lawyer son floored me.
The other two character preludes were entertaining, but it's the saint, barrel still smoking that walked away with me after the last page.

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I was surprised by how much I liked this seeing as it is a detour for Preacher. It was fun to see something different from the main story arc, and it was great to actually enjoy the adventures of three of the most unsympathetic characters in the series so far; the Saint, Jody and T.C.

Needless to say, if you've never read Preacher, do. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of comics or not, it is hard to think of anything more imaginative or entertaining than this series. Gory and funny in equal measures, Preacher: Ancient History is a prime example of this classic and acclaimed series. Give it a shot - this book is as good an introduction to the series as any. And if you like this, wait until you get to the main story!!

And now for something somewhat different, 22 Feb 2007
Honestly, this book is far more interesting than many of the others in the series, considering it is generally thought of as "filler". It begins with a truly gritty tale of The Old West, one that I feel is better realised than any Western you'll see.

The Saint Of Killers is absolutely one of the most striking points in the Preacher series, and this dips deep into his story. From being a soldier, a husband and a father, this book follows his journey to taking The Angel Of Death's position as Saint Of Killers.

Although the first story is the most enjoyable, the second and third are excellent as well. We see the strangely touching story of 'Arse Face', and a brilliantly violent little adventure starring T.C. and Jodie, who are played as anti-heroes rather than The Bad Guys. Which is fun!

Also interesting about this book, Steve Dillon had nothing to do with it, so you get to enjoy Ennis's wonderful world of Preacher as seen through the eyes of a few different artists, each really amazing in their own right.

Of course, if you're looking at these reviews, and you've bought the previous instalments, you'll get this anyway. But, just in case you were having any doubts: BUY THIS BOOK NOW.

A good starting point, 20 Feb 2007
This, the fourth volume in the Preacher series, gives us three backstories about some of the background characters - the Saint of Killers, Arseface and Jesse's redneck relatives Jody and T.C. - altogether more enjoyable than any of the previous volumes, I thought, and in fact I would recommend readers wanting to get to know the series to start with this volume rather than any of the earlier three.

Time to get a little sidetracked, 12 May 2004
I don't know about anyone else, but I found volume 4 of the PREACHER library to be a nice change of pace, and an enjoyable little sidetrack away from the main storyline. It was interesting checking out the back story of some of the series' most notable supporting cast members. I also enjoyed seeing other artists' (aside from Steve Dillon) renditions of these characters. If you're looking for a few amazing PREACHER tales that are off the beaten path, then 'Ancient History' won't disappoint!

If you thought the Saint of Killers was an unpleasant character in PREACHER's main storyline, wait'll you see his origin story! A man so full of hate that he literally does the impossible: freezes hell over! Oh yeah, then there's the part where he offs the devil before he really gets his killing spree goin', which gives you an idea of how much of a bad mofo he really is. Speaking of the devil(!), this particular story arc reveals the name he prefers to go by. And it's NOT Satan, Scratch, Be'elzebub, or Lucifer!

The second part depicts how PREACHER's beloved horribly disfigured teenager with a heart of gold, Arse-Face, came to be. I'll not go into too many details about it; let's just say his decision to drastically alter his facial features was a misguided attempt to emulate a particular grunge artist's suicide. 90s American teenage angst, substance use, and physical & mental abuse abound in this ish.

'The Good Ol' Boys' features quite a few moments of gratuitous, gory violence in the over-the-top vein of Paul Verhoeven action flicks. There's also a few great scenes featuring that Ennis-trademark you're-not-supposed-to-laugh-at-that-style humor, highlighted by one hillbilly's disgustingly hilarious fond memories of- um, romance- with various inanimate objects and members of other species. Throw in a gorilla getting bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat, and a swamp chase featuring a middle-eastern cartel boss whose attempts at using various English-language curses are both pitiful and gut-bustingly funny, and-well, you'll hafta see it to believe it...

'Late

Preacher the man, 01 Jul 2004
I believe this is one of the best graphic novels about in this day and age. The story of Jesse and his amazing abilty for a cross between good and evil outstands me. I do believe the writers and artists deserve a pat on the back and a drop of the old bourbon. The charcters are well detailed and very well put forward.

I first started to read the novels out of my public library and always eargly awaited the next one to pop up. When it did i thought i was in heaven so to speak

I hope this will continue as well as the marvel comics did and if you like your graphic novels hot and gory this is the one for you. BUT, you have to read from the beginning to truly understand Jesse's well being and how he came about.

As my old mate Jesse Custer would say.

"Until the end of the world"

Clearification of the Grail, 09 Jul 2001
This book (volume 3, which collects #18-26) picks up the tale right where the last issue in "Untill the end of the World" left us, with Jesse going on his way to rescue Cassidy from the Grail. Before the actual rescue operation begins we first get a little intermission-window-tale (#18) where Jesse meets a man at the airport who tells him a story about the time when he used to know Jesse's father in Vietnam. Not really an important factor for the rest of the story, but plenty entertaining. After that (#19-24) the search for Cassidy is on and you get to read a tale that makes the intentions of both the Grail as Starr a lot clearer (which was indeed a little neccesary). Starr however is expecting Jesse and waiting to ambush him, and the Saint of Killers is also on his trail again. Starr himself isn't having an easy time either since the allfather of the Grail comes checking up on him, a sign he thinks that they suspect something about his little scheme. With that we get to meet "the greatest treasure of the Grail" (who isn't exactly how you expect him to, to say the least) and Jesse meets a creature who learns him more about the Genesis entity. This is really a very good part of the story and, I dare say, the most important part of the TPB for those who are following the main story. Off course it's also filled with humorous little sub-plots you would never have thought of yourself in a million years, like we're growing used to from Ennis it seems. Finally the last part of the book (#25,26) handles the origin of Cassidy. It shows how and when exactly Cassidy became what he is now, how he learned to live with it, and how come he's in America now (being an Irish bloke). This little part falls a bit out of line in the Preacher saga sometimes (makes you think of Heartland, for those who've read it) when Garth makes clear how he feels about Ireland.

Like I said, a lot more about the Grail and their goals becomes clear now which really comes to the good of the series. It gets really clear what each player is in it for and what they hope to achieve. The bizar humor stays at the good level it's been for a while now, keeping the series a laugh-riot along the way of the great story. Dillons art is as good as before, clear and expressive without taking the attention of the story too much. A worthy successor after "Gone to Texas" and "Untill the end of the World"

Ouch., 10 Mar 2001
Preacher - It rocks all the remaining taboos in our society. This book is sick, and should be banned immediately. The very notion of the Grail, lead by the grotesque AllFarther D'Aronique, inbreeding the descendants of Christ for two millenia, and the horrendous depiction of the new messiah are heresy and blasphemy of the highest order. If ever there was a good argument for the burning of books, this piece of depraved filth is it. I loved every page of it. Comics don't get any better than Preacher, and Preacher don't get any better than this. More Please - 5 stars isn't enough. All that and I didn't mention Frankie the Eunoch - it's characters like him that Ennis does best. Pure genius from cover to cover.

Houmoruos and exciting. Love, death and a lot of violence!, 31 Mar 2000
This book starts with a story from Vietnam. It is about Jesse Custer`s father and this story gets really nasty, like in the other "Preacher" books. Then Jesse gets a picture of his father by a former friend of his.

We then get to meet the Allfather,who is an enourmous bloke who leads a christian sect! Here, we also meet Herr Starr, who we can learn much more about in later Preacher stories.

The best part of the story is when the Saint of Killers comes into it. He sure lives up to his name! In this issue he also meets Jesse Custer.

At the end Cassidy tells the tale of how he became a vampire. Cassidy is my personal favourite charachter and I loved this story.

What do I think about this comic book? I was brought up by Christian parents, and I want my children to have another kind of life experience then I had as a child. Actually, if I get children I will teach them to despise the Christian morality. I will teach them to like things like sex, death and rock`n roll. To put another way, I will teach them to read "Preacher"!

It was very helpful., 10 Dec 1998
The book was very helpful to me. It's a great book filled with useful stories and jokes.

cover to cover, a bloody good book..., 02 Dec 2002
okay, so the question arises about what the point is in buying a book that is nothing but covers to a comic book?
why would anyone want to buy a book that has little to no actual insight into the definition of the art, or the reason why the artist drew what they did?

answer? easy, because it belongs to the greatest comic series to spring forth from a company in many a year... the book, DEAD OR ALIVE is simply speaking genius...

the small, irrelevent comments made by both Ennis and Fabry on the covers are frequently hilarious, and occasionally very insightful into the thinking behind the ideals and themes covered in the series.
(just read the blurb about the KKK cover, and try not to laugh at Ennis's sharp comments...)

and the foreward gives great background to the guy who was always very much behind the scenes in the preacher world, Glen Fabry, the man who provided all the covers, and the man who without which the series would have seriously stalled...

god bless the pair of them, this book is wonderful, and will get even the staunchest of anti-comic book people talking about the complexities of the art, it is brilliant.

buy it now...

This is eye-candy, 07 Dec 2000
I love the Preacher series anyway. This omnibus of Glenn Fabry's work is simply eye-candy at it's best.

With Garth Ennis and Glenn Fabry's own comments thrown in for good measure make this a real treat for the fans.

A lot of the Painting help to show the shear mayham, madness and pure energy of the comic book series. As well as an added depth to the heroes, villains and characters.

Like I said a definite treat for fans of the Series and the genre in general.

Nice, 29 Nov 2000
Preache is fantastic, and the artwork collected in this volume is fab, but who wants to buy a book full of covers alone?

Amazing potential, not quite fulfilled., 26 Sep 2007
No spoilers.

I finished reading this series a short time ago, and after the initial excitement of the early volumes, I was so disappointed at the rest that I've finally decided to get it off my chest in a review.

The story gets off to a cracking start - I'd never seen a graphic novel like this before. The themes are awesome and cosmic. The violence is... violent and quite funny at times. It's shocking. If your jaw doesn't drop open a few times as you read it, you probably have tetanus. It has a few wonderful, memorable moments that you'll never forget.

But for me the whole thing has two major problems.

First - the pervy sex and cuss words,blasphemy, etc... I have no problem with these as such, but it's as if the writer got so excited about being able to do all that x-rated stuff in a comic book, that he just got carried away and *overdid* it. I mean to the point where it becomes a distraction from the story rather than something to carry it forward.

I kept thinking that it was like when a little kid discovers a cuss word, and keeps using it over and over - just because he can. It can be funny at first, but eventually it just gets intensely irritating. After the first few volumes, the Preacher series goes through a stage where it's almost a self-parody, putting the story on 'hold' and taking time out to be as shocking and offensive as possible, just for its own sake.

But my biggest beef with the series was how it all ended. Like I promised, there are no spoilers here - but I felt it just kinda fizzled out in a slightly-rushed, semi-resolved sort of way. Personally, I felt it was a far from satisfying ending, and haven't felt so cheated since I watched the final episode of the TV series 'Alias'.

If you're into graphic novels, you've probably GOT to read this. I don't regret the experience but didn't regard it as a keeper - I promptly sold all my copies, and it's VERY unusual for me to buy a graphic series and not keep it on my shelves.

One of the best comics ever., 02 Apr 2007
This is a superb adult comic.

The characters are great and the humour is black.

I haven't completed the series but I am yet to be dissapointed.

If you are reading this then you are into this kind of thing. Don't delay any longer, dive right in.

One word.......WOW, 01 Apr 2007
Preacher is the most fantastic Graphic Novel I have EVER read. It is like the drug of the comic world- once youv'e had a taste you aint never going back! - you'll have to get all the others in the series no matter what - its that addictive!

Dismiss any thoughts of the title meaning this is gonna be too religious or something. It isn't. It's characters (an Irish Vampire, a gun toting fiesty female, and a cussing, fist fighting Preacher) are strong and very well written. The storyline - smooth, well paced and imaginative. And its amusing (not in a comedic way, but twisted in such an imaginative way you cannot help but turn the page quicker every time in amazment).

I have never heard a bad word said about this novel by anyone who's read it and I would highly, highly recommend it to Everyone!

That fella's got a face like an..., 07 Jan 2006
Recently I decided to check out some new comic titles - by "new" obviously meaning ones I haven't read yet, as Preacher ran from 1995 to 2000. While Preacher is of course a well-known title among comics/graphic novels, it was mostly a shot in the dark. Well, when I turned the light on, there was a big smoking bullet hole right in the bullseye.

I started out skeptical. Take Cassidy: an Irish vampire. It felt pretty thrown together, but before long you're loving the guy for being such a reliable jerk. The craziest things happen in Preacher, but in the end all you can do is laugh your head off and turn the page.

Not that it's all smiles, of course. The sheer amount of flesh-rending gunshot wounds in the entire Preacher series is staggering. And pitting God Almighty as the antagonist is a pretty damn brave thing to do - we may live in a fairly liberal western world, but surely some things people still don't suffer to be taken lightly. Be warned, Jesse Custer is not strictly a moral man, and some may find offense in the comic's easily dispensed violence and unforgiving treatment of 'bad folks' (until they remember that it is, after all, just a comic, that is).

Preacher is a fresh take on the mythology of America, strong plot, surprises for even the most cynical among us, one-liners and panels that make you burst out laughing ("Paulie, you sure you're not just ****ed in the head?"), strong characters (Tulip must be one of the toughest chicks ever seen in comic books), and no compromises. Pick up Gone To Texas and be assured that every issue after it is at least as good as the last.

To buy or not to buy, 22 Jul 2005
Of course you have to buy Praecher but you cant buy just one you have to get them all. thestory is captivating the characters multilayered, each with a past that gets slowly revealed. the writing is quick and witty. the art is imaginative as well.

Mythology, 23 Jul 2007
Garth Ennis forewards this issue. He speaks of growing up with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood and of a long desire to add his own hero to the Western canon. In Saint of Killers he may just have managed to add a gunslinger who can stand toe to toe with them all. The first page of the elderly pizza owner recounting the tail - having grown apart from his hot shot lawyer son floored me.
The other two character preludes were entertaining, but it's the saint, barrel still smoking that walked away with me after the last page.

Excellent, 28 Feb 2007
I was surprised by how much I liked this seeing as it is a detour for Preacher. It was fun to see something different from the main story arc, and it was great to actually enjoy the adventures of three of the most unsympathetic characters in the series so far; the Saint, Jody and T.C.

Needless to say, if you've never read Preacher, do. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of comics or not, it is hard to think of anything more imaginative or entertaining than this series. Gory and funny in equal measures, Preacher: Ancient History is a prime example of this classic and acclaimed series. Give it a shot - this book is as good an introduction to the series as any. And if you like this, wait until you get to the main story!!

And now for something somewhat different, 22 Feb 2007
Honestly, this book is far more interesting than many of the others in the series, considering it is generally thought of as "filler". It begins with a truly gritty tale of The Old West, one that I feel is better realised than any Western you'll see.

The Saint Of Killers is absolutely one of the most striking points in the Preacher series, and this dips deep into his story. From being a soldier, a husband and a father, this book follows his journey to taking The Angel Of Death's position as Saint Of Killers.

Although the first story is the most enjoyable, the second and third are excellent as well. We see the strangely touching story of 'Arse Face', and a brilliantly violent little adventure starring T.C. and Jodie, who are played as anti-heroes rather than The Bad Guys. Which is fun!

Also interesting about this book, Steve Dillon had nothing to do with it, so you get to enjoy Ennis's wonderful world of Preacher as seen through the eyes of a few different artists, each really amazing in their own right.

Of course, if you're looking at these reviews, and you've bought the previous instalments, you'll get this anyway. But, just in case you were having any doubts: BUY THIS BOOK NOW.

A good starting point, 20 Feb 2007
This, the fourth volume in the Preacher series, gives us three backstories about some of the background characters - the Saint of Killers, Arseface and Jesse's redneck relatives Jody and T.C. - altogether more enjoyable than any of the previous volumes, I thought, and in fact I would recommend readers wanting to get to know the series to start with this volume rather than any of the earlier three.

Time to get a little sidetracked, 12 May 2004
I don't know about anyone else, but I found volume 4 of the PREACHER library to be a nice change of pace, and an enjoyable little sidetrack away from the main storyline. It was interesting checking out the back story of some of the series' most notable supporting cast members. I also enjoyed seeing other artists' (aside from Steve Dillon) renditions of these characters. If you're looking for a few amazing PREACHER tales that are off the beaten path, then 'Ancient History' won't disappoint!

If you thought the Saint of Killers was an unpleasant character in PREACHER's main storyline, wait'll you see his origin story! A man so full of hate that he literally does the impossible: freezes hell over! Oh yeah, then there's the part where he offs the devil before he really gets his killing spree goin', which gives you an idea of how much of a bad mofo he really is. Speaking of the devil(!), this particular story arc reveals the name he prefers to go by. And it's NOT Satan, Scratch, Be'elzebub, or Lucifer!

The second part depicts how PREACHER's beloved horribly disfigured teenager with a heart of gold, Arse-Face, came to be. I'll not go into too many details about it; let's just say his decision to drastically alter his facial features was a misguided attempt to emulate a particular grunge artist's suicide. 90s American teenage angst, substance use, and physical & mental abuse abound in this ish.

'The Good Ol' Boys' features quite a few moments of gratuitous, gory violence in the over-the-top vein of Paul Verhoeven action flicks. There's also a few great scenes featuring that Ennis-trademark you're-not-supposed-to-laugh-at-that-style humor, highlighted by one hillbilly's disgustingly hilarious fond memories of- um, romance- with various inanimate objects and members of other species. Throw in a gorilla getting bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat, and a swamp chase featuring a middle-eastern cartel boss whose attempts at using various English-language curses are both pitiful and gut-bustingly funny, and-well, you'll hafta see it to believe it...

'Late

Preacher the man, 01 Jul 2004
I believe this is one of the best graphic novels about in this day and age. The story of Jesse and his amazing abilty for a cross between good and evil outstands me. I do believe the writers and artists deserve a pat on the back and a drop of the old bourbon. The charcters are well detailed and very well put forward.

I first started to read the novels out of my public library and always eargly awaited the next one to pop up. When it did i thought i was in heaven so to speak

I hope this will continue as well as the marvel comics did and if you like your graphic novels hot and gory this is the one for you. BUT, you have to read from the beginning to truly understand Jesse's well being and how he came about.

As my old mate Jesse Custer would say.

"Until the end of the world"

Clearification of the Grail, 09 Jul 2001
This book (volume 3, which collects #18-26) picks up the tale right where the last issue in "Untill the end of the World" left us, with Jesse going on his way to rescue Cassidy from the Grail. Before the actual rescue operation begins we first get a little intermission-window-tale (#18) where Jesse meets a man at the airport who tells him a story about the time when he used to know Jesse's father in Vietnam. Not really an important factor for the rest of the story, but plenty entertaining. After that (#19-24) the search for Cassidy is on and you get to read a tale that makes the intentions of both the Grail as Starr a lot clearer (which was indeed a little neccesary). Starr however is expecting Jesse and waiting to ambush him, and the Saint of Killers is also on his trail again. Starr himself isn't having an easy time either since the allfather of the Grail comes checking up on him, a sign he thinks that they suspect something about his little scheme. With that we get to meet "the greatest treasure of the Grail" (who isn't exactly how you expect him to, to say the least) and Jesse meets a creature who learns him more about the Genesis entity. This is really a very good part of the story and, I dare say, the most important part of the TPB for those who are following the main story. Off course it's also filled with humorous little sub-plots you would never have thought of yourself in a million years, like we're growing used to from Ennis it seems. Finally the last part of the book (#25,26) handles the origin of Cassidy. It shows how and when exactly Cassidy became what he is now, how he learned to live with it, and how come he's in America now (being an Irish bloke). This little part falls a bit out of line in the Preacher saga sometimes (makes you think of Heartland, for those who've read it) when Garth makes clear how he feels about Ireland.

Like I said, a lot more about the Grail and their goals becomes clear now which really comes to the good of the series. It gets really clear what each player is in it for and what they hope to achieve. The bizar humor stays at the good level it's been for a while now, keeping the series a laugh-riot along the way of the great story. Dillons art is as good as before, clear and expressive without taking the attention of the story too much. A worthy successor after "Gone to Texas" and "Untill the end of the World"

Ouch., 10 Mar 2001
Preacher - It rocks all the remaining taboos in our society. This book is sick, and should be banned immediately. The very notion of the Grail, lead by the grotesque AllFarther D'Aronique, inbreeding the descendants of Christ for two millenia, and the horrendous depiction of the new messiah are heresy and blasphemy of the highest order. If ever there was a good argument for the burning of books, this piece of depraved filth is it. I loved every page of it. Comics don't get any better than Preacher, and Preacher don't get any better than this. More Please - 5 stars isn't enough. All that and I didn't mention Frankie the Eunoch - it's characters like him that Ennis does best. Pure genius from cover to cover.

Houmoruos and exciting. Love, death and a lot of violence!, 31 Mar 2000
This book starts with a story from Vietnam. It is about Jesse Custer`s father and this story gets really nasty, like in the other "Preacher" books. Then Jesse gets a picture of his father by a former friend of his.

We then get to meet the Allfather,who is an enourmous bloke who leads a christian sect! Here, we also meet Herr Starr, who we can learn much more about in later Preacher stories.

The best part of the story is when the Saint of Killers comes into it. He sure lives up to his name! In this issue he also meets Jesse Custer.

At the end Cassidy tells the tale of how he became a vampire. Cassidy is my personal favourite charachter and I loved this story.

What do I think about this comic book? I was brought up by Christian parents, and I want my children to have another kind of life experience then I had as a child. Actually, if I get children I will teach them to despise the Christian morality. I will teach them to like things like sex, death and rock`n roll. To put another way, I will teach them to read "Preacher"!

It was very helpful., 10 Dec 1998
The book was very helpful to me. It's a great book filled with useful stories and jokes.

cover to cover, a bloody good book..., 02 Dec 2002
okay, so the question arises about what the point is in buying a book that is nothing but covers to a comic book?
why would anyone want to buy a book that has little to no actual insight into the definition of the art, or the reason why the artist drew what they did?

answer? easy, because it belongs to the greatest comic series to spring forth from a company in many a year... the book, DEAD OR ALIVE is simply speaking genius...

the small, irrelevent comments made by both Ennis and Fabry on the covers are frequently hilarious, and occasionally very insightful into the thinking behind the ideals and themes covered in the series.
(just read the blurb about the KKK cover, and try not to laugh at Ennis's sharp comments...)

and the foreward gives great background to the guy who was always very much behind the scenes in the preacher world, Glen Fabry, the man who provided all the covers, and the man who without which the series would have seriously stalled...

god bless the pair of them, this book is wonderful, and will get even the staunchest of anti-comic book people talking about the complexities of the art, it is brilliant.

buy it now...

This is eye-candy, 07 Dec 2000
I love the Preacher series anyway. This omnibus of Glenn Fabry's work is simply eye-candy at it's best.

With Garth Ennis and Glenn Fabry's own comments thrown in for good measure make this a real treat for the fans.

A lot of the Painting help to show the shear mayham, madness and pure energy of the comic book series. As well as an added depth to the heroes, villains and characters.

Like I said a definite treat for fans of the Series and the genre in general.

Nice, 29 Nov 2000
Preache is fantastic, and the artwork collected in this volume is fab, but who wants to buy a book full of covers alone?

Absolutely whatever you want it to be..., 19 Jun 2000
This is the seventh installment of Garth Ennis's simply breathtaking work that is Preacher. Now although it is not my favourite of his Preacher installment (Proud Americans still being my favourite contribution), it still captivates me in a way that no other book will. This is without a doubt the most mind-boggling of the series. Just when you think that Garth Ennis couldn't think of any more politically incorrect scenes to come up with, he dreams up the deranged and sexually depraved character that is Odin Quincannon. Quincannon is one of the strangest creations of all time as far as I'm concerned. And his kinky, nazi of a lawyer, Miss Oatlash, compliments the meat-man perfectly. Now the story line involving Jesse's quest to search down God does tail off slightly in this book, concentrating more on Jesse's relationship with his mother, who until this time he thought had been killed by Jody (Preacher: Until the end of the World). It demostrates how not everything in your blood, means you are pre-destined for anything, given that Jesse and Christina are the complete opposite of their family members. I thought that the sickest thing I had seen previously was the reference to paedophilic ways by Jesus de Sade (again Until the end of the World), but the scene involving Quincannon and his female creation made from various animal carcasses simply stunned me beyond belief. But in a good way. Because in Ennis we have an author who is not afraid to say what he think's and most of what he thinks is deranged to say the very least... a man of my own heart. If you have never read any Preacher books, I strongly recommend that you pick one up now. And believe me, by the time you have come up to the installment that is Salvation, you will never look at the world in the same way again...

Preacher Perfect, 06 Apr 2000
Jesse Custer is back! Ennis and Dillon again come up tops with the next part of the Preacher saga. Feeling betrayed by Cass and Tulip, Jesse wanders the country looking for a place to settle until he drifts into the small town of Salvation, Texas. It isnt long until his life takes another turn for the surreal and he ends up becoming sheriff. Gart Ennis never fails to amuse with his story of Jesse Custer which is, as ever beautifully illustrated by Steve Dillon. Thought provoking and amusing. Fans of the series will not be dissapointed with the lastest addition. It may not be everyones cup of tea with its frank use of language and lashings of and but for me there is no better comic.

Ennis proving why he is the master of his game, 26 Mar 2000
After reading the previous six novels in the Preacher series, I had a feeling that this might not live up to it's previous expectations. I should have known better! Although not the strongest of the Preacher collection,(my personal favouite is Proud Americans)it shows the depth that Garth Ennis can go in to, given the opportunity. This particular installment doesn't touch too much on the main story at hand,(the main story being Jesse's continued search for God) but it is still charming and thought provoking. He also gives an insight in to his belief of what middle America looks like in his eyes. Sometimes scary, but most of the time, shocking. The story might be thought of as weak by many Preacher fans, but I don't suscribe to that opinion. Call me biased if you will, but I personally feel that I can read any work by Ennis, and come away feeling renewed.(Fans of Ennis should try Unknown Soldier and his current 12 piece issue of The Punisher, in which he is reunited with artist Steve Dillon). The characters that Ennis provides in Salvation are strange to say the least. Most notably Odin Quincannon. I won't continue to give away the story, but I will say that if you like Preacher, or graphic novels in general then you should love this. I would recommend it to anyone, no matter who they are. Enjoy.

Still better than most, but not up to usual Ennis standards., 19 Oct 1999
Regular readers of Preacher will be fully aware of the genius at work here. Garth Ennis has created a work of art which surpasses most of the so-called contemporary literature available, which this would be pompously excluded from simply because it also has (very good) drawings accompanying and complementing the text.

This is the seventh collection of the stories of Jesse Custer, a man of God who wants to make the Almighty take responsibility for the state the World is in today. You will need to have read the previous volumes, starting with "Gone to Texas", to know the story as I am not going to go into it now, and if you have even the vaguest interest in graphic novels, be assured that you will not regret doing so.

"Salavation" reeks of being a stop-gap. The previous volume, "War in the Sun", was an epic and finished with Jesse and his cohorts facing some monumental situations. To this end, maybe it was necessary that there should be a while for us all to reflect and take a breath, because "Salvation" does nothing to move along the main story. It does, however, answer some interesting questions from Jesse's early life that regular readers may well have forgotten about, and it is a reasonable yarn in itself. The problem with "Salvation" is that we read it expecting answers to the situations that preceeded it, and instead they are hardly even mentioned.

It's not that this book is bad - it is action-packed and follows the usual Preacher guidelines of addressing issues whilst having fun and throwing in a bit of dirty sex as well. It's still better than most other examples of the genre, and most othe rbooks generally. It's just that as a part of the series, it is almost inconsequential.

Having said all that, this review is insignificant - if you are a Preacher fan, you will buy it, and if you aren't then where have you been? Start at the beginning, and we'll see you back here in six volumes time, OK?