Preacher (comics)
Preacher | |
---|---|
Arseface | |
Creative team | |
Created by | Garth Ennis Steve Dillon |
Written by | Garth Ennis |
Artist(s) | Steve Dillon Glenn Fabry Carlos Ezquerra |
Letterer(s) | Clem Robins |
Colorist(s) | Matt Hollingsworth Pamela Rambo |
Preacher is an
The series consists of 75 issues in total – 66 regular, monthly issues, five one-shot specials, and a four-issue Preacher: Saint of Killers limited series. The final monthly issue, number 66, was published in October 2000, with an epilogue published in Ennis' subsequent series The Boys in February 2009. The entire run has been collected in four series of collected editions: an original nine volume run of trade paperbacks, a second run of six trade paperbacks/hardcovers, three extra oversized "Absolute Preacher" volumes, and two oversized omnibus volumes.
A television series adaptation, Preacher, aired for 43 episodes over four seasons on AMC, from 2015 to 2019.
Plot
Preacher tells the story of Jesse Custer, a preacher in the small Texas town of Annville. Custer is accidentally possessed by the supernatural creature named Genesis, the infant of the unauthorized, unnatural coupling of an angel and a demon. The incident flattens Custer's church and kills his entire congregation.
Genesis has no sense of individual will, but since it is composed of both pure goodness and pure evil, its power might rival that of God Himself, making Jesse Custer, bonded to Genesis, potentially the most powerful being in the universe.
Driven by a strong sense of right and wrong, Custer journeys across the United States attempting to literally find God, who abandoned Heaven the moment Genesis was born. He also begins to discover the truth about his new powers, allowing him, when he wills it, to command the obedience of those who hear and comprehend his words. He is joined by old girlfriend
.During the course of their journeys, the three encounter enemies and obstacles both sacred and profane, including
Characters
Collected editions
Title | ISBN | Release date | Collected material |
---|---|---|---|
Preacher: Gone to Texas | 978-1563892615 | March 1, 1996 | Preacher #1–7, 4-page foreword by Joe R. Lansdale |
Preacher: Until the End of the World | 978-1563893124 | January 1, 1997 | Preacher #8–17, 3-page introduction by Kevin Smith |
Preacher: Proud Americans | 978-1563893278 | October 1, 1997 | Preacher #18–26, 4-page introduction by Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) |
Preacher: Ancient History | 978-1563894053 | March 1, 1998 | Preacher Special: Saint of Killers #1–4, Preacher Special: The Story of You-Know-Who, and Preacher Special: The Good Old Boys, 2-page introduction by Garth Ennis |
Preacher: Dixie Fried | 978-1563894282 | September 1, 1998 | Preacher #27–33 and Preacher Special: Cassidy – Blood and Whiskey, no extras |
Preacher: War in the Sun | 978-1563894909 | March 1, 1999 | Preacher #34–40 and Preacher Special: One Man's War, 1-page recap, 2-page character introductions |
Preacher: Salvation | 978-1-563895197 | September 1, 1999 | Preacher #41–50, no extras |
Preacher: All Hell's A-Coming | 978-1563896170 | June 1, 2000 | Preacher #51–58 and Preacher Special: Tall in the Saddle, 2-page character introductions, 2-page recap |
Preacher: Alamo | 978-1563897153 | May 1, 2001 | Preacher #59–66, 2-page character introductions, 2-page recap |
Title | Format | ISBN | Release date | Collected material |
---|---|---|---|---|
Preacher: Book One | Hardcover | 978-1401222796 | July 21, 2009 | Preacher #1–12 |
TPB | 978-1401240455 | June 18, 2013 | ||
Preacher: Book Two | Hardcover | 978-1401225797 | February 16, 2010 | Preacher #13–26 |
TPB | 978-1401242558 | October 1, 2013 | ||
Preacher: Book Three | Hardcover | 978-1401230166 | December 21, 2010 | Preacher #27–33, Preacher Special: Saint of Killers #1–4, and Preacher Special: Cassidy – Blood and Whiskey |
TPB | 978-1401245016 | January 28, 2014 | ||
Preacher: Book Four | Hardcover | 978-1401230937 | June 14, 2011 | Preacher #34–40, Preacher Special: The Story of You-Know-Who, Preacher Special: The Good Old Boys, and Preacher Special: One Man's War |
TPB | 978-1401230944 | June 24, 2014 | ||
Preacher: Book Five | Hardcover | 978-1401232504 | November 29, 2011 | Preacher #41–54 |
TPB | 978-1401250744 | August 19, 2014 | ||
Preacher: Book Six | Hardcover | 978-1401234157 | January 17, 2012 | Preacher #55–66 and Preacher Special: Tall in the Saddle |
TPB | 978-1401252793 | November 4, 2014 |
Title | ISBN | Release date | Collected material |
---|---|---|---|
Absolute Preacher, Vol. 1[1] | 978-1401264413 | July 12, 2016 | Preacher #1–26 |
Absolute Preacher, Vol. 2[2] | 978-1401268091 | May 9, 2017 | Preacher #27–40, Preacher Special: Saint of Killers #1–4, Preacher Special: The Story of You-Know-Who, Preacher Special: The Good Old Boys, Preacher Special: Cassidy – Blood and Whiskey, and Preacher Special: One Man's War |
Absolute Preacher, Vol. 3[3] | 978-1401278489 | April 25, 2018 | Preacher #41–66 and Preacher Special: Tall in the Saddle |
Title | ISBN | Release date | Collected Material |
---|---|---|---|
Preacher: The 25th Anniversary Omnibus Vol. 1 | 978-1779502674 | August 4, 2020 | Preacher #1-33, Preacher Special: Saint of Killers #1–4, Preacher Special: Cassidy – Blood and Whiskey |
Preacher: The 25th Anniversary Omnibus Vol. 2 | 978-1779510372 | August 31, 2021 | Preacher # 34-66, Preacher Special: The Story of You-Know-Who, Preacher Special: The Good Old Boys, Preacher Special: One Man's War, Preacher Special: Tall in the Saddle |
Additionally, the book Preacher: Dead or Alive (
Adaptations
Adaptation attempts
Weinstein was confused by the characterization of
Johnson also wanted to make sure that one-shots were included as well.[13] Johnson changed his position, citing new storylines conceived by Ennis. "Well, there would be nothing new to add if we did that, so Garth [Ennis] and I have been creating new stories for the series," he said. "I love the book so much and I was telling Garth that he has to make the stories we are coming up with as comics because I want to see them."[11] By August 2008, new studio executives at HBO decided to abandon the idea, finding it too stylistically dark and religiously controversial.[14] Columbia Pictures then purchased the film rights in October 2008 with Sam Mendes planned to direct. Neal H. Moritz and Jason Netter would have produced the film. The previous scripts written by Ennis would not have been used.[8]
AMC television series
On November 16, 2013, it was announced that
GraphicAudio audiobook series
In May 2020, all 98 issues of Garth Ennis' The Boys comic book series and the 8-issue epilogue series Dear Becky were adapted into seven full cast audiobooks produced by GraphicAudio, with all volumes numbering a combined 31 hours in length.[25] In the second audiobook, the Preacher epilogue from "We Gotta Go Now" is adapted, with Michael John Casey voicing Proinsias Cassidy.[26]
Legacy
Stephen King has said that his comic book series The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born, based on his The Dark Tower series of novels, was influenced by Preacher.[27]
The character Yorick from Y: The Last Man, has a Zippo lighter with the words "Fuck Communism" engraved, identical to the one owned by Jesse Custer in Preacher. When asked about it he says it is "from this book I read once... a graphic novel. You know, like a comic book." The phrase originated as a 1963 satirical poster produced by The Realist magazine's Paul Krassner.[28] This lighter appears later in the series when Yorick and Agent 355 are being held by Russian agents at gunpoint, who find the lighter and take offense to it.[29]
In February 2009, an older now-human
Jesse Custer was ranked the 11th Greatest Comic Book Character by Empire magazine.[32] The Saint of Killers was ranked at number 42 on the same list.[33]
References
- ^ "Absolute Preacher, Vol. 1 at DC Comics". 21 December 2015.
- ^ "Absolute Preacher, Vol. 2 at DC Comics". 17 October 2016.
- ^ "Absolute Preacher, Vol. 3 at DC Comics". 21 August 2017.
- ^ a b Stax (2000-02-10). "The Stax report: Script Review of Preacher". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ a b Elston Gunn (2000-05-14). "Elston Gunn interviews Kevin Smith". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Drew McWeeny (2001-09-06). "Preacher Has Got A Greenlight!! Hell Freezes Over!!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ a b c Ethan Aames (2005-06-20). "Interview: James Marsden on Heights". Cinema Confidential. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ a b Borys Kit; Leslie Simmons (2008-10-29). "Columbia signs on for 'Preacher' feature". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Stax (2004-03-22). "Marsden on Preacher". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Eric Goldman (2006-11-29). "HBO Prays for Preacher". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ a b Peter Brown (2007-06-10). "Exclusive Interview: Mark Steven Johnson Finds Religion With Preach – Part 1". IF Magazine. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- Sci Fi Wire. Archived from the originalon October 28, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Daniel Robert Epstein (2006-12-05). "Johnson Talks HBO's Preacher". Newsarama. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Rob Allstetter (2008-08-25). "Mark Steven Johnson: No Preacher On HBO". Comics Continuum. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
- ^ Devin Faraci (2013-11-16). "AMC Is Taking PREACHER To Pilot". Bad Ass Digest. Archived from the original on 2015-03-29. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
- ^ Rich Johnston (2013-11-18). "SCOOP: Sony Pictures Television Gives TV Pilot Development Commitment To Preacher". BleedingCool.com. Retrieved 2013-11-18.
- ^ Rich Johnston (2014-02-06). "Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg Adapting 'Preacher' for AMC With 'Breaking Bad's' Sam Catlin". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
- ^ "AMC is Officially Developing Seth Rogen's Preacher TV Show". Archived from the original on 2014-12-08.
- ^ "Evan Goldberg on Twitter". Twitter.
- ^ "Seth Rogen on Twitter". Twitter.
- ^ Nellie Andreeva (2014-12-04). "'Preacher' Drama From Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg Gets AMC Pilot Order". Deadline. Retrieved 2014-12-04.
- ^ "Preacher Script Finished; Is Astonishingly Good?". Dread Central. 12 February 2015.
- ^ Nellie Andreeva (2014-12-04). "Preacher – Seth Rogen Draws Inspiration". Deadline. Retrieved 2014-12-04.
- ^ Allen, Clark (March 12, 2015). "{TB EXCLUSIVE} DOMINIC COOPER EMERGES AS THE FRONTRUNNER FOR AMC'S "PREACHER" SERIES FROM ROGEN/GOLDBERG". The Tracking Board.
- ^ "The Boys Volume 1". May 1, 2020.
- ^ "The Boys Volume 2". September 28, 2020.
- ^ King's afterword to The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born
- ^ "Realist Archive Project", http://www.ep.tc/realist/fuckcommunism/
- ^ Vaughan, Brian K.; and Guerra, Pia; Sudžuka, Goran; Chadwick, Paul. Y: The Last Man #55 (May 2007) Vertigo Comics.
- ^ Ennis, Garth; Robertson, Darick. The Boys #27 (February 2009) Dynamite Entertainment.
- ^ Hilary Goldstein. "The 25 Best Vertigo Books". IGN.
- ^ Jesse Custer, "The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters", Empire, accessed April 26, 2011.
- ^ The Saint of Killers, "The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters", Empire, accessed April 26, 2011.
External links
- Preacher at the Big Comic Book DataBase
- Preacher at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Analysing article at The Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies