Earlier this week, Biff Bam Pop’s David Ward nominated Preacher’s Tulip O’hare and Jesse Custer as one of Our Favourite Couples. It was a suggestion David had a made a few weeks previous when we were talking about who to feature and as a result, he inspired me to go back and reread the original 66 issue run of the Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon series. Reread for the fourth time.
That’s just how awesome Preacher is.
Now I know that The Comic Stop usually features creator interviews or reviews of some great new titles that have been released, but this time out I really wanted to get my thoughts down about this classic series while it was fresh in my head. As well, I know not everyone in the world has read the series, and it just feels like a good time to sing its praises.
A preacher who can speak with the voice of God. His hitwoman girlfriend and best buddy, an Irish vampire who causes shit wherever he may roam. A killer whose guns are never empty. A German bad guy with a pension for losing body parts. Without question, Preacher has one of the most eclectic casts you’ll ever find in a comic book. Or any form of entertainment. At one moment it’s a quest story, the next a romance. It has elements of horror, suspense, conspiracy and westerns. Lots of westerns. Heck, even John Wayne is a supporting character.
So is a guy whose face looks like an arse. Seriously.
For all of its quirky characters and situations, Preacher benefits beautifully form the clearcut vision that writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon had for the series. They knew who these characters were at all time, there was never any confusion. But more importantly, and perhaps the reason I felt so compelled to write about Preacher is that it told a finite story. A beginning, a middle and an end, in 66 pages (with a few background mini-series thrown in for backstory). Ennis and Dillon told the story they wanted to tell and then got the hell out of Dodge.
That should be a message to DC Comics, by the way. There is beauty in endings.
Preacher is a trip. And it’s easily accessible these days. You can find it anywhere. In hardcover versions at your comic book shop. On the shelves of bookstores, which I find amusing for some reason. It’s even available digitally. So if you haven’t read it yet, there’s plenty of ways to catch up and get acquainted with the Reverend Jesse Custer and the world of Preacher. it will reaffirm your faith in great storytelling.
Amen.
