Customer Reviews

Preacher: Proud Americans (Preacher)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I love Preacher and have no complaints with the content of the book, but I have a complaint about the paper quality of this volume.

My complaint is that this volume is, for some reason, printed on a noticeably cheaper grade of paper than the other volumes I have, which were printed on the nice glossy paper that all comics should be printed on. A few other Vertigo trade paperbacks I've ordered online recently have use this same grade of paper, is this some kind of cost-cutting measure that they've recently introduced? If the prices of the books were lowered accordingly, I wouldn't mind so much, but it's a little irritating to pay the same price as the volumes that have nice glossy paper and instead get the cheap phonebook-like paper.

I posted a question about this on the Vertigo message boards a couple of weeks ago, but I never got a response.

You can think of "Proud Americans" as a tasty comic hamburger, where the main story involving Jesse, Tulip, Cassidy and the Grail is the extra thick patty, coated with plenty of bright-colored oozing special sauce, all sandwiched between two toasty back stories buns.

This third helping of the Ennis and Dillon's "Preacher" begins with a flash-back to Vietnam where we learn more about Jesse's father and his influence on Jesse's current mission. Then we come back to the present and retrieve our good friend Cassidy from the clutches of the Grail (sort of like getting Solo back from Jabba in "Jedi"). In the third act of this graphic novel, we get a longish back story from Cassidy, about how he became a fanged-one, and how he made it to this side of the Atlantic.

The main thrust of "Proud Americans" is that we are nothing if we don't stand up for our friends, and that we should never allow ourselves to be led blindly into doing "the right thing". This is a great series, and I highly recommend it. I gave this one only four stars because I felt some of the second and third sections moved a little too slowly. Still, this is great stuff, and I'm eagerly looking forward to getting book 4.

Proud Americans is a very good, and very, very funny Preacher graphic novel. It has some of the series funniest (as well as most violent) moments. This is Preacher at it's best. One thing Proud Americans is NOT is a good introduction to the story. If you've never read Preacher before, get Gone to Texas. Don't get this - you'll be really confused.

The first story is that of Jesse's fathers experience in Vietnam and is contained in a single issue. That issue is one of Preacher's all-time best. The story is very, very good and well-written, and it's great seeing how like his dad Jesse is. The rest of the book focuses on the events leading up to Jesse's confrontation with The Grail and the face-off between Jesse, Starr, and the Allfather. By the way, the Allfather's fate (that's all I'll say about it) is one of the series funniest single moments.

Proud Americans shows, again, that Preacher simply rules.

This volume has the biggest body count I've ever seen one man amass. The Saint of Killers gives a whole new meaning to "high body count." But beyond the incredible amount of blood in the main story, there's also the origin of how Cassidy became a vampire and how he came to be in America. (Not to mention we find out his hilarious first name!) And we finally learn the whole story behind "Genesis" So if all of this isn't a reason to buy this volume, I truly don't know what is!

The Preacher series is a "must have" for any collector of stories who likes a little extreme in their fantasy. Some of the greatest lines and characters are put forth by the incredible team of Ennis and Dillon. If one suspends disbelief on one's own feelings about God and the devil, one can enjoy lightheartedly this tale of servitude...or something.

Garth Ennis, Preacher: Proud Americans (DC Comics, 1997)

Garth Ennis' iconoclastic series rolls on here, providing us with a bit of background and developing the storyline. We get information about Jesse's father's time in Vietnam, Cassidy's transformation, and the Grail.

There's really not much to say about Ennis' incomparable series I haven't said in other reviews. This is great stuff. Get it. Preferably in order, but just get it. ****

Proud Americans is the third volume in the collected Preacher series, and continues the excellent storytelling and characterizations found in Gone to Texas and Until the End of the World. This volume contains three storylines, the first of which a story of Jesse's father in Vietnam which reveals how he got his cherished Zippo lighter and his encounter with his hero John Wayne. This story is a nice little extra side story to the Preacher saga as we see how honorable of a man Jesse's father was. The second story continues where Until the End of the World left off, with the group known as the Grail torturing the captured hard drinking Irish vampire Cassidy and Jesse's attempt to rescue him. This story keeps you on the edge of your seat thanks to Ennis' excellent (as usual) storytelling and insanely dark humor. The third story is Cassidy telling Jesse about how he became a vampire and his coming to America. This is a great side story as well and we get to see how Cassidy's character developed from naive Irish freedom fighter to the blood sucking immortal we all know and love. All in all, Proud Americans is an excellent addition to the Preacher saga, but before you pick this up check out Gone to Texas and Until the End of the World.

In this book (which I thoroughly enjoyed), Reverend Jesse Custer has set out with his gun-toting girlfriend, Tulip O'Hare, to retrieve his best friend, the hard-drinking vampire, Cassidy. They wage a no-holds-barred battle against The Grail, a religious cult. Then, at the top of the Empire State Building, Cassidy reveals his life story to Jesse.

I loved this book. But be warned: If you are an overly religious person, or if you dislike harsh language, you will be offended.

This is one of the most incredible treasures you can find out there in the comic market today. Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon have acheived nothing short of a...miracle with Preacher. This compilation of ten Preacher comics following the "All in the Family" and "Hunters" story lines gives an in depth look into the relationships reverend Jesse Custer keeps with his (twisted) family, his blood sucking friend, and his one true love Tulip O'Hare. There's also a great forward by Chasing Amy/Clerks/Mallrats/Dogma writer and director Kevin Smith, who is an admitted obsessed fan of Preacher. In the All in the Family storyline, we learn why Jesse had to break away from Tulip so many years ago, and also what happened to his mother and father way back when. We learn of the perversions of farm-hand T.C., the killing sprees of family help Jody, the sick and twisted plots of Gran'ma, and the sad fate of boy hood friend Billy Bob and dog Duke. We see Jesse Custer get put through the grinder in a series of sinister and traumatizing events that would make the worlds biggest hero snap his own neck. Then we see Jesse get tough. In the Hunters story line, we witness the bonds of strength and friendship between a preacher from Texas with a angelic/demonic power trapped within him and an Irish vampire who's as old as the century. This is great stuff, anyone with any interest what so ever in the direction comics are headed in the future, or those who just want to check out something that'll really make yout think twice about what you've been told, should check it out. Do yourself a favor. Order it now. You won't regret it. Kelii from Oahu

Is it blasphemous? Actually, no.

The first Preacher trade showed Jesse Custer getting used to his new powers and ission. The second book dealt with his family life. This third volume deals with his nemesis, the Grail.

Custer's power (he got possessed by an angel/demon spawn called genesis) is the Word of God. When he speaks with it, his eyes glow red. But this isn't a superhero comic; he only uses it when he has to. All in all, he'd rather bust someone's head in than abuse his power.

Preacher loks at Christianity the way we look at Norse mythology. Let's make Thor big and dumb, and make sif a slut, sure, why not. Those with faith will be initially shocked, then intriuged with the portrayal of lecherous angels, the Saint of Killers (the meanest sumbitch since Jonas Hex), a Carpe Diem vampire, and a host of other characters.

Grab your rosary and grab a Preacher. It separates the seraphi from the archangels.