Preacher, Vol. 1 [Hardcover]

Garth Ennis (Author), Steve Dillon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 21, 2009

Merging with a bizarre spiritual force called Genesis, Texan Preacher Jesse Custer becomes completely disillusioned with the beliefs that he had dedicated his entire life to. Now possessing the power of "the word," an ability to make people do whatever he utters, Custer begins a violent and riotous journey across the country. Joined by his gun-toting girlfriend Tulip and the hard drinking Irish vampire Cassidy, the Preacher loses faith in both man and God as he witnesses dark atrocities and improbable calamities during his exploration of America.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo (July 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 140122279X
• ISBN-13: 978-1401222796
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.8 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #508,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Garth Ennis is the award-winning writer of Hellblazer, Hitman, Punisher, Preacher, Pride and Joy and War Stories. He is much in demand for his hard-edged, wickedly humorous style.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars for Preacher, but 2 for this edition!, August 20, 2009

By 

Scott Edward Calibraxis (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Preacher, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

Sigh. I sold off all my Preacher TPBs in anticipation of this hardcover edition. Vertigo has been doing a great job with hardcovers of Y: The Last Man, and Ex Machina, so I was assuming this would be the same format.

Wrong! Instead of being slightly oversized, as those two books I just mentioned are, this is exactly the same size as a standard comic book. Instead of being printed on beautiful, heavy, matte stock like Y: TLM, or on beautiful, glossy stock like Ex Mach, it is on the same standard stock as the more recent editions of the TPBs...maybe even a little inferior to those editions-- a little thinner, if I'm not mistaken.

At $39.99, it is also terribly overpriced, for what you get. For example, compare this lackluster presentation with Dark Horse Comics' hardcover collections of Hellboy ($50), or Icon's Powers ($30). Those books are absolutely gorgeous, oversize, true collector's editions that are worth trading up for. I easily would have shelled out more for Absolute editions of Preacher, if they put 20-24 issues together like they did with Sandman.

If I had to do this over again, I would have kept my TPBs, because this new edition really isn't anything to get excited about. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing actually objectionable about the book, it looks good... except when you consider the price and compare other products and realize that there's just no reason to invest in this new collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Of The Good Book, May 19, 2011

By 

Robert Attaway (Birmingham, Alabama, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Preacher, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

A forbidden love, a secret godly terror, and war that has raged since the dawn of time. All these were ignorant to revered Jesse Custer until a genesis came bursting through his church doors. Now from the ashes he will find God and, be damned or not, and hold him accountable for what he has let happen.

This is Garth Ennis tamed. Of course I'm comparing Preacher to his later works like The Boys, The Pro or even Crossed. Although it may seem tame in comparison, it's still well written and well paced. Ennis just knows how to write character and give them their own voice, heroes and villains alike. He also knows how to write gore like a nasty SOB.

And the artwork is done brilliantly by Steve Dillon who is able to capture both the tender moments along with the carnage. Glenn Fabry's cover art is just as awesome, especially issue 3. However, this is not what you want to know. Well, maybe you do but if you came here overlooking the regular trade paperbacks, well sorry. Not trying to be mean, just sorry.

The hardcover Book One features Preacher issue 1 - 12 (which is the "Gone to Texas" and half of "Until the End of the World" books). The surface of the book, under the dust-jacket, is just "Preacher Book One" in gold plain lettering. Also included is a pinup gallery featuring art from Tim Bradstreet, Jim Lee, Dave Gibbons, and Bruce Timm just to name a few.

I'm sure this is aimed at newer fans and some of the older ones as well as a "collectible." But if you already have the trade paperbacks then just keep them unless you want the hardcover. This is a fantastic book regardless, even if just as having it as coffee table piece or as a newbie into the world of Preacher. The extras are awesome and I can't recommend this book more.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not what it should have been, but still a worthwhile upgrade, June 4, 2010

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Preacher, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

Like most Preacher fans, I was thrilled to hear the series was going to be collected in hardcover format, and like a lot of people I was disappointed when I heard about the quality of the hardcover. Still, I sold my trade paperbacks when I heard this was coming out, so I went ahead and bought the first hardcover collection. Honestly, it's not that bad.

The paper stock is not thick like the deluxe stock used in the excellent Y: The Last Man hardcover collections, nor is it as glossy as the equally excellent Ex Machina collections, but it is thicker and glossier than the Preacher trade paperbacks. The (slightly) improved paper and sturdier format make this a true upgrade. I agree that it is priced way too high in comparison to similar DC hardcover collections, but if you're buying it on Amazon you're probably not paying cover anyway.

Oh, and in case anyone is reading this review who hasn't already experienced Preacher, it's basically a story of the offspring of an angel and a demon, residing in the head of a small town preacher with some interesting family baggage, who pals around with a hitwoman and a vampire while searching for God. Throw in a serial killer, an unholy killing machine and more sex, violence and profanity than the average Tarantino flick and you still won't get the full picture of what Preacher has to offer. It's one of the most amazing comic series ever created.

I'm going with this formula: 5 stars for the content and 3 stars for the format. That makes this a 4-star hardcover in my book. No, it's not what it could be, but it's still a step above the trade paperbacks.