Customer Reviews

Preacher, Vol. 1

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

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This is the book that would set the stage for the rest of the series. Collecting the establishing storylines, it has all the themes that would carry over into the rest of the run for better or worst. You have the macho posturing and the overt patriotism reconfigured for a less sexist 90s. I really liked the way the text has a Tocqueville appreciation of America including the Western mythology and the New York tourist deal. YOu have Jesse and Tulip trying to make their way around each other after one abandoned the other and you have an examination of male friendship - how it's superficiality is both its strength (you don't have to talk about serious stuff) and it's weakness (as Cassidy finds out his old friend is a serial killer - and this would later come out in Jesse and Cassidy).

What doesn't work in retrospect is the searching for God bits. The Christian God is depicted as if he's a wanker who can't decide whether he wants to run away or reach out to Jesse.

This is a great book but it's also too expensive and not terribly distinguished from the other Preacher books. In fact you can buy two of the paperback versions for it. Buy a used copy because $40 is too much.

After receiving this hardcover edition of the Preacher I instantly sold my paperback volumes. This book looks a million times better on my book shelf than the original TPBs that I had owned. I look forward to purchasing the other 5 volumes soon.

Preacher is one of my all time favorites. first of all Book three begins where proud Americans leaves off in case your trying to switch over and it begins with one of the best opening story I've ever read (the St. of killers history)

Truly brilliant. The focus of the Saint of Killers isn't *quite* as engrossing as the dynamic between Custer, Tulip and Cassidy, but it's still a highly enjoyable diversion. True Grit with ten times more carnage!. And the excerpts from the main comic collected in the latter half of this volume have some absolutely great stuff with the aforementioned dynamic. Can't wait for Volume 4!

You probably already know how awesome the Preacher is. I just got this book today and I can't stop reading it. Anyways, let's talk about the actual quality of the book.

It's actually darn good. Not as good compare to Y the Last Man or Ec Machina Deluxe Editions, but still great. It's not over-sized, so what? The pictures and dialog bubbles look crisp. It has glossy but thinner paper quality than some other graphic novels I've read in the pastm while being very enjoyable to read.

I agree it's kind of pricey, but be honest with yourself, you are buying it on Amazon for 27 bucks, no tax or shipping charge. It's a sin not to buy the Preacher Hardcover, no pun intended.

So there, if you are a new comer like me(or if you want get this instead of trader backs), buy it with confidence, you won't regret it.

Wow - a combustible mix of hard-core violence, over-the-top profane dialogue and interesting characters! "Preacher" is what you get if you create a comic book version of version of a Pulp-fiction inspired, Desperado with more violence. Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon take us to Texas, New York City, and the backwoods of Louisiana, with a unique pair of characters. The Preacher, his in-aptly named tough girlfriend Tulip and a vampire sidekick (!) blaze a trail across a twisted milieu of hardcore racist Texas lawmen in the first story arc. Next Ennis pummels us with a tale deep in the seedy underbelly of New York City, complete with homophobic, gay bashing (yet secretly homosexual) tough detectives, serial killers and a vampire.

If the first two story arcs, chock full of blasphemy, do not disgust and amuse you enough, the creators follow the jab and straight right with a left hook to your jaw. He introduces us to the twisted backwoods god-fearing hick "Grandma" with brutal force. This is a character you will not soon forget! More over-the-top violence and twisted torture for your reading pleasure!

The artwork by Steve Dillon in this volume perfectly fleshes out the sickly creative ideas of Garth Ennis. This book is the kind of book that I'm embarrassed to admit I really enjoyed! (As you can tell, this is only recommended for adults, and I mean adults with a high tolerance for ridiculous violence, religious blasphemy and slags of profanity. Caveat Emptor!)

I love preacher, but this place is full of it! Item I ordered was NEW still in shrink wrap, BUT NO!! I got an open copy with a huge used sticker on it that when pealing off torn teh cover...... Never buy from this vendor agin