Priest, Vol. 1: Prelude for the Deceased, Part 1 [Paperback]

Min-Woo Hyung (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 23, 2002

In the Wild West even souls are for sale. Set in a futuristic 19th Century America, Priest tells the tale of Ivan Isaacs, a former man of the cloth who sells his soul to gain power and to seek vengeance. But the devil also works in mysterious ways, and Ivan is drawn into the plans of Temozare, an enigmatic demon seeking to complete the Circle of the Unholy Sabbath in order to revolt against God.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (July 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591820081
• ISBN-13: 978-1591820086
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Occult > Supernatural
  • #22 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Horror
  • #41 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Manga > By Publisher > TokyoPop

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uniquely entertaining, April 23, 2004

By 

K. Leal "Novel addict :: *_*::" (CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Priest, Vol. 1: Prelude for the Deceased, Part 1 (Paperback)

Since there is plenty of plot summary to be found in the reviews below, I'll concentrate on why "Priest" is a unique,moving and enthralling series.
My first bit of praise has to go to the artwork, which is hands-down the most 'western' of any manhwa/manga I've read. It defies both the typical Korean and Japanese cartoon styles, and indeed the author says that he was influenced by the stark black and white style of "Hellboy" and spaghetti westerns. Although I'm in love with the cover paintings, the inside art is equally as wonderful, even if it is different.
As for the storyline, in this first book there is precious little for a shoujo fan to look for, as it primarily focuses on violence, massive zombie slaughtering and vengeance. This may turn some off, but the tragedy that is Ivan Issacs life reveals itself slowly over subsequent books. There is a bit of romantic tragedy that I found was similar to that in Wuthering Heights even. And the religious politics and secrecy are certainly very realistic and true to life. But the supernatural is dealt with equally as well, as it appears that Hyung has done his homework in regards to apocryphal allusions. And lets not forget that this whole things plays out in a demented vision of the old west, which adds an unusual dimension to the story.
As the series doesn't have an ending yet, I find this to be a surprising and unique series in a genre filled with overused plots and ideas.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Start to a Bloody Series, June 10, 2006

By 

Antonio D. Paolucci "Collector of Entertainment" (Beaver Falls, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Priest, Vol. 1: Prelude for the Deceased, Part 1 (Paperback)

Though very little light was shed as to the over-all story of Priest, this volume did one thing that had me intrigued, and that was to present the darkness of the storyline that is to come. Using Christianity as a base, Priest follows Ivan Isaacs, a man possessed by a want for revenge and holding within him awful secrets that most religious men wouldn't want to know, including a glimpse into Hell. Now, serving his master Belial, Ivan journeys across the American West in search of a man named Jarbilong, fighting Jarbilong's zombie tools along the way. While on a train in search of this man, Ivan Isaacs's journey is interrupted when a group of bandits robs the train in order to save their wanted leader. Yet these bandits have no idea what waits for them in the darkest part of the train, and only the Priest can fight off the evil creatures that are ready to rise.

I think the best part about this volume was the way in which it begin. Very controversial, especially for a religious minded person; Ivan Isaacs hangs from a cross and faces his own resurrection of sorts, and ends up becoming the powerful, gun-toting, knife-slashing outlaw he now is. The agony of Ivan Isaacs is apparent in every action he makes along the way, and his history, which is explored only briefly, is enough to keep me reading this series. I just liked the character of Ivan and the setting in which he was placed.

Though absolutely not a perfect start, as this volume gets almost nowhere fast, it is definitely an intriguing beginning to what is shaping up to be a very bloody and mature series. While Priest technically isn't manga(it's Korean in origin) I would still recommend this to fans of mature manga like Hellsing, as it shares a lot of similarities with that series.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Interesting and Promising Start (4.5 stars), August 16, 2002

By 

Michael Crane (Orland Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Priest, Vol. 1: Prelude for the Deceased, Part 1 (Paperback)

WARNING: This is not recommended for anyone who is sensitive to dark and disturbing themes, as well as sensitive to issues dealing with religion.

I had no idea what I would be reading when I picked this up. I had read the graphic novel, "Road to Perdition," and wanted to read more graphic novels. I saw this one and it seemed very interesting. In less than an hour I finished the book, feeling both amazed and very disturbed at the same time. Let it be known, "Priest: Vol. 1" is not for the weak.

It is a graphic novel, meaning that it is like a comic book, but in book length, and it is in black and white. It was written by Min-Woo Hyung, both story and artwork.

Here's the story, or at least how it begins: Evil and darkness lurks out in the west, and it threatens every living thing on the planet. Those who worship the archangel, Temozarela, are brainwashed and are nothing more but little minions carrying out horrifying and unbelievable tasks. The only man who stands a chance against them is Ivan Isaacs, who is a fallen priest. Torn by vengeance and pain, he sold his soul to the devil, Belial. Although he is now able to fight the evil that Temozarela is preparing for the world, Ivan is becoming more and more of the monster Belial is hoping for. This is the beginning of a dark tale of vengeance, lost faith, violence, and a lost love.

The pages really fly by, and the story is fast-paced and action packed. I just wished there was more dialogue and character development, but I think more of that will come to light in the other installments.

All in all, this was an interesting start to what seems to be a dark tale of blood-lust and pain. Again, this is not for the weak and sensitive. It is a very disturbing and shocking tale. I look forward into reading the others to come.