The Pro [Hardcover]

Garth Ennis (Author), Amanda Conner (Author), Jimmy Palmiotti (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 2004

She curses, she smokes, she breast-feeds and she blows away the competition. Just when you think Garth Ennis has gone too far, just when you thought it was safe to walk the streets, just when you thought no one would go near the idea of the world's first superhero prostitute...here comes The Pro! Reintroducing the outrageous story of The Pro in a deluxe oversized hardcover edition, plus an all-new, eight-page story by Garth Ennis, Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti! In "The Pro Meets The Ho," our plucky heroine comes up against a new and fearsome challenge: a super-powered "soiled dove" whose powers of perversion exceed the Pro's own! Find out who triumphs in this tussle of the tarts, as The Pro's creative team returns to the sticky-floored success that made them otherwise unemployable! You'll never go to the zoo again!

Product Details

• Hardcover: 72 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (November 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158240383X
• ISBN-13: 978-1582403830
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,694,575 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

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You have to read this to believe it, December 6, 2007

By 

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Pro (Paperback)

Garth Ennis is insane. Comic readers the world over familiar with his brilliant series Preacher, his run on Hellblazer, and current run on The Punisher and The Boys, already know all this. They also know that Ennis has a disdain for superheroes, of which he exploits to full extent with The Boys (an excellent new series that got the axe from DC/Wildstorm because of the portrayal of the "heroes", check it out now!), as well as with The Pro. The Pro begs the question, what would happen if a low-rent, run down prostitute was bestowed with superpowers? Well, we find out in graphic detail with The Pro, who also comes across a super hero team that takes themselves way too seriously (a brilliant and hysterical spoof of the Justice League), and Ennis proves that he knows how to craft a story that is hilarious, gross, and even somewhat poignant. The art by Amanda Conner is fantastic as well, which makes this newly re-released edition of the book all the sweeter. The regular story itself is too short for it's own good, which is probably why a new story, entitled The Pro Meets The Hoe, is included here as well, and is quite funny to boot. Simply put, you have to read it to believe it with The Pro, as it ranks as one of Ennis' funniest and most offensive tales to see the light of day. And that previous sentence should be reason enough to make you go out and pick up The Pro.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: Not For The Satire Impaired, December 27, 2004

By 

Brian C. Grindrod "Brindrod's Guano Shovel Co." (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Pro (Hardcover)

If the cover is not enough of an indication, the opening page certainly sets the tone for the rest of the story. Garth Ennis wastes no time and gives no warning for those who are satire impaired or are faint of heart. If you liked Preacher, you are going to l-o-v-e The Pro.

Only Ennis could execute a no holds barred story about the world's first super-hero prostitute with that over-the-top writing style of his that has made him famous ... or would that be infamous? Whatever opinion you may have of this prolific writer, this book is certainly not going to change it. When Ennis' creative mojo is riding high, no amount of praying or crying from the prudish is going to save the souls of the innocent comic book readers. If we are going to hell, we may as well enjoy the ride!

The protagonist has all the charm of trailer park trash. The kind that you frequently see on Fox Network's television series C. O. P. S. However, a cosmic bet endows her with superpowers. It is at that point in the script where Ennis cranks up the absurdity level and hilariously maintains it to the last page. From the League Of Honor that spoofs DC Comics' Justice League, Speedo's lightning fast masturbation session in the background panels to The Saint's eventual use of profanity, Ennis pokes fun at the super-hero genre and those that advocate its creative stagnation which redefines the term; Pushing-The-Envelope. I would even dare say that Ennis is blatantly defying and challenging the industry's self-imposed strangulating boundaries. Need I tell you that the foul language would make your grandmother weep?

This is my first exposure to Amanda Conner's art work. One could easily think that it is reminiscent of John McCrea's style in DC's Hitman series. I suppose it does tend to lean towards the iconic and subjective but that would be a disservice in describing the amount of detail that is found in each panel or their composure on each page. The character's exaggerated expressions and body language gives the much needed caricatured visual in delivering Ennis' script and dialogue to the reader. Although Brian Bolland, George Perez, Neil Adams and Alex Ross can deliver lifelike portrayals, they would have certainly been the wrong choice for the book.

The Pro may be on its way to becoming a historic comic book and landmark work of entertainment that you will enjoy reading often.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for everybody, but I liked it!, June 2, 2006

By 

H. N. Dohe (My Sanctum Sanctorium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pro (Hardcover)

When I first read this, it was like "WHOA! Can you DO that in a comic book?". Well, I guess you can. It's definitely a satire, and not everybody will find it to their liking. After all, she is a prostitute- and a cynical, nasty, profanity spouting one at that- who gets super powers. Amanda Conner gets the joke being pulled by Ennis, and her artwork is great at showing expressions that help provide the punchline. Others here have done a good job in summarizing the plot, so I won't belabor the point. If you're into off the wall comics that really push the boundaries, this one is for you. But if you think Archie and Pals are cool (who's hotter, Betty or Veronica?), skip this one.