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A review by steveatwaywords
Preacher: The 25th Anniversary Omnibus, Vol. 2 by Steve Dillon, Garth Ennis
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This review is for both Volume 1 and Volume 2, Preacher Compleat, as is were.
Much as already been said of the series' audacity in events, language, violence, and the like. It's a hard R-rated work or worse. If that's not for you, move on, and quickly. Don't look back.
But the most important part of Preacher is its ambition. It assembles some of the most wild assortment of characters, builds thick backstories both grubby and/or divine, and works to make them gel in a great arching 66-issue series of adventures (75 when you add in the "extras"). Few take on so much or do it with such obvious glee and abandon.
That said, abandon is often also reckless, and there are plenty of moments where the story falls to weaker tropes and turns: super-governmental conspiracies, hyperbolic and offensive characterizations, and too-simply motivated divinities all live here, all too predictable, even lazy in their conception. When combined, the primary storyline strikes us as too basic, without nuance of even much complexity, and a first-year divinity or civics student might imagine something more. By around the 1400th page of reading, I was nodding wearily at yet another round of the Rocky and Bullwinkle show with the Grail, placing bets on which body part Herr Starr would lose this time.
So it doesn't always work as story. What multi-year graphic series does? Where Preacher is at its best is with the troubled collisions between its three protagonists. Each has the spotlight at length and even then we don't know if we've understood them completely (in fact, they realistically surprise themselves even to the end), and I found myself desiring even more of them (despite a possession, a betrayal, a few addictions, or the odd resurrection here and there).
Preacher probably solidified Ennis's career going forward, and with good reason. It's a bit of a niche sell for its controversial art and writing, but it's that same quality that makes it stand apart (only works like Saga might compare IMO). Wisely, too, though, Ennis resolves the lengthy work on its strongest characters and sets even its divine scale aside for them. . I left, unexpectedly, satisfied.
Much as already been said of the series' audacity in events, language, violence, and the like. It's a hard R-rated work or worse. If that's not for you, move on, and quickly. Don't look back.
But the most important part of Preacher is its ambition. It assembles some of the most wild assortment of characters, builds thick backstories both grubby and/or divine, and works to make them gel in a great arching 66-issue series of adventures (75 when you add in the "extras"). Few take on so much or do it with such obvious glee and abandon.
That said, abandon is often also reckless, and there are plenty of moments where the story falls to weaker tropes and turns: super-governmental conspiracies, hyperbolic and offensive characterizations, and too-simply motivated divinities all live here, all too predictable, even lazy in their conception. When combined, the primary storyline strikes us as too basic, without nuance of even much complexity, and a first-year divinity or civics student might imagine something more. By around the 1400th page of reading, I was nodding wearily at yet another round of the Rocky and Bullwinkle show with the Grail, placing bets on which body part Herr Starr would lose this time.
So it doesn't always work as story. What multi-year graphic series does? Where Preacher is at its best is with the troubled collisions between its three protagonists. Each has the spotlight at length and even then we don't know if we've understood them completely (in fact, they realistically surprise themselves even to the end), and I found myself desiring even more of them (despite a possession, a betrayal, a few addictions, or the odd resurrection here and there).
Preacher probably solidified Ennis's career going forward, and with good reason. It's a bit of a niche sell for its controversial art and writing, but it's that same quality that makes it stand apart (only works like Saga might compare IMO). Wisely, too, though, Ennis resolves the lengthy work