Preacher (comics)
A preacher bonds with a supernatural entity to find God.
Preacher is an adult supernatural comic from the United States, created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon. The story centers on a disillusioned preacher from Texas who becomes linked to a biblical entity and sets off across America with the goal of tracking down God himself. The series ran from 1995 to 2000 under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. It gained acclaim for its dark humor and satirical take on religion, and in 1999 it won the Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series.
The entire run includes 75 issues: 66 regular monthly issues, five one-shot specials, and a four-issue limited series titled *Preacher: Saint of Killers*. An epilogue to the story later appeared in Ennis’s other series *The Boys* in February 2009. A television adaptation aired on AMC from 2016 to 2019, spanning 43 episodes across four seasons.
The plot follows Jesse Custer, a preacher in the small Texas town of Annville. He is accidentally possessed by a creature called Genesis, the offspring of an angel and a demon—an unnatural union. Because Genesis is made of both pure good and pure evil, its power could rival God’s, making Jesse, bonded to it, potentially the most powerful being in existence. Driven by a strong moral compass, Jesse travels the United States trying to find God, who abandoned Heaven the moment Genesis was born. Along the way, he learns the extent of his new ability: when he wills it, anyone who hears and understands his words must obey him. He is joined by his ex-girlfriend Tulip O’Hare and a hard-drinking Irish vampire named Cassidy.
Their journey brings them into conflict with a range of enemies, both sacred and profane. These include the Saint of Killers—an invincible, quick-drawing angel of death who answers only to “He Who Sits On The Throne”—a disfigured suicide survivor turned rock star named Arseface, a serial killer known as the Reaver-Cleaver, the Grail (a secret organization that controls world governments and protects Jesus’s bloodline), the Grail’s megalomaniac enforcer Herr Starr (who has a taste for prostitutes and wants to use Jesse for his own ends), several fallen angels, and Jesse’s own redneck family—especially his nasty Cajun grandmother, her formidable bodyguard Jody, and the zoophilic T.C.
The collected edition *Preacher: Dead or Alive* (ISBN 9781563898488) compiles Fabry’s cover art for the series.
Adaptation attempts began when Gar
- creator(s)
- Garth Ennis (writer), Steve Dillon (artist)
- publisher
- DC Comics' Vertigo imprint
- publication_years
- 1995–2000
- total_issues
- 75 (66 regular, 5 one-shot specials, 4-issue Preacher: Saint of Killers limited series)
- awards
- Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series (1999)
- genre
- Adult supernatural, dark humor, religious satire
Lore & Background
Preacher tells the story of Jesse Custer, a preacher in the small Texas town of Annville. Custer is accidentally possessed by the supernatural creature named Genesis, the infant of the unauthorized, unnatural coupling of an angel and a demon. Genesis has no sense of individual will, but since it is composed of both pure goodness and pure evil, its power might rival that of God Himself, making Jesse Custer, bonded to Genesis, potentially the most powerful being in the universe. Driven by a strong sense of right and wrong, Custer journeys across the United States attempting to literally find God, who abandoned Heaven the moment Genesis was born. He also begins to discover the truth about his new powers, allowing him, when he wills it, to command the obedience of those who hear and comprehend his words. He is joined by old girlfriend Tulip O'Hare, as well as a hard-drinking Irish vampire named Cassidy.
During the course of their journeys, the three encounter enemies and obstacles both sacred and profane, including The Saint of Killers, an invincible, quick-drawing, perfect-aiming, come-lately Angel of Death answering only to 'He Who Sits On The Throne'; a disfigured suicide attempt survivor turned rock-star named Arseface; a serial-killer called the 'Reaver-Cleaver'; The Grail, a secret organization controlling the governments of the world and protecting the bloodline of Jesus; Herr Starr, primary enforcer for The Grail, a megalomaniac with a penchant for prostitutes, who wishes to use Custer for his own ends; several fallen angels; and Jesse's own redneck family — particularly his nasty Cajun grandmother, her mighty bodyguard Jody, and the Zoophilic T.C.
Reader's Guide
Preacher is significant for its bold religious satire and dark humor, winning the Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series in 1999. The series influenced Stephen King's comic book series The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born. A television adaptation aired on AMC for 43 episodes over four seasons from 2016 to 2019. The series also saw multiple adaptation attempts, including a film project that struggled with financing due to religious controversy, and a pilot commissioned by HBO in 2006 that was ultimately abandoned. An epilogue to Preacher was published in Ennis' subsequent series The Boys in February 2009. The character Yorick from Y: The Last Man carries a Zippo lighter with the words 'Fuck Communism' engraved, identical to the one owned by Jesse Custer in Preacher, referencing the series. The series' legacy endures through its collected editions and its influence on later works.
Did You Know?
- The series consists of 75 issues: 66 regular monthly issues, five one-shot specials, and a four-issue Preacher: Saint of Killers limited series.
- An epilogue to Preacher was published in Garth Ennis' subsequent series The Boys in February 2009.
- A television adaptation aired on AMC for 43 episodes over four seasons from 2016 to 2019.
- Stephen King has said that his comic book series The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born was influenced by Preacher.
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