Garth Ennis
Preacher: Gone to Texas (1996)
Author: Garth Ennis
Genre: Graphic Novel (Dark Fantasy)
Plot Summary:
Meet Jesse Custer: Not your average preacher. Jesse has the power of Genesis, an angel/demon being, inside him and is on the hunt to find God and get some answers. Travelling with him is Cassidy, an Irish vampire with an dark and dirty sense of humor, and Tulip, Jesse's ex-girlfriend who is always carrying a gun. The story begins with Jesse, Cassidy and Tulip in a diner and Jesse begins to tell them the background story of how he has the word of a God, literally. A demon and an angel fell in love, had sex, and made a child which is Genesis. The Adelphi Angels, left hand of Heaven's throne, were left in charge of this being but it got loose and went into Jesse. Now the Saint of Murderers and Assassins is after Jesse to get Genesis. Also apparently God has quit so the Seraphi, the Archangel Warriors (right hand of Heaven's throne) are currently in charge of Heaven. When Jesse hears this news from the Adelphi, he begins his hunt for God to find out what in the world is going on and how he can possibly be allowed to up and quit. Cops are also after Jesse because of his church bursting into flames when Genesis went into his body. Jesse, with Cassidy and Tulip in tow, are on the run from the crazy Saint and the cops. The trio eventually makes their way to New York City. Their plan is to meet up with Cassidy's friend Si who is a great researcher into strange matters and may be able to help. In the background, New York cops Bridges and Tool are investigating a serial killer that sends people random body parts in the mail. One night Si says that he has found someone that may be able to help and he is called The Big Man. Jesse, Tulip, and Si go to this person's place. Cassidy stays in Si's apartment because it is daylight out. SPOILER: Cassidy's friend Si is actually the serial killer the cops are looking for in New York. He set up everyone. A SWAT team is at his place where Cassidy is and he sent Jesse into the home of Detective Bridges (where some strange domintrix stuff is going on) while Tulip is left in the car with him. Cassidy plays dead for the SWAT team, Detective Tool shows up to arrest Si, Jesse uses the word of God to invoke death upon Si, and Detective Bridges says he's gay. Cassidy and Jesse part ways and Jesse and Tulip head back to Texas.
Geographical Setting: Texas and New York
Time Period: Contemporary (1990s)
Series: Vol. 1 containing issues 1-7
Appeal Characteristics:
This is not a series for the faint of heart. The artwork is by Steve Dillon and is incredibly detailed and realistic which also means it's pretty gory. The pace is very fast and a definite page-turner. I could not put this book down and have gone on to read the rest of the series in a devouring sort-of manner. The reader is following the trio on a whirlwind of a roadtrip from Texas to New York and back again running from all sorts of dangers. The writing style focuses on the dialogue with a small amount of narration. Our main narrator is Jesse Custer but we also have a couple of other points of view including the Adelphi angels and Detective Tool in New York. The setting doesn't seem to be all that important. The reader knows where the characters are but the artwork and storyline doesn't really focus on their whereabouts. We really only get one detailed blurb of scenary when Jesse and Cassidy go visit the Empire State Building in New York. The tone is dark but also witty. Despite all of these factors working against them, the characters still have a sense of humor and there are moments when you can't help but laugh out loud at some of their one-liners. There is a little bit of character development in the three main characters but it is hinted that there will be much more to come in the following issues. The reader can't help but relate to these characters because even though they have been dealt a terrible hand in life, they are still trying to do what they believe is the right thing especially on this quest to find God. Garth Ennis does an interesting take on the typical good vs. evil theme. There isn't much in this series that is the epitome of good, some people are just not as bad as they could be.
Read-alikes: If you like Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon as a pair then The Punisher Vol. 1: Welcome Back, Frank might be another good series of theirs to check out. Steve Dillon adds his distinct touch in regards to detailed artwork. Frank Castle is similar to Jesse Custer in the sense that they are both on a one-tract mission. In this story, the Punisher has returned to New York City to continue his goal to wipe out the crime on the streets. However, many are not happy about this and are out to get him. The tone is also dark and has Ennis's touch of humor in it. Both Preacher and The Punisher were said to have a Tarantino sort-of feel to them. Another comic not for the faint of heart is Transmetropolitan: Back on the Street by Warren Ellis. Set in the near future where there is a dystopian view of modern society whichcaters to a person's every desires and many are corrupt, the tone is obviously very dark. The protagonist, Spider Jerusalem is in general pissed off and is forced to return to the city that he hates. Through his weekly column he manages to see people's true selves in the world similar to Preacher finding the most corrupt in people we wouldn't normally picture in that manner. The artwork is also very detailed and colorful and Steve Dillon did a few issues in this series as well. Y: The Last Man Standing: Unmanned by Brian K. Vaughn is a series which has the protagonist Yorick Brown being the only man left on the planet. The story is said to be fast-paced and an engrossing page turner due to the survival of the fittest mentality to be the last man standing. The characterization is also built upon like Preacher especially due to it being an involved series. Johnny Nemo: Existentialist Hitman of the Future by Peter Milligan and Brett Ewins is filled with gore, vulgarity and all around weirdness. Johnny Nemo is a private detective in a futuristic setting of London. He has a fondness for firepower. Although he might possibly kick Jesse Custer's butt, they both are some pretty tough protagonists. It helps that Jesse Custer has the word of God on his side. Another graphic novel that is filled with dark humor and keeping the reader on the edge of their seats with excitement, shock, and dread. The artwork is also extremely graphic and includes one piece by Steve Dillon. Constantine: Hellblazer: Original Sins by Jamie Delano features the early years of John Constantine who is a British occultist with a somewhat interesting take on morals. Similar to Jesse Custer, he only manages to beat the bad guys due to a supernatural power. The pace is also fast with Constantine coming up against demon after demon. There is a similar play on theme to Preacher's interesting twist with good vs. evil mainly because the reader is shown that Constantine is supposedly neutral in regards to such things. Garth Ennis eventually took over this series for a little while beginning with Issue 41. However, some background information would most likely be helpful so it is recommended to begin with Jamie Delano's issues first.
Red Flags: Extremely graphic violence, sex, vulgar language, blasphemy
The Punisher: MAX: In the Beginning (2005)
Author: Garth Ennis - Writer, Lewis Larosa- Penciler, Tom Palmer - Inker
Genre: Graphic Novel (Crime)/Suspense (Hard-boiled)
Plot Summary:
Frank Castle (Punisher) lost his wife and three kids to a random act of violence in 1976. He has been waging a personal war against any and all criminals ever since; leaving countless numbers of corpses along the way. In this Garth Ennis authored run on the Marvel Max label, the Punisher is handed an opportunity by chance to wipe out most of the head mafia guys from around the country. Don Massimo is having a party to celebrate his 100th birthday. With no expense being spared mafia capos from all over the country are attending. With all the guards in attendance at the party the Punisher walks in unabated and shoots the Don in the face at point blank range. In the ensuing chaos, the punisher turns and walks away through the front door. As the Don’s men regain their senses they chase the Punisher only to fall into his trap. As they pile onto the lawn the Punisher pulls out the m-60 machine gun and riddles his pursuers with belt after belt of bullets. When He finishes he simply walks away. As the mafia regroups and begins to have funerals for the dead, he sets the second part of his plan in motion. He shows up and waits for the remaining capos to congregate away from the women and children and fires a well placed bazooka round to finish the job. SPOILER: During this entire time an old associate, Micro (punisher’s old arms dealer and confidant); with some C.I.A. agents are following the Punisher waiting to capture him. The C.I.A. wants the Punisher to hunt terrorists in the Middle East under the government radar as part of a black ops mission. While in the aftermath three mafia exiles return to pick up the pieces of the all but destroyed mafia. Micro gets close enough to the Punisher to take him down with a shotgun using stun shells. He is taken to a place and offered the chance to “do some real good.” He refuses. The mafia meanwhile is planning to attack the building where the Punisher is being held and kill him. However this attempt creates enough chaos for the Punisher to talk Micro into releasing him. After a brief skirmish in the building the surviving mafia men retreat to regroup. The Punisher leads them and the C.I.A, who is also in pursuit, to a safe house he has well stocked with guns for him to take them all on. As the mafia attack he takes them all out, but they manage to get someone into the building to take out the Punisher from behind. The mafia man wounds Micro leaving him literally gutted on the floor and then the Punisher takes the mafia man in a short fight ending with the mafia man being thrown from a second story window and impaling him on a spiked metal fence. He then cleans up the rest of the surviving attackers, the C.I.A. agent in charge is purposely dumped from the helicopter he was in and the Punisher finishes him off. The Punisher then returns to Micro and finds out that this C.I.A. operation was being funded by the sale of Heroin. Micro tries to condone this as people will always want what the law denies, but the Punisher explains that it is still a crime, destroys lives, and Micro should have known better. He then kills Micro.
Geographical Setting: New York
Time Period: Early 2000's Post 9/11/2001
Series: Collects issues 1-6 of The Punisher (Marvel Max Comics)
Appeal Characteristics:
First and for most this is a well written hardnosed thriller of a graphic novel. Straight forward writing, with well characterized dialogue for each character and it is gritty. It is extremely vulgar, but not at all out of place given the story and characters. The main character the Punisher is very well flushed out. His back story is glossed over, due to the expectation of fans being familiar with the story, but this does not detract from new readers just starting out. The character is further developed with interior monologues describing his thoughts and motives. The plot is extreme as well and falls more into the superhero realm in the sense that it is unbelievable what the Punisher does and how he does it, but he has no superpowers. He is just a vigilantly. The setting adds to the grittiness of the book set in essentially the underbelly of New York City. The art work is very detailed and dark. The coloring/inking is very painting like, very high quality. The penciling is very clean and highly detailed.
Read-alikes: Fans of Garth Ennis’ The Punisher should first look to other Marvel Max Comics titles. The first choice for those looking for something similar to The Punisher would be Foolkiller by Gregg Hurwitz. According to Marvel.com, this title entails practically everything a Punisher fan could want. Vigilantism, coarse language, graphically depicted violence, with very similar style of art to The Punisher . Basically the similar story line, highly detailed and gritty art work, and hardnosed writing. For those wanting a less vulgar experience, Daredevil vol. 2 by Brian Bendis is perfect. While this title is a superhero vigilantly, given powers due to toxic waste exposure, it is just as hardnosed and thrilling as The Punisher . The art by Alex Maleev is also outstanding. It takes the same high quality gritty approach, but takes it up a notch with clean detailed scenes of a grainy and dirty New York City and beyond. At Amazon.com the reviews were split as to the art, but those who do not enjoy Maleev’s work, probably would not like The Punisher ’s art either, however all touted the story telling of this thriller as some of the best in the business. An obvious choice for those who want to look into the history of where the ideas for flawed heroes came from should look to the classic Watchmen by Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons. While the art is very different; very colorful and vibrant, but still highly detailed (similar to The Punisher ), the writing and character development is almost second to none. Moore takes readers inside the heads of these characters and fully flushes each main character out. This story of costumed vigilantes is a gritty story about non-powered (all except one), normal, flawed individuals trying to make the world a safer place. Library Journal hails this work as a deftly scripted, gritty tale that brought a more realistic and mature approach to comic writing. The Losers vol. 1 by Andy Diggle is similar to The Punisher in a couple of ways according to Publisher’s Weekly. It is about a unit of ex-C.I.A. operatives fed up with their immoral commanders and corrupt government (similar to the Punishers experiences during the Vietnam War) taken to vigilantism in an effort to clean up the wrongs of the world. According to reader reviews on amazon.com it is described as a thrilling story of self-realization and intrigue written in the style of Garth Ennis. The art maybe a turn off for some as it is more color popping and less detailed than The Punisher . And for those looking for something and original creation in the vein of the vigilante, do-gooder realm should check out Global Frequency vol. 1 : Planet Ablaze by Warren Ellis. This is an elaborate and well crated tale of a worldwide syndicate of vigilantes that are self-proclaimed defenders of the world, according to noflyingnotights.com. The main reoccurring characters are given full treatment over the course of the story. Reader reviews on amazon.com note the gritty art work, well crafted dialogue in relation to the very different cast of characters, and the save the world at all costs nature of the story.
Red Flags: Explict Language, Explicit Violence, Sexual Situations
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