They were right; this IS a worthwhile read

Preacher Vol. 1: Gone to Texas (collecting issue Nos. 1-7 of the original series)
DC/Vertigo
Creators: Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
Release date: March 14, 1996

Strap in, folks; it’s a lengthy post today.

I wasn’t much into Vertigo titles in 1996 when Preacher made its debut on comic store shelves. I was in the thick of buying mostly super-hero titles at the time. I was still holding onto buying New Titans in hopes the title would return to its former glory, and I was, of course, picking up Aquaman and Green Arrow at the time. Nightwing’s solo series had not come along quite yet, but most of the other Bat-books were on my pull list, including Robin. I was a regular buyer of the Superman titles at the time. Other DC titles I was grabbing included Damage, Darkstars, Deathstroke, Flash, Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, Legionnaires, Showcase and Wonder Woman. I was also picking up occasional issues of the Spider-Man titles with some regularity, as well as Dark Horse’s Ghost.

That’s not to say I was ignorant of the Vertigo titles. I bought and enjoyed the first several issues of Grant Morrison’s Animal Man before the magazine was even considered a Vertigo title. I was also vaguely aware of Swamp Thing, Sandman and Hellblazer, several other Vertigo greats. Likewise, shortly after the debut of Preacher, when the title really started to generate some buzz, I’d heard of it and had a simple awareness of the title’s existence. It just wasn’t something I had much interest in.

So why am I reading the title now? Because it came highly recommended. Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while know that I also listen to and enjoy a number of fine comics-themed podcasts. I like a number of shows out there and have gotten to know some of the various podcasters through their respective shows and through friending a number of them on Facebook.

I was recently listening to an episode of “Views from the Longbox” by Michael Bailey that featured guest hosts Andrew and Micheal Leyland of “Hey Kids, Comics!” The specific episode was No. 166 from October 15, 2013, and was titled “TC and the Chicken.” On this episode, the three co-hosts discussed the Preacher series in general, and focused specifically on the third story arc, “All In the Family.” All three gentlemen talked about the series in glowing terms.

For instance, Andrew Leyland, while describing the series as “depraved” also said that he followed Ennis and Dillon from Hellblazer to Preacher and considered the pair of creators “one of the best comic book teams ever.”

Leyland continued: “I can see how it wouldn’t be to everybody’s taste, but I think it’s genius. It is the single best piece of work in Vertigo’s history, and one of the best finite comic series ever.”

That’s pretty high praise indeed. And Leyland wasn’t alone in his opinion of the series.

Michael Bailey said, “The strength of the series is Garth Ennis’ ability to have you care about these characters and how he engages you as a reader. Even as messed up as this story can get, at heart, you still like these people and root for them.”

After hearing that kind of praise, I throw the question back: How could I not give it a try?

Again, while these guys talked a lot about the series as a whole in the episode, they focused on the third story arc of the series, specifically issue Nos. 8-12. But I can’t give something a genuine try starting in the middle of the series, so I started with this first trade, collecting the first two story arcs.

I’ve said before that I try to focus this blog on comics that I have enjoyed and can feel good about recommending to someone else. So it should come as no shock to regular readers that I enjoyed this first bit of Preacher very much, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing about it, and you wouldn’t be reading about it here.

Everybody has to decide for themselves about the level of gore, sex and language they want to accept in the comics they read, but I was expecting something a little more graphic from what I’d heard about the series before reading it. Maybe the series will get worse later on, and maybe my expectations were at a level where what I got in this first trade was not as bad as I feared. But I had no problem with what was shown and what happened “off panel.”

For anyone like myself who had not read Preacher before, the title character is Jesse Custer, a small-town Texas preacher who is suffering a bit of a crisis of faith when something miraculous/disastrous happens to him. Jesse’s transformation leaves him merged with Genesis, an angelic/demonic entity recently escaped from captivity in Heaven. The merger leaves Jesse with the Word of God, the ability to command others to do whatever he says, and they have no ability to resist. The merger of Jesse and Genesis leaves the rest of the town dead.

The death of everyone in a small Texas town brings Jesse to the attention of the police, as well as the Saint of Killers, another supernatural entity sent by Heaven to recapture Genesis. By chance, Jesse is first found by Tulip, a former girlfriend Jesse abandoned five years earlier, and Cassidy, an Irish vampire. Tulip and Cassidy first met the day before when Tulip failed at her initial attempt to pay off some debts by becoming a hitperson. Fleeing the ensuing gunfight, Tulip happens on Cassidy and begs for his help getting away.

The first story arc in the first Preacher trade introduces these three major players and the situation they find themselves in. The three fugitives must first deal with their initial pursuers, the Texas authorities and the Saint of Killers. In the course of doing this, they learn that God has left Heaven, and the three decide to seek out God to have a word with him about his behavior. This leads into the second story arc in the trade: Cassidy leads the trio to New York City, where they meet up with an old friend of his and try to gather intel on God’s possible whereabouts. Instead, they end up running afoul of a serial killer.

To be sure, this is some violent content, and there is plenty of swearing in the dialogue. Many people are killed and/or tortured in the course of these two story arcs, and there is a lot of graphic content some may find more disturbing than others. But again, from all I’d heard, I’d expected much worse than I got. I’ve also read Ennis’ later series, The Boys, which is also very violent and graphic. So Preacher didn’t bother me as much as I expected it might. Your tolerance may vary.

One thing that counters the graphic violence is the series’ sense of humor. Ennis can have a biting, nasty edge to his humor at times, too, to be sure, but there are some genuinely touching and simply humorous moments between the characters in this series, especially between the three leads. Ennis writes them as three-dimensional characters, not cookie-cutter caricatures of real people. The writing is often filled with subtle moments that counter the more over-the-top ones. Michael Bailey and the Leylands also mentioned the subtlety in Ennis’ writing for this series in their review, and I very much agree with that assessment after reading this first trade.

I’d never read Preacher before as it never seemed like a good match for my tastes, but after hearing this podcast enthusiastically recommending people give it a try, I decided to do just that. I enjoyed the first trade as I got to meet these three characters on their initial adventures together, and I’m looking forward to reading the next story arc, which Bailey and the Leylands covered so well in their podcast review, and beyond. If you’ve never read the series either, maybe this post will inspire you, too, to try Preacher.

Will there or won’t there be more? I hope there will

Near Death Vols. 1 and 2
Image Comics
Creators: Jay Faerber, Simone Guglielmini and Ron Riley
Release date: 2012

I guess I’m on a bit of a dark kick when you consider the last post was about the Netflix version of the Punisher and now this one is about a story about a hitman called Near Death. But it wasn’t planned that way. Instead, it all came about rather serendipitously.

I won’t go into my whole explanation of how I listen to podcasts here. In short, just know that I listen to a lot of older shows when I have a chance to listen. And sometimes, I will be inspired to try a book based on a podcaster’s thoughts and reactions to it. Such was the case recently when I heard a 2012 podcast review of the then-current Near Death series.

The series is about a hitman who gets shot and dies. Turns out his death was very brief but had a dramatic impact on the man. While dead on a makeshift operating table, the hitman sees what he believes to be hell. He comes back willing to do whatever it takes to balance the scales of his life in an effort to avoid ever going back to that place again. His solution, try to save people’s lives rather than taking them, ideally saving one person for every one of the many lives he’s cut short.

The concept piqued my curiosity. So next time I was placing my monthly order with my online comic shop, I decided to look for and found two collected editions of the series available among the back issue stock. I added them to my order and went on with my life. Then I got a small surprise the next month when I placed my next pre-order. There among the new solicits from Image Comics, the publisher of Near Death, was a solicitation for a forthcoming third trade. I added that to my order, and when the first two trades came, I set them aside to wait until I had the third in hand, too.

Obviously, I didn’t stop to consider the math of the situation right then. If the series was new in 2012, why would it just now be reaching the point of a third trade collection? I didn’t delve into that question until another month had passed by and I received word that the third Near Death trade had been canceled by the publisher. No mention of whether it was merely being delayed and would be resolicited or canceled due to lack of interest/orders.

So I finally researched that timing question. Turns out the 11 issues collected in the first two trades were the only issues of the ongoing series published before Near Death went on hiatus. The third trade I had seen solicited was intended as a standalone original graphic novel that would continue the story. If successful, a series of one-shots might have been the future of the stalled story. I certainly hope more are forthcoming as this is a great story. And the art is great, too. Artist Simone Guglielmini reportedly said he was trying to mimic the style of books like Criminal and Gotham Central, both of which I liked. So no surprise I like Near Death, too.

Markham, the hitman in the story, has few friends. That’s not surprising for someone who makes his living killing people. He does have a large number of work contacts, though. Many of those work contacts are less than thrilled by Markham’s change of heart when he starts saving people by thwarting some other hired killers’ efforts. Most heroes who work on behalf of others do so with the assistance of the police. That doesn’t work so well for Markham who is known as a contract killer by many law enforcement officials. All of these factors make it very challenging for Markham to live up to his new mission in life.

Near Death is written in an episodic format, with most issues being done-in-one tales. But Markham’s universe slowly grows over the course of the 11 issues as some folks who benefit from Markham’s new savior tendencies become recurring characters. Along the way, readers are given glimpses here and there into Markham’s past — nothing major, but little vignettes that help flesh out his character. And Faerber does his best to keep the story interesting, throwing some twists and turns I did not see coming. Many of the stories call into question conventional wisdom of right and wrong. This is the kind of story that leaves you thinking after you finish reading.

I’ll definitely be watching for future Near Death stories, and I sincerely hope I don’t have to wait long. This is a story worth telling and one I very much would like to continue reading. Can you hear me, Image Comics?

Update: Maybe Image Comics can't hear me, but Jay Faerber did. He tweeted this response to my tweet about this blog post when it went up: "We’re planning a new Near Death-related graphic novel. Stay tuned...!" So more is coming!

Once More Unto The Breach

The Comic Book Podcast Companion (2009)
TwoMorrows Publishing
Eric Houston, writer

Another prose volume discussed in another short post this week, but this was another great find.

I first mentioned my interest in podcasts, particularly comics-themed podcasts, a while back. I started with Word Balloon posts through Newsarama, and my appreciation grew from there. For a few of my favorites, you need look no further than the listing to the left.

It's hard to imagine too many fans who aren't already familiar with podcasts. But my own interest is only a few years old at this time, and new fans discover the joy of graphic literature all the time (I hope), so the topic bears another hashing, and this tome gives me the excuse.

Eric Houston explores the world of podcasting by interviewing the creators of several popular shows. They discuss how they got into podcasting, how they go about producing their shows, and what they think of the state of comics in general. Along the way, there are also some creator interviews, reflecting the penchant for comics podcasters to frequently interview creators. And there's plenty of art, putting faces to many of the familiar voices of podcasting.

I found the book an interesting look behind the scenes of some of my favorite shows and also found a few new shows to try. I borrowed this book from the library as it didn't seem like something I would return to again and again. Still, I'm glad I checked it out, and freely recommend it to any of you who haven't already given it a try.

Through The Magic Of The Internet

Comic-themed podcasts
Various creators and amateurs alike

I've mentioned before about buying comics I've heard about listening to comic-themed podcasts. I'm a bit of a late-comer to the whole podcast thing. My lovely wife got me my first iPod a few years ago as a gift. Then it was several months after receiving it before I tried to use it -- I'm a bit of a techno-phobe when it comes to new gadgets. But once I did finally try to use the iPod, I quickly began finding podcasts I thought I might like, loading them onto my iPod and listening to them when out walking the dog or doing household chores.

My first podcast was the excellent Word Balloon by John Siuntres, and my interest in that show predates my iPod gift. I discovered this interview-style show through the Newsarama website and had been listening to it at work during slow periods whenever a new episode was uploaded there.

I very much appreciated the interview format of the show where Siuntres asks creators about their current and past projects. Of course, my interest in the show was greatest when the featured creator was someone whose work I enjoyed or who had a forthcoming project I was looking forward to. But over time, I came to appreciate Siuntres' style and professionalism and gave episodes a listen even if I knew little about a specific guest.

Once I got my iPod (and got brave enough to try it out), I quickly came across other shows I liked. One of the first of these was Comic Zone Radio, hosted most often by Vincent Zurzolo. I didn't always like Zurzolo's interview style as much, as he sometimes tended to talk over his guests, interrupting their recollections with his own, but the show was still entertaining to listen to, and I enjoyed several of them a great deal.

I tend to favor the interview-style podcasts rather than story reviews of current comics. I like hearing the insights of the creators responsible for books I've collected and enjoyed, and some of the podcasts I listened to early on included not only current creators, but legends in the field from previous decades. I've still never been to a comics convention large enough to have big-name creators present, so this was a chance to hear some of their thoughts and musings.

There's another reason I mostly avoid review-style programs, and it requires an admission about the anal nature of my geekiness: each time I find a new podcast, I have to download and start listening from the earliest episode available. Hence, I haven't heard many current episodes; the bulk of what I am listening to most recently comes from the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008! From time to time there might be an episode that talks about some big book from the past I'm curious to hear thoughts about, but I'm less interested in a show that talks solely about whatever books came out the week the episode in question was released. I just don't have enough time to listen to everything if I'm ever going to get caught up to the more recent shows!

Another type of show I discovered and liked are ones similar to this very blog, only in audio form -- programs where the podcaster(s) in question simply talks about comics or pop culture in general, his or her love of the medium and other related themes. Some great examples of this kind of podcast are Fire & Water: The Official Podcast of The Aquaman Shrine and Firestorm Fan, Half Hour Wasted and Views From the Longbox. The folks who do these shows are easy to listen to, generally around my age (though often a little younger) and therefore often fans of some of the same comics I like.

Most of the shows I subscribe to are downloaded through iTunes, but there are some new links to the left for some of the shows that have their own websites. The list at left is not a complete list by any means, but there are some great shows among the ones available through these sites.

Now (to paraphrase Bill Cosby), I told you all of that to give you a little background for another story, for which you'll have to wait until next time. Hope to "see" you then.

Peeling Onions Makes Me Cry; But They're Tears Of Joy

Last time in the bullet reviews, I briefly talked about a book called Wolfskin. While not a bad tale, really, there just wasn't enough in the main protagonist of the story to make me care enough to come back for more. Today, we're going to discuss a similarly sparse book that doesn't reveal too much about its main characters too quickly, but which got the opposite reaction from me. There wasn't much back story here at all, but what I did get only made me hungry for more.

But before we get into the book itself, let's first discuss how I came to try the book. I'm not exactly a podcast newbie, but I also had very limited experience with them before about 18 months ago. I follow comic-related news on Newsarama, among other sites, and had seen and heard Word Balloon by John Siuntres, but had only listened to current episodes on my computer. Then my lovely wife, Cathy, bought me my first iPod just over a year ago. I started listening to previous Word Balloon episodes, but iTunes also introduced me to a number of other great comic-themed podcasts. They make great listening while I'm out walking the dog around the neighborhood trying to lose a few pounds.

One of these podcasts, I apologize but I forget which one specifically, included a lengthy interview with Richard Starkings of Comicraft and, of course, dealt with his then new book Elephantmen. I'd heard of Elephantmen before and was curious about the concept. Most reviews I'd heard or read were quite favorable. But hearing Starkings himself talk about the book made me really want to try and like it.

So I bought the first trade collecting the first seven issues of Elephantmen.

The story takes place a few hundred years in the future. There are genetically engineered animals who walk upright, wear clothing and speak living among humans. They are not an unusual sight for the time period, but neither are they universally accepted as equals by all men. They were originally created to be soldiers, and were for some time considered to be the property of the company which created them. That ended suddenly when the government decided that the elephantmen were being mistreated by their corporate masters (which was true) and decided to set them free ("OK, you're free; have a nice life; don't call us for help.") Oh, and despite the name "elephantmen," they aren't all anthropomorphized elephants; there's an elephant, a rhino, a hippo, a warthog, a crocodile and a camel that I've seen prominently, and there's a zebra on the cover.

That's kind of the nuts and bolts of what I know so far. Like I said earlier, not a lot of info. And all of that was gathered in the initial premise and in dribs and drabs of back story as it become relevant to the current storyline. Starkings does an excellent job of filling you in just what you need to know when you need to know it, but making the back story stuff fit seemlessly into the story arc. You learn about these characters' pasts like you would a real person's -- a bit at a time. But what he has revealed makes me want to know more.

For instance, I've learned that the hippo, Agent Hip Flask who works for some government sponsored organization, has had one or two story arcs that precede the Elephantmen title. He seems like a very interesting character, so I definitely want to go back and check out the Hip Flask trades. The main focus character in this trade is the elephant, Ebony, who works with Hip Flask. But we also follow the croc, Elijah, a less than likable hired-muscle kind of guy, and the rhino, Obadiah, who appears to be a captain of industry, but in the modern Lex Luthor vein.

Theirs is a layered tale. On the surface, not much has happened in these first seven issues. Ebony meets a little human girl, who later comes to see him in the hospital after he has been hurt on a mission and she has run away from home. Hip, on another mission, is waylaid by Elijah, and winds up in the hospital through the timely assistance of a young cabbie, who later comes to check up on him. These two humans serve as the reader's point-of-view characters as we learn more about Ebony and Hip, both through what they share with their new-found friends, and what they keep secret. Along the way, we're also given glimpses of the near past for these elephantmen, as well as more insights into the personalities of Elijah and Obadiah. Starkings packs a lot into each of these issues, and the art by Moritat and others is just incredible.

This trade is well worth checking out, and as I said previously, has prompted me to seek out more. I have the second Elephantmen trade on order; the third will be solicited soon, I believe; and I also plan to seek out Hip Flask: Unnatural Selection and Hip Flask: Concrete Jungle.

Good comics, Kiddie Cops!