garth ennis

As someone who thought she was a dude in the late 1990s, Preacher was the comic I looked forward to every month more than any other. As someone who knows she isn’t a dude in the mid-2010s, I’m looking back on this series and examining what still works, what doesn’t work, and what its lasting legacy is. If Gone to Texas was the fizzle, Until the End of the World is the bang. The second collection, by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, with colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Clem Robbins, and covers by Glenn Fabry, includes issues #8 through #17, and it's where Preacher truly takes off for me, all because of the lead-in story, which gives the collection its title.

As someone who thought she was a dude in the late 1990s, Preacher was the comic I looked forward to every month more than any other. As someone who knows she isn’t a dude in the mid-2010s, I’m looking back on this series and examining what still works, what doesn’t work, and what its lasting legacy is. Created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, with colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Clem Robbins, and covers by Glenn Fabry, Preacher launched in 1995 from Vertigo. The first trade paperback, Gone To Texas, was published in 1996. The series is now being adapted for the screen as a TV series on AMC, and it was the moment that Jesse Custer pulled out a cellphone in the Preacher pilot that I realized that the mid-'90s were a long time ago.

Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's Preacher is the new biggest show on televison, and its debut episode on AMC this week has everyone talking about Jesse Custer and the town of Annville, Texas. It seems all popular television shows and films these days receive a line of Funko Pop vinyl figures at some point, and Preacher is no exception, but the upcoming line of three is missing one major character.

AMC’s Preacher follows small-town Texas pastor Jesse Custer, his former partner-in-crime Tulip, and a foul-mouthed Irish vampire named Cassidy as they attempt to find God in a godless world. Matt Wilson, a devotee of the Vertigo comic series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, and Elle Collins, a returning parishioner with a dose of skepticism, are checking in to see what they find on the dusty trail in ComicsAlliance’s new recap series, Gospel Truth. In this week’s “Pilot,” Jesse tries to help a family in crisis, Tulip performs near-unbelievable acts of derring do with household crafts, and Cassidy jumps right out of a plane. Also, a divine force causes some people to explode. The episode was directed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, from a story by Goldberg, Rogen and Sam Catlin, who also wrote the teleplay.

What a week! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to sit back and read some comics. The weekend is finally here, and the world can relax and rest once more — but the comics industry has been busy too, you know, and the last seven days have seen a flurry of comics-based news and announcements fly past at high speed. ComicsAlliance has got your back, though: when it comes to comics, we never slow down, so here’s a look back and just what’s been going on. New comics, new stories, new podcasts, new art being made — it’s all part of the ComicsAlliance Weekender!

When Garth Ennis and John McCrea's Hitman concluded in 2001, it ended in such a way that it seemed like that would be the last we saw of the titles eclectic cast of characters. That's why it was so surprising when DC revived some of the more out-there Hitman supporting characters last year in a brand new miniseries All-Star Section Eight, which saw Ennis and McCrea return to tell new stories starring the Z-list superheroes of Hitman trying to make it in the big leagues. Now it seems that wasn't the last we'd hear from that corner of the DC Universe either, as DC has announced a new miniseries starring Section Eight's breakout characters by Ennis and his longtime collaborator Russ Braun.

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is in theaters worldwide right now, and whether you loved or hated it, it's certainly an interesting take on The Caped Crusader and The Man of Tomorrow. A great many independent comics have taken the core ideas of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and other iconic characters and given them a unique spin that could only be explored outside the confines of DC Comics mainstream continuity. If you're looking for superhero stories with a bit of an edge, we've got five of the best to recommend to you.

If, like us, you've spent the past weekend binging on Netflix's second season of Daredevil and reveling in all the superhero exploits, ninja action and all-around punishment, you probably still haven't had your fill. While there are great Daredevil runs from the likes of Frank Miller and Mark Waid that you could read to get more of a hornhead fix, what are you supposed to do if you've read all of them too? We've got five of the best independent comics to try next if you can't get enough of the Man Without Fear.

In a 2011 interview with The Irish Times, writer Garth Ennis described Preacher, his acclaimed Vertigo series with artist Steve Dillon, in two words: "It's blasphemy." It's hard to find a more succinct summary of the series, which ran for 66 regular issues, plus a few specials and a Saint of Killers mini-series, all starting with the first issue on February 28, 1995. Yet there was a lot more to it: an enduring love story, a handful of shocking twists, John Wayne's words of wisdom, a takedown of entrenched power structures, and a very dark sense of humor.

The Walking Dead has proven to be possibly the biggest crossover hit from indie comics to the mainstream, and is one of those special television shows that feels like an event that you have to talk to someone about as soon as it’s over. Now in its sixth season, with the comic just passing the 150 issue mark, The Walking Dead as a franchise is a runaway success that shows no signs of stopping, even producing its own TV spin-off in Fear the Walking Dead. If you’re a fan of the shows, the comic, or both, we’ve got some recommendations for other comics you might want to pick up next.