BOOK TITLE: Preacher, Vol. 8: All Hell’s A-Coming
AUTHOR: Garth Ennis
YEAR: 1999
GENRE: Graphic Novel
SUBGENRE: Horror
GRADE: Pass
After six months of drug-induced sex with Cassidy, Tulip
O’Haire escapes the devious vampire’s clutches and reunites with the one she
truly loves, Reverend Jesse Custer. The two of them clear up their
misunderstandings and their relationship becomes stronger for it. Now all
that’s left is for Jesse to ask around town about how dark of a past Cassidy
truly has. Meanwhile, the Grail still have plans to assassinate Jesse. Plus, a
certain disfigured recording artist faces backlash for his “controversial”
messages. All of this will come to a head in the ninth and final installment of
Preacher. But for now, enjoy this violent appetizer.
When I first started reading this volume, I expected it to
suffer from the same problems as its seventh predecessor. I thought it was
going to be yet another hackneyed drama with all of the “good stuff”
conveniently left out. By the time I got to the horsemeat storyline, I was
proven dead wrong. In fact, the way those horses were butchered wasn’t at all
“deliciously violent”. It was downright disturbing. While I never like to see
animals treated in that way, I do appreciate being unsettled and uncomfortable
during a series that prided itself on offensive content. The horse butchers
were the villains of that storyline, so watching them get their rightful
beatings was well worth the discomfort.
That doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate the dramatic aspects
of this graphic novel. On the contrary, I loved seeing Jesse and Tulip back
together again. Not only is their romance a healthy one, but they’re also equal
when it comes to beating up the bad guys. They’re both good with guns, they’re
both vicious brawlers, and they both do their fair share of rescuing each
other. It makes Cassidy look even more disgusting when you realize just what
kind of a person he really is. He tried to keep Tulip for himself, but Tulip
saw right through the lies and put a bullet through his chest. She’s a keeper,
but only for Jesse Custer.
Speaking of our dear friend Cassidy, the way his
acquaintances describe him to Jesse is another part of the Preacher series that
could be considered disturbing. For the first few editions, he was a fun-loving
friend who’d never stab his friends in the back. In this edition, he’s
described as a selfish jerk who disrespects women, spends money on drugs, and
has no room in his heart for love. I hated Cassidy so much after hearing this
that I wanted Jesse to exact his revenge right then and there. But that’s what
makes Cassidy such a convincing shades-of-gray villain: he can manipulate his
way out of any dangerous situation. He’s the kind of creep you’d see on Dr.
Phil’s show. Or Jerry Springer’s show, either one would be fine.
All in all, this was a fun little comic book even though it
didn’t have nearly as many of the screwed up moments as its predecessors. I
have a feeling we’ll get more of those in the final volume. For what it’s
worth, I’m looking forward to that final volume. Will Jesse finally put God in
his place? Will Cassidy get the comeuppance he deserves? Will the Grail finally
assassinate Jesse in a nuclear fallout showdown? What will become of Tulip if
she loses her boyfriend again? I legitimately want to know the answers to these
questions and this graphic novel put me in that mood. Another passing grade for
you, Garth Ennis!
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