... namely mine to the series.

I've read the first five books so far, and what I like I like a lot: the plot, the grotesque imagination, the sheer exhilaration of "They didn't just do *that*, did they?". John Wayne. And Cassidy. Especially Cassidy.

At the same time, I think that a lot of it is puerile and out to shock a certain audience in a rather smug, self-satisfied way. And I hated much of book 4, especially the Good Old Boys storyline. I dislike the reactionary elements, or at least what I'd see as reactionary - this Frank Millerish "This guy deserves to be humiliated and then killed in a gruesome, disgusting, horrible way, and you're supposed to go 'Fuck, yeah!' because he deserves it!" thing.

Should I go on reading it? And what's your take on the books?

I thought the first two books were a really nice ride. I was really engrossed in Jessie getting away from, was it his grandma? My sis caught on to Preacher and even my brother, who hardly ever touches a comic got caught up in it. It was good stuff.

After awhile, it seemed like Ennis was doing shock for shock sake though. The story got away from me and Steve Dillon's art just started grating at me. Dillon's fine for awhile, but then everybody started looking the same to me, men and women alike.

I quit after book four I think. I won't go into specifics as to where exactly I lost interest in the story because, all I know there was something that made me stop following it.

I just know I stopped following what started out as a title I really liked.

Yeah, but, Arseface.

From now on I am appointing Thirith to perform reading tests for me, so I won't wast my time with stuf fI won't like coz he is clearly living inside my brain.

Thirith... right with you, buddy.

I think in the 8/9 volumes of Preacher, there's maybe a 3 volume story of stripped down brilliance, surrounded by an immature, rather pathetic series of gross fests.

still, that's showbusiness.

if i remember rightly it did pick up a little again towards the end - but i got them out of the library rather than buying them.

Unfortunately we wouldn't have Preacher in any local libraries, so I'll probably end up buying them all, one after the other, and reading them to the end. I've come this far.

Still, I might sell them on eBay afterwards.

I collected Preacher when it 1st came out...but then I got poor or something and just stopped...

I love pulling them out when I have time to kill like waiting in airports...

I just finished reading the first five Preacher books too.

I never thought I'd say this but the sheer violence and graphic stuff in there really agitated me, while at the same time some of the characters' comments -- Jesse's and in particular Cassidy's really made me laugh my ass off. Hell, even Starr has some awesome lines and moments.

But I know what you mean about a "love/hate relationship" with the series. Sometimes I really ... can't relate to them, and perhaps that's probably a good thing. I do feel that there is a lot more going on there in the plot than there seems, but I can't really go into specifics.

And, for the record, I feel nothing but sympathy for Arseface. (poor bastard)

it got lost somewhere in the middle but made it back in the end.

whilst I agree about the levels of violence I think they;re there for a point.

I have the same relationship. I love the overthetopness, but it does get annoying. and I hate the lovey-dovey shit. but I stuck it out to the end, and I'm glad I did, because the end has a lot of closure. I walked away satisfied.

and I'm obsessed with the covers. they're awesome.