As one might expect of the Reverend Jesse Custer, he doesn't keep the most clean-living and wholesome of company. Once you understand that his friends are an Irish blood and beer-swilling vampire and a gun-toting femme fatale...you can just imagine what his enemies are like! Preacher: Ancient History includes three deadly, diabolical and debauched tales: 'Saint of Killers', 'The Good Old Boys' and 'The Story of You-Know-Who'. Preacher: Ancient History contains extreme violence, sexual situations and bad language, and is recommended for older readers.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
While this volume of the Preacher Graphic Novels has nothing to do with the continuity of the title itself, it's still a pretty nice easy-reading book. Nothing special (certainly when you compare it with the rest of the Preacher books) but not a waste of time either. In here are the first three Preacher Specials, two oneshots ("The Story of you-know-who" and "Good Old Boys") and a miniseries ("Saint of Killers"). In "The story of you-know-who" we get to see how a normal boy, who is living in less than normal circumstances, winds up becoming a disfigured boy named Arseface. This story is to me personally the best one in the book (with very nice art by Richard Case). Tragic, yet not too much, so that it doesn't get sentimental but stays bizar. "Saint of Killers" is the one with the most relevance to the Preacher series itself. Here it's shown how the character we now know as 'Saint of Killers' was once a mortal man and how he was pushed over the edge so that eventually he became the replacement of the current Angel of Death. While this one has the most to do with the Preacher series itself, it's a shame to know it has the least good art in the book (Steve Pugh). Not horrible, but compared to the other art it's a little bleak. Note here that people who love graphic violence will have a ball with it since it's probably THE most brutal Preacher story out there. The third part is "Good Old Boys", a story about Jody and T.C. taking place between Jesse's escape and them recapturing him (see "Untill the end of the World". This one is the least relevant to the Preacher series and in al honesty is just a filler. A story where the overall brutality of T.C. and Jody is displayed. Not a bad read, but not a great one either.
In conclussion, the volume doesn't add a thing to the series. True, we learn some 'origins' but nothing that matters happens. Apart from that it's a nice book which many people should be able to enjoy. Another good thing about this book is that everybody should be able to pick it up, no matter if you did or didn't read the other Preacher TPB's, and just enjoy the story. No knowledge of what has gone before required. Pick it up if you wanna read some more about Preacher, or if you wanna read some Preacher but don't feel like getting into the whole big story. But if you're in it for the main story of Preacher you can ignore this book without missing out on anything.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Noel
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
"Ancient History" is sort of a sidenote to the main story of Custer and Co. as this book (the fourth in the series) contains back story for the Saint of Killers, Arseface, and Jody and T.C.
The best of the bunch is the Saint of Killers' story. From late 19th century wild west, cowboys and injuns, to the gates of Hell and beyond, we see how the Saint became the cold blooded killing machine he is in the main story. Carlos Eszquerra supplies some fantastic drawings for his part in the story, the Hell sequence. His Devil is brilliant and you find out his first name too. The story takes up a full half of the book and is perfect reading for upcoming Hallowe'en celebrations. That is, read it by candlelight with a drink and ignore the brats at the door.
Arseface's backstory isn't that great. If you've read the first book (and why haven't you?) you'll know he looks the way he does because of his own actions and some other details. It's elaborated on more here but doesn't really provide that compelling a story.
Jody and T.C.'s story is a satire on action films and has a fun story of the pair taking apart an international mobster's hitforce in the swamps of the South. Some really creative deaths in this part of the book.
It's a great addition to the brilliant story of "Preacher", fleshing out the supporting players for the reader and providing some excellent reading for a couple of hours.
The best of the bunch is the Saint of Killers' story. From late 19th century wild west, cowboys and injuns, to the gates of Hell and beyond, we see how the Saint became the cold blooded killing machine he is in the main story. Carlos Eszquerra supplies some fantastic drawings for his part in the story, the Hell sequence. His Devil is brilliant and you find out his first name too. The story takes up a full half of the book and is perfect reading for upcoming Hallowe'en celebrations. That is, read it by candlelight with a drink and ignore the brats at the door.
Arseface's backstory isn't that great. If you've read the first book (and why haven't you?) you'll know he looks the way he does because of his own actions and some other details. It's elaborated on more here but doesn't really provide that compelling a story.
Jody and T.C.'s story is a satire on action films and has a fun story of the pair taking apart an international mobster's hitforce in the swamps of the South. Some really creative deaths in this part of the book.
It's a great addition to the brilliant story of "Preacher", fleshing out the supporting players for the reader and providing some excellent reading for a couple of hours.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Well, it seems like Mr Ennis can get away with writing about anything these days, without fear... This book is a collection of tales relaying the history of the supporting cast of "Preacher," which you need to buy. Don't even think about not reading the main series. It's also a good laugh, if you can apply that term to a book with so much violence the painter surely had a bulk order for red. Top of the line art, some merciless parody in store for a few films, and neither hide nor hair of our heroes from the rest of the story. I mean, even Kurt Cobain gets more of a mention than the preacher himself.
Most of all, this a book about myths and legends. It says so in the foreword. Most people have seen a western, or a film about the deep South of the USA, and Garth Ennis plays on this very well, letting your mind fill in the details, so he can get on with the story. As to the story of Hugo Root's son.. well, "uguh uyuh uguh duh, suh." Mr Gump would never have approved. But I did.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast, secure purchase. Highly recommended A+
Very fast delivery time, exactly what it says on the tin.
Very good seller, not a scratch on the book. Read more
Very good seller, not a scratch on the book. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Siy
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Good, The Bad and Arseface
Without giving away any spoilers, "Ancient History" collects 3 stories, one of which is the limited series "Saint Of Killers" which is probably the strongest story out of all... Read more
Published on 15 July 2009 by Owen Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mythology
Garth Ennis forewards this issue. He speaks of growing up with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood and of a long desire to add his own hero to the Western canon. Read more
Published on 23 July 2007 by Singwah
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
I was surprised by how much I liked this seeing as it is a detour for Preacher. It was fun to see something different from the main story arc, and it was great to actually enjoy... Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2007 by Ghost Dog 808
5.0 out of 5 stars
And now for something somewhat different
Honestly, this book is far more interesting than many of the others in the series, considering it is generally thought of as "filler". Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2007 by R. J. Graham
5.0 out of 5 stars
Time to get a little sidetracked
I don't know about anyone else, but I found volume 4 of the PREACHER library to be a nice change of pace, and an enjoyable little sidetrack away from the main storyline. Read more
Published on 11 May 2004 by Zagnorch
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best comic i've ever read
this book is just simply the coolest comic of all time! I think that this is one of the best ones in the whole lot, except 'unil the end of the world' if you dont buy it you will... Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2002
4.0 out of 5 stars
Highly Entertaining
Continuing in the PREACHER tradition, 'Ancient History' is a hilarious and sometimes shocking look at some of the background characters from the previous books.
Published on 9 April 2000 by Khal (psn: Dakhalsta)
4.0 out of 5 stars
One third brilliant, the rest okay.
In these days of supersteroidheroes, Preacher is a welcome breath of air, plot, and dare I say, profanity. Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2000
3.0 out of 5 stars
The best spaghetti western of all time and more!
This book contains three stories relating to some of the most memorable background characters in the Preacher saga. Read more
Published on 2 Dec 1999
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