Rating: 
Summary: AMAZING
Review: As a college graduate, writer, and teacher of writing, I can honestly say that I loathe most comic books. However, Preacher is one of the most amazing things I've ever SEEN, let alone read.That said, this particular collection is BREATHTAKING, mostly for the backstory behind the Saint of Killers, the coolest character ever created in the history of Western fiction. I still get chills thinking back to the Gettysburg panel...
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING
Review: As a college graduate, writer, and teacher of writing, I can honestly say that I loathe most comic books. However, Preacher is one of the most amazing things I've ever SEEN, let alone read. That said, this particular collection is BREATHTAKING, mostly for the backstory behind the Saint of Killers, the coolest character ever created in the history of Western fiction. I still get chills thinking back to the Gettysburg panel...
Rating: 
Summary: The trees instead of the forest? Works here
Review: As some of the longer graphic novel series are wont to do at times (see Sandman, for example), Ennis introduces a 'break' to the Preacher arc with "Ancient History," temporarily halting plot development and placing several Preacher characters outside the timeline. "Ancient History" contains two origin stories, one of Saint of All Killers and one of Arseface, respectively, and a broad-brush satire of the action movie genre, featuring those rapscallion down-home boys, Jody and T.C. The two origin stories speak to the past pain and anger that the Saint and Arseface experienced, and how these emotions molded their desire to mete out vengeance. Saint is the 'simpler' of the two characters. As Ennis himself acknowledges in his excellent Foreward, Saint is the virtual embodiment of the Clint Eastwood movie-western archetype, an innately violent man unable to contain the demons within when the good in him vanishes. Arseface, however, is painted with a subtler brush: a sad and isolated loner whose physiological transformation 'triggers' (pardon the pun) a paradoxically sunnier and more violent outlook on life. Note also how Arseface comes to relate and sympathize with the things he most fears. Although these tales are both downers, the book finishes with a rousing send-off, thanks to the fanciful "Good Ole Boys." The unlikeliest of heroes save the day and get the girl, and, er, dog. A bumbling Middle Eastern terrorist who utters a constant stream of scatological malapropisms 'leads' the bad guys. People (and animals) are killed, mutilated, and abused. Hilarious, violent, offensive, politically incorrect; in short, Ennis at his crackling best. For the first time in the series, Dillon is not involved with the art. However, Steve Pugh's rich illustrations, the masterful Carlos Ezquerra's evocative imagery, and Pamela Rambo's skillful colouring, among others, ensure the visuals are up to par with the story. Although I'm not generally a fan of graphic novels that wander from the series arc, I have to admit that the book was very well written and a heckuva lot of fun to read.
Rating:
Summary: The trees instead of the forest? Works here
Review: As some of the longer graphic novel series are wont to do at times (see Sandman, for example), Ennis introduces a `break' to the Preacher arc with "Ancient History," temporarily halting plot development and placing several Preacher characters outside the timeline. "Ancient History" contains two origin stories, one of Saint of All Killers and one of Arseface, respectively, and a broad-brush satire of the action movie genre, featuring those rapscallion down-home boys, Jody and T.C. The two origin stories speak to the past pain and anger that the Saint and Arseface experienced, and how these emotions molded their desire to mete out vengeance. Saint is the `simpler' of the two characters. As Ennis himself acknowledges in his excellent Foreward, Saint is the virtual embodiment of the Clint Eastwood movie-western archetype, an innately violent man unable to contain the demons within when the good in him vanishes. Arseface, however, is painted with a subtler brush: a sad and isolated loner whose physiological transformation `triggers' (pardon the pun) a paradoxically sunnier and more violent outlook on life. Note also how Arseface comes to relate and sympathize with the things he most fears. Although these tales are both downers, the book finishes with a rousing send-off, thanks to the fanciful "Good Ole Boys." The unlikeliest of heroes save the day and get the girl, and, er, dog. A bumbling Middle Eastern terrorist who utters a constant stream of scatological malapropisms `leads' the bad guys. People (and animals) are killed, mutilated, and abused. Hilarious, violent, offensive, politically incorrect; in short, Ennis at his crackling best. For the first time in the series, Dillon is not involved with the art. However, Steve Pugh's rich illustrations, the masterful Carlos Ezquerra's evocative imagery, and Pamela Rambo's skillful colouring, among others, ensure the visuals are up to par with the story. Although I'm not generally a fan of graphic novels that wander from the series arc, I have to admit that the book was very well written and a heckuva lot of fun to read.
Rating:
Summary: Cinematic
Review: Collecting 3 Preacher mini-series (actually one 4-parter and two one-shots), writer Garth Ennis moved outside the ongoing monthly title to concentrate on some of the series' supporting cast. The series' regular characters, Jesse Custer, Tulip O'Hare and Cassidy, are not featured. The first story looks at the origin of the Saint Of Killers. Clearly borrowing from the Clint Eastwood classic Unforgiven (and admitting so in this book's introduction), Ennis brilliantly draws in the reader to the American West of 1870, developing an engrossing story that overcomes the potentially laughable characterisation of the devil as a red-skinned cigar-chomping cross between the Incredible Hulk and The Thing from the Fantasic Four. The Saint Of Killers was a cowboy who sought to avenge his wife and child's deaths. He died during a shoot-out and entered hell. It was there he met the devil and the Angel Of Death and was granted the means to return to earth as a dead man with the power to deal death to others in God's name. This is a horrifying tale that reads like a film. The quality of the writing is unsurpassable. My only criticism is that the artwork is slightly muddy - I prefer the crisp, clean art of the regular Preacher artist Steve Dillon.
The second story in this collection is completely different and proves that Ennis is among the most versatile writers of his era. Titled The Story Of You Know Who, it tells the sad tale of a teenage Nirvana fan, abused at home by a violent, drunken cop father, who copies his hero Kurt Corbain by placing a loaded gun to his head and firing. The suicide attempt is unsuccessful and leaves the boy horribly disfigured. He decides to rename himself Arseface. His failed attempt at reconciliation with his father, to have the model father-son relationship they had never enjoyed, adds an element of pathos (mixed in with heavy doses of black humour). Arseface's story weaves through the regular Preacher editions, including his time as America's top rock star.
The third tale in this volume centres on Jesse Custer's low-life cousins, T.C. and Jody. Memorably featured in flash-back mode in the early Preacher monthly comics, this story could be seen as relatively inconsequential when compared to the first two stories in this book. It's not an origin tale and, if missed, would make no difference to the reader's following of the main Preacher story. However, it does include Ennis' trademark gross-out humour and jaw-dropping graphic violence. Well worth reading, but not the main reason for buying this book. That would have to be the Saint Of Killers storyline, which could be transferred to the big screen with great potential results.
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT STORY
Review: I am a big fan of the West and the heroes and villians that come from there. I feel Garth Ennis did the right thing with this book, give the backround story to one of the coolest character I have ever seen in a comic book, the Saint of Killers, a man straight out of the West. A gun-blazing saga out the West that gives you everything you want. Plus, Satan and the Angel of Death make a cameo appearance in the this story! Also, Once you read that story you may feel very different about the SoK. The next story's focus is on Arseface and this story was great too. I felt it gave a backround to a character that maybe every can feel and maybe associate with in some way. The last story was O.K. Now don't get me wrong, I still think you should buy this one but the story just gave us a better look into the demented and sick minds of the two of the characters that many don't care for: Jody and T.C. It does add some sick (and I mean SICK and MORBID and SADISTIC) humor(?). However, it gave us another gory action filled gun-blazing battle royal with enough blood to make a good horror movie look sad. All in all I feel this book gave SoK a great backround and the first two stories do have a moral: the choices you make effect you whether in this life or the next and the results can be devestating.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Completely Bad
Review: I am only going to stress what the other reviewers should have put more emphasis on. This book DOES NOT have any bearings on the main Preacher story and therefore SHOULD NOT have been collected as "Book 4" in the Preacher series. It should have been collected, like "Alamo" as a standalone book. The first story, chronicling the Saint of Killers' origin is just OK. Not as good as these other reviewers would have you think. It's not bad, it's not really great either. If you're just starting out with Preacher, get Book 1 in this series. If you have read the first 3 books and want to continue in that storyline, skip this and come back to it after you've finished the other books. You will miss NOTHING by skipping this book.
Rating:
Summary: Not Completely Bad
Review: I am only going to stress what the other reviewers should have put more emphasis on. This book DOES NOT have any bearings on the main Preacher story and therefore SHOULD NOT have been collected as "Book 4" in the Preacher series. It should have been collected, like "Alamo" as a standalone book. The first story, chronicling the Saint of Killers' origin is just OK. Not as good as these other reviewers would have you think. It's not bad, it's not really great either. If you're just starting out with Preacher, get Book 1 in this series. If you have read the first 3 books and want to continue in that storyline, skip this and come back to it after you've finished the other books. You will miss NOTHING by skipping this book.
Rating:
Summary: Time to get a bit sidetracked
Review: 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. It was interesting checking out the back story of some of the series' most notable supporting cast members. I also enjoyed seeing other artists' (aside from Steve Dillon) renditions of these characters. If you're looking for a few amazing PREACHER tales that are off the beaten path, then 'Ancient History' won't disappoint! If you thought the Saint of Killers was an unpleasant character in PREACHER's main storyline, wait'll you see his origin story! A man so full of hate that he literally does the impossible: freezes hell over! Oh yeah, then there's the part where he offs the devil before he really gets his killing spree goin', which gives you an idea of how much of a bad mofo he really is. Speaking of the devil(!), this particular story arc reveals the name he prefers to go by. And it's NOT Satan, Scratch, Be'elzebub, or Lucifer! The second part depicts how PREACHER's beloved horribly disfigured teenager with a heart of gold, Arse-Face, came to be. I'll not go into too many details about it; let's just say his decision to drastically alter his facial features was a misguided attempt to emulate a particular grunge artist's suicide. 90s teenage angst, substance use, and physical & mental abuse abound in this ish. 'The Good Ol' Boys' features quite a few moments of gratuitous, gory violence in the over-the-top vein of Paul Verhoeven action flicks. There's also a few great scenes featuring that Ennis-trademark you're-not-supposed-to-laugh-at-that-style humor, highlighted by one hillbilly's disgustingly hilarious fond memories of- um, romance- with various inanimate objects and members of other species. Throw in a gorilla getting bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat, and a swamp chase featuring a middle-eastern cartel boss whose attempts at using various English-language curses are both pitiful and gut-bustingly funny, and you get some of Ennis' best stuff! 'Late
Rating:
Summary: Saint of Killers Meets Nirvana
Review: I liked it. This books includes 3 stories. The first is the story of The Saint of Killers, dramatic and depressing yet attractive - even though the art work stinks. I recommend reading this Preacher book after reading Gone to Texas. Any Preacher fan should read this collection. The second story is the story of Arseface. Ennis seems to have some good insights, as I am sure readers can identify with one or more of the characters. A very sad and powerful story with a a conclusion a very moving and REALISTIC. I am refering to pages 158 and 159. Get the book, but don't read these pages before you read the full story.
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