Preacher #1 (1995, Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon): The Comic That Shocked a Generation

When Preacher #1 arrived on comic shop shelves in April 1995, it was immediately clear that something different had happened. The opening issue of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's creator-owned series for DC's Vertigo imprint began with a sermon, a massacre, a possessed preacher with the voice of God, and a one-eyed female assassin. By the final page, readers had been introduced to a story about theology, American mythology, and the nature of faith told with profanity and extraordinary violence.

Preacher ran for 66 issues (1995-2000) and is now considered one of the defining works of the mature-reader comics era. Preacher #1 is the key issue: a modestly priced first print that has become genuinely scarce in high grade.

The Story and Its Significance

Preacher follows Jesse Custer, a small-town Texas preacher who becomes possessed by Genesis, the offspring of an angel and a demon. This possession gives Jesse the Word of God, a power that compels anyone who hears it to literally obey any command. Accompanied by his ex-girlfriend Tulip O'Hare and an Irish vampire named Cassidy, Jesse sets out to literally find God, who has abandoned heaven following Genesis's escape.

Garth Ennis (an Irish writer then in his mid-twenties) approached American mythology with the eyes of an outsider who loved the country while being critical of its hypocrisies. Preacher engaged with questions about faith, masculinity, loyalty, and the idea of America with a directness that mainstream comics avoided entirely and that even Vertigo contemporaries rarely matched.

Steve Dillon's artwork was a perfect complement. His figure work was distinctive (slightly blocky, absolutely clear in storytelling) and his ability to move between comedy, horror, and genuine emotional weight without losing the reader was exceptional. Dillon drew all 66 issues of Preacher with Ennis, one of the great writer-artist partnerships in comics history.

The series attracted controversy immediately for its treatment of religion (the antagonists include a corrupt Saint of Killers who works against God, and the Grail, a secret organization protecting the Messiah's bloodline) and its graphic content. Preacher was one of the most discussed comics of the 1990s, both celebrated and condemned depending on the perspective.

The 2016-2019 AMC television adaptation introduced the series to a new generation and brought significant renewed interest in the original comics.

The First Issue

Preacher #1 was published with a cover date of April 1995 by DC Comics under the Vertigo imprint. The first print run was modest by later standards. Vertigo was publishing genuinely adult-reader material in a market that still operated primarily through the direct distribution system of comic specialty shops, limiting the potential audience.

The first issue has a striking cover by Dillon and colorist Pamela Rambo: a full figure of Jesse Custer in his preacher's collar against a stark white background, with the title in bold red. The cover design is simple and effective, immediately communicating the main character and the series' tone.

Inside, the first issue does enormous work in establishing Jesse's voice, the town of Annville, Texas, and the central plot mechanism of Genesis. It is a remarkably efficient first issue for a series with as much mythology as Preacher eventually developed.

Collecting Context: Vertigo Keys

Preacher #1 belongs to a specific and increasingly valued collecting category: Vertigo keys from the 1990s. DC's Vertigo imprint (launched 1993) produced some of the most creatively significant comics of the decade, including Sandman, Transmetropolitan, Fables, Y: The Last Man, and Preacher. The first issues of these series, particularly those that ran for significant lengths and developed dedicated readerships, have all appreciated meaningfully in the collector market.

Preacher #1 is consistently cited as one of the more desirable Vertigo keys alongside Sandman #1 (1989) and Transmetropolitan #1 (1997). The television adaptation's success added mainstream awareness to the series' existing devoted collector base.

Condition Grades and Values

Preacher #1 is a modern-era book (1995) printed on better paper stock than Silver or Bronze Age comics. However, the combination of a modest print run and the ravages of three decades of handling means that high-grade copies are less common than the "modern comic" designation might suggest.

The significant premium at CGC 9.8 reflects how few copies of this 30-year-old book survive in truly gem condition. Spine ticks, corner wear, and handling marks from decades of display, storage, or reading are common even on copies that appear excellent to the naked eye.

The Ennis-Dillon Partnership

Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon had worked together before Preacher, most notably on the Judge Dredd stories for 2000 AD. But Preacher was the project that defined their collaboration. The trust between writer and artist over 66 issues produced a consistency of vision that is unusual in long-running comics series.

Dillon's death in 2017 at age 54 added a note of loss to the Preacher legacy. First issues and original art from the series have all appreciated since his passing, as the fixed nature of his contribution to comics history became more evident.

Where First Prints Stand Today

A CGC 9.8 Preacher #1 is a meaningful modern Vertigo key that combines cultural significance, television adaptation tailwinds, and genuine scarcity at high grades. For collectors building a Vertigo collection or specifically focusing on Ennis's work, the first issue is the essential starting point.

Raw (ungraded) copies in apparent Very Fine to Near Mint condition remain available at lower price points and represent good value for readers who want to experience the original printing without the premium of a graded slab.

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