In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint. Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.Īfter the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire. While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.Įnnis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon.

He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.Įnnis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.Īnother series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece.

Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. Ennis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls.

The Boys, Volume 2 by Garth Ennis