Preacher Is Dead at HBO

For years, Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's "Preacher" (one of the best comic book series that I've ever read) has been in various stages of production, either in television or movie form. The most recent platform was TV, where Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil, Ghost Rider) was set to helm the first few episodes. Recently, the new studio head at HBO came in and said that the material was too controversial and too violent, and wanted Johnson to redraft the material. His take was to be a faithful adaptation of the series, and he didn't want to compromise that and make a crappy show because of it. Admirable, good sir. So the series is now dead at HBO, but Johnson says he hears that someone is trying to pick up the movie rights again. Either way, it looks like we might see "Preacher" on the big or small screen after all.

Note: I don't necessarily think that "Preacher" will work in either medium. It's a comic that will blow your mind and might make religious fundamentalists very uncomfortable, but at the same time give you great respect for its well-crafted likeable characters and edgy humor. (It's also insanely violent and incredibly profane.) Regardless, I'd recommend that you read it if you're looking for something interesting, and I kind of hope that it never gets adapted into any other form.