If you are a fan of the Preacher comics, you may have been a little put off (or a lot put off) by how different Season 1 of the AMC series was from the source material. But with the TV show returning on June 25, Preacher Season 2 looks to match the comics much more closely than Season 1 did. Considering Jesse Custer's church was blown up within the first few pages of the comic and Season 1 of the series from Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen mainly took place in the Texas town, comic fans might be skeptical about how Season 2 will relate to the comic. However, the AMC series is now focusing on the central plot of its inspiration with Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy going on a road trip to find God. And while there will be differences between Preacher Season 2 and the comics, comic fans can rejoice knowing that some of their favorite elements of the source material will finally make it to the small screen.
Although the comic's writer, Garth Ennis, serves as an executive producer on the AMC show (comic illustrator Steve Dillon was also a producer, but died in October 2016), he said in a Q&A with AMC that he chose not to write any episodes for Preacher Season 2. He said, "... I'm content to let Sam and his team develop their interpretation while I get on with current projects of my own." That means that Catlin, Goldberg, and Rogen still hold the creative reins and that their own brand of storytelling is infused into the world of the comics.
Despite Ennis continuing to give control over to Catlin, Goldberg, and Rogen, it's still very safe to say that Season 2 is going to feel much more like the comics. Beyond the trio hitting the road and going to New Orleans, as they do in the comics, the Saint of Killers will emerge as the main antagonist. Graham McTavish's character was isolated in Season 1 with his own mysterious backstory, so having him face-off with Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy will add an exciting dynamic to Season 2.
Comic books fans will also be pleased to see other characters from the comics introduced on the AMC show. At the Preacher SXSW panel in 2017, it was revealed that Pip Torrens will be portraying Herr Star, Malcolm Barrett will be portraying Hoover, and Julie Ann Emery will be portraying Featherstone. Noah Taylor will also be playing a character that Rogen will not confirm the identity of yet. These characters appearing should satisfy comic readers and it's something the people who play the main characters are happy for fans to see too since Jesse actor Dominic Cooper told AMC:
"I'm excited for [fans] to get a glimpse at the new characters they've been waiting for from the comics. It really feels like the comic is now coming to life. I think it was essential to lay the foundation for what that is for wider audiences and for people who weren’t so sure. Now, I think the true fans and the new fans can have a real glimpse at what this man is that we're creating."
Yet, the changes from the comics that were established in Season 1 will still exist in Season 2 — like the storyline of the Adelphi angels Fiore and DeBlanc, Arseface being in hell, and the fact that Tulip and Cassidy have already slept together. Plus, there will be brand new characters created solely for the TV series. As Goldberg said in an AMC Q&A:
"... there are a few new characters that have been created that I think are incredible and I'm excited for fans to discover. It's always cool to do stuff from the comic — and we're doing a lot more of that now — but they created some pretty wild things in that writers' room."
And, of course, as bonkers as the AMC series is, the show creators are more limited by the medium of TV than the comic book creators were. Catlin said in an AMC interview:
"[The show is] never going to be able to tell stories so quickly. We're not going to be able to be in the South of France one week and San Francisco the next. There are limitations of being a television show, but what we can do is take these worlds that are passed through very quickly in the comic book and delve deeply into them."
So while you'll need to wait until Preacher Season 2 gets going to see how far it will stray from its inspiration, take comfort knowing that the latest season will feel more like the comics as it continues to delve deep into the story that was already established by Ennis.
