It’s an amazing time for adaptations of graphic novels, but one of the adaptations we’re most excited for has absolutely nothing to do with superheroes. Following the massive success of The Walking Dead, AMC has set their sights on Garth Ennis’ iconic comic book series Preacher. A new promotional image for Preacher has just hit the web, teasing the appearance of the classic character Eugene a.k.a Arseface. Check it out below to see for yourself.
Based upon the above tweet, we can easily tell that the name Arseface is nothing if not accurate. The picture shows the character sitting on his couch, drinking what appears to be a milkshake – complete with a straw humorously going all the way up to his… well... his arseface. The photo provides us with very little information as to how the character will factor into the narrative of the series, but it serves as a humorous introduction to one of the show’s more outlandish elements.
The depiction of the character seems fairly visually faithful to his comic book counterpart. However, it’s abundantly clear that the folks at AMC kept his appearance somewhat simpler to that of the original Arseface from the Preacher comic books – likely a combination of censorship restrictions, as well as a means of making the makeup easier to apply to actor Ian Colleti. Check out a side-by-side comparison of the two below to get a better sense of what the original Arseface looks like.
What makes the depiction of Arseface work so well is the underlying tragedy beneath the characters somewhat humorous appearance. As a boy, Eugene grew up in an abusive household. In an attempt to end his suffering, he tried to kill himself with a shotgun to the face in the same manner as his idol, Kurt Cobain. However, his efforts to end his life wound up being unsuccessful, and – as you can probably imagine – the ordeal left him horribly disfigured for the rest of his life.
Arseface is a genuinely weird character. Aside from his demented appearance, his speech is completely unintelligible, but he still goes on to become a singer in the comics. He’s one of the more insane elements in an already bizarre property, and we genuinely cannot wait to see where Preacher takes him.
We will keep you posted regarding any and all details related to the upcoming Preacher series as they become available to us. The series will premiere on Sunday, May 22 at 10 p.m. EST. Stay tuned for more details!
