By d. emerson eddy — This past week, we took a look at some of the Vertigo titles that flew under the radar and that we'd like to see receive a second life, with new editions being published like the recently announced Air through Berger Books. I wanted to continue that today with a mini series that was kind of overshadowed by the launch of an ongoing series that kind of became one of Vertigo's flagships and a perennial seller by the same writer that year (the halcyon days of 1995), but was nonetheless an excellent entry into his body of work and had some truly gorgeous artwork. I'm talking about the kind of coming-of-age, bloody adventure story with an ecological heart, Goddess, by Garth Ennis, Phil Winslade, and John Workman.

I find that there are generally two poles, two tones of writing, that an Ennis story inhabits, either deathly serious or over-the-top black humor. His War Stories or Battlefields tend towards the former, Dicks and Kev the latter. Both sides work, though I find when he blends the two, we see the most traction in audiences, resulting in Preacher, The Boys, and Hitman. Still often darkly comic, and sometimes absurd in their level of violence, but with a more measured throughline. Goddess inhabits this area too, with a fantastical plot and characters that really wouldn't be out of place in Preacher, with potentially goofier ultra-violent antagonists.

Goddess tells the story of Rose Nelson, largely from the perspective of Jeff, a random down on his luck guy who she saved trying to kill himself via tiger at a zoo. Rose is the titular Goddess, dealing with newfound powers after cracking Scotland off of Great Britain and an assortment of overzealous, extremely violent law enforcement personnel from both sides of the Pond. There's also a bit of a “save the whales” ecological message carried by one of the supporting characters, Mudhawk, that takes a dramatic turn towards the end.

The art from Phil Winslade is absolutely sublime. His line art is always wonderful, but here he takes a hand at painting his work and it results in highly detailed, lush imagery. The colours are vibrant, playing with the greens and reds of Rose's character design, and it really makes this world beautiful. The detail and level of realism also make the bouts of violence all the more gruesome, with a very visceral reaction the first time we see the brutality. The juxtaposition of beauty and violence is an interesting theme that runs through the story.

Rounding out the creative team is the legendary John Workman, whose letters are always a welcome addition to any title. I always make the mental connection of his work with Walter Simonson on The Mighty Thor and that kind of helps here with a ready association with godhood. Also, his style is just wonderful, bleeding into the gutters between panels, giving the word balloons and narration boxes and unmistakable flair.

It's been almost twenty years since the last collected edition of Ennis, Winslade, and Workman's Goddess was release. That volume is sadly out of print, though the individual issues are still available digitally. I think it's one of the works that should be read alongside Preacher as a kind of companion piece, and also as a showcase for just how damned good Phil Winslade really is. Dark humor, ultra-violence, and a timely moral message, this is much of Ennis' work in a nutshell.

Classic Comic of the Week: Goddess by Garth Ennis and Phil Winslade

Goddess
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Phil Winslade
Letterer: John Workman
Publisher: DC Comics / Vertigo
Rosie Nolan was an ordinary girl until the day her violent paranormal powers first erupted. Seeking to gain control of her abilities, Rosie embarks on a desperate quest across the globe, aided by a radical animal rights activist, hounded by an obsessed C.I.A agent, and hunted by a corrupt British cop.
Originally Published: 2002
Buy It Here: Trade Paperback / Digital

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d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.