The Pro (We're all adults here... right?)

The Pro - Garth Ennis, Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti (Image) $7.99

I saw a reference to this somewhere, and had made a mental note that I wanted to read it. I was happy when it showed up in my Local Comic Shop, and I bought it right away despite the 'adult' sticker on it. I don't buy that much stuff that is marked 'adult', but it is more for the fact that I don't buy things based solely on the fact that they have adult content in them or not. I like what i like, and if it contains bad words and boobs sometimes, even better. The lack of those things doesn't make me turn up my nose at a comic either. Several of what I consider to be the most enjoyable books out right now are firmly in the all ages category (Tiny Titans, Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, etc.) I am sticking some of these disclaimers in because this blog is new, and it doesn't hurt for me to devote some space to my tastes and worldview and such.

The Pro is about a hard working hooker with a heart of the stuff that hearts are usually made of, but certainly not gold, who is selected to receive super powers by a creepy alien who likes to watch. She isn't held up as a villain or anything due to her choice in jobs. If anything, there is a sense to the book that being a whore may be a bit more respectable than being a so-called super hero. I am going to stop with anything that sounds like I am over thinking this. This IS the book where the Superman analog shoots down a plane while climaxing from a 'thank you for saving my baby' blow job.

The plot is great, the setup is great.The book asks the question "Can a down on her luck whore prove that anyone can rise to the occasion and become a super-heroic force for good?" The answer is a resounding 'fuck you and your hypocrisy!' The backup story where The Pro is attacked because her superspeed handjobs are taking away business from the multi-armed Ho, the dusky doll with a dozen dick hands.

Yes, this is Garth Ennis screwing with the super hero genre he loves to hate. It's funny, the art is terrific. It's reasonably priced, if you like mature funny, then I recommend you get it. I wouldn't want a steady diet of this, but it works.

The other thing that made this book cool to me, perhaps my favorite part of it, is the sketchbook with commentary by Amanda Conner at the end. I could read stuff like that all day.