Convention - Paris Fan Festival 2023 : Our return on the panel dedicated to Garth Ennis, from Preacher to The Boys

By Mulder, Paris, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 15 april 2023

Garth Ennis is a comic book writer from Northern Ireland. He was born on January 16, 1970 in Holywood, County Down. Ennis is known for his distinctive writing style, which often combines dark humor, gritty realism and intense storytelling. He has made significant contributions to the comics industry and has developed a loyal following for his work.

Ennis began his career in comics in the late 1980s and became known for his work on Judge Dredd for 2000 AD, a popular British comics anthology. However, he is best known for his groundbreaking and critically acclaimed series, Preache", published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. Created in collaboration with artist Steve Dillon, Preache" ran from 1995 to 2000 and explored themes of religion, morality and supernatural elements in dark and often controversial humor.

Ennis has been involved in many other notable projects throughout his career. He has worked on titles such as The Punisher for Marvel Comics, where his violent and gritty interpretation of the character redefined the portrayal of the vigilante. His other notable works include Hellblaze", Hitman, The Boy", War Stories and The Chronicles of Wormwoo", to name a few. Ennis has also written several limited series and one-shots, demonstrating his versatility as a writer.

Ennis' writing style often deals with complex and mature themes, exploring the darker aspects of human nature and society. He is known for his sharp dialogue, dark humor, and willingness to tackle controversial topics. His work often contains explicit violence, profanity, and adult content, which has contributed to his reputation for pushing boundaries and challenging conventional standards of storytelling. Throughout his career, Ennis has received numerous industry awards, including Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards for outstanding writing. His work has had a lasting impact on comics and he is considered one of the most influential and talented writers in the industry.

Outside of comics, Ennis has also ventured into other forms of media. His comic book series "The Boys" was adapted into a hit television series on Amazon Prime Video, further increasing his popularity and bringing his work to a wider audience. In short, Garth Ennis is a highly respected and influential comic book writer known for his gritty, thought-provoking and often controversial stories. His contributions to the medium have left an indelible mark, and he continues to be celebrated for his unique and compelling stories.

The Paris Fan Festival is an event organized by New Vega, the media communications group specializing in entertainment. After a successful first edition in 2022, the event returns for a second edition that will take place at the Porte de Versailles on April 15 and 16, 2023. Bringing together all the universes of Pop Culture in one place, fans will be able to discover a range of events and activities around their favorite universes: cinema and series, manga and comics, gaming and board games, lifestyle and food.  

Comic books are in the spotlight with the presence of the greatest authors and cartoonists, but also Teri Hatcher, Lois from Lois and Clark, or a life-size Batmobile as well as numerous animations.  In addition to meeting their heroes and creators, fans can fight crime with many activities for the whole family. They can venture into the superhero village to walk through immersive settings and encounter the mythical Batmobile in its Tim Burton movie version.  

Visitors will be able to complete their super-collection from the many publishers and bookstores present on the site. An Urban Comics stand awaits visitors, while derivative products are not to be outdone thanks to the ranges offered by Hasbro, Mattel or Fariboles. Finally, a fascinating exhibition of dioramas created by enthusiasts completes the program. Other emblematic sagas of Pop-Culture, such as Stargate SG-1 or Harry Potter, are also present at the Paris Fan Festival. In order not to miss any announcement, R2D2 has compiled the best links from the galaxy.

You can found our selection of photos on our Flickr page

Photos and videos : Boris Colletier