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Erf
At the dawn of time, Erf and his three amphibious friends, Figwillop, KWAAAH, and the Booper, take their first nervous steps out of the ocean, the beginning of an adventure into the primordial world. As they explore the exciting new lands beyond the shore, they discover that the prehistoric jungle is home to the mighty and terrifying Colossux. What follows is an evolutionary fable of love and loyalty for readers of all ages!
48 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2013
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,726 books3,265 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 18, 2022
Garth Ennis writes a children’s book and it’s fine. I didn’t hate it or love it. It was just a book I read today and will probably forget about by tonight. I also wouldn’t recommend it to Ennis fans either, everyone should just stick with his adult stuff...
August 16, 2020
Garth Ennis tries to write an all-ages picture book, and it about the stupidest thing I have ever read.
Back to WWII combat stories and superhero ultra-violence where you belong, sir!
Back to WWII combat stories and superhero ultra-violence where you belong, sir!
April 20, 2020
SUPER FAST REVIEW:
A children’s picture book by Garth Ennis. Yes, the same Garth Ennis, the back of the book includes his credits such as Preacher, Battlefields, Punisher and Crossed (maybe not the best stuff to advertise to kids but okay, at least they’re reading).
So the art’s cute and the story is kinda nice. At first it was predictable but then took unexpected turns
The writing this time around isn’t particularly great (keep in mind this is a usually adult author writing something for kids so it’s not his usual comfort zone). When I read this aloud to my dog someone else also pointed out several plot-holes. I also would say that there isn’t very much of a point to this one.
One thing I am conflicted on is how this book is kinda emotional. Yes it does give the story more to it but it could be very sad for kids.
Overall not bad but nothing particularly good. It is cool to see authors step outside their comfort zone but fans of Ennis shouldn’t expect his next masterpiece to be here. I would also recommend parents give it a read before reading it to their kids because while it doesn’t have the gore, strong language or nudity that’s seen in most of this author’s work it may be a little too sad for some kids to handle.
3/5
A children’s picture book by Garth Ennis. Yes, the same Garth Ennis, the back of the book includes his credits such as Preacher, Battlefields, Punisher and Crossed (maybe not the best stuff to advertise to kids but okay, at least they’re reading).
So the art’s cute and the story is kinda nice. At first it was predictable but then took unexpected turns
The writing this time around isn’t particularly great (keep in mind this is a usually adult author writing something for kids so it’s not his usual comfort zone). When I read this aloud to my dog someone else also pointed out several plot-holes. I also would say that there isn’t very much of a point to this one.
One thing I am conflicted on is how this book is kinda emotional. Yes it does give the story more to it but it could be very sad for kids.
Overall not bad but nothing particularly good. It is cool to see authors step outside their comfort zone but fans of Ennis shouldn’t expect his next masterpiece to be here. I would also recommend parents give it a read before reading it to their kids because while it doesn’t have the gore, strong language or nudity that’s seen in most of this author’s work it may be a little too sad for some kids to handle.
3/5
Read
April 28, 2021There's precious little Garth Ennis I didn't pick up on first release, but here's one of the exceptions – a children's picture book. Yes, from the writer of The Boys, Preacher and all those unflinching war comics. The funny thing is that, just as you can trace Graham Greene's fascination with the lot of the exile into his children's story about a little train, so this does follow a not unfamiliar Ennis trajectory of (SPOILER) the least regarded member of a unit sacrificing himself so his comrades can survive. Granted, this time, rather than being fighters in some less-remembered corner of the Second World War, they're four cute critters making one of the first forays from the primordial seas on to land. Not to mention, considerably less foul-mouthed. The dynamic's there, though, right down to them memorialising their hapless pal by naming the planet after him (which, yes, doesn't remotely work given all the other languages in which it's not called Earth). Still, hardly the first picture book to have a flaw of that ilk – I'm still furious at Ten Little Fingers And Ten Little Toes saying *all* children have them in those numbers. The art by Rob Steen is fine too, which like the subsequent career of Mackenzie Crook, is a valuable reminder that people can do good work despite having collaborated with Ricky Gervais. Maybe part of Ennis' interest in this project was the fascination of second-hand contact with someone so utterly awful as to outclass even the most grotesque of his own imagined monsters?
January 10, 2020
Yes, this is a children’s book by Garth Ennis. You know, the man behind such wholesome family classics as Hellblazer, Preacher, Punisher MAX, The Boys, and Crossed. Yet once you get past the initial incongruity, Erf makes a certain amount of sense. It’s about evolution, and Ennis, a staunch atheist, has never been shy about his distaste for religion (and by extension, creationism). It’s also about friendship and bravery, themes present in much of his work but especially his fantastic war comics. So this is an intelligent and touching book for kids, one that I would absolutely give to mine if I had any. And Rob Steen is a name I’ve seen attached to other Ennis comics - his depiction of our primordial planet and early beings is striking and beautifully realized. An excellent and inspiring little book.
March 27, 2020
Something I never expected from Ennis! A story for kids!
Fun story about the earth and the human species in general along with some other stuff.
Again, for kids. By Garth Ennis!
Would definitely buy it if you're a fan, will sit perfectly side by side with the Boys and Preacher and Punisher and Crossed and whatnot hah!
Fun story about the earth and the human species in general along with some other stuff.
Again, for kids. By Garth Ennis!
Would definitely buy it if you're a fan, will sit perfectly side by side with the Boys and Preacher and Punisher and Crossed and whatnot hah!
November 11, 2019
If there was something I wasn't expecting from Garth Ennis, it was this.
Spoilers: It's great.
Spoilers: It's great.
January 4, 2020
Exactly what I would expect when Garth Ennis tries to create a kids book. Bad!
January 10, 2020
KWAAAAH!!
October 28, 2021
A charming kids book by a guy mostly known for sex and violence in The Boys and Preacher. The art is interesting and there's a nice twist in the story.
November 9, 2013
A simple children's book about Gaean earth, the Primordial World, when there was only one continent, and 'everyone' lived in the Sea. The sstory is about 4 friends, Figwillop, KWAAAH!, the Booper, and Erf, all very different, with different talents.
The four friends are the first to leave the Sea, to crawl upon the land and find out they not only have gills... they also have lungs! But as it turns out, they weren't the first after all! Erf sees the Colossux, a very scary large being, and makes a difficult decision, saving his friends.
"An evolutionary tale of love and loyalty for all ages."
I think children of pretty much all ages will enjoy this simple tale, though if the parents believe in Intelligent Design; they will definitely have objections to the subject matter. This book IS about evolution.
The only real problem I had with the book was the ultimate sacrifice that was made. It was for the greater good. That's a strange message to send young children.
The four friends are the first to leave the Sea, to crawl upon the land and find out they not only have gills... they also have lungs! But as it turns out, they weren't the first after all! Erf sees the Colossux, a very scary large being, and makes a difficult decision, saving his friends.
"An evolutionary tale of love and loyalty for all ages."
I think children of pretty much all ages will enjoy this simple tale, though if the parents believe in Intelligent Design; they will definitely have objections to the subject matter. This book IS about evolution.
The only real problem I had with the book was the ultimate sacrifice that was made. It was for the greater good. That's a strange message to send young children.
April 5, 2014
A really great children's book about friends and the beginnings of life. Not the greatest "lesson" (because of the way the bully monster was handled and the way it handled erf's lack of "special" talent...) but overall, it is a very creative book and easily the best children's book I have ever seen that deals with how the earth and life were formed in a way for kids to grasp. That's pretty awesome.
November 7, 2013
Garth Ennis, the man who gave the world Jesse Custer, Cassidy, & Arseface, wrote a children's book. A book for children. FOR CHILDREN!!!
If you have kids, know kids, ever were a kid...BUY THIS BOOK!!!
If you have kids, know kids, ever were a kid...BUY THIS BOOK!!!
December 2, 2014
Katie loves this. I find it a bit much for a kids book, but that's just me
November 8, 2019
No one:
Absolutely no one:
Garth Ennis: Well, let's give these primal creatures some super powers but not to 'wee' Erf.
Isn't it ironic ?
Absolutely no one:
Garth Ennis: Well, let's give these primal creatures some super powers but not to 'wee' Erf.
Isn't it ironic ?
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews