The Pro (Comics) | Review

Ever wondered what happens if someone took the concept of Justice League and threw it into a blender with South Park's humor and pornographic irreverence? The Pro from Image Comics by writer Garth Ennis (Punisher: Born, Punisher: Soviet) answers that question in a one-shot that's equal parts superhero satire and sex comedy.

Published by Image Comics in 2002, The Pro represents Ennis at his most unhinged, collaborating with powerhouse art team of Amanda Conner (Codename: Knockout, Vampirella Lives) and Jimmy Palmiotti to create something that couldn't exist in any other medium.

For readers already familiar with Ennis's acclaimed work on Preacher or The Boys, this provocative one-shot serves as both a palate cleanser and a bold mission statement about what happens when talented creators are given complete creative freedom to explore the absurdist potential of superhero fiction without editorial restraint.

The Pro tells the compelling story of an unnamed street prostitute who gets incredible superpowers from an alien entity called the Viewer and is subsequently recruited into the League of Honor, a thinly veiled parody of DC's Justice League.

What follows is a gleefully profane and hilarious exploration of what would actually happen if you dropped a street-smart working girl with zero filter into a team of self-righteous do-gooders who've never encountered anyone from the real world.

The protagonist– known only as "The Pro"– brings a refreshingly honest perspective to superhero team dynamics that most comics would never dare explore. Her reactions to the League's pompous rhetoric and sanitized worldview provide both the story's comedy and its surprisingly sharp social commentary.

Ennis cleverly uses her unique outsider status to highlight the inherent absurdity of traditional superhero moral codes while simultaneously exploring deeper themes of class, sexuality, and what actually constitutes heroism in the real world.

The League of Honor members themselves function as pitch-perfect parodies of iconic heroes, with the Saint (Superman), the Knight and Squire (Batman and Robin), the Lady (Wonder Woman) and others serving as targets for Ennis's satirical observations.

Each League character represents different aspects of superhero mythology that Ennis finds absolutely ridiculous, from their impossible moral purity to their convenient ignorance of harsh real-world problems like poverty, addiction and survival sex work.

The bizarre alien subplot provides the story's essential science fiction framework while simultaneously serving as a sharp commentary on how traditional superhero origins often rely on completely arbitrary cosmic intervention rather than logical character development.

The Viewer's motivations for giving powers to a street-level sex worker rather than someone more conventionally heroic drive much of the story's thematic content, questioning who deserves power and why society makes those determinations.

The Pro's integration into the League creates scenarios that range from hilariously awkward to genuinely thought-provoking. Her matter-of-fact approach to violence, sex and survival contrasts sharply with her teammates' sanitized worldviews, creating conflicts that expose the hypocrisies inherent in traditional superhero narratives.

The story explores how someone from society's margins might actually approach superhero responsibilities differently than privileged do-gooders. Character interactions drive much of the story's success, particularly the Pro's relationships with different League members.

Her dynamic with each individual hero reveals different aspects of superhero mythology that Ennis wants to critique, from their sexual repression to class blindness to their naive understanding of justice. These relationships provide both the story's funniest moments and its most cutting observations about superhero fiction.

The convenient one-shot format perfectly allows Ennis to tell a complete and satisfying story without worrying about ongoing continuity concerns or complex long-term character development requirements that might constrain his creative vision.

This freedom results in a narrative that feels both focused and unrestrained, hitting its satirical targets with precision while maintaining enough plot momentum to keep readers engaged beyond just the shock value and crude humor.

The story's sexual content isn't just gratuitous– it serves as deliberate contrast to the sexless world of mainstream superhero comics. By centering a character whose sexuality is both her profession and power, Ennis forces readers to confront the medium's traditional prudishness while exploring sexual agency in super-powered worlds.

The collection includes an additional eight-page story titled "The Pro Vs. The Ho," which expands on the main narrative while maintaining the same irreverent tone and crude humor that makes the original story so memorable and entertaining.

This entertaining bonus content demonstrates the creative team's commitment to exploring every absurd possibility within their concept, providing additional value for readers while showcasing more of Conner's distinctive artwork and Ennis's completely unrestrained satirical approach to superhero conventions and tropes.

Amanda Conner's distinctive artwork strikes the absolutely perfect balance between cartoonish expressiveness and detailed realism, making the story's more outrageous moments feel genuinely grounded in recognizable human emotion.

Her character designs for League of Honor members perfectly capture their archetypal nature while allowing for subtle visual commentary on their absurdities. Conner's facial expressions convey volumes of character information, particularly in scenes where dialogue alone might not capture the full comedy or pathos of the situation.

Jimmy Palmiotti's inks enhance Conner's pencils perfectly, adding depth and weight to comedic and dramatic moments. The collaboration creates a visual style that feels polished and appropriately irreverent, matching Ennis's blend of sophistication and crude humor.

Ennis's writing demonstrates his mastery of both dialogue and character voice, giving each League member distinct speech patterns that immediately communicate their archetypal nature while making the Pro's street-smart perspective feel authentic and compelling.

The Pro stands as both a brilliant superhero parody and a genuine examination of power, privilege and perspective in a world of costumed heroes. This one-shot succeeds because it doesn't just mock superhero conventions– it uses those conventions to explore real social issues that mainstream comics typically ignore.

The collaboration between Ennis, Conner and Palmiotti creates something hilariously irreverent and surprisingly thoughtful. For mature readers seeking comics that combine crude humor with sharp commentary, The Pro delivers exactly what adult superhero fiction should be.

The convenient one-shot format works absolutely perfectly for this specific concept, allowing the talented creative team to tell their complete story without any compromise while avoiding the potential pitfalls of extending the concept beyond its natural scope.

The comic's "no sacred cows" satirical approach occasionally crosses uncomfortable lines, particularly with cultural stereotypes that feel more problematic than clever, reminding readers that edgy humor doesn't always equal effective social commentary.

The Pro is available in a standalone trade paperback from Image Comics and is also collected in deluxe hardcover editions. Digital readers can grab it on ComiXology and Kindle, making it easy to dive into Garth Ennis' satirical take on superheroes in both formats.