Brian Truitt

USA TODAY

We couldn't be any more psyched for AMC's new TV series Preacher, since it's pretty much one of the best comic books ever. And if they stick to the source material, it might reach a new level of TV violence that'll make The Walking Dead look like Strawberry Shortcake when it premieres May 22. To whet your appetite, here are some exclusive new shots from Preacher — executive produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg — including the core trio of Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga and Joseph Gilgun hanging out in church.

So who the heck are they playing? A rundown for the newbies:

Jesse Custer (Cooper)

He's a complicated, small-town Texas holy man who becomes inhabited by a heavenly strong entity and goes on a literal search for God when the Big Man Upstairs goes AWOL.

Cassidy (Gilgun)

A vampire in the comic, Cassidy is Jesse's best pal, an Irish vagabond and a dude who does not have a problem getting bloody.

Tulip O'Hare (Negga)

Jesse's ex-girlfriend is no stranger to a gun and she fits right into the ultra-violent world of Preacher.