Chew Volume One: Taster’s Choice combines the first five issues of the Chew comic which is funny, disturbing, and overall enjoyable. Tony Chu is cibopathic, meaning he receives psychic impressions from the things that he eats. Tracing contraband chicken at a chicken speakeasy Tony discovers a serial killer who he repeatedly bites into to discover where missing bodies are buried. The consequence? He is recruited by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which has become the most powerful law enforcement agency after bird flu devastates the population.
Chew Volume One: Taster's Choice
As a special agent for the FDA, Tony Chu is partnered with another cibopath, Mason Savoy, who acts as his mentor. Chew plays the clichés of the typical buddy cop detective drama with the yelling boss, banter between partners, and strong streaks of sarcasm. While tracing a murder, Tony falls in love with a food reviewer whose power is in her pen. She can make people taste what she writes, and her current mission is to sicken people by visiting the worst restaurants in the city. The other supporting characters are interesting due to the book’s premise, and several story arcs are launched by the end of this work.
Brief scenes of cannibalism and munching on other non – delectables combined with a twisted sense of humor define the tone for Chew. The dystopic future is rife with conspiracy. Chicken is outlawed (leaving only outlaws with chicken), but is there a sinister reasoning behind this? Was bird flu responsible for mass death or are there other forces at work? While investigating a case, Tony is brought back to his partner, the hulking Mason, who has his own agenda. They know each other’s ability and the information that can be obtained from a nibble of one another. They part as enemies, and Chew looks to be a promising detective comic with an overall conspiracy arch.
The Art of Chew
Rob Guillory’s art is outlandish, but he is able to convey complex emotions through facial features and body language despite the cartoon style that dominates much of the book. The most impressive thing about the art in Chew is Guillory’s colouring. Different pages will have a dominating tint making the book vivid while maintaining a noir feel. Occasionally gruesome with a playful silliness, the art actively contributes rather than distracts from the story, and remains engaging throughout.
Chew Volume One: Taster’s Choice is both completely ridiculous and engaging all at once. It pushes the envelope, and the scenes of eating to solve crimes will not appeal to every reader. Violence, vomit, and the grotesque are played for shock value, but progress the story nonetheless. Readers looking for something new and different while adhering to the themes of government conspiracy and police drama will be delighted. Chew has a strong charisma and this first collection will leave readers wanting to munch on some more.
Chew Volume One: Taster’s Choice (ISBN 978 – 1 – 60706 – 159 – 5) by John Layman and Rob Guillory was published by Image Comics in 2009.
Brian Jungwiwattanaporn - Living an eclectic life, Brian has found online writing a great way to share and explore his interests. Having recently complete a ...
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