Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
$12.99, Image Comics, 128 pgs.
ISBN 978-1607067672
In the wake of a lethal avian flu epidemic, chicken is banned. So of course, poultry becomes the hottest illegal commodity in America, making the FDA the nation's highest law enforcement authority. FDA agent Tony Chu is a chibopath, able to receive psychic impressions from whatever he eats. It's a handy (if gross) skill for an investigator to have. However, Tony is not the only person with peculiar, food-related superpowers, which complicates his work a great deal.
In this volume, Tony throws himself into that work as he struggles with his grief over the death of his twin sister, murdered by the so-called "Vampire Collector." Tony's investigation of an energy drink that causes spontaneous human combustion leads to a cult of homicidal egg worshipers who may be connected to the fiery alien writing in the sky; the Vampire tries to recruit Tony; and Tony's partner, John Colby (who's dual work romances are about to collide), manages to apprehend elusive rogue FDA agent Mason Savoy. Meanwhile, Tony tries to repair his relationship with his estranged daughter Olive. There's a lot going on in these 128 pages. A lot. Did I mention Tony also takes on a secret mission for the Navy somewhere in there?
CHEW is a strange, strange series. And yet, its characters are likable and accessible, the narrative is tightly constructed, and the conflicts are visceral and engrossing. It's also one of the most consistently entertaining comics on shelves today. The series isunforgiving toward newcomers—you'll need to start from the beginning to make sense of it—but it's well worth catching up on.
TIPS FOR LIBRARIANS: There are eight volumes of this Eisner Award-winning series currently available. The first couple of collected editions made the New York Times Bestseller list, so it's possible even those patrons who don't read graphic novels have heard of it and might check it out if they see it on your shelf. The series is also available in hardcover "Omnivore" editions, each of which collects two volumes of the series.
READERS' ADVISORY NOTES: CHEW blends humor, horror, and action with the police procedural and a dash of science fiction, defying easy genre classification. Many adult readers will embrace it for this reason; others will find the disparate elements incongruous and off-putting. I've not yet found a reliable pattern for predicting which readers will respond positively and which negatively. I've even seen readers enjoy certain volumes and hate others!
CONTENT ADVISORY: Graphic violence, adult language, sexual themes
Review©2014, C.
Michael Hall.
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