Chew

I don’t want to be the only review here, but if you haven’t been reading/heard of “Chew” than you should probably pull up a chair and dig in.

The newest player from Image comics came so far out of left field that the first issue had to be reprinted three times to fill demand. The series is savoringly simple, strangely elegant with a just a hint of disturbing. In a word: Delicious.

If you’re wondering about all the food analogies, “Chew” is the story of Tony Chu (ha-ha-ha) an agent of the FDA in a world where a government ban on most meat products has made fried-chicken speakeasys and Food and Drugs Administrators with liscenses to kill an everyday part of the food-smuggling, criminal underground.

The disturbing element? Tony Chu is Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. So, a piece of broccoli brings up images of pesticides and dirt. A hamburger brings up images of cows being shoved, still kicing, into the grinder. And, nibbling on the body of a corpse/killer brings up their memories…the essential ingrediants needed for an investigator to close a case.

For a point of reference, think a more whimsical “Wormwood, Gentlemen Corpse”. The key to the whole thing is Tony Chu, who is as charming a loveable loser as he is a dedicated agent. Intended for mature audiences, it’s a young series. So, hop on the bandwagon and see what other morsels John Lahman (of Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness and PUFFED fame) and Rob Guillory have under under a heat lamp waiting for us.