Chew: Disgusting Hilarity

I heard Chew, a graphic novel series by John Layman and Rob Guillory was good, so I ordered it from my library. First of all: ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww! OK, got that over with. I liked it.

The series is about a law enforcement guy named Tony Chu who is cibopathic- he can get physic readings by tasting things. The first book, Tasters Choice, establishes a world where the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) is actually a force to be reckoned with. A bird flu scare has made chicken illegal, and therefore a hot commodity in the underground world, leading to gangster money and violence. It’s hard to know who to trust, or if Chu is on the right side of the battle. This strain continues in the second book, International Flavor, as the plot thickens (like a nice gravy).

The gross factor is over the top and so incredibly entertaining. I don’t watch horror movies or reality shows where people eat weird things. This graphic novel is full of blood, gore, and people eating such things. So why do I like it?

John Layman, a veteran in the comic writing world, created an array of memorable characters. They accept this splattered universe of blood and vomit with boredom, glee or resignation. The situations are ridiculous (an astronomy research unit in the Arctic with so much funding they have Russian babes and booze parties?) paired with dialogue that is fast and funny.

Rob Guillory is having his first big artistic hit with Chew, and he should take plenty of credit. His art keeps it comic instead of epic. The style is exaggerated, just like the plot. The body types are varied, the faces are distinct, the expressions are fantastic. The details in the background make me chuckle.

Tony, “I’m always serious,” is exasperating, sweet, and a hero that eats crap (actually, he got out of that situation) to save the world. His partner John Colby thinks everyone is a fag, he tells Tony, “Except for you. And that’s because you’re such an asshole you’re not able to multi-task.” The love interest is Amelia Mintz, a saboscrivner: she has the ability to write about food with such detail that readers can taste it. She uses this for good, and for awesome.

You can find the volumes separately or in CHEW Omnivore Edition Volume 1. There are two more volumes out: Just Desserts and Flambe. I haven’t read them yet (waiting on my library list) but I’m sure they’re just as tasty.

This series is for adults and older teens that can eat snacks with no problem while watching Silence of the Lambs.