Comically Challenged: CHEW #7

Show of hands: who’s already reading John Layman’s CHEW? Hopefully, most reading this post have raised their hands. It’s one-of-a-kind and absolutely addicting. Seven issues in; totally do-able if you need to catch up. The first 5 issues have already been traded! Let me give you an idea of what you would be getting yourself into.

Tony Chu is a cop. He is also a chibopath. Now, what’s that? That’s a fictional ability to get psychic readings from whatever you eat. (I say fictional because, as of yet, I have not heard anyone claiming to be so talented. Might exist. Who am I to say?) So if you eat a Twinkie-you can see how and when that Twinkie was made. Eat a piece of jerky-see the jerky’s journey from slaughterhouse to your mouth. The only things that he can’t pick up on are beets. Sure, that makes sense. Why is being chibopathic important? He’s a cop. Cops solve murders. So, he nibbles on some dead guy and BOOM-Tony knows how he died and what went down beforehand. It’s all just a matter of connecting the dots.

In case that wasn’t quite far out enough, chicken is a banned substance. Government outlawed it because of bird flu. Instead of drug busts, foodies are getting taken down for buying a drumstick or a few eggs. Sorry, Paula Dean. So after all is said and done, Tony is promoted to the F.D.A. for his certain talents. Got to hunt down those chicken pushers I guess. At any rate, the F.D.A. is top of the food chain (I tried to avoid that, honest) when it comes to government agencies.

Issue #6 started us out on the new arc “International Flavor”. Tony gets back together with his old partner-turned-cyborg and he’s introduced to this new plant that tastes like chicken. Not in the cliché way, it actually does. So underground ‘speakeasies’ are putting fake chicken in their dishes! Proving once again that it’s so hard to find unlaced product in the black market. In issue #7 Tony is trying to get more information on this pineapple-looking chicken plant and flies to the island of Yamapalu. His brother, a celebrity chef that can make a mean chicken, is also headed to the island to cook in a resort restaurant. Here we meet a woman that’s a covert-op for the U.S.D.A. that feels like Tony’s stepping in on her case.

I enjoy every element of this book. The writing is witty with sharp one-liners scattered throughout. The story itself is so vehemently outrageous that if it weren’t for the characters, the whole thing would be laughable. However, you find yourself feeling so sorry for Tony. He’s just a guy that’s so exhausted from seeing where his food came from, his boss is a dick, his brother is a multiple offender, and he seems to have a hard time with his designated partners. That, and his ear was recently lost Holyfield-style. Whoa.

The art is grotesque. It would have to be, right? You’re dealing with over-the-top characters with a disgusting story-so Rob Guillory’s art fits perfectly. He’s new so I’m not entirely sure if what I’m seeing is just his style or if it was purposefully designed. Regardless, it’s obvious that he has fun with his work. How could you not have fun when you’re drawing a tech-ed out rat named Jellybean?

After the first story arc, I was concerned that Layman wouldn’t be able to keep up the story as an ongoing title. It seemed like mini-series fodder for Image. I suppose it’s still a legitimate concern, but “International Flavor” has instilled some hope in me that Layman and Guillory are nowhere close to running out of ideas. Turns out, the world of CHEW is a pretty big sandbox for these guys to play in.