Chew: To Eat or Not to Eat?

...That is the question Tony Chu has to face everyday.


Who is Tony Chu, you ask?
Tony Chew is a detective with a secret. A weird secret. Tony Chu is a Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. It also means he's a hell of a detective, as long as he doesn't mind nibbling on the corpse of a murder victim to figure out whodunit, and why. He's been brought on by the Special Crimes Division of the FDA, the most powerful law enforcement agency on the planet, to investigate their strangest, sickest, and most bizarre cases.



Chew is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book series written by John Layman with art by Rob Guillory and published by Image Comics. There are a total of 17 comics as of February 2011 and a total of 3 Trade paperbacks:

• Chew, Volume 1: Taster's Choice (collects Chew #1-5, 128 pages, November 2009)
• Chew, Volume 2: International Flavor (collects Chew #6-10, 128 pages, April 2010)
• Chew, Volume 3: Just Desserts (collects Chew #11-15, 128 pages, November 2010)

and a hardcover edition collecting the first two Trade paperbacks:

• Chew Omnivore Edition, Volume 1 (collects Chew #1-10, 264 pages, August 2010)

Now, I am starting to collect graphic novels and comics so this was on the top of my list. I can honestly say it is a unique read, awesome plot and just an overall twisted, sick and funny series. As you read, you instantly become hooked on the various characters (and their powers), their background stories, and once you reach the last page, you'll be begging for more! I hope you guys get a chance to read this series as you will not be disappointed. 

You can pick up the Chew Vol.1 (1-5) from Amazon for only 9.99 (If you don't know already, you can sign up for Amazon Student, Unlimited FREE 2-Day Shipping and only $3.99 for 1 Day Shipping. FREE FOR ONE YEAR. All you need is a Student .Edu Email).


The following is a plot summary of the first issue:

Set in a world where all chicken and other bird meats are illegal, after a catastrophic outbreak of the bird flu that killed 23 million Americans, Chew centers on Tony Chu, a police detective who is a Cibopath (pronounced "see-bo-path"). Tony becomes a vice cop with the Philadelphia Police Department, and when on assignment, trying to find people smuggling chicken, he enters a black market chicken restaurant on invitation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA). He has a bowl of chicken soup only to find he gets a psychic impression of the cook, horrifically killing people and then putting them into the soup. He goes to bust the cook, only for the cook to kill himself outside the restaurant. Chu states "Dammit, you rather die than go to Jail? Fine. But I'm still getting those names".

Chu then sinks his teeth into the cooks neck and eats the cook to find out the names of the rest of the victims. He does this to give the family some closure, to whom some had been completely written off as Cold Cases. Now, Chu couldn't get away with biting the perp's corpse and is eventually fired from his job with the Philadelphia PD. As hope seems lost to Chu, enter Agent Mason Savoy who hires Chu on to the Special Crimes Division of the FDA. Ending the first issue with much anticipation is Mavoy's welcoming words, "You work for us now. Welcome to the F.D.A...Agent Chu."


(Agent Mason Savoy on Issue 5 Cover Art)

I'll be sure to keep you guys posted on whatever graphic novels I can get my hands on. Through this, I hope you'll pick up a copy...trust me, you'll love it.
Hope you enjoyed reading, goodbye...until next time.