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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

On the Coffee Table: International Flavor

Title: Chew, Volume Two: International Flavor
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
via Goodreads
The revolting yet exceedingly clever comic book series Chew continues in this second volume, collecting issues #6-10.  If you're new to the series, you can read my thoughts on Volume One here.  In International Flavor, the US government's ban on chicken meat leads our hero, Tony Chu, to the fictional South Pacific nation of Yamapalu where a mysterious fruit is being cultivated.  When the fruit is cooked, it tastes exactly like - you guessed it - chicken.

There are two story elements which I think will hold my long-term interest for a while.  The first is the budding romance between Tony and food critic Amelia Mintz.   The second is the various food powers belonging to some of the characters.  Tony Chu is a cibopath, meaning he instantly accesses the back story for anything he eats.  A couple of new powers are introduced in Volume Two:
  • A cibolocutor communicates exclusively through cooking.  Entire Shakespeare plays or Verdi operas are translated into food.
  • Another skill goes unnamed, at least so far: one character can, by eating a person, gain all of his or her specialized knowledge.  Yup, gross, I know.  That's Chew for you.
Chew definitely pushes my ickiness limits and, trust me, I'm a wimp.  But this series works and the story keeps me constantly curious about what's going to happen next.  I'm up for more.
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10 comments:

  1. PickleopeJuly 15, 2014 at 7:27 AM

    I LOVE Chew. It's exceedingly clever and is one of the few print things that can make me laugh. The series is going to end soon so I'm sure there will be some sort of omnibus coming.

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    1. The Armchair SquidJuly 15, 2014 at 8:22 AM

      I'm a late-comer to the series as I am, admittedly, with most comic books. I tried a single issue at one point a few years ago and it fell flat but a Goodreads recommendation encouraged me to start from the beginning. I'm glad I did.

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  2. Maurice MitchellJuly 15, 2014 at 10:41 AM

    That is one insanely wild comic book. It's nice to know they're still pushing the boundaries.

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    1. The Armchair SquidJuly 15, 2014 at 12:41 PM

      This series certainly pushes boundaries. I'd prefer it didn't push so hard on the disgusting, yet I keep coming back.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousJuly 15, 2014 at 7:11 PM

    I like the cover. I haven't seen this around since I haven't been a comic book reader in ages, but I will check the Goodreads page.

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    1. The Armchair SquidJuly 15, 2014 at 9:19 PM

      I'd start with Volume One if you're genuinely interested. Be ready for the gross...

      Delete
  4. TrishaJuly 15, 2014 at 11:04 PM

    I wonder if Hannibal Lecter gained a lot of wisdom from eating all those old friends? :)

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    1. The Armchair SquidJuly 16, 2014 at 6:06 AM

      Ha! Nice man, goes well with chianti and fava beans.

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  5. CherdoJuly 15, 2014 at 11:18 PM

    Where have I been? This sounds like it's right up my alley. I've got to get out more. In the meanwhile, keep 'em coming, Squidferd!

    Cherdo
    www.cherdoontheflipside.com

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    1. The Armchair SquidJuly 16, 2014 at 6:08 AM

      I hope you'll check it out. Let me know what you think if you do.

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