Chew Vol. 1 : Taster’s Choice (TPB)

A new strain of the bird flu was discovered, wiping out millions and as a result, chicken as we know it, was made illegal. And just like that, the F.D.A. became the most powerful government agency on the planet, dispatching special agents to police the illegal flow of chicken on the black market. Enter police officer Tony Chu. Tony is what is scientifically known as, a cibopath, it basically means that he has psychic impressions or visions of whatever he eats. If he bites down on an apple, he knows where it’s from, what tree it grew on & what the farmer’s name was. But it’s not limited to just food, so using this ability when finding murdered victims can be extremely useful for solving crimes. That is, until his superiors caught on and ratted him out. With the possibility of dismissal, a large man by the name of Mason Savoy offers Tony a job as a special agent for the F.D.A. With his gift, he investigates the strangest & sickest cases of all, fights vampires & even finds time to fall in love.

This is truly one of the best ongoing series out there & it’s also my very favourite. It’s 100% original, has larger than life supporting characters, it’s disgusting (in a good way), has cartoon-like violence and it’s a hell of a lot of fun. It’s written by John Layman (Gambit : Hath No Fury) who writes captivating stories with a wild sense of humour & illustrated by Rob Guillory, who has a cartoony style with hilarious facial expressions for his characters & square-like bodies.

I collect this series in trades for the same 3 reasons I collect The Walking Dead series. 1. It’s easier to collect. 2. It’s convenient to read. And 3. Let’s face it, It’s cheaper than buying the first couple of issues. If you’re tired of reading the same generic super heroes stuff and you’re looking for something fresh & new, than look no further than Chew (I swear I didn’t mean for that to rhyme at all). Originally published as Chew #1-#5. From Image Comics.