CHEW #23
Story by: John Layman
Art by: Rob Guillory
Colors: Taylor Wells
Cover by: Rob Guillory
Publisher: Image Comics
REVIEW: On the back cover of issue 15 we saw the image of the dead baseball player that you can see on the cover to this issue. At the time I considered myself intrigued and knew that when the time came to tell that story Layman and Guillory would continue to give us the rollicking tale that they have been delivering for the last two years. This chapter is part three of five of the Major League Chew story and how poor Tony finds out about this player’s past is frankly as gruesome as it is entertaining.
That Tony has been kidnapped for sex and is been force fed body parts reading as funny as it does is a testament that you have to be prepared for some things that you won’t be seeing elsewhere but at the same time, feel good that you find such things entertaining. The dark humour and drama that eschews this book is one of it strongest selling points and as we find ourselves at the middle point of probably the best arc of the book yet, it shows no signs of slowing down. One of the better points in the issue is how the relationship between Agent Colby and his feline partner Buttercup is being written. It is hilarious at times and bone crunching funny at others. Even when they get a huge bust Colby can’t seem to catch a break from his overbearing boss and in the absence of Tony appears to be the ‘Tony’ of his new department.
The intent of Tony’s kidnappers by having him eat body parts of sports legends wasn’t anything I saw coming. They want Tony to eat parts of these players of the past and tell him their sexual secrets for what will be a tell-all book. How Tony leads them on is great and this is what I was talking about up top when I said you will be entertained by something simply gruesome.
This issue is a perfect showcase that proves Rob Guillory is as the cover proclaims, comics best non superhero artist. Just about every page has something extra for the eagle eyed reader to latch onto and giggle at. No artist I know of can pull off facial expressions quite like this guy and every page the easter eggs aside is loaded with information that are all clues to an overarching story. This is the perfect writing-artistic tandem comic.
This run so far has been golden and is becoming a modern classic in the making. It will be fascinating to see where the events of the last page are going to bring Colby in his work relationship with Director Penya. Whatever the outcome, it will be funny, disgusting and great comics all in one.
Story: Overall 5/5
Art: Overall 5/5
Overall 10/10
