What I'm Reading: Series Round-Up-- Chew Volume 3

As you can see from my reviews of the first two compiled "Omnivore Editions," I am a huge fan of the graphic novel series Chew written by John Layman and drawn by Rob Guillory.

Just what is Chew?  Well you can click here and here to see my posts on Volumes 1 and 2.  I also described the series this way at the PLA 2012 conference:

Welcome to a near future dystopia where a horrible bird flu has killed millions of people, and now, chicken as a food source has been completely outlawed for our own safety.  Or, as we come to question, is that just what the government is telling us? Why? What is the big secret?  Enter Tony Chu, a cibopath, a term that means he can get a psychic impression from whatever he eats.  It also means that if he is willing to eat corpses, he can solve just about any case.  Tony's powers move him to the biggest, baddest government agency in this new world...the FDA!  His job is to stop illegal chicken consumption; however, his powers have created many enemies who are out to get him. Such is the original, dark world of the graphic novel series Chew by John Layman and illustrated by Rob Guillory. This is a dark, character driven story with cliff hangers, shocking plot twists, dark humor, and an extremely interesting frame.  But it is not for the weak stomached.

Since you have had plenty of chances to click here and see the previous reviews,  I am going to move right on in to this third compendium of a year's worth of serial comics.  I felt like this volume brought together all of the strings from the many story lines set up in Volumes 1 and 2 and began knitting the cloth that is the main story of this series.

Let me explain.  Volumes 1 and 2 introduced a ton of quirky characters and set up the world, but it was beginning to feel fractured to me by the end of Volume 2.  I had too many story lines, too many conflicts, too many issues floating around in my head.  Ahh, but I have to give Layman credit.  He knew what he was doing.  Just when I felt the series was getting too busy without going anywhere...BAM!  This compendium was all about taking the loose ends and bringing them into the fold.  We now have one story.

Also, new to Volume 3, Tony has finally been fired by his boss and moved from the FDA to a traffic cop.

The series is still part speculative fiction, part alternate reality, part dystopia, part crime fiction with lots of tongue in cheek humor (see traffic cop comment above) and great, colorful, rich, pictures.  The characters have come a long way too.  They began as merely interesting and quirky, but have now been fleshed out both in drawing and writing.

In fact, now is a good time to mention the illustrator, Guillory.  He has really blossomed in this series. The pictures are beautiful; they add to the story in their vibrancy, playfulness, and detail.  They are useful to moving the story along.  You need to spend time examining the pictures on each page if you want to get the full depth of the story, but they are also so vivid and eye catching that you want to linger.  I see Guillory's talent growing with each book.

A perfect example of the appeal of this series in writing and art, as I have been trying to describe it, is best seen in the extra standalone comic featuring POYO, a secret agent, assassin, bionic chicken. This issue is included in the Omnivore Edition Volume 3. Here is a picture of POYO.  Again, it fully captures the tone of the series.


In general, the speculative world is also getting rounder.  New powers and details are being added.  I would say this is great time to start the series and read all three volumes. If you are not sure (because I have to admit, the frame is a bit on the odd side) read the first issue in Volume 1.  You will know right away if it is for you or not.  If you like it, you should read all 3 "Omnivore" Compendiums

I should mention a few limiters beyond it being "odd."  The series is a bit gory and gross, I mean, the cibopaths take bites out of dead people to find out who killed them.  There is violence and sex, but I would say of the PG13 variety; there is no nudity, but there are people in lingerie, and there are people being split in two. This volume, while advancing the overall story, also has a solid and complete mystery line of its own which involves Tony being kidnapped for an interesting reason.

This is a series I will be sticking with.  I am hungry (pun intended) for more.

Three Words That Describe This Book: offbeat, great characters, rich illustrations

Readalikes:  I have many readalikes if you click here including novels and graphic novels. But I still have a few new ideas.

The offbeat tone with a alternative reality frame reminds me of Seth Grahame-Smith, specifically Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and Unholy Night.  If you like Layman's crazy story lines, I think Grahame-Smith is a nice compliment.

If you like the mystery angle with an original premise and alternative reality setting, Ben Winter's The Last Policeman is a nice match.

And finally, another graphic novel suggestion is the Astro City series by Kurt Busiek which presents short stories about Astro City and the superheroes and citizens who live there.  It is a compelling series with some mystery aspects, lots of offbeat, dark humor, and a SF, alternative reality frame.

What I’m Reading: Graphic Novels-- Revival, Chew, and Shadow Hero

The year is winding down and I have 4 more posts [counting today] before I will officially post my top 10 reads of the year for blog perpetuity on 12/31.

Today it’s a quick 3-for-one round up of some graphic novels I enjoyed in the last third of 2014. But please note, I saved these to be reviewed together for a reason; there is a nice progression here.

In the heat of August, I read the third volume in a horror graphic novel series that is set in a frozen winter in Wisconsin, Revival Volume Three: A Faraway Place by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton.

I read and reviewed the first 2 volumes on the horror blog here. Please read that review, because the set up and appeal here is still the same [and quite honestly, why would I take the effort to post a review and archive it if you don’t go read it].

Here is how I feel now that we are 17 issues in.  This is a solid, creepy, atmospheric, supernatural crime story.  It is still very dark, with fantastically complex female characters (which in horror is worth pointing out), but I think the authors are still finding their way story wise.

The plot got a bit muddled here in the third compiled volume, but not in a way that I would not continue.  I think we are simply at the point in the plot where a big revelation or a plot twist is coming.  The problem with complex stories told in graphic novels is that we have to wait to wait for more issues to see the entire story arc unfold, and since I read them compiled, I have to wait longer.

However, Revival is still very good.  It is an excellent choice for fans of dark, character driven, supernatural graphic novels.  It is interesting from a psychological standpoint, and is very thought provoking.

By the way, Revival Vol 4 came out this fall. I’ll be reading it soon.

Three Words That Describe This Book: dread, strong female characters, thought provoking.

Readalikes: I posted many for a wide variety of reading tastes here. But to that list I would also add the stories of Edgar Allan Poe.  This series has the same creepy, psychological feel as all of his work.

Another graphic novel series I read [and love] is Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory.  This summer they released the 4th compiled volume of this dark, dystopic, character driven series.

I saved this review to run with Revival for a few reasons.

1. The two series are readalikes for each other.
2. They recently had a cross over issues.
3. 3. Like Revival, early into the story of Chew I was also feeling like the overall story arc was getting muddled. I knew that the growing pains had to happen, and that I had to be patient while the story was unveiled, but because I loved the set up and where I thought it was moving, I was anxious to get to the meat.

[So, Revival, you are lucky that Chew has turned such a fantastic series because I am staying patient for you.]

Yes, Chew has matured into everything I thought it would and could be.  This is a robust, highly engaging, and delightfully original [without being crazy] series.  The plot, the characters and the art have matured into some of the best in the entire graphic novel industry.

Again, for more setup, I have talked about the story, the art (which I LOVE), and the appeal of both at length here. But without giving away details, just trust me-- if you like non-superhero,  graphic novel series, and don’t mind speculative elements, read Chew. How often do you get fun, interesting, and thought provoking stories in any format?

Three Words That Describe This Book: original story, eccentric characters, dark humor

Readalikes: Click here for a ton of suggestions.  I also think that fans of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files might also enjoy the supernatural, criminal investigations here. I have had luck giving fans of the Butcher series Chew.

Also, Hellboy is a nice readalike for the dark, at times gruesome, but still darkly humorous storytelling here.  Although the art here in Chew is much brighter, and lightens the dark tone of the series quite a bit. Some Hellboy fans might not enjoy that. But I have noticed that the two supernatural crime series both attract a large number of female readers, for what it is worth.

Now, check out this transition to the third graphic novel [because I did plan this]....

Tony Chu and his entire Asian-American family who are the stars of the popular and award-winning Chew series, owe a lot to the very first [arguably] Asian American character in comics history, The Green Turtle.

Yes, I said The Green Turtle. What you haven’t heard of this classic 1940s superhero? Don’t worry, you are not alone.  He has largely been lost to history. But thanks to the fabulously talented and multiple award-winning Gene Luen Yang, with help here from Sonny Lieu we can all know learn about The Green Turtle and read his origin story in their graphic novel, The Shadow Hero.

Yang and Liew take the interesting history behind this forgotten superhero and create a YA, coming of age, graphic novel about a 19 year-old, second generation, Chinese American boy in NYC’s Chinatown-- the young man who would become The Green Turtle. While set in the 1940s, this is a very post-modern, 21st Century inspired story as the boy becomes a superhero at the nagging of his overbearing mother.

While the original story/superhero stuff here is fun and interesting, it is the characters, their motivation, and the historical frame that shine here.

After the origin story that is the meat of this volume, Yang has written a history of The Green Turtle and included some of the actual comics.  I found learning about the true story behind The Green Turtle both shocking and interesting.  That part alone is worth a read.

The art here is in the style of classic comics of the era, but in sort of a “wink-wink,” hipster, knowingness sort of way.  They know you know that it is in that style, so they pull back a little and put a tiny bit of a modern spin on it all.  Page through the book and you will see what I mean.

Three Words That Describe This Book: forgotten superhero, historical, Chinese Americans

Readalikes:  Technically, The Shadow Hero is a YA novel, but it clearly appeals to adults who are also interested in the history of comic books. And if you are one of those adults and you haven’t read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, you need to go get a copy right now.  This if one of my personal, all-time favorites.

But if you want another Asian-American, graphic novel which is okay for teens to adults, NoveList directed me to Ichiro by Ryan Inzana. [By the way, Novelist also has a great Recommended Reads list on Asian Teen Lives for more titles with this appeal.]

If you want to read other superhero comics, I think the older Superman comics are a great readalike here since this was created in a similar time period.  But in general, any of the original comic book characters from the 1930s and 40s are a good bet here.

Finally, those interested in getting a big picture overview of the history of comic book superheroes should get their hands on one of these two encyclopedias.

• Marvel Encyclopedia [Updated and Expanded]-- we own a copy of this at my house; very much worth the cost.
• DC Comics Encyclopedia

Back tomorrow with another review.

What I'm Reading Graphic Novel Edition: Mr. Wonderful and Chew

Tonight's class includes a discussion on Graphic Novels so I thought I would catch up on my reviews of the two graphic novels I finished recently: Mister Wonderful by Daniel Clowes and Chew: The Omnivore Edition by John Layman and Rob Guillory.

Daniel Clowes was the first alternative comic writer to really break out into the mainstream.  His characters are generally misanthropes and/or people on the edges of "normal."  However, his focus on the people on the periphery of polite society is a commentary how we are all outsiders in one way or another.

In order to underscore the universality of how we all feel like a weirdo at times, he uses exaggeration and the grotesque in his stories and art.  This makes for a slightly surreal quality to his stories, but they are firmly grounded in reality.

Clowes is most popular with 25-45 year olds who are regular graphic novel readers; however, with his growing popularity, numerous awards, and even an appearance alongside Alan Moore on the Simpsons, Clowes is being read more by the casual graphic novel reader too.

I personally love Clowes, but it is important to note that I fit into the above category of traditional Clowes fans.  To the right here you can see a page from Mr. Wonderful.

Mr. Wonderful takes only an hour or two to read and savor. For those who vaguely remember seeing it somewhere else before, it was originally serialized in The New York Times Magazine.

Mr Wonderful hits at all of the Clowes appeals I mentioned above, plus a few more I will mention now.

The pages are busy and require your attention, but they are not hard to follow.  He uses every inch of the page to tell you a story.

Clowes employs a clear style which he introduces from page one and sticks to throughout.  Once you get in the groove of his storytelling methodology, you are good to go.

The story itself is merely a slice of life peek into our eccentric main character, a divorced man looking for love.  He is set up on a blind date by friends and this graphic novel is the story of that date.  We get glances into both parties' backstories and specifically into the mind of Mr Wonderful himself.

This is a quirky, fun ride through a blind date from hell that might just lead to an ulikely relationship.

Three Words That Describe This Book: quirky, slice of life, outsiders

Readalikes:  Mr. Wonderful reminded me of HBO's Bored to Death.  Mr. Wonderful and his misadventure could easily be used as a plot line for the Jonathan Ames character on the show.  Interestingly, Ray, another character on the show, is a comics writer himself.  Click here to see artist Dean Haspiel's drawings used on the show.  It all overlaps perfectly.

Clowes' storytelling  has always reminded me of the novels of Jonathan Lethem.  As a readliake here I would specifically suggest Chronic City or You Don't Love Me Yet.

In graphic novels, I also find Chris Ware a good readalike option.  Both men write alternative comics with outsider main characters and a literary fiction-esque story line. You can't go wrong by giving Jimmy Corrgian: The Smartest Kid on Earth a try if you like Clowes.

The work of graphic novelist Adrian Tomine and David Mazzucchelli's Asterios Polyp (link to my review) are also good options.

Now on to the next review.  Here is how I learned about Chew: Jose at work read it and said to me, "You have to try this graphic novel. The main character is a guy who gets a psychic impression from every bite of food he eats." That was enough for me.  I put it on hold and am now totally addicted to this smart, scary, and thought provoking graphic novel series.  I am holding my breath for Volume 2 to be released on December 20th.

Here is the link to the official website for the series, which includes examples of the art.  In particular, I think the picture on the right really captures the series' tone and style.

From that same site, here is the creator's description of the series:

Tony Chu is a cop with a secret. A weird secret. Tony Chu is 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. It`s a dirty job, and Tony has to eat terrible things in the name of justice. And if that wasn`t bad enough, the government has figured out Tony Chu`s secret. They have plans for him… whether he likes it or not.

The world in which Tony is a detective is also a near future dystopia where some type of horrible bird flu has killed millions of people, and now, chicken as a food source has been completely outlawed for our own safety.  Or, as we come to question, is that just what the government is telling us? Why? What is the big secret?

Tony's powers move him to the biggest, baddest government agency in this new world...the FDA!  His job is to stop illegal chicken consumption; however, his powers have created many enemies who are out to get him.  We meet Tony's celebrity chef brother, his partners, and an intriguing restaurant reviewer with powers of her own. There are many more interesting characters, but you will need to discover them on your own.

As this first compendium ends, Tony is just on the edge of discovering what is really going on in regards to the outlawing of chicken.  Many factions are closing in on him, from different sides, and I want to know what is going to happen! (see my above comment about holding my breath for Vol 2)

The drawings are dark, edgy, and colorful.  There are a lot of sharp jagged lines to keep you uneasy.  The page is used in many different ways to tell the story, from full page illustrations, to extreme close ups, traditional panels, and oversized ones.  Again, the presentation fluctuates to add that unease to the story which is truly gratifying.

I would best describe the series as gruesome and funny, in equal measure.  It has all the trappings of both a great dystopian novel, with the thought provoking story lines and chilling social warnings as well as the comforts of a solid detective story.

This is a dark (bordering on horror), character driven story with cliff hangers, shocking plot twists, and an extremely interesting frame.  But it really is also funny. Tony is a great protagonist.  If you like him, you will love the series.

Chew is not for the weak stomached, but it is also one of the most original stories I have read in a long time.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  original, dystopic, uneasy mood

Readalikes:  Chew is clearly heavily influenced by the drawing style, themes, and storytelling method of Robert Kirkman and his enormously successful Walking Dead series.  Both series use a similar drawing style, but more importantly, they use a near future, dystopian setting to provide social commentary on the world today.  Chew also uses the classic Kirkman storytelling techniques of a large cast of characters, many subplots, and shocking, cliff hanger endings.  Without Kirkman, there would be no Chew, but that is a good thing.  It is nice to see someone begin influenced by Kirkman while still telling a engaging and original story.

Joe Hill's Locke and Key series is also a great readalike.  I have read and reviewed all 4 compendiums here, here, here, and here.

The novel The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender also features a protagonist who can taste the emotions of the person who made her food, but I would only suggest this novel to Chew fans if the cibopath part of the story is their favorite part. The tone and mood of the two stories are very different.  In Bender's book, no one is eating murder victims.

Chew is much more in line with near future dystopian stories, especially those which are character driven such as Never Let Me Go by Kazou Ishiguro, Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, and of course, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

Don't forget to check out what my students also read for class tonight.

What I'm Reading: Chew Volume 2

Back to catching up on my reviews of the books I finished, going on 2 months ago...

Last year I discovered the wonderful world of Chew.  I am not going to rehash the awesome back story to this series, just click through to see.  But know I liked this series enough to include it as the final entry in my PLA presentation.

As with most comics series, I wait until the hardbound compilations come out to read them.  So what I am reviewing here is the second 6 issues of the series gathered into The Omnivore Edition, Vol 2.

There is not much different to say from the last volume in terms of appeal (so go read that post if you need to), although I will say that the novelty of the dark fantasy world Layman and Guillory have created has worn off, but I still enjoyed being immersed in it.  That says a lot because I was worried that without the novelty, this series might lose steam.

Like most second books in a series, while the first is mostly set-up, world building, and character development, this second compendium is all about moving the plot forward.  Readers of this blog know I prefer character development to plot advancement, but as a veteran reader, I know I have to get a more plot heavy second volume before I can get more character development in the third installment, so I am willing to wait.

The big change here in Volume 2 is that we meet quite a bit more of Tony' family, in a hilarious Thanksgiving dinner scene.  Especially interesting, we meet his daughter, who as the compendium closes seems to become the key to the advancement of the story.

Tony's twin sister was also a nice addition, especially since she is offered as a contrast to Tony.  Her work with NASA is utilized with the introduction of an alien story line [a turn which I am currently taking a wait and see approach on].

Finally, as you can tell from the cover, we also have the return of Tony's mentor and fellow cibopath Mason Savoy, who went rogue and AWOL in Volume 1.  Savoy's story is told from his pov.  So we have a regular double pov for the first time in this series.  This is also a story arc I am anxious to follow in the 3rd compendium.

I should say that the dark humor and thought provoking near future dystopian setting are still key here.  And the series is still not for the weak stomached.  The quirky characters are original, fun, and definitely add to the story.  And the art is still gorgeous.

This is a series to keep following.  It is perfect for an audience 13 and up, with adults getting a bit more out of the political and social observations than teens.

Three Words That Describe This Book: near future dystopia, eccentric characters, dark humor

Readalikes:  Again, click here for my past suggestions; I had quite a few options.

If you liked the near future dystopian angle, I would also suggest Flashback by Dan Simmons (which I am listening too right now and is also "not quite horror").  In fact, Dan Simmons in general would be a good readalike option.

Other novelists I would suggest for fans of Chew are Cory Doctorow or China Mieville.

In graphic novelists I didn't mention before, I would also suggest Alan Moore, Frank Miller, and Brian K. Vaughan.

What I'm Reading: Becky's Favorite Books I Read This Year

Here are my Top 10 Favorite Books I Read in 2011, in no particular order. Please use the links provided for my full reviews.

• Swamplandia! by Karen Russell: the descriptions of the Everglades alone makes it hands down my favorite book this year
• The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta: a favorite author who keeps surprising me by getting better with each book
• The Known World by Edward P. Jones: again, I am sorry it took me so long to read this masterpiece.
• Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson: a better suspense story I did not read this year.

 

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: a better pure story I was not told this year.
• Chew  by John Layman: I read some very good dark graphic novels this year (click here and here), but nothing surprised me as much as this original new series.
• The Sisters Brothers by Patrick de Witt: how can I not love a book that I can describe to patrons as a cross between the Cohen Brothers movies O Brother, Where Art Thou and  No Country for Old Men?

 

• The Caretaker of Lorne Field by Dave Zeltserman: I read some great horror this year (click here to see more) but nothing stayed with me more than this one.
• Centuries of June by Keith Donohue: for its ability to be original AND entertaining
• Full Dark No Stars by Stephen King: not horror, but these four psychological suspense novellas were riveting and frightening, especially in the excellent audio version I listened to.

I have a few overall comments and observations to make about my reading also:

• There was no nonfiction on my final top 10. I tried to go back and find something I enjoyed enough to bump one of these novels off, but I could not. I really liked both In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson and At Home by Bill Bryson, but I enjoy both authors and expected to enjoy these books.  As a result, my enjoyment did not surprise me as much as it did with the 10 books in the list above.
• For similar reasoning 2 other novels just missed the cut, Faithful Place by Tana French and Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson.

Finally, I always save at least one title from one of the year's best lists to start the next year off with. Example from year's past in this tradition  Await Your Reply (on most of 2009's Best Lists, made mine in 2010), Olive Kitteridge (on most of 2008's Best Lists, made mine in 2009), The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (on most of 2007's Best Lists, made mine in 2008).  That is a good track record for this year's selection, The Art of Fielding,  to have to live up to.  I will have a report on it sometime in January, but it will be an entire year before I will know how it pans out in comparison to everything else I read in 2012.
Thank for following me on yet another year of reading.