Chew: International Flavor (Comics) Review

What happens when a psychic food detective encounters a mysterious fruit that could change everything? Tony Chu's bizarre world gets even stranger in International Flavor, the second volume that takes our cibopathic FDA agent from urban food crimes to tropical island horrors. This isn't your typical government investigation.

John Layman and Rob Guillory double down on the grotesque humor that made Chew such a standout series, but International Flavor shifts the action to more exotic territory with tropical mystery elements and darker themes.

The creators understand that their premise works best when pushing boundaries and this volume delivers situations so absurd they somehow become believable within the series' twisted logic and dark humor throughout.

International Flavor opens with Tony Chu investigating reports of a newly discovered fruit with unusual properties that could revolutionize agriculture and government policy. The gallsaberry promises to solve food shortages worldwide but Tony's psychic abilities detect something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface optimism.

The investigation leads Tony and his partner John Colby to a remote tropical island where the gallsaberry grows naturally. The island setting allows Layman to explore themes of corporate exploitation and government conspiracy.

Island life proves far from paradise as Tony discovers the gallsaberry's true purpose involves something much darker than agricultural innovation. The fruit's psychic properties create disturbing visions that connect to a larger conspiracy involving powerful corporate interests and government cover-ups that extend beyond regulation.

Tony's cibopathic abilities become both blessing and curse as he uncovers the island's secrets through unwilling consumption of evidence. His psychic gift forces him to experience traumatic visions that reveal disturbing truths about the conspiracy.

Each psychic vision reveals another layer of the conspiracy while simultaneously traumatizing Tony with experiences he never wanted to witness firsthand through his unique digestive detective work and unwilling psychic abilities throughout the investigation.

The volume introduces several memorable supporting characters who inhabit the island, each harboring secrets that complicate Tony's investigation. These characters feel genuine rather than cartoonish, grounding the absurd premise in recognizable human motivations like greed, fear and survival instinct that drive desperate actions.

Colby's partnership with Tony develops deeper complexity as the investigation progresses into increasingly dangerous territory. Their dynamic balances Tony's reluctant psychic detecting with Colby's police work, creating natural tension throughout their adventure.

Their dynamic balances Tony's reluctant psychic detecting with Colby's conventional police work, creating natural tension that serves both comedic and dramatic purposes throughout their tropical nightmare adventure.

The gallsaberry conspiracy connects to larger themes about corporate agriculture and government regulation that give the story surprising depth beneath its surface absurdity. Layman uses the fruit as metaphor for how promising innovations can mask sinister purposes when profit motives override ethical considerations.

Tony's investigation method becomes increasingly grotesque as he's forced to consume more disturbing evidence to solve the case. His psychic abilities reveal truths that conventional detective work could never uncover through normal means.

His psychic abilities reveal truths about the island that conventional detective work could never uncover but at tremendous personal cost to his mental and physical wellbeing throughout the entire investigation process and beyond.

The volume's climax involves revelations about the gallsaberry's true origins and intended purpose that connect to the series' larger mythology while advancing Tony's character development. The resolution feels both surprising and inevitable, maintaining the series' balance between shock value and story progression.

Character development throughout International Flavor shows Tony grappling with the moral implications of his unique abilities and their impact on his relationships. His cibopathic powers isolate him from normal human connection while making him invaluable for investigations.

This psychic ability creates a barrier between Tony and normal relationships while making him essential for solving crimes that would completely baffle traditional law enforcement methods and conventional investigative approaches.

Rob Guillory's artwork reaches new heights of creative grotesquery in International Flavor, perfectly capturing the tropical setting's deceptive beauty alongside its underlying menace. His character designs balance cartoonish exaggeration with genuine emotional expression, making absurd situations feel grounded in human reactions.

The island setting allows Guillory to showcase his skills with both lush natural environments and claustrophobic interior spaces. His versatile artwork transitions seamlessly between tropical paradise imagery and confined underground laboratory scenes throughout the story.

His panel layouts guide readers through Tony's psychic visions with impressive clarity, distinguishing between reality and psychic impressions without confusing the narrative flow or overwhelming readers with excessive visual information.

Layman's writing maintains the series' signature tone while expanding the world beyond urban food crime into international conspiracy territory. His dialogue captures each character's distinct voice while advancing plot and character development efficiently, never sacrificing story momentum for cheap laughs.

International Flavor proves that Chew's bizarre premise has room for expansion beyond its initial urban setting without losing what makes the series special. The tropical conspiracy maintains all the grotesque humor and detective elements.

Layman and Guillory successfully transport their grotesque detective story to tropical territory while maintaining the perfect balance between comedy and genuine horror. The creators never let absurdity overshadow the story's darker psychological elements.

The volume works both as continuation of Tony's character journey and as standalone adventure that newcomers could follow without extensive series knowledge. The gallsaberry conspiracy provides enough complexity to satisfy longtime readers while keeping the story accessible to curious newcomers exploring the series.

For fans of unconventional detective fiction and dark comedy, International Flavor delivers exactly what Chew promises: intelligent absurdity that somehow makes perfect sense within its own twisted logic and confirms more adventures await.

Chew: International Flavor is available in trade paperback and hardcover formats at comic-book shops and online retailers such as Amazon. For digital readers, it's also accessible on popular e-book platforms like ComiXology and Kindle.