Scan barcode
A review by ravenousbibliophile
Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice by John Layman
3.0
Rating: 3.5/5
Blurb: Cliched, with an innovative after-taste.
I began this volume as a result of Black-Friday deal, advertised by Comixology. The book came my way at a considerable discount and I was rather taken in by the short synopsis that accompanies such promotion. Aside from the synopsis, the art-style was also something that appealed to me. It was both neat and quirky. It reminds of the animation I witnessed in cartoons as a kid. And anything that reminds of my childhood cartoons is worth a read in my opinion.
A burst of nostalgia aside, I genuinely enjoyed reading Vol. 1. That being said, it's not a series that will be enjoyed by all and sundry. For all it's use of detective-fiction tropes, Chew is a series that is best enjoyed by someone who is comfortable with the ideas of blood, gore and cannibalism. Although these elements are used sparingly and only at the most appropriate junctures in order to advance the plot, it might still make a sensitive reader uncomfortable.
Vol. 1 collects issues #1-5 and while the first 3 do an adequate job of introducing the various dramatis-personae and setting up the world, it is in Issue #4 where the series truly got its hooks into me. Again, with a combination of the cliched and the innovative, Issues #4 and 5 ensured that I shall be adding Vol.2 to my digital collection in the immediate future.
Unlike some Graphic-novel series that either depend on stellar art or an engaging story to ensure its longevity, Chew does a little bit of both. It does neither extremely well, nor does it do them poorly. It gets exciting just when you start to feel bored and pulls itself back just when you think it's gaining momentum. I look forward to reading the future volumes and I hope that the balance between the pacing and storytelling improves as the series progresses.
Blurb: Cliched, with an innovative after-taste.
I began this volume as a result of Black-Friday deal, advertised by Comixology. The book came my way at a considerable discount and I was rather taken in by the short synopsis that accompanies such promotion. Aside from the synopsis, the art-style was also something that appealed to me. It was both neat and quirky. It reminds of the animation I witnessed in cartoons as a kid. And anything that reminds of my childhood cartoons is worth a read in my opinion.
A burst of nostalgia aside, I genuinely enjoyed reading Vol. 1. That being said, it's not a series that will be enjoyed by all and sundry. For all it's use of detective-fiction tropes, Chew is a series that is best enjoyed by someone who is comfortable with the ideas of blood, gore and cannibalism. Although these elements are used sparingly and only at the most appropriate junctures in order to advance the plot, it might still make a sensitive reader uncomfortable.
Vol. 1 collects issues #1-5 and while the first 3 do an adequate job of introducing the various dramatis-personae and setting up the world, it is in Issue #4 where the series truly got its hooks into me. Again, with a combination of the cliched and the innovative, Issues #4 and 5 ensured that I shall be adding Vol.2 to my digital collection in the immediate future.
Unlike some Graphic-novel series that either depend on stellar art or an engaging story to ensure its longevity, Chew does a little bit of both. It does neither extremely well, nor does it do them poorly. It gets exciting just when you start to feel bored and pulls itself back just when you think it's gaining momentum. I look forward to reading the future volumes and I hope that the balance between the pacing and storytelling improves as the series progresses.