Okay… wow. Honestly, that’s probably all I should say about this issue since to say anything about what happens within its pages would be a spoiler. That’s right, every page is important to the story and frankly the landscape of the Chew universe will be completely different after this issue. Fuck, I feel like even saying that is a spoiler. Since telling you anything more is a dick move I’ll just move on to what I liked about the issue.
First off thank you John Layman for taking one of the most overused storytelling devices in comics and flipping it on its ear. Let me describe a comic to you and you tell me if you’ve read it before:
We open with some intense action and just when something life changing is going to happen the story jumps to a point earlier in time and then works its way back to the starting point.
The answer is “yes” you’ve read that comic because I can guarantee at least one comic this week is using that device… probably more. This issue starts much the same, with intense action and just when it hits that page that you’d expect it to move on from… it doesn’t. Instead it saves that jump to the past for the ending and creates a far more interesting story because of it. In fact I would say it makes the issue heartbreaking.
Rob Guillory deserves a damn medal for doing what he does in this issue. I don’t even know if I can say anything more because just talking about the art would give shit away. I’m sure Guillory knows what I mean though.
(Pause for slow clap)
(Seriously join in, it’s only real if we’re all doing it)
I want to say more about this issue, I really do. It’s by far the best issue of Chew I’ve ever read, but the catch is that you need to have read the majority of the previous 43 plus issues for it to be as great as it is. It’s why long form storytelling is so amazing because you can deliver issues like this. If this team doesn’t get another Eisner nod for this issue then something is seriously jacked up. Fucking incredible. BUY IT!!!!! OTHER THINGS TO BE SHOUTED IN CONVICTION!
Score: 5/5
Writer: John Layman Artist: Rob Guillory Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 11/5/14 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital