Tuesday, March 29, 2016

"Chew Vol. 3: Just Desserts" sees the return of Savoy, plus a whole other side to Tony and his family



Mason Savoy, that mammoth looking man with cibopathic abilities, a deadly and ominous stare, and shoulders as wide as Parthenon itself, is back! Of all the characters we've met so far in Chew series, Savoy is a very complex individual: he isn't all good, but neither is he all bad.  Believing the bird flu to be nothing more than a conspiracy that the government has created in order to control the population, he's hell bent on exposing the truth at any cost, even if that turns him into a villain in the eyes of many.  For those reasons - and many more - I really like the guy.

Chew: Just Desserts expands Rob Guillory's mythology of FDA agents and their investigation of the culinary bizarre by exploring Tony's new (and ongoing) relationship with Amelia Mintz, and just like most relationships in our world, this one isn't without its complications.  In this episode we also witness the return of Poyo, that ultimate cock-fighting champion - and a demon to some - who here not only kills other roosters in the ring, but a few men (of ill repute) as well.  Add to this equation the introduction of Tony Chu's extensive family (of which there are more than a few members, including one MAJOR surprise), and what we have here thus far is a series with deep and symbolic roots, written and illustrated by a pair of men who are at the top of their respective professions.

One of the underlying jokes present in Just Desserts (and also in parts of International Flavor) is the secret and ambiguous homosexual relationship between Mike Applebee, that hater of all things Tony, and Tony's new half-human, half-cyborg partner, John Colby.  This storyline is handled with just enough vagueness and subtle humor that one can't help but chuckle every time the sheer presence of the afore mentioned characters is intertwined.  I mean, did Colby really only sleep with Applebee to get the latter off of Tony's back?  Even if he himself has no homosexual tendencies otherwise?  If so, that is one dedicated and loyal partner, to be sure, and Chew is a comic book serial to behold and to ponder about for days, or even weeks, after reading it.
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