Showtime to Bring 'Chew' to Television

Since late last year, we’ve been hearing rumors about Chew possibly being adapted for television. Deadline is reporting today that Showtime has purchased the script for the adaptation of John Layman and Rob Guillory’s Eisner-award winning comic book series.

In Image's Chew, Detective Tony Chu is a cibopath who is able to detect psychic readings from anything he eats.  If he bites an apple, he can see the orchard from where it was picked, taste the pesticide used to keep worms away from its core, and a number of other disturbing images from the life of said apple.  In a world ravaged by bird flu, Chu follows cases involving the sale and transport of illegal chicken, a black market delicacy in this world.  And if this sounds preposterous, it only becomes more so as the story unfolds.  And it works, and works, and keeps working.

The book is being produced by Circle of Confusion, who is also responsible for adapting AMC’s mega-hit The Walking Dead as well as FX’s upcoming Powers series. It looks as though guys at Circle of Confusion know their stuff. Rather than look for properties that are simply commercially popular, they seem to be acquiring the rights to some of the most critically beloved books of the last decade.

It will be interesting to see how closely Showtime’s series will stay to the comic book, which is almost a third of the way through the planned sixty-issue run. The Walking Dead stayed reasonably close to the source material, focusing more on the book’s plight and tone than slavishly recreating the stories. Chew is telling a more specific and finite story, however, so I would expect less divergences from the plot.

Cape Town Capsule Reviews, 11/10/10 Releases

By Don M. Ventura

The Amazing Spider-Man #648

Marvel

Dan Slott has unabashedly taken over The Amazing Spider-Man and he seems to have lifted every corner of the Spider-Man universe to include it in the beginning of his much hyped run on the series.

I wondered why there was so little crossover between Amazing and the Avengers books. After all, he’s been a part of that series for years now; I liked that they joined him in the opener to stop Doc Ock and several of his other villains. Spider-Man may save the day, but it looks as though he played right into the Doctor’s tentacles.

The storyline is called “Big Time” and that’s an understatement. Slott includes all the major players in Spidey and Peter Parker’s lives, but it doesn’t feel jumbled.  The story unfolds nicely as Peter looks for new work and a new place to live. Our down and out hero finally lands an appropriate job that conveniently has no scheduled hours (however, as readers, I believe this is something we turn a blind eye to anyway).

Humberto Ramos is a favorite of mine and he knocks every page out of the park. His style may be best described as “cartoony”, but I love his interpretations of the characters. He gets to take a stab at the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and a host of Spider-Man’s most famous rogues. As for the web-slinger himself, Ramos seems born to draw him (and his very gooey looking webs).

Avengers: The Children's Crusade #3

Marvel

After being wowed by the first two issues, I was left a little disappointed by the slowness of the action in this issue. Writer Allan Heinberg seems to know where he wants the characters at the start and end of the story, but the middle plods along.

That is not to say that this is a bad issue necessarily, but it doesn’t live up to the strength that we’ve come to expect from this mini-series. Quicksilver questions the sincerity of Magneto’s intentions as the somewhat reformed villain joins the Young Avengers in their search for the Scarlet Witch.

Wiccan decides to search for his mother on his own which leads to an excellent climax. I would have rather had more time spent having Wiccan infiltrating Dr. Doom’s castle than all of the arguing between Magneto and Quicksilver for the first third of the book.

As usual Jim Cheung has provided beautifully rendered pages and Justin Ponsor has exquisitely colored Cheung’s artwork. Though the story was the weakest of the series, the art is as good as it’s ever been.

Ant-Man & Wasp #1 (of 3)

Marvel

Possibly there are few people who got excited about an Ant-Man & Wasp mini, but knowing that Tim Seeley (HACK/slash) was scripting and drawing it should have been enough to raise the excitement quotient.

And there’s reason. It’s a good book. Seeley brings great humor to the piece, as there is humor to be mined with the newest Ant-Man, the morally ambiguous Eric O’Grady. We begin with Eric who has just cashed in on his Secret Avengers gig with one in a string of one night stands.

Soon we learn that Eric has been used in a ploy by A.I.M. to steal technology from Hank Pym that Hank has used to house the soul of his deceased friend Bill Foster. Not one to enjoy being duped, Eric joins Hank in reacquiring his equipment.

Ant-Man & Wasp was a better book than many might expect. Seeley’ art is as excellent as his script, which is both funny and dramatic. When Eric refers to A.I.M. as “evil nerds in yellow beekeeper costumes” I thought, “Well someone had to finally say it.”

Halcyon #1

Image

I was excited by the premise of this book: what happens to the heroes when the never-ending fight for justice ends.

Written by Marc Guggenheim and Tara Butters, the first issue serves to introduce us to this Earth’s heroes as they begin to realize that the criminals have finally come to their senses and stopped criminalizing.

Halcyon (the name of the super team chronicled in this series) opens strong and introduces us to a group of characters that appear to have potential, but I think a misstep was to include both a Superman and a Batman archetype (Zenith and Sabre respectively). It’s been done enough that I question how much of a purpose this will serve. That is, unless Guggenheim and Butters give their characters identical backgrounds to their DC counterparts to explore what it would be like is Superman had all of this power and nothing to do with it and Batman had nothing left to avenge.

There’s another twist to Zenith and Sabre that has also already been explored elsewhere, but I’m not going to spoil it. Regardless, Halcyon #1 was a good opener and the series has potential for greatness. I’ll assume that with little in the way of derring-do left in the world these heroes inhabit, this book is going to focus more on character-driven stories. I would have preferred a bit more development.

Ryan Bodenheim does a lot of impressive work in this first issue. All of his characters have a distinctive look and his work is clean and dynamic; Bodenheim draws a lot of nice wide shots so it’s clear exactly what is going on. Mark Englert’s colors are also great; strongest in a scene at the Halcyon underwater HQ where Zenith is conducting a team meeting.

Chew #15

Image

Robert Guillory is an amazingly fine artist. The opening sequence of this issue (not to mention the striking tri-fold cover) is absolutely fantastic. The story opens with Savoy dining alone and reviewing the origins of everything that strikes his palette. Then he has an old friend for dinner. And he sees, and he sees, and he sees some more until he finally finds something to focus on. When the story concludes we know that Tony Chu’s life may become more difficult.

We are then introduced to Tony’s family; he’s arrived for the holidays and he’s greeted like any other loved one at a holiday gathering: with adoration and consternation. John Layman’s script is as sharp as always. Tony’s attempt at saying grace before the family digs into their illegal turkey was very amusing.

The story ends with a pretty significant cliffhanger. Make sure to pull out issue #4 to remind yourself what is happening.

Ultimate Thor #2

Marvel

Ultimate Thor #1 made it to my “buy” pile last month because I only had two comics on my pull list. Thankfully I did, because it was a really strong opener for a character that hasn’t had anything to do on his own in this universe. Because of this, writer Jonathan Hickman has more room to expand on the character un-established background.

The series has been taking place in three timelines: the present where Thor is under mental observation (they think he’s a loon), World War II where Baron Zemo is readying to take on Asgard, and the far past where Thor is coming into his own as the God of Thunder.

There are no weak points in Hickman’s storytelling and series artist Carlos Pacheco and inker Dexter Vines have produced a feast for the eyes. There’s a fantastic coliseum fight scene between the sons of Odin that is really dazzling.

I thought this book was a mini to package before the Thor movie is released next summer, but if Ultimate Thor is going to continue being produced with this quality, I’d like to see it live on.

'Chew' #15 Hits Stands Today, Guillory Says to Re-Read Issues #1-5

Chew #15 is going to be released today, the final issue of the "Just Desserts" story arc, and apparently we should revist the appetizer once we're done. Series artist Rob Guillory tweeted the following this morning:

"FYI: You're gonna need to go back and re-read the first 5 issues after you're done with 15. Trust me. Pay attention to the Easter Eggs."

Do you know what this means? I let my buddy borrow my first trade and now I'm going need it back. Dang.

Wednesday's Previews, 11/10/10 Releases

The Amazing Spider-Man #648

Marvel, Price: $3.99

Great jumping on point!

Written by Dan Slott; Art and Cover by Humberto Ramos.

“Big Time” begins! Big changes are happening for The Amazing Spider-Man: Bigger threats, bigger guest-stars, and a big opportunity that could turn Peter Parker’s life around! Which cast members are staying and who’s saying goodbye? Find out as we’re introduced to new characters and reintroduced to a number of Spidey villains as they make the triumphant return to the book! Plus: New developments for Mayor J. Jonah Jameson, the staff at Front Line, and The Sinister Six! The next chapter in Spider-Man history starts here! Guest starring the Avengers and the Fantastic Four in a giant-sized, 39 page lead feature! PLUS! An All-New Adventure featuring the All-New Spider-Girl! Paul Tobin & Clayton Henry bring a tale of action & intrigue, and make a strong argument for why you can sometimes send a Spider-Girl to do a Spider-Man’s job!

Ant-Man & The Wasp #1

Marvel, Price: $3.99

Written and Art by Tim Seeley; Cover by Salvador Espin.

Two of Marvel's smallest heroes must join forces and get over one BIG elephant-in-the-room! Eric O'Grady once stole the Ant-Man suit from Hank Pym. But now, Eric is the only one who knows about a secret AIM plot to steal Pym's greatest invention! Can the two men get along long enough to save the soul of the former Goliath, Bill Foster? Tim Seeley, creator of Hack/Slash brings us the big story of the two smallest Avengers! And make sure you check out this adventure before the astonishing events of Avengers Academy #7 next month!

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #3

Marvel, Price: $3.99

Written by Allan Heinberg; Art and Cover by Jim Cheung.

The return of Wanda Maximoff! The search for the Scarlet Witch is finally over as the Young Avengers find Wanda. But is she a hero or a villain? Is she still the Scarlet Witch? The battle over Wanda rages on as Avengers go up against the Young Avengers, Magneto clashes with Quicksilver, Wonder Man battles Wolverine, and the most powerful villain in the Marvel Universe conspires against them all so that he can possess Wanda himself.

Batgirl #15

DC, Price: $2.99

Great jumping on point!

Written by Bryan Q. Miller; Art by Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs; Cover by Dustin Nguyen.

It's a new year and a new look for Batgirl as superstar artist Dustin Nguyen (Detective Comics) joins the creative team! The unsinkable Stephanie Brown's second semester at Gotham U. starts like any other – new classes, new allies, a vigilante stalker – everything a gal could want! But what Gotham City's Batgirl isn't prepared for is the arrival of the mysterious "Order of the Scythe." Who are they, and why have they set their sights on her? "The Lesson" begins here!

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #6

DC, Price: $3.99

Written by Grant Morrison; Art by Lee Garbett and Walden Wong; Cover by Andy Kubert.

Grant Morrison and Batgirl artist Lee Garbett deliver the final chapter of this time-spanning epic! With Bruce Wayne just steps away from returning to present day Gotham City, the timestream might have a few more surprises in store for The Dark Knight! Do not miss this issue, as it paves the way for the shocking future era of Batman!

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents

DC: Price $3.99

Written by Nick Spencer; Art by CAFU and Bit; Cover by Frank Quitely.

Would you rather burn out or fade away? That's the question at the heart of this bold new series about a group of people who, for one reason or another, are at their wits' end until they're offered a chance to become superheroes. The catch? Their powers will kill them.

Writer Nick Spencer (Morning Glories) and artist CAFU (War of the Supermen) present a fresh take on the classic comics property, starring a new batch of recruits brought in to take over the original agents' mantles and make some difficult choices of their own – all while dealing with global threats the rest of the DCU doesn't even know exist!

Chew #15

Image, Price: $2.99

Written By John Layman; Art and Cover by Rob Guillory 

It's the final chapter of the "Just Desserts" and the biggest story in Chew history, figuratively and literally. As we reach the one-quarter mark of the Chew run, the last remaining major characters are introduced and an event transpires that is so shocking and unexpected that it changes the book forever, fundamentally and irrevocably.

And, as a special sloppy, wet kiss to everyone who has supported the book and helped it to succeed beyond our wildest expectations: Chew #15 is bonus-sized, with more story pages and a special Tri-Fold Poster Cover at no extra cost!

Halcyon #1 

Image, Price: $2.99

Written by Marc Guggenheim and Tara Butters; Art and Cover by Mark Englert and Ryan Bodenheim.

What happens when the never-ending battle for truth and justice ends?

From Collider Entertainment comes the next quantum leap forward in superheroes: Halcyon. The groundbreaking new series dares to ask: What happens when the superheroes win? What happens once there is no crime, no war?

The heroes of Utopian achieve their final victory only to face their greatest challenge ever. An all-star collaboration courtesy of Tara Butters (TV's Reaper), Marc Guggenheim (Amazing Spider-Man, Resurrection), Ryan Bodenheim (Red Mass for Mars), and Alisa Tager (Serenity).

27 #1

Image, Price: $3.50

Written by Charles Soule; Art by Renzo Podesta; Cover by W. Scott Forbes.

Hendrix, Cobain, Joplin, Morrison. All belong to the “27 Club,” which admits only the most brilliant musicians and artists…and kills them dead in their 27th year. Will Garland is a famous rock guitarist, secretly unable to play for months due to a neurological disorder afflicting his left hand. He’s also 27! With mad scientists, long dead rock legends and cosmic entities in his way, can he make it to 28?

Chew on This: Chew #15 Trifold Cover

In Image's Chew, Detective Tony Chu is a cibopath who is able to detect psychic readings from anything he eats.  If he bites an apple, he can see the orchard from where it was picked, taste the pesticide used to keep worms away from its core, and a number of other disturbing images from the life of said apple.  In a world ravaged by bird flu, Chu follows cases involving the sale and transport of illegal chicken, a black market delicacy in this world.  And if this sounds preposterous, it only becomes more so as the story unfolds.  And it works, and works, and keeps working.

Thanks Image for believing in a comic (created by Writer John Layman and Artist Rob Guillory) that I'm surprised anyone would believe in.  Reason number 507 why I am not a big time comic book editor.  The Eisner Award-winning book has recently been picked up for a sixty issue run; the first two arcs can be purchased in two separate trades or the recent Chew: Omnivore Edition.  If you have not picked this book up yet, you are missing out on one of the most exciting odball comics that I recall ever reading.  Guillory's Easter Egg filled art is something to behold; you are only reading half the book if you aren't spending time to peruse all of the clever items Guillory pours into his backgrounds.

Chew #15 is the final issue of the "Just Desserts" storyline and is celebrated with a beautiful (and gory) trifold cover.  Jump onto this book at any point.  You'll be surprised how accessible it is, even in the middle of an arc.

Wednesday's Finest, 9/29/10 Releases

By Don M. Ventura

Avengers Prime #3
Marvel

Brian Michael Bendis has left me hot and cold over the years. Sometimes I have found his writing to feel rushed and not structured enough for my taste. Last week’s Avengers, for example, seemed to take the characters everywhere but, ultimately, nowhere.

But then I pick up Avengers Prime and I am reminded how good Bendis can be at telling a story. Avengers Prime is a bi-monthly mini in which Steve Rogers, Iron Man and Thor are stuck in one of the nine realms of Asgard. They have been separated for most of the story but are back together again by the end of the tale and it is evident that Bendis is having a good time with these characters.

Hela, a classic Thor baddie, has super-amped powers and is doing a number on the God of Thunder. A de-powered Tony Stark uses his million dollar charm, to great humor, as a means of escaping from the dragon Fafnir. I love this scene because it demonstrates, like in last weeks Steve Rogers: Super Soldier, that the cbest heroes do not rely on their powers alone to get out of the tightest of binds.

Because snappy bantering is an art form at which Bendis excels, Tony and Steve are given several opportunities for a little back and forth in this issue as they attempt tracking down Thor. These two have been at odds for years, culminating in Marvel’s 2006 crossover event Civil War. For the past few years things continued to grow darker, until Norman Osborn was brought down in Siege. Now we are in the midst of Marvel’s Heroic Age, a much brighter 616.

This book is supposed to act as a catalyst, bringing these three classic Avengers back to the tight bond that once held Earth’s mightiest super team together. Bendis is achieving this with ease. The story does not feel rushed, he’s not throwing too much into the mix, he has got the voices of these characters down. With each issue I have grown more impressed.

But Bendis is not alone here in the storytelling. Alan Davis makes a rare appearance on this book and brings an old school appeal as story like this requires. Davis’s work has not lost any charm. His panels are exciting, especially as Tony barely escapes fiery doom from Fafnir. There is pin-up worthy opening splash page of Thor facing off against Hela and the undead that is really powerful—get Davis on another Thor project.

Marvel, led by Bendis, seems dead set on delivering an army of Avengers books to readers (I believe I count four ongoing titles and two minis). They are not all up to the quality of Avengers Prime, but I am enjoying enough of what is being published to say there’s something for everyone.

G.I. Joe: Hearts and Minds #5
IDW

This is the kind of book that reminds me immediately of the power of comic books as a means to tell a story. First, many casual readers passing by the comic racks would see the title and keep walking. Big mistake.

G.I. Joe: Hearts and Minds has been a wonderful series with the same two-story set up each month. The first half is a sparsely narrated tale of a classic Cobra baddie and a second similar story featuring a Joe. But writer Max Brooks’ approach is minimalist. Artists Howard Chaykin (Cobra features) and Antonio Fusso (Joe features) are as integral to bringing to life Brooks’ dialogue.

How does Cobra add to their ranks and how are they manipulated to join? Brooks demonstrates the ease in which people can be exploited when they have either lost their way or never had direction in the first place. The second story focuses on Blowtorch (guess what he does), as he ruminates over the power of fire and its discovery by the Cro-Magnon man. Fusso’s work here is powerful. He evokes first fear, then epiphany, at the realization of fire’s power by its discoverers.

Do not be turned of by the classic G.I. Joe Banner. Hearts and Minds continues to pack a wallop each month.

Chew #14
Image

Get into Chew. The Eisner Award-winner deserves all of the praises bestowed upon it. If you haven’t picked it up yet, this is the only book in memory that seems to be a good jumping on point at just about any issue, regardless of where it is in its story arc.

This happens to be part four of the “Just Desserts” arc in which Tony Chu is inching ever closer to bringing down his former partner, the hulking Mason Savoy. The story opens, as usual, with a flash back (or forward) that may tie back to the story in some way. Tony’s bipolar ex Mindy is introduced and we learn she goes to extremes in picking out personal gifts; this ties into the cliffhanger ending which is unusual for this series so far.

Much of the issue is set-up for the final issue of this arc as Tony battles to keep Amelia, his newest lady love, happy in their burgeoning relationship and tries to finally track down Savoy. Layman is writing what must be the most original book being published right now. The craziness of Layman’s world is complimented perfectly by the cartoonish artwork of Rob Guillory. Guillory creates the liveliest of panels each month, and this issue offers more of the same.

Action Comics #893
DC

Once Paul Cornell finishes this year long Lex Luthor tale, he should just go onto writing an ongoing Luthor title. How can this book continue to be one of the best Superman books in recent memory?

This issue features Gorilla Grodd, as Luthor, Robot Lois (don’t ask, it works), and his shrinking group of yes-people continue to search for the spatial anomaly discovered in the last issue. I forget what this has to do with Lex’s search for an Orange Lantern ring, but you’ll realize by the final page that rings and anomalies are the least of his worries.

Kudos go to Cornell who maintains an exciting and fun ride using a 70-some year old villain with no powers to carry the story. Sean Chen pencils this issue, instead of Pete Woods, and he fills in just fine. I loved his Grodd. Especially when he confronts Lex in the jungle with an enormously fearsome silver spoon (don’t ask, it works).

Wonder Woman #603
DC

J. Michael Straczynski has written a compelling Wonder Woman issue, as the Amazon princess searches desperately for her reality, accompanied by the Amazonian sisters she saved in last month’s issue.

Diana finds herself trapped in Hell after her soul is stolen by demons. The artwork by Don Kramer, Eduardo Pansica, and Allan Goldman is phenomenal in this issue. When Diana is lost in the underworld it looks like… well it looks a lot like Hell. But I have to nitpick. The book establishes the difficulty in getting out of Hell, so when she does it, it’s kind of lame. After I finished the book I thought, well what was the point of that?

Other than this flawed plot point, I am completely invested in Wonder Woman’s odyssey to regain her full powers and identity. Straczynski is writing one of the most interesting Wonder Woman stories that I can recall ever reading.