Chew Volume 6: Space Cakes TP by John Layman

Chew

by John Layman

While Tony Chu - the cibopathic federal agent with the ability to get psychic impressions from what he eats - clings to life in a hospital ICU, his twin sister Toni steps up to take center stage. Toni is cibovoyant, able to see the future of anything she eats, and, lately, she's seeing some pretty terrible things. Presenting a new storyline of the New York Times Bestselling, Harvey and multiple Eisner Award-winning series about cops, crooks, cooks, cannibals, and clairvoyants. Collects CHEW issues #26-30, plus the blockbuster spin-off one-shot that stole America's heart, Secret Agent Poyo.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Fantasy, Humor, Science Fiction

Unknown Binding

First published December 9, 2012

About the author

John Steele Layman is an American comic book writer and letterer. Layman is most known for writing Chew, published by Image Comics.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*this one already had a kinda sorta review, so i am adding my form-letter review and pictures to the end, but i'm keeping the squawking at the top because i still feel this pain.*

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME???

i don't know how you comic book people do it, writing consistently interesting reviews of these things without getting either bogged down or burned out. i still haven't reviewed volumes 2-5 of this because i never know what to say and i'd rather keep reading 'em to see what happens next than to slow down and try to discuss a part of a story that's still happening. but THIS one, something definitely needs to be said...

i just read a bunch of reviews of this on here and - was there a memo? DID WE AGREE TO JUST NOT TALK ABOUT IT?? OR EVEN FREAKING ALLUDE TO IT??? AM I THE ONLY ONE FREAKING OUT HERE???

i guess so. suffice it to say, something happens in this one that surprised me.

and this is exactly why i've tried to make sure i have one volume on deck in-house before reading one of these. and this is - naturally - the one time i failed. and now i have to wait until wednesday to buy the next one (next few - i learn from my mistakes) to see what is going to happen now.

AAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!

as promised, this again:

i burned through all ten published volumes of this series in a matter of months, and while i managed a fairly coherent review of the first volume, i am overwhelmed by the thought of going back and reviewing volumes 2-10, trying to recapture that innocent mindset that didn't know what happened in subsequent volumes and trying to stay within the lines of the volume i'd be reviewing.

my hat is off to you serial comic book/graphic novel reviewers who are able to consistently churn out smart, comprehensive, and entertaining reviews that manage to discuss the book itself as well as its place within the larger universe of the series or character's existence.

i can't do that. i read these so compulsively and so quickly - like jamming cookies into a mouth that was already crammed with cookies - that it's just too much road to backtrack and too many metaphors to mix and since i have so many other books that i have to review, i'm going to take a totally cheap opt-out review path and just post pictures from each book that i enjoy for reasons pertaining to the plot, or just cuz i like the damn pictures.

and maybe now that i have to wait a couple of months until volume 11 comes out, i'll be able to do that one proper review-style, but right now - too full of stress and anxiety and just wanting to make this stack of books needing reviews go down LGM.





















all leading up to this



which is the sound of my heart breaking

come to my blog!

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony has a fraternal twin sister, Anotonelle 'Toni' Chu, she's a Cibovoyant - this means if she tastes your living flesh she gets 100% accurate flashes of your future.

Tony is bed/chair-ridden as he seeks to get better after his battering in the previous volume. Toni, Colby, Caesar, Poyo and Vorhees continue to work cases until they come across an antagonist who's actions change this series for ever! This volume got real! 8.5 out of 12, Four Star read.

2019 and 2017 read

[Dan Schwent · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Tony laid up in the ICU, his friends have their hands full. Can Toni, Colby, Poyo, and Valenzano pick up the slack?

Yeah, that's not a precisely accurate teaser but I didn't want to spoil anything.

There's a lot going on in this book. I think sticking Tony in the hospital for a few issues was the spark this book needed. While the bird flu conspiracy hasn't advanced, the subplot involving the vampire has quite a bit.

Toni gets quite a bit of character development and her past is explored a bit. The partnership between Colby and Poyo was more entertaining than I thought it would be. I wasn't crazy about the Poyo solo story but it still had its moments.

Much like with the last volume, the ending was a shocker that made me want to read the next one immediately. I can't imagine reading this one in singles. It reads a lot better in collections.

That's about all I have to say. The status quo has been disrupted and I'm looking forward to reading the next book. Space Cakes was the kick in the ass the series needed to get back on track. Four out of five stars.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best volume of Chew so far!



The focus in this volume switches from Tony to his sister Toni (confusing, perhaps?) While at first each issue feels like a stand alone story, they all eventually tie in to the big finale at the very end. I love looking for little Easter eggs throughout that cross reference parts of this volume and previous volumes.



Two words: chogs and Poyo!



Love the art! It is just simply hilarious! It is worth double checking each frame for extra jokes in the background. I don't think I will ever get tired of looking at this series!



Chew: just do it!

[Sam Quixote · Rating 5 out of 5]

After his near fatal beating in Volume 5, Tony Chu, cibopath (pronounced “see-bo-path”) is laid up in a hospital bed for the entirety of Volume 6 so John Layman puts his twin sister, Toni, in the spotlight. Toni is a cibovoyant (pronounced “see-bo-voyant” - I know, there’s a lotta odd words in this series) meaning she can take a bite of something living and see their futures.

So we follow Toni as she helps her brother get revenge on his nemesis, a rival restauranteur; what happens when you mix frogs and chickens - “chogs” - who then breed with psychedlic frogs; the strange case of Judy Heinz-Campbell; and what the vampire collector has been up to...

Toni’s much more outgoing and her adventures, while similar to Tony’s, tend to be more successful as she’s more capable than her cannibalistic brother. I love Tony but Toni’s her own character which is gravy. Layman does a great job of giving her a rich backstory with numerous funny flashbacks so that by the end of the book, the effect is more gut-wrenching. But I don’t want to spoil it for you.

This book is hilarious! “Chew” has always been a comedic series but “Space Cakes” is the funniest this series has been in a while. Remember that character from earlier, Poyo the Fighting Cock? Well all I can say is that Layman must’ve grown up watching “The Six Million Dollar Man” and thought, man I wish Steve Austin was a chicken, because Poyo basically becomes the Bionic Man, er, chicken! Poyo gets his own one-shot issue, “Secret Agent Poyo”, and it’s so funny, from the cover where he’s wearing a tux, Bond-style, to the numerous add-ons and gadgets he’s been grafted with. There’s even a sequence in Hell where Poyo beats up the Devil! “Space Cakes” takes Poyo as a side character and turns him into one of the main attractions of this series. By the end of the book, you’ll love this crazy bird like I do.

I know I say this about every “Chew” book but damn Rob Guillory can draw! His style is unique and brilliant, drawing the characters cleanly and detailed with a perfect balance of colour and an uncanny command of facial expression. If you look closely at the panels, you’ll see all kinds of “easter eggs”, like the sequence in Hell where there are photos of the usual suspects, Hitler, Bin Laden, etc., and then, prominently placed, there’s a picture of Michael Bay!

And John Layman - what else is there to say about this guy? He’s doing everything right, hitting all the right buttons, building upon and expanding this strange and brilliant world into something even more extraordinary than it already is. His characterisations and plotlines are spot on, I don’t think he can write a bad issue for this series, he just knows exactly what he’s doing.

If you’re not reading “Chew”, you need to start NOW! For the already-converted, Volume 6 doesn’t disappoint, until the end when you reach the final page and realise you’ve got to wait several more months until the next book. “Space Cakes” is fantastic, “Chew” is amazing, well done guys, keep them coming - the world needs more Poyo!

[The Lion's Share · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun to read.

So brilliantly funny throughout and POYO! What a legend!

Long live POYO!

[Jedi JC Daquis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, something huge happened in this volume. I won't spoil it to you guys!

Chew Chew Chew, why are you always fun to read? With six volumes, you have never failed to bore me and volume 6 may be the funniest of them all! And it may be the most lighthearted as well, given that Toni (Tony's twin sister) steps up the stage as the main character in this volume. Toni's personality is genuinely golden and lighthearted and I love the way she is utterly happy with her powers as compared with Tony's (not to blame him in fairness) sometimes total disgust with what he can do.


The totally huge thing happened right after the page with this panel.

Poyo is a clear winner in this volume. He has his own special issue where he trashed Satan and all his minions! That, my friends is a craaaazy pitch-perfect badassery.

I love all the small funny details in this volume - the background wrtitings, photos and implied jokes really crack me up. Keep them coming!

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tony's sister is weird. Not her extra-sensory power (which, as another food-related variant on the cibopathic brother, allows her to sense the future of anything that she consumes if it's still alive - such as her boss, whose shoulder she chomps after a...personal moment), but in how chipper and nearly oblivious she is to negative events and conversations around her. Almost as if she's immune to negativity - which would be an amazing superpower on its own.

Poyo is an obvious favourite - he's made out to be every Schwarzenegger-invincible, determined, on-the-side-of-right anti-hero figure we all come to root for. He's Wolverine with feathers. Getting his own one-off story in the middle of this book takes it from another good book from Layman & Guillory to the level of the Dr. Dinosaur issue in Atomic Robo, or the Doop issue in Wolverine and The X-Men.

I love that the creators continue to dream up new ways to expand the borders of what's possible in their universe - not just coasting on the few ideas they started with, but stretching the food/oral power set available and continuing with their own Dr. Moreau-style genetic experiments on the fauna available. I won't spoil it but you have some new weirdness to look forward to.

I love the little moments too, like the trip-induced version of Caesar and Mason, or the super doe-eyes on Toni when she needs something.

Quite a stunning ending too. Not exactly a twist, but still a helluva way to make sure we come back for book 7. I'll be there - meet me at the corner of Trippy & Hilarity. I'll be the one wearing socks and a bowler.

I need to talk about Guillory's art again - there's something so damned expressive about his characters, and not even in a crudely-drawn, amateur way. His art is exaggerated, sure, but there's almost nothing I've seen in his character work that isn't good for the story and enjoyment. He doesn't waste time on flourishes that some artists put in to show off, or to pleasure themselves. Even his flashback-to-childhood sequence is beautiful - just filled with simple flourishes as you'd expect from memories of childhood. Gorgeous.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Chu convalescing in the hospital, (someone has thoughtfully brought him a "Sux 2 Be You" balloon bearing a frowny face), it's up to sister Toni to take up the slack.

This volume is packed with good stuff, including an exploding meat suit (GaGa go boom!), toad-licking, a plague of livestock raining from the heavens, POYO! the "bionic" rooster strutting his stuff, and a real shocker of an ending.

I'm completely taken with the so-ugly-they're-cute Chogs - (cross a chicken with a frog) - pictured on the cover. If the novelty stuffed-toy industry doesn't start producing tons of these things, they're outta their minds. Seriously. You might be lookin' at the next "Hello Kitty."

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Talk about taking things up a notch. Tony spends this volume in the hospital, recovering from the events of the previous volume. So his twin sister Toni takes over as protagonist, just for this book. It's a nice change. I like Tony well enough, but Toni is a much more fun character to follow. She's far more cheerful, far less long-suffering, and probably smarter and more capable than him. Following her around was a lot of fun. Which made the ending that much more of a kick to the stomach. I didn't see it coming until the last issue, and it's made the overarching conflict that much more personal. Well done.

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa, things took a dark turn here. Glad I have the next volume already.

[alittlelifeofmel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The worst one so far. The plot progression just doesn't exist in these middle volumes. Really disappointed with where it's gone. BUT I still like them and find them entertaining enough to continue on.

Around The Year in 52 Books Challenge #47 - A book with a food or drink in the title

[Vikas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Read
Why oh why, this sure took a turn and just so so sad and I kinda remembered the moment but it still hit me all the ways and I sat stunned for a couple of minutes after reading this wonderful sad issue. And after realizing that even though I read the series 8 years ago but because of that I never finished the series because it was still ongoing in 2014. And I am glad to be able to finish the series this time around. This is great comic book series and needs more people to know about it, talk about it and read this damn it this isn't that the series that deserves to have 6K odd ratings and only 400+ reviews this is so funny, so tragic, so sad, so awesome that it needs to be read by everyone who loves comic books.

------------------------------------------
First Read
Such a sad end to this volume ... Our hero still hasn't recovered and just that's enough. This is a wonderful series that I remember fondly and would love to read again.

I have always loved comics, and I hope always to love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.

[Himanshu Karmacharya · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started this series, I was not a big of the art, but now I've got used to it, and am even beginning to like it. The expression of the characters, the background jokes, and small details are top-notch. The writing sector has also reached the next level in this particular volume, with the best humor, intriguing plotline and an overall great and well thought-out execution.

[RG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This just gets more random and random with hints of the larger story still at play. It doesnt seem to have the same liner plotlines of the earlier volumes, although its loosely similar. Great story though

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have surprisingly, yet wholeheartedly enjoyed this series, but this volume is my favourite so far. I laughed so much! One thing that makes this series even more enjoyable is that you can see signs/posters in the background, and they're hilarious. The following signs are from hospital scenes:

Wash your stank hands!
Hospital not responsible for any bad stuff. Ever. Don't sue us!!!
Bed pans do not double as soup bowls... or do they? ---MGMT
Happy thoughts! You ain't dead yet!
Sponge bath happy ending: $5
Sux to be you! (on a patient's balloon)

So funny! Or there will be tvs playing in the background with real movie scenes. There were a few pages that took place in hell that had me cracking up as well.

You've GOT to read this series!

Here's another background sign I want to share:

Bill Hicks was right

[Bookishrealm · Rating 5 out of 5]

goodness this is probably my favorite volume of Chew so far! Toni oh gosh. This definitely broke my heart! But I don't believe that we've seen the last of her well at least I hope not. I'm so happy that I decided to read this series again because I definitely have been missing out on its wonderful artwork and story line. There is so much to be explained and discovered and I can't wait to completely dive into it.

[Licha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not my favorite. It was too all-over the place for me. Had one too many side-stories, and some weird arcs of Poyo, the bionic killer rooster.

The only thing that made this issue any good, and just too sad also, was Antonelle, aka Toni. Toni is kidnapped by the Vampire as she's trying on wedding dresses. Toni knows he's a fake vampire. He's just another cibopath. But the Vampire wants to consume Toni and gain her knowledge, so he cuts her up limb by limb in order to get something from Toni. Toni has eaten way too many beets for the Vampire to get a good reading on her, but sadly, it still costs Toni her life. A tear has been shed.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Chew 5: Big League Chew yesterday, so this was very fresh jumping into #6. Just balls to the wall funny.
Tony is recovering from his run in with his gf's crazy ex, so we shift to Toni, his twin sister, who becomes the main protagonist for the book.
This is a fun shift, as we get to see a bit more about her and what she's about. This is now the 3rd (and 4th) time we see someone in bed with their supervisor (this time NASA, and it's not Colby!). We also see the return of a character that came back near the end of Vol 5: Poyo!
In fact, we take a whole issue's worth side trip into the trippy experience of what happened to Poyo. This includes: A trip to hell, kicking the shit out of Satan, and coming back as the 3.5 Trillion Dollar Cock. (PS. remember I mentioned Patrick Swayze circa Point Break on the wall in a little spot in Vol 5? Well this ramps up here, including Hell's portraits, like Bin Laden, and more humourously: Michael Bay.)
Even the name of the hospital is a joke: Our Lady of Broken Femurs!
I think if I re-read this I would notice more stuff here as well to laugh at.
On the serious side, the plot gets advanced, as we see Toni team up with both of Tony's ex-Partners: Caesar and Colby, trying to track down the Vampire that Savoy's been trying to get at this whole time (we don't see much of Savoy or Olive this issue at all).

What really pushed this up to 5 stars for me though, is that for a book that's all about being funny, zany, off the wall, and adventurous, it took a big leap. A major character is killed at the end of the book, which sets up my absolute need to devour Vol. 7 ASAP.

Bravo to John and Rob on this book. There's so much to love.
(I also loved the art on the special cover, that sort of foreshadows what will happen if you pay attention).

The biggest laugh is definitely Poyo's secret mission to Tokyo. I would pay to read that book.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a fairly long time since I read Volume.5 in this series (over half a year!) and yet I got straight back into the action with this volume and I really enjoyed getting to meet Toni in more detail and see her powers and talents rather than focusing solely on Tony. This is a story where chicken is outlawed, people are frequently chopped up or have chunks bitten out of them, and there's a killer rooster... I mean, what more is there to really say other than it's crazy but excellently entertaining :)

I do think that this volume introduced us to a good amount of new faces, whilst also staying true to the overall storyline and making sure to keep the common thread going. It's got some smaller quirky sidelines like seeing what Poyo (the killer rooster) gets up to in Hell (when he's dead) and also we get to see some of the premonitions Toni has play out (in greusome ways).

Overall this is great fun and I really like the craziness of it all. You have to go into this series expecting it to be bonkers for it to work I think, but it's such a light and bizarrely fun read every time that I can't help but like it. I also really like all the smaller jokes we get in the background of certain scenes :) 4*s overall.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sixth volume of John Layman's Chew is a bit of a change. It primarily follows Toni, Tony's twin sister, while Tony is recovering after the events of volume five. Toni is cibovoyant, meaning that she will get a vision of the future of anything living that she bite into or ingests. Toni is great and is incredibly likable, but things begin to turn pretty dark.

Although we don't get to see much of Tony, this volume is still just as good as previous installments mostly due to the strength of Toni herself. We also get to see a good bit of POYO!!! Poyo easily steals all of his scenes - who would have expected that! Just as always, I love the art of this series. Some of the little background details are hilarious. I can't wait to continue reading this series!

[Aldo Haegemans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book in the series so far!
They keep adding and building to the story, this felt like THAT moment where you think, This is everything it has been building to and we have only Just started!
F A N T A S T I C!!!

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Chew book without Tony? Well, Tony is still recovering, sort of, from yet another near death experience in Vol 5 and his sister takes center stage here. More cannibalistic mahem and sick, twisted humor as we have come to expect from Layman with the unique and addictive artwork.

[Sanaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

[5 Stars] This was my favorite volume of the series so far. It was absolutely off the wall and fantastic! I love Toni, and particularly loved how this book focused on her.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good grief.
What is with the chicken rooster?

Nooooooooooo!

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different and note-worthy volume of Chew. With Tony in intensive care for most of this story arc, his twin sister Toni takes center stage and Layman takes maximum advantage of putting her under the spotlight.
Guillory's art as always is amusing and inventive, reminding me of a Mad Magazine style that blends Sergio Aragones and Jack Davis together. The Space Cakes arc is the funniest so far and had me laughing at numerous scenes. You will too, as long as you appreciate dark humor. That is, until the final chapter where things take a completely unexpected turn that will change the course of things to follow. That ending made me sad.
Layman never bores or seems to run out of off-the-wall scenes. There is a handful of interesting characters (mostly villains) introduced here, all with unusual food-related abilities and crazy names to describer them. The vampiric (but he's not) character from the very beginning plays a major role throughout the various settings here. Also, Poyo the bionic fighting rooster gets a one-shot issue that is so over-the-top that it seems rational.

[Say · Rating 4 out of 5]

Information overload. But still an enjoyable read. Toni gets the spotlight but the ending is that for real? Really? Noooooooooo!!!!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not like how that ended...but most definitely my favourite volume of Chew to date.

[Senga krew_w_piach · Rating 5 out of 5]

KOCHAM TĘ SERIĘ!! Z każdym tomem coraz bardziej. To jest ten typ literackiego szaleństwa, który uwielbiam najbardziej. Groteskowe, prześmieszne, pomysłowe, wsiagające. Nie wiedziałam, że można wymyślić aż tyle super mocy związanych z jedzeniem, ale czuję, że mnie jeszcze niejedno zaskoczy. Wiem dlaczego nie można nakręcić na podstawie tego komiksu serialu (jest obleśny i przegięty), ale uważam, że byłby wspaniały.

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The volume leaves Tony alone to put his twin sister Toni in the spotlight and it remains just as wild and nutty as always. Not easy to switch up a protagonist like this but the narrative is still key to what happens later on. Oh, and Poyo is one unstoppable chicken!