Image Firsts: Chew

This 2010–2012 Image Comics series is the perfect entry point to John Layman and Rob Guillory's acclaimed, offbeat world, collected here in a single, affordable first issue. It introduces the premise of Tony Chu, a detective with the bizarre ability to get psychic impressions from anything he eats—a talent that makes him invaluable to the FDA in a world where chicken is outlawed. As a "Firsts" sampler, this issue captures the inventive, darkly comedic tone and distinctive, cartoonish art that made the full series a standout. It’s a quick, clever taste of one of the most original creator-owned comics of the decade.