After the success of Tony Chu, screenwriter John Layman expanded his universe by telling the adventures of Tony's sister, Safrane. In this second volume edited by Delcourt, she goes to France for a wine robbery.
A food crime
Having turned to crime because of her lover Eddie Mollay, Safrane proves to be very talented in this new career. It must be said that she has a unique talent. Safrane Chu is a Cibopare: she is able to guess the most intimate secrets of those with whom she has lunch. At the end of the first volume, she learned that her senile grandfather, Ong Chu, knew the location of a treasure. So she decided to go hunting with her lover and Ong Chu. At the same time, she discovers an opportunity: to steal bottles of overpriced wine at an auction in Paris.
New spices…
Safrane Chu takes over from the first volume but adds new flavors to the series. Indeed, the anti-heroine spent three years in a cell… but also in the prison canteen. She shared a meal with criminals which allowed her to become an expert in theft, blackmail, extortion, hooking, identity theft and shooting. It no longer hesitates to immediately resort to even lethal violence. Thanks to this knowledge, she receives a proposal from a new partner, flight professional Ortolan Palmoil. However, the young woman has her own vision of partnership. This volume marks the rise of Safrane who is no longer an assistant but leads the game.
This sequel leaves the United States to visit a France fantasized by American artists. It is difficult to recognize the City of Light but it was obvious that a series on food had to go through the France. Elements seek to "make French". Monsieur pâtissier is a Safrane's agent, specializing in poisons in desserts. Strangely, he only makes sweet American dishes (cookies, cupcakes…). Safrane Chu also flees the present to plunge into thenineteenth century. John Layman has fun with the story with the sinking of the ship Cioppino led by an alcoholic captain, passages on the western, a stay in the French countryside between Louis XVI and Napoleon.
… for a dish as spicy as ever
While adding her new spices, Safrane Chu finds the familiar scents of the original series. It is a light series like a muslin but with the ever-renewed flavor of the macaron. We now know that every robbery attempt by Safrane and Eddie will be a failure but we want to know how these Nickel-plated Feet of the flight will manage to get out of it. Safrane is always very badly accompanied. Eddie is notoriously stupid and can't stand Ong having to wash, feed and push. The trio has recruited new crime specialists… Well, that's what these criminals claim. With such assistants, Safrane finds herself overwhelmed by the situation.
This sequel reveals new food powers: a sukkarsuadère person can hypnotize people by eating with them. This humor is reflected in the choice of the cartoonist. Dan Boultwood's graphic style and colors may remind you of the cartoons of your childhood. Far from the realism of superhero comics, the figures are stylized by their purity and the many right angles. However, his style fits perfectly with the light purpose of the book. This does not prevent him from shedding blood and entrails when necessary.
After Tony's main course, Safrane Chu asserts itself as a perfectly digestible dessert. We find the same ingredients (food powers and police action) but the writer John Layman focuses even more on humor and Dan Boultwood is the icing on the mounted play of the series.
You can find other comedy comics on the site with Green Growth and Happytech.
