Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Brian Wood
Artist: Danijel Zezelj
Release Date: January 13th, 2016

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STARVE is the critically acclaimed series from writer Brian Wood and artist Danijel Zezelj. It follows the exploits of Gavin, a celebrity chef trying living in a dystopian world where the elite 1% live in excess while the poor starve. The series chronicles the life of Gavin as he tries to; reclaim his old TV show from his nemesis; make amends with his bitter ex-wife and the daughter he abandoned following the crumbling of his marriage; come to terms with a life of fame he resents, and coming to terms with his sexuality and growing old.

In Andrew’s review of issue two, he described it as “Iron Chef meets The Running Man’’ – a fitting description if there ever was one, but it only scratches the surface of what this series is about. As a character study of the protagonist, it’s bleakly hilarious, yet his conflicts still ring true to life – career dissatisfaction, family conflicts and struggling with identity are themes that are handled with sincerity, albeit with a humorous wink.

On the other hand, it’s an excellent satire of the media, reality television and the frightening gap in equality between the rich and the poor. It doesn’t hold back with speaking its mind, and the social commentary is thought provoking. While STARVE never preaches at the expense of entertaining the reader, it’ll certainly give them something to think about if they want to delve deeper. And the message isn’t subtle either; Gavin’s inner monologue is often anger towards the social divisions present in modern society.

I have nothing but praise for this series. It entertained me immensely and left me pondering after it was over.  There aren’t any more superlatives for STARVE that I could add that haven’t already been covered: this is a master work. With the release of the trade just in time for the next chapter next month, you won’t have long to wait should you decide to pick it up – which I strongly urge you to do. This is a harrowing reflection of our times told brilliantly and oft-hilarious, and a classic in the making.

Rating: 5/5.

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PREVIEW ARTWORK
[Click to Enlarge]

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If you want to find out more about STARVE, make sure to check out Andrew’s interview with Brian Wood and Danijel Zezelj about the series by CLICKING HERE.

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The writer of this piece was: Kieran Fisher
Kieran Tweets from @HairEverywhere_.

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