Get Jiro! [Hardcover]

Anthony Bourdain (Author), Joel Rose (Author), Langdon Foss (Illustrator), Jose Villarrubia (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: July 3, 2012 | Series: Get Jiro!

A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Library Journal Best Book of 2012

In a not-too-distant future L.A. where master chefs rule the town like crime lords and people literally kill for a seat at the best restaurants, a bloody culinary war is raging.

On one side, the Internationalists, who blend foods from all over the world into exotic delights. On the other, the "Vertical Farm," who prepare nothing but organic, vegetarian, macrobiotic dishes. Into this maelstrom steps Jiro, a renegade and ruthless sushi chef, known to decapitate patrons who dare request a California Roll, or who stir wasabi into their soy sauce. Both sides want Jiro to join their factions. Jiro, however has bigger ideas, and in the end, no chef may be left alive!

Anthony Bourdain, top chef, acclaimed writer (Kitchen Confidential, Medium Raw) and star of the hit travel show, No Reservations, co-writes with Joel Rose (Kill Kill Faster Faster, The Blackest Bird) this stylized send-up of food culture and society, with detailed and dynamic art by Langdon Foss.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Q&A with Anthony Bourdain

What made you decide to write a graphic novel? Were you always a fan of the medium and had this story on your mind for a while?

Anthony Bourdain: I've been a comics fan since childhood--when I was a serious collector of early Marvels (1960s, MAD, horror comics--later began collecting EC's, a few Golden Age, and late 60's West Coast Undergrounds). An early ambition was to be the next R. Crumb. Sadly, my illustration skills--while decent--were not up to anywhere near that standard. When Joel Rose brought the idea back up after an earlier discussion, I thought, "What red blooded American boy in his mid fifties wouldn't do a graphic novel if given the chance? Let's try! As long as we can do it right." The fact that Vertigo, very early on, was supportive of the kind of high quality art we were looking for made all the difference.

How have your travels across the world informed this story? Did you draw inspiration from anything specific?

AB: Well, I clearly love Japan--and am obsessed with hyper-fetishistic, uncompromising old school style sushi, and due to my travels, have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time there. But the book reflects a lot of my food obsessions (funky classic brasserie/bistro) and prejudices. Travel changes you. It exposes you to things. My love of street food is certainly a product of my travels.

Food culture as a whole has been a bit of a phenomenon in the media over the last few years, but not so much in comics. Was that part of your motivation for wanting to create Get Jiro?

AB: I think the explosion of interest in chefs and restaurants is certainly easy fodder for satire. But my motivation was really nothing more than to help tell a story that would be fun, extremely bloody, beautifully illustrated--and insanely detailed as to the specifics of cooking and eating. I'm a big fan of classic Japanese cinema, Hammett's Red Harvest, spaghetti westerns and food--so these were obvious elements.

Your co-writer, Joel Rose, and artist Langdon Foss have both done comic work in the past. What was it like working with them, and how did their experience with creating comics help shape the book?

AB: Joel is the very first guy in the world to have ever published me--back when he ran the legendary Lower East Side literary magazine, Between C and D. He's a friend, whose books I admire enormously, who's been supportive--an even instrumental--in my career since the beginning, for over two decades. It surely helped that he also worked on some of the most influential graphic novels of the last decades and that he had previous relationships with Vertigo. Most importantly, he knows how to tell a story. I care less about that. I'm all about dialogue and atmospherics. I think we complement each other's work nicely. I hope so.

Review

"'Get Jiro!'" unfolds in a dystopian version of Los Angeles where today's (mostly) polite and academic discussions about food have evolved into grisly gastronomic feuds.... In some ways, "Get Jiro!" represents a coming-full-circle thing for Mr. Bourdain."—The New York Times

"What's an ex-yakuza enforcer turned sushi chef to do, ask culinary expert and author Bourdain (Medium Raw) and co-writer Joel Rose (La Pacifica) in this boisterous lampooning of food culture, a pet project for Bourdain, who seems to revel in the unrestrained narrative allowed in a comic book. Their answer will be enjoyable to anyone versed in samurai revenge stories or the films of Sam Peckinpah.... The book's saving grace is the wonderfully clean and detailed art by an all-star team of artists led by illustrator Foss, whose meticulously researched and composed visuals mirror Jiro's precision with a knife and produce equally appetizing results."—Publishers Weekly

"Bourdain...promised 'an ultra-violent slaughter-fest over culinary arcane,' and he delivers pretty much exactly that....Bourdain let's his foodie id run wild, extolling the elegant simplicity of a peasant dish like pot-au-feu here and caving in skulls with sauté pans there.  Foss' stubby, dough-faced figures walk a fine line between goofy and thuggish, and fall apart with great ickiness when dismembered. Equal parts blunt culinary opinion-mongering and satiric takedown of the very same chef-worship culture Bourdain helped create, this amusing diversion coasts comfortably in the wake of the standard bearer of gore-soaked foodie comics..."—Booklist

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo (July 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401228275
• ISBN-13: 978-1401228279
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 1 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 29 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Handsome Artwork And An Amusing Premise, But The Satiric Storytelling Needs More Flavor May 31, 2012

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Controversial food personality Anthony Bourdain has never been reticent about vocalizing his viewpoints about cooking, foodie culture, and/or other celebrity chefs. This brash and opinionated matter-of-factness can make him somewhat of a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. I, for one, appreciate that his honesty (and even disdain) are not instantly filtered through a politically correct publicity machine. In the current entertainment landscape, it's increasingly rare for someone to express an unprocessed thought. So while I may not always agree with the outspoken Bourdain, I respect his forthrightness. I've been a fan of many of Bourdain's books, and still rank 2000's "Kitchen Confidential" as one of my favorites (it was even adapted into a short-lived and criminally underrated FOX sitcom with Bradley Cooper).

Thus, I was pretty excited by the idea of "Get Jiro!" Combining my love of food entertainment with my love of the graphic novel form (is this really a large market?), "Get Jiro!" just sounded like fun! And, to a certain degree, it is. The story revolves around a future version of Los Angeles where fine dining and culinary superiority rule the day. The city is ravaged by opposing chefs, and this violent division creates a daily body count in the war of food movements. The two despots that run the dueling factions are exaggerated and satiric versions of contemporary food personalities that you might recognize (if not by actual person, by philosophy). Amidst the bloodshed (and enhancing it ten-fold), an independent sushi chef named Jiro comes to the attention of both warlords. But by trying to manipulate Jiro to their own end, each may find their own undoing at hand.

Again, I love the idea of "Get Jiro!..." The finished artwork that I've seen (credited to Langdon Foss) is incredibly detailed and impressive. I read quite a few graphic novels, and I would hold the completed images that were provided in my advance copy easily on the top tier. There is no doubt in my mind that the book will be visually stunning. Just studying the images, there are plenty of small in-jokes to amuse and entertain and the coloring and shading is top notch. My primary reservations, however, come from the actual story. Once I fully embraced the premise, I didn't feel like the narrative took me anyplace that I wasn't expecting from having read the synopsis. Once established, the story is rather straightforward (if gore soaked) and I wanted a bit more cleverness, a few more surprises, more moments to make me laugh. The idea is loaded with satiric possibilities, but the text plays it too straight through the violent onslaught of images.

As a curiosity, I'd still recommend this to Bourdain fans or those interested in the culinary scene. If Jiro returns for another adventure, however, I'd like the humor to be heightened. It's a lunatic world that has been created, embrace it! About 3 1/2 stars. I liked my trip to the future, but I wanted to love it! KGHarris, 5/12. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The battle of foodie culture has begun in `Get Jiro!' August 20, 2012

By David Suiter

Format:Hardcover

Renowned Chef and best selling author Anthony Bourdain grew up a fan of comic books. He loved the work of comic legend Will Eisner. He aspired to one day make comics. In the Vertigo original graphic novel Get Jiro! Bourdain follows in the footsteps of his comic idols and puts pictures to his words. Along with co-writer Joel Rose and artist Langdon Foss, Bourdain gives a twisted and violent look at the future of a food obsessed society and the proper presentation of sushi.

The story focuses on the sushi chef Jiro. We learn right away is that Jiro does not suffer fools in his sushi restaurant. When a patron dishonors Jiro by sloppily eating his nigiri and requesting a California Roll, Jiro slices his head off. Instead of the police getting Jiro, the top two restaurant financiers in the world seek out the sushi chef to have him bring his passion for good food to their establishments.

In the not too distant future, the new power in the world is its chefs. Two chefs rein supreme. Bob, of Global Affiliates, churns out chain restaurants to feed his bank account treating the masses as uncouth sheep. Then there is Rose, of the Farm, whose devotion to local grown organic goods inspires zealotry in her followers. These two chefs run mob-like organizations and are out to get Jiro.

Bourdain and Joel Rose explore the dueling nature of the food cultures brilliantly, playing up the hypocrisy of both sides. Jiro, while protective of his food and how it is enjoyed, remains outside of the fanaticism of these food mafias.

Much of Bourdain's personality can be seen in the graphic novel. Bourdain exudes his views on food culture and the games among chefs that have overtaken the importance of quality food.... Bourdain has done well in meshing his culinary commentary with the graphic novel form. The book is beautifully done while also injecting humor and violence into an obsessive food culture.

The art of Get Jiro! is stunning in its portrayal of the food on the pages. Foss' attention to detail when drawing the sushi prepared by Jiro will entice even the most tepid of palates. From perfectly executed nigiri to perfectly executed beheadings and dismemberments, Foss captures the tone of the story. The portrayal of all the characters plays into the satirical nature of the story which is shown in the beautiful artwork.

Get Jiro! lampoons the foodie culture through extreme, condoned violence. The book looks at how too much significance is placed in what goes into the food or how mass produced the food can be rather than how it is tasted and enjoyed. Jiro is a mystery man whose greatest attribute, his love of food, comes through in these pages. He is willing to kill for his craft and is lauded for it. The book captures the outspoken nature of its writer as Bourdain tells a great tale that shows the craziness of the kitchens Bourdain cut his teeth in. Read more ›

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Really wanted to like it, but felt shallow July 2, 2012

By Naomi (Storm) TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I'm a big Bourdain fan and I really like his articles and books. He's got a fast-paced, smarmy style which just reads really well. Unfortunately Jiro has some of the attitude, a little bit of food, and just a smattering of plot. Jiro takes place in an alternate universe where food is the governing currency. If you have great food, you're the winner in this world. It's also sort of a medium-post-apocalyptic-urban-anarchy-sprawl world. Not exactly "the bomb just went off," but "no real government, modern wild west". In the middle of this world is Jiro - who as far as we can tell, just popped into existence as the "Ultimate Sushi Chef". Jiro has many attributes I would imagine Bourdain thinks of when he thinks of a "Chef's chef". He's uncompromising on quality, does not do "fusion," and has the sharpest knives on the block. He's also got a hair trigger temper when it comes to his food.

Without spoiling the plot, lets just say that the story follows a basic Kurosawa-esque outline (think "Yojimbo"). This makes sense since Bourdain has stated many times that he is a great Kurosawa fan. Unfortunately the translation of the gangster-on-gangster violence just doesn't get put forth very well and the comic just feels jumpy and discombobulated. I'm not sure how much of the comic was Bourdain and how much was Rose - but it feels like Bourdain's input might have been "Make it about sushi, make it violent, make it like a Kurosawa film".

On the plus side, I really liked Langdon Foss' art. The lines were really clean but they did get muddled a bit when he was trying to add too much detail in a single panel - but for the most part, I thought the style brought much to the overall feel of the world and the characters....

If you want to turn off your brain for a little bit, read a comic book about a sushi chef in an anarchist world, and not want to think too deeply about what the heck is going on, Get Jiro! isn't a bad quick read. If you're looking for another Watchmen, or Wanted! graphic novel with an amazing story, keep looking. If you're just into a Japanese comic, I would highly suggest a little comic about a Japanese rabbit samurai instead. Read more ›