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Chachu #1
SERIES PREMIERE
1. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle—her “Chachu”—a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down—with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.
Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).
1. Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl, stands on the cusp of adulthood, eager to experience the “real world” for the first time. With a head full of Hollywood dreams and a penchant for pulp novels, she ventures to California to connect with her estranged uncle—her “Chachu”—a middle-aged, semi-retired private eye who gained brief fame after marrying the starlet he was initially hired to find. But when Chachu’s wife goes missing once again, the two are forced on an impromptu road trip to track her down—with Leila navigating young adulthood and Chachu confronting his own mortality and regrets.
Inspired by her own coming-of-age experiences in the entertainment industry, CHACHU is the solo writing debut of superstar IMAN VELLANI (Ms. Marvel), a reinterpretation of the classic neo-noir private investigator story brilliantly illustrated by MARIANNA IGNAZZI (EXQUISITE CORPSES) and colored by JORDIE BELLAIRE (Absolute Wonder Woman).
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
32 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 8, 2026
What a great start! I love the premise but the perspective is what really makes this amazing. I picked this up specifically because Iman is writing it, but the rest of this all star creative team brings every aspect of this book to life, but what I can’t help but find funny is the way the character speaks depending on the context. From what I’ve seen of Iman before in her acting or in interviews I feel as though I can hear her voice coming from Leila…but then when I read through the sections of Leila narrating the events with the noir detective facade she puts up to try and get closer to her PI Chachu, I can’t help but laugh as it feels completely different from the way she acts. It’s still very informative but I do get a sense it isn’t her natural cadence. But if Leila hopes to jump start a career into private deceive work, she is starting out on the right path by expertly tracking her Chachu down. But it’s clear what Leila’s intention is with finding her Chachu…to discover more about her father who passed away, a topic her family is not willing to entertain, but what Leila finds instead is a road trip adventure.
Leila tracked her uncle down anger he made the newspaper in their hometown when he married actress Cleo Chandler, their first introduction is not as smooth as Leila no doubt imagined it would be as she parked outside his house, was caught staring at him with binoculars, and then in her attempt to speed away she accidentally ran into Cleo’s car as she was backing up out of their driveway, with her bag packed. Cleo took off and Leila’s uncle walked up to offer to pay for the damages, Leila almost went for a cigarette she is not accustomed to smoking as she realizes what the man sees is a total stranger, he left when she was still in her mother’s womb and she promptly introduces herself. He invites her in and they share a drink, he offers her food but she is behind in time and would rather sleep…except her story about coming down here for school doesn’t entail any dorm sleeping until tomorrow. The average Pakistani hospitality is tested as he shows her to a room to sleep in, the house isn’t ready her but they have a spare room. That night Leila went to bed thinking about everything she can learn about her dad from him and how she is not going to leave until she does.
But that night Leila was woken up with a gloved hand around her mouth and a gun in her fave as she was dragged to the living room and sat next to her Chachu as armed men surrounded them. Turns out the man orchestrating this is Cleo’s father! The first of the month she always goes to stay with her grandma, but this time she didn’t show up and her father, who treats her like a commodity to be sold off to the highest bidder for a movie, doesn’t like when he looses the leash on his daughter. So he is putting it in the capable hands of her husband to chase her down and being her back in. As the morning rolls around and the men leave, the only form of transport Chachu has is his niece’s car…but she isn’t going to just hand it over, she wants to go with him. As she said she isn’t leaving until she finds out more about her dad, but she doesn’t know how to get to that topic yet. For now she tries to prove herself, she found him after all and she can help find Cleo. There is a fairly funny deferment here where she runs through everything she has seen so far and is assuming, she is wrong about a lot of it. Chachu confirms he did have a fight with Cleo but it’s not a usual thing and he doesn’t go along to her grandmas. But Leila was right about one thing, if Cleo went anywhere else it was to Vegas where she has contacts, which is whew they will be heading first. Leila’s mind roars with possibility of what she could learn about him through this trip.
As the issue comes to an end we jump back to the previous night to find Cleo arriving in Vegas where she meets up with one of her old friends, Mama Mina, and who she hopes will be a safe ear to hear her troubles over some tea. Her friend is disappointed to hear tea, finding it boring, but Cleo clarifies that marriage made her boring, not the movies, and the man she is married to is the love of her life. We are not made privy to what they discussed, but Cleo’s father is not aware as Cleo clearly worries she would die if he was. Mama Mina then sent Cleo off to her car to go home safely, only for a gunshot to ring out as the guards outside the club were taken down by masked men as they ripped Cleo’s wedding ring off and stole her car. Cleo was left on her knees in the street all alone, until a man she recognized approached her and helped her up…but then he pulled out a rag no doubt doused in chloroform and knocked her out as he picked her up in her arms to walk towards the flash of cameras. It seems he may be another movie star and helping her like this is making big news, especially when Cleo’s husband is nowhere to be seen. What game is Cleo being pulled into? And I would have no doubt the news involves pulling out of the movie industry entirely to avoid situations just like this, which would definitely anger her father.
Leila tracked her uncle down anger he made the newspaper in their hometown when he married actress Cleo Chandler, their first introduction is not as smooth as Leila no doubt imagined it would be as she parked outside his house, was caught staring at him with binoculars, and then in her attempt to speed away she accidentally ran into Cleo’s car as she was backing up out of their driveway, with her bag packed. Cleo took off and Leila’s uncle walked up to offer to pay for the damages, Leila almost went for a cigarette she is not accustomed to smoking as she realizes what the man sees is a total stranger, he left when she was still in her mother’s womb and she promptly introduces herself. He invites her in and they share a drink, he offers her food but she is behind in time and would rather sleep…except her story about coming down here for school doesn’t entail any dorm sleeping until tomorrow. The average Pakistani hospitality is tested as he shows her to a room to sleep in, the house isn’t ready her but they have a spare room. That night Leila went to bed thinking about everything she can learn about her dad from him and how she is not going to leave until she does.
But that night Leila was woken up with a gloved hand around her mouth and a gun in her fave as she was dragged to the living room and sat next to her Chachu as armed men surrounded them. Turns out the man orchestrating this is Cleo’s father! The first of the month she always goes to stay with her grandma, but this time she didn’t show up and her father, who treats her like a commodity to be sold off to the highest bidder for a movie, doesn’t like when he looses the leash on his daughter. So he is putting it in the capable hands of her husband to chase her down and being her back in. As the morning rolls around and the men leave, the only form of transport Chachu has is his niece’s car…but she isn’t going to just hand it over, she wants to go with him. As she said she isn’t leaving until she finds out more about her dad, but she doesn’t know how to get to that topic yet. For now she tries to prove herself, she found him after all and she can help find Cleo. There is a fairly funny deferment here where she runs through everything she has seen so far and is assuming, she is wrong about a lot of it. Chachu confirms he did have a fight with Cleo but it’s not a usual thing and he doesn’t go along to her grandmas. But Leila was right about one thing, if Cleo went anywhere else it was to Vegas where she has contacts, which is whew they will be heading first. Leila’s mind roars with possibility of what she could learn about him through this trip.
As the issue comes to an end we jump back to the previous night to find Cleo arriving in Vegas where she meets up with one of her old friends, Mama Mina, and who she hopes will be a safe ear to hear her troubles over some tea. Her friend is disappointed to hear tea, finding it boring, but Cleo clarifies that marriage made her boring, not the movies, and the man she is married to is the love of her life. We are not made privy to what they discussed, but Cleo’s father is not aware as Cleo clearly worries she would die if he was. Mama Mina then sent Cleo off to her car to go home safely, only for a gunshot to ring out as the guards outside the club were taken down by masked men as they ripped Cleo’s wedding ring off and stole her car. Cleo was left on her knees in the street all alone, until a man she recognized approached her and helped her up…but then he pulled out a rag no doubt doused in chloroform and knocked her out as he picked her up in her arms to walk towards the flash of cameras. It seems he may be another movie star and helping her like this is making big news, especially when Cleo’s husband is nowhere to be seen. What game is Cleo being pulled into? And I would have no doubt the news involves pulling out of the movie industry entirely to avoid situations just like this, which would definitely anger her father.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2026
I was really looking forward to this but didn't find the story to be clearly told. (To be honest, it was the Goodreads blurb about the comic that helped to confirm to me that I had pretty much got the gist of what was going on). The main example I want to draw upon is there was the scene near the end where there is a carjacking and people pop in and out of the scene that wasn't there before, the bar owner disappears altogether and then a dozen paparazzi appear out of nowhere. I know I sound like Floyd from DTF St Louis getting confused while reading a comic book so I guess that's who I am now.
I'm wishing for all the success in the world for Iman Vellani's first foray into the creator owned realm of comic books. I just hoped I would have liked it more. That could turn around with issue 2 (and a reread of issue 1)
I'm wishing for all the success in the world for Iman Vellani's first foray into the creator owned realm of comic books. I just hoped I would have liked it more. That could turn around with issue 2 (and a reread of issue 1)
September 2, 2026
2.5 stars
I really liked the typesetting in this one! The story itself was okay, but didn't really make me invested. Which is weird, because we got a lot of background on our main character and her relation/ lack of relation to her Chachu. Yet I still feel like I don't know anyone. The dialog felt a bit heavy handed at times too.
I really liked the typesetting in this one! The story itself was okay, but didn't really make me invested. Which is weird, because we got a lot of background on our main character and her relation/ lack of relation to her Chachu. Yet I still feel like I don't know anyone. The dialog felt a bit heavy handed at times too.
August 14, 2026
I definitely think the art, coloring, and page layouts are the selling point for this issue. The cover is really what intrigued me, and the story here is pretty solid. I’m at least interested in where this is going, but this issue didn’t exactly wow me.
September 2, 2026
Think if Brubaker and Phillips went a little more vintage Hollywood glam with the veneer of the studio system and a plucky girl just looking to reconnect to lost family and you’d get this. It’s gorgeous and right up my alley. I can’t wait to read more!
October 20, 2026
Not really my kinda thing but folks were right about this being a break out book for Vellani, she has a really great narration style that feels exactly like the kinda classic detective story the book is trying to evoke. Ignazzi's art is also delightfully cute and expressive.
August 14, 2026
A fun main character, a glorious setting, an interesting setup, and the most beautiful coloring in comics makes this a pretty good issue. I am curious to read more.
August 28, 2026
I like it so far
Great art
Very interesting start to this story
Great art
Very interesting start to this story
August 31, 2026
Intriguing and fun!
September 12, 2026
!! 70s Hollywood noir!!! Looking forward to the rest of this story.
October 12, 2026
The art is phenomenal. The story is definitely growing intrigue. Was a bit confused with some of the last parts but im curious enough to keep reading.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews