A Choco for J’onn

Final Crisis: Requiem (2008)

Written by Peter Tomasi
Pencils by Doug Mahnke
Inks by Christian Alamy & Rodney Ramos, Colors by Nei Ruffino

Chef’s Note:  Batman once called J’onn a “chocos junkie“. While he was not without cause to do so at the time, him leaving his friend’s favorite treat on his coffin makes for a quite poignant scene. The fact that he waits for the others to leave before doing so shows how personal the moment is to him – a final gesture meant only for his friend.

Chef’s Note:  Offering/leaving food for the dead is a fascinating, and quite common, practice in many cultures-

When death came, as it inevitably did, the ancient Egyptian pharaohs and their relatives were ready for it. Each had spent years preparing a lavish tomb stocked with everything they might need or want in the afterlife, including food, preserved for eternity. Even meat and poultry were on the menu. To keep these highly perishable foods tasty until the end of time, the Egyptians mummified them—slowly drying them with salt, bandaging them and covering the bundle with resins—much as they would a human body.

“It’s our version of the ‘day of the dead’ where we celebrate all those who have died,” says Chanthadavong. “We either bring along an abundance of food to their gravesite or have a setup at home where we pray to food in a way that almost feels like we are feeding the spirits of the dead.“

You may know it from Tupac, Key & Peele, or Dr. Evil, but “pouring one out” is a lot older than you might think. It’s actually straight-up ancient.