Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Titan | Tagged: jamie hewlett, Phoo Action

Titan Comics To Publish Jamie Hewlett's Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee

Titan Comics is to publish Jamie Hewlett and Mat Wakeham's Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee this year, after picking it up from Z2 Comics.

Get The Freebies by Mat Wakeham and Jamie Hewlett was an anarchic comic strip that used to run the magazine Face in the nineties, back when magazines were still a thing and before Hewlett found additional fame with Gorillaz. It also got a BBC Three pilot in 2008, renamed Phoo Action which starred Jaime Winstone as Whitey Action, Carl Weathers as Police Chief Benjamin "Ben" Benson and Eddie Shin as Terry Phoo. A six-part series was commissioned, but just before production was due to begin, the BBC announced it was cancelled. And back in 2022, we thought we were going to find out why. When, Phoo Action and Get The Freebies was to return from Z2 Comics, as Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee. A coffee table tome including every comic from the Get the Freebies comic strip, process art, a new prose novel, and an exclusive look into the BBC pilot. And following the release of The Gorillaz Almanac and The Gorillaz Art Book, from Z2 Comics. The new book would finally explain why, as well as tell the story that would have been told in the show, in an illustrated novel form.

But then there was a glitch. I saw an almost-complete mock-up copy of the hardcover Phoo Action at London Book Fair this time last year, courtesy of Mat Wakeham, where I also learned that the book was no longer to be published by Z2 Comics. and those who had pre-ordered the book had been told that their orders have been cancelled. I wondered who might pick the project up…

Well, if you read the headline to this article you already know. A year later, Bleeding Cool has got the scoop. Titan Comics will be publishing both special Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions in the Z2 fashion for the Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee collection encompassing artwork, comics, stories, scripts, storyboards, and behind-the-scenes material from the franchise.

The Deluxe Edition will including three exclusive art prints, original scripts on specially printed paper stock, exciting gatefolds, and a sleek slipcase will be  on sale on the 29th of October, 2024. While a very limited hardback, the Super Deluxe Edition, will be available in the summer, featuring a tip-in sheet signed by Jamie Hewlett and Mat Wakeham, with a cloth spine, silver gilded page edging, foil and spot UV finishing, along with five art prints, and three embroidered patches, collected in a clamshell case.

"The superstar crime-fighting duo of Terry Phoo and Whitey Action burst onto the scene in 'Get the Freebies', a serialised comic strip created by Jamie Hewlett which ran for a year in British style and pop culture magazine The Face in 1996. The strip detailed the exploits of the anarchist duo as they battled side-by-side to combat their notorious foes, 'The Freebies' – a group of outrageous mutants wreaking havoc in the streets of London. With Mat Wakeham on board, the rebellious comic then became the cult sensation PHOO ACTION, which manifested into a 2008 BBC TV pilot starring Eddie Shin (Westworld) Jamie Winston (Kidulthood), and the late Carl Weathers (Rocky, Predator, The Mandalorian) directed by Euros Lyn (Black Mirror, Broadchurch, Heartstopper)."

"Reprinted for the first time in English, the original comics are remastered and re-lettered, alongside brand-new, Silver Jubilee art by Hewlett himself. Dive deeper into the world of PHOO ACTION with a foreword by British music, culture, and entertainment journalist, broadcaster, and author, Miranda Sawyer; lost Hewlett & Wakeham comic pages; and an all-new prose story written by Wakeham and beautifully illustrated by Philip Bond (The Invisibles, Hellblazer, Kill Your Boyfriend). With over 90 pages of unseen preparatory art, as well as creature, set, and costume design and a complete written history, this compilation is a must-have for enthusiasts seeking the ultimate PHOO ACTION experience."

"This book is my open love letter to some of the funniest, most reprehensible, and inspired underground comics of the late 20th century, from the hand of one of Britain's leading artists – Mr Jamie Hewlett." – Mat Wakeham

Phoo Action: Deluxe Edition, 464 pages worth in hardcover can be advance ordered at Amazon and Forbidden Planet (it's cheaper there than on Amazon UK too). The TV pilot is on Amazon Prime Video.

Celebrate 25 years of the Phoo Action universe created by the creative polymath Jamie Hewlett and long-time collaborator Mat Wakeham, with this definitive Silver Jubilee compilation of comics, scripts, and an assortment of behind-the-scenes material of the franchise.

For fans of the cult-classic Tank Girl, The Face magazine, the BRIT and Grammy-winning virtual band Gorillaz, and Phoo Action the collector's crown jewel of subversive, satirical and surreal crime-fighting.

Jamie Hewlett and Mat Wakeham's iconic comic strips and creations take center stage in the Deluxe Edition of Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee. The superstar, supercop duo of Whitey Action and Terry Phoo once again battle side-by-side, as the edition celebrates the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Phoo Action universe.

However, these celebrations are cut short, on Whitey's 18th birthday, and the protagonists are forced to combat their notorious foes 'The Freebies', who are among the ridiculous mutants that have returned to the filthy streets of Soho and are once again wreaking havoc. There are original, brilliant, and bizarre comics and all-new, gripping prose storylines, featuring unseen characters and nostalgic reappearances taking their places for an epic battle, ensuring that new and dedicated Phoo Action fans are going to be enthralled.

The Deluxe Edition is a must-have for collectors, with extra features including exclusive art prints, original scripts on specially printed paper stock, exciting gatefolds, and a sleek slipcase to present Hewlett's signature graphic style and Mat Wakeham's design and narrative mastery in all its intended glory.

The longtime collaborators deliver a unique blend of irreverent humor, unconventional crime-fighting, and mutant mayhem. Readers gain an insight into the creative minds behind not only Phoo Action but also the cult-classic Tank Girl and ground-breaking Gorillaz projects. Learn about the elusive Hewlett, gain insight into his working process, and appreciate the art that predates and foreshadows the renowned drawing style that now spearheads Gorillaz's stardom.

Whether you're a Phoo Action enthusiast, Gorillaz fanatic, 'The Face' admirer, or a collector seeking an extraordinary addition to your shelf, Phoo Action: Deluxe Edition promises an action-packed adventure and immersive experience.

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