The SOURCE DATA provides information about a comic collection titled Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee, which compiles the 12-part comic strip Get the Freebies created by Jamie Hewlett and writer Mat Wakeham. This collection is scheduled for release in November 2022 by Z2 Comics. The comic strip originally ran in The Face, a British magazine focusing on fashion, music, and popular culture, from July 1996 to July 1997. The collection aims to preserve the history of the Phoo Action series, including previously unpublished material and a prose novel detailing planned storylines that were never produced.
The Get the Freebies comic follows the adventures of London super-cop duo Terry Phoo, a gay martial arts expert, and his sidekick Whitey Action, a pale, disaffected teenager. They frequently encounter a volatile gang of mutants known as the Freebies. The stories are narrated by Whitey and often feature explicit language, violence, nudity, and drug usage, centering around popular celebrities of the 1990s. Despite plans for a sequel series titled Phoo Action, the installment was cancelled, though a live-action television pilot of the same name was produced in 2008.
Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee serves as a comprehensive archive of this cultural artifact. It includes the full run of Get the Freebies, a previously unpublished comic intended as the introduction to a second season, and a prose novel by Mat Wakeham that outlines the story for that second season. The novel features illustrations by Philip Bond, an artist known for The Invisibles. Additionally, the book contains a timeline with character designs, production stills from the 2008 pilot, the pilot's script, and commentary from the creators.
Editions and Pricing
Z2 Comics is releasing Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee in three distinct editions, catering to different levels of collector interest. The editions vary in price, content, and availability.
- Standard Edition: Priced at $49.99, this is a 368-page hardcover book. It serves as the core release, containing the primary comic content and supplementary materials listed above.
- Deluxe Edition: Available for $99.99, this edition is an oversized hardcover. It includes a dust jacket, a slipcase, and three prints. This option is designed for readers seeking a premium presentation of the material.
- Super Deluxe Edition: Priced at $249.99, this version is limited to 250 copies. It is hand-signed by Mat Wakeham and includes five prints. This edition targets serious collectors and fans of the original work.
The release of these editions follows the announcement made by Jamie Hewlett and Mat Wakeham regarding the compilation of the comic's 25-year history. The book is described as an "open love letter" to underground comics of the late 20th century. The project was assembled by Wakeham, who served as the editor and contributed forewords that function as an oral history of the project's evolution.
Content Details
The comic strip Get the Freebies is described as satirical and heavily influenced by 1990s British pop culture. The protagonists, Terry Phoo and Whitey Action, fight against the Freebies, a gang of mutants led by a crime boss with a basketball for a head. The tone is similar to Hewlett's earlier work on Tank Girl, but with a specific focus on UK pop culture. The strip was written and drawn by Hewlett for the first 12 issues, colored predominantly with magic markers.
The planned sequel, Phoo Action, was to be a collaboration between Hewlett and Wakeham. Although only one episode was fully drawn and none were published, the concept was adapted into a BBC TV pilot in 2008. The new graphic novel includes the unfinished sequel comic and the prose novel that details the intended narrative arc for the second season.
Character Backgrounds
- Terry Phoo: A gay martial artist from Hong Kong, often depicted wearing a jumpsuit reminiscent of Bruce Lee. He is a Buddhist policeman and a superhero.
- Whitey Action: A chain-smoking, foul-mouthed teenager described as "effortlessly cool" and "disaffected." She is the primary narrator of the comic strips.
- The Freebies: A gang of mutants serving as the antagonists. Key members include Burk (a "big stupid gorilla"), Marlon (the "small and effeminate" one), and Jimmy (the leader with a basketball for a head).
The collection documents the evolution of these characters from their inception in The Face magazine through the cancelled sequel and the subsequent TV pilot. It highlights the transition of the property from a magazine strip to a multimedia project involving television and graphic novels.
Release Timeline and Availability
The collection is set to be published in November 2022. It will be available through Z2 Comics, a publisher known for graphic novels and art books. The release is timed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Phoo Action characters. The book will be available for pre-order, with specific dates for the October pre-order window mentioned for the lower-priced version.
The project represents a significant effort to bring a niche British comic strip to a wider audience, particularly in the United States. By packaging the original strips with new content and historical context, the publishers aim to provide a definitive volume for fans of Jamie Hewlett's work and 1990s comic culture.
Historical Context
Get the Freebies was created during a pivotal time in Jamie Hewlett's career. He was transitioning from Tank Girl to co-creating Gorillaz. The strip allowed him to explore a more controlled style while maintaining the anarchy associated with his work. It also served as a vehicle for social commentary on the UK pop culture scene of the mid-90s.
The 2008 BBC pilot Phoo Action was an attempt to adapt the comic for television. While the pilot was produced, the series was not picked up. The inclusion of the pilot's script and production stills in the graphic novel provides insight into how the comic's visual style and narrative were translated to a live-action format.
The Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee collection is the first time the entirety of Get the Freebies has been collected in English. It fills a gap for collectors and historians interested in the intersection of fashion, music, and comics in the 1990s UK. The book's release is anticipated by those who followed the original magazine run and the subsequent developments of the property.
Conclusion
Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee is a comprehensive collection that documents the history of Jamie Hewlett's Get the Freebies comic strip and the subsequent Phoo Action franchise. Scheduled for release in November 2022 by Z2 Comics, the book is available in three editions ranging from a standard hardcover to a limited, hand-signed super deluxe version. It features the complete original comic run, unpublished sequel material, a prose novel, and extensive production notes. This collection serves as a historical record of a significant piece of 1990s British pop culture and offers new content for fans of the series.