Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Jamie Hewlett
Publisher: 2000AD/Rebellion
Format: UK annual/European Graphic Novel
Bizarre, surreal, unbelievable, mind-warping, strange, out-there and down right unfathomable at times. So completely and utterly f**ked up I had to read it 4 times just to be sure. This book is completely wacko, bananas, nuts and crazy, yet somehow it all works.
From the twin warped and genius minds of Peter Milligan and Jamie Hewlett sprung forth Hewligan’s Haircut a freakish piece from the 2000AD archive (first printed in 1990 when Thrillpower only cost you 45p a week instead of £1.20 or whatever it is at the moment…I blame the Poll Tax…and Thatcher, I definitely blame Thatcher, we all did back then). This is the story of…hold on…um…well it’s a love story, that much is kinda of clear (as mud) and there’s this bloke who leaves an insane asylum… and there’s his haircut and some big talking heads…
Hewligan’s Haircut is a must for those who like the odd little tales that Tharg the Mighty occasionally publishes to keep the ravenous hoards of Squaxx Dex Thargo too bemused to question his omniscience. It is decidedly odd but extremely enjoyable all the same. More power to Tharg and lets see a few more freakish monstrosities like this again in the future!
A quick word on the format. This is sold in what Rebellion call “European Graphic Novel format” but what could easily be dubbed “UK annual format”. That is just larger than A4 with a thick card cover , a definite spine and a glossy sheen. UK readers will remember opening up prezzies on Christmas morning and getting a Victor or Roy of the Rovers annual in exactly the same format (and in fact you can buy an excellent Spider-Man annual this year featuring some great work by Mark Buckinghan (oh and Paul Jenkins but I don’t know him so Bucky gets the plug)). Non UK readers would have come across this format from such titles as Asterix, Tintin and Lucky Luke. This is a fantastic format, it looks great, it stores well and it's easy to read. Apparently we’ll see a few more like this in the future especially as 2000AD is returning to a broader format more in keeping with the original dimensions.
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