In 2016, Gorillaz announced their comeback after a four-year hiatus. To explain the band members' whereabouts after Plastic Beach had been attacked by The Black Clouds, a series of four short books were released detailing their exploits.
These books were later featured on the Humanz Artbook, included on the vinyl releases of the deluxe and super deluxe editions of the band's fifth studio album Humanz.
The Book Of Noodle - Memoirs Of A Demon Slayer[]
The Book Of Noodle
"Days after the attack on Plastic Beach, Noodle awoke in a strange Japanese village that smelled of fish. It was a fishing village. She'd been nursed back to health by an old pearl diver named Chiyoko, so to repay her kindness, Noodle took a job as her apprentice.
She was a natural (having shared a tour bus with Murdoc, she was really good at holding her breath). But one day, deep beneath the waves, Noodle prized open a pearl shell of unearthly size, accidentally releasing an ancient hell demon. It scarpered, ready to party like it's 1499.
Noodle learned that this was Maazu, a shapeshifting devil of unimaginable evil, that could take human form. It had to be destroyed. To do so, she must remove its head from its body. Or the other way around.
But finding a shapeshifter is like looking for a beard at an Arcade Fire concert. For years, Noodle pursued Maazu across Japan, from the heights of Mt Fuji to the deepest, darkest forests. Finally, she tracked Maazu to Tokyo, where it had risen to the top of the criminal underworld.
Disguising herself as a geisha, Noodle infiltrated its debauched headquarters, The Demon's Lodge. And there, while Maazu was distracted by a heated bout of 'Drink While You Think', she lopped off its head. His earthly existence was over. And the carpet was ruined.
Escaping Mazuu's Sumo bodyguards, Noodle packed herself into a FedEx crate with dried fish, bottled water and a copy of Moby Dick - if she was ever to finish Melville's onerous classic, it was now.
Her package was addressed: West London, England - c/o Murdoc Niccals."
The Book Of Russel – I Am Not Godzilla[]
The Book Of Russel
"Russel Hobbs had always put on weight easily, so when he grew sixty times in size swimming to Plastic Beach, he thought it might be his thyroid. Noodle, riding on his back the whole way, guessed it was more likely the six tons of polluted shrimp he'd swallowed en route.
Russel had found Murdoc, but like a circumcision ceremony their reunion was cruelly cut short. Pirates attacked from all sides, so Russell cradled Noodle inside his giant mouth and swam away.
Their trouble, however, was just beginning. Somewhere off the coast of Japan, Russel was mistaken for a whale and harpooned. He managed to wriggle free, but in the fracas Noodle was swept away into the blood-red waters.
Wounded and delirious, Russel struggled on through the ocean, feebly humming the power ballad All By Myself until he lost consciousness. Eventually, he drifted into the warm waters of the Yellow Sea and washed up on a North Korean beach.
Giant Russel was carted to Pyongyang, where he was exhibited like a modern day Gulliver. The regime's Glorious Leader declared that he'd captured Pulgasari, the legendary North Korean Godzilla. Russel became the country's biggest attraction, and 'I survived Pulgasari' t-shirts became the nation's fastest selling fashion item. Or would have done if people were allowed to sell anything other than manure and tanks.
In time, the North's meagre food rations caused Russel to shrink back to normal size. Realizing Russel was just a man, the Glorious Leader proclaimed that he'd personally defeated Pulgasari, and Russel was released. He was given a signed pressing of Kim Sings Sinatra, and sent back to England, where he wandered the streets of London, until musician and Gorillaz collaborator Jeff Wootton let him crash on his futon.
A few days later, Jeff's phone rang - it was Murdoc. Without delay, Russel moved into Murdoc's new West London home.
The band was getting back together."
The Book Of Murdoc - Battleship Ringo[]
The Book Of Murdoc
"The last anyone heard of Mudoc Niccals, he was living on Plastic Beach, an island in the South Pacific formed entirely from rubbish.
All was well, until the day Murdoc's tropical ghetto was raided by pirates. (Not the eye-patch king - those modern-day ones with machine guns and no sense of flair). Murdoc decided that evacuation was the bravest option, and fled heroically in a rusty brown submarine.
With only a crate of Psycho Jerry's Rum for sustenance and Cyborg Noodle for company, Murdoc navigated his way through the slimy Octopuses Garden. Cyborg Noodle proved the perfect shipmate for Murdoc: she didn't speak, she didn't judge, and she had absolutely no sense of smell.
Finally, when the booze ran out, Murdoc made to the surface and popped the hatch, releasing the rum-soaked air of the submersible like a kraken's guff. As he emptied his dangerously enlarged bladder, a giant shadow loomed over him. Two, if you count the ever-present memory of his disappointed father. But the other shadow was a ship: the Battleship Ringo, owned by music industry giant EMI.
Before it was chopped up and sold like a prize pig, EMI had sent a fleet of ships to search the globe for Murdoc. At last, they had him. The Gorillaz star was captured, slapped about a bit, and taken to a secret prison on London.
'Dungeon Abbey', beneath Abbey Road Studios, was built to detain the label's ABCs (Artists in Breach of Contract). For three years it served as Murdoc's home, until one day, he was offered a deal by Entertainment Internal Affairs. Like an unloved goldfish, the music industry was in dire need of Murdoc's legendary song-writing prowess. In exchange for his release (and a carton of Lucky Lungs cigarettes), Murdoc agreed to write a new Gorillaz album and moved immediately to a new studio home in West London."
The Book Of 2-D – Moaner And The Whale[]
The Book Of 2-D
"During the pirate attack on Plastic Beach, 2D hid in his underwater quarters. Unwittingly he'd made himself prey to a far fiercer foe: a great white whale known as Massive Dick (weirdly, no relation to Moby). The blubbery beast swallowed 2D in one bite, and swam into the deep.
But a lifetime spent eating ocean garbage – and now 2D – took its toll on Massive, and he died. His carcass washed up on a desert island, where 2D was finally free... to die of starvation, due to a total lack of survival skills. Unable even to catch crabs (which was more Murdoc's forte), 2D had no option but to eat his former host. Rancid whale blubber for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With a side of sand.
Several months later, 2D spotted a plane flying along the coast. Moved to tears by this beacon of hope, he set off in its direction. Twenty-three minutes later he was in the middle of a full-scale beach rave. It turns 2D wasn't marooned at all. He had in fact landed on Guadalupe, off the Mexican coast. 2D joined the beach party, ate some strange-tasting brownies, and came third in the wet T-shirt contest.
As he claimed his prize, 2D had a eureka moment. He would have a gap year and find himself. It turned out finding himself was really easy – he was right there. But he stayed the rest of the year anyway, until he got sacked from his job weaving friendship bracelets. It was time to fly home.
At Heathrow, a man at arrivals held up a sign saying 'Wanker'. 2D followed him to his car, which drove him to West London, where he was reunited with Murdoc, Russel and Noodle. Gorillaz were back."