Scream!

I wonder why IPC decided that the UK needed a horror comic in 1984? Weren’t they just asking for trouble? There’d been complaints about the violence in “Action” only a few years earlier and “Scream!” was a proper horror comic unlike earlier titles such as “Monster Fun” and “Shiver and Shake” which featured light hearted comedy/horror strips. Despite containing pretty good artwork (although the covers were variable…) and well-written stories “Scream!” only lasted for 15 issues between March and June 1984. As they so often did with Warren and EC comics (and 2000AD) “Scream!” had a host, Ghastly McNasty (!?!) introducing the comic. Surprisingly when the comic folded it was absorbed into “Eagle”. Only a couple of “Scream!” strips featured in this new “Eagle and Scream!” and the “Scream!” part was quietly dropped as soon as they could.

The common concensus is that the most imaginative story in “Scream!” was “The thirteenth floor”. An apartment block was built (without a thirteenth floor) but with a sentient computer to manage it. Said computer was not only sentient but also psychotic. It created it’s own thirteenth floor and proceeded to take gruesome revenge on any occupants of the building that it took a dislike to.

PS: Some issues came with “wraparound” covers. See Number 9 in full size by clicking twice here.

PPS: After the comic finished there were still a few Holiday Specials produced, probably published because there was still some inventory to use up that was a bit too gruesome to be placed in other current comics. I suppose they were published for the Summer holidays when perhaps they ought to have been saved for Halloween.

Scream! Holiday Special 1986