Review by Frank Plowright
For a comic that only ran for fifteen weeks, during which the editorial constraints were constantly tightened, Scream must have a dedicated following to earn a second hardcover collection. 40 Years of Scream reprinted the issues prior to cancellation in 1984, and this companion collection covers the specials issued over the following four years, and five revivals published between 2017 and 2024.
The earlier specials use the same strips and creators from the cancelled comic, and the suspicion is these are strips commissioned and paid for in 1984 and then annually pulled from the storage file. It’s unlikely that while starting work on Watchmen, Dave Gibbons was also knocking out a few twist in the tail horror stories for less money. However, ‘Mother Haggard’s Helpers’ is very nicely drawn.
‘The Thirteenth Floor’, ‘The Dracula File’ and ‘Friends & Neighbours’ all appear, with Graham Allen’s out and out cartooning on the latter a contrast to the broadly realistic tone of the remaining content. The art in the 1980s specials matches the standards of the original series, although sadly some artists can no longer be identified, including the person who drew the stunning splash page for ‘Witches’ (sample art left). The stories, though, also maintain those standards, and are largely predictable. The beauty of Blas Gallego’s work on ‘Black Beth’ has already been seen in separate collection Vengeance Be Thy Name, as have DaNi’s also remarkable pages for Alex Worley’s sequel.
Greater imagination is on display in the 21st century material, but the art may be more stylish and individual, yet isn’t always as technically accomplished. It makes for more visually imaginative stories, though. Under assorted creators Dracula is beefed up, his best being a return by Alex Paknadal and Alejandro Aragón from 2024, while Guy Adams gives ‘The Thirteenth Floor’ a hallucinogenic update via the use of multiple artists with very different styles. Tom Paterson’s polished cartooning stands out. It’s also been repackaged as an individual graphic novel. The latter day creators, especially in 2024, have been licensed to raise their levels of shock and gore to adult levels, which can work in providing less predictable stories, but also prompts the occasional lazy ending.
As with the companion collection, the cover credits are puzzling. Robin Smith’s contribution is a single page illustration, yet he receives top billing, while Simon Coleby’s work over three Black Max revival strips (sample art right) doesn’t make the cover. A bonus feature presents Dracula strips from Gerry-Finley Day and Eric Bradbury, drawn in the 1980s, but never previously published.
This is a slightly better collection than 40 Years of Scream for greater variety and more imaginative artwork.
