It's only recently I've started to discover the wonders of Fleetway's Shiver and Shake comic (mostly due to my Welsh benefactor who's sent me two annuals so far), and there's a LOT to enjoy within those pages. Of particular note is Brian Walker's Scream Inn - a haunted hotel run by ghosts, that offers the prize of a million pounds to any guest who'll last the full night there. Readers of Shiver and Shake could suggest who they think might stand a chance, and if their suggestion was chosen, they'd be rewarded with a shiny pound coin.
Anyway, the annual from 1977 (or 1976 if you like, the way annuals are numbered will always be a source of confusion) featured a festively-themed tale, with the "guest" being a sweet old lady who writes poems for Xmas cards. Here it is:
(Oh, in case you don't know by now, click on the pictures to make them bigger, then click again to make them even bigger than that!)
I was thinking it would be awesome if you did that Christmas Scream Inn Strip, and then you did it:) Can never have too much of the Inn Keeper!! It's probally, one of my favourite strips along with Sweeny Toddler and Mona Lisa... I liked all the Shiver & Shake strips apart from Webster and the one with the Egyptian Mummy who nobody wants to live next to
ReplyDeleteYou mean Horrornation Street? I like that one, it's fairly cute - a mummy, a vampire, a headless ghost and a witch doctor all living next to each other, with themed houses no less!
DeleteThat's the one, though I can't remember the ghost... I assume that small thing in the Gigantic Mask that looks like one of the Bad Guys from the second level of Golden Axe Revenge of Death Adder is the 'Witch Doctor'?
DeleteI just thought the artwork was really bad Dracula was fat and the Mummy had a gigantic nose, 'Brain Walkers' stuff in comparison the art was brilliant..
I think the one when Santa brought the Mummy the wrong present was ok, Dracula getting Cricket bats...
Definitely not as attractive-looking as Brian Walker's stuff, I'll agree, but for something GOOD by Tom Williams, see if you can find any "Creature Teacher" strips - if not, there's bound to be some on this blog someday :)
DeleteWait a minute: The sign clearly stipulates that the prize is for anybody who stays in the haunted room the whole night. The Innkeeper's one anal twat for insisting that that means you're not allowed to leave the room at any point for any purpose. What if you need the toilet during the night? I'm sure that old woman would have happily returned to her room and stayed the whole night after having finished the poem. What a swindle!
ReplyDeleteMaybe he's one of these "bureaucratic monsters" you hear about?
DeleteAt least they fed her.
Love that final panel with the classic Christmas "Slap-Up Feed"! Brain Walker drew some top class stuff!
ReplyDeleteIndeed he did! I'd put him up there in the Top Five comic artists ever, so much detail... Apparently he drew out blueprints for Scream Inn so that he'd have consistent details throughout each story.
DeleteMike Lacey is up there for me, as is Tom Paterson!
ReplyDeletePaterson's a given, certainly. I'd also include David Mostyn and Bob Dewar.
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