Scream Inn
   
                             
   "One Million Pounds to anyone who dares
    stay all of ye night in ye haunted bedroom
    at Scream Inn..."

    Well, that was the plot. Each week readers were asked to
    suggest a guest to come and spend a night in this 'orrible
    inn - although Fleetway were only offering the slightly
    smaller prize of £1 for winning suggestions. 

    It was up to the Innkeeper, Bertie Bedsheet, Suffering Sam,
    Cookie, Grotty Dotty, Dennis the Devil and Boneypart to
    scare the bejeezus out of this "visitor" and prevent them 
    from claiming their prize.

    Needless to say, nobody ever won the big money, but the
    strip proved most popular with the readership and it survived
    the merger with stablemate Whoopee!, and continued as
    a strip in the pull-out Shiver section ("It's hauned!").

    The very first visitors to attempt a night at the place were a
    pugilist - "Champ" - and his shifty trainer/manager - "Boss".
    Champ turned a four-poster into a mini boxing ring and
    battered any spook who got too close. Unfortunately,
    he got too keen and punched his way right out of the
    building, battering Boss with brickwork in the process.
     
    From then on we had everyone and everything from an Eskimo
    (ShSh #74), to a Bullfighter (ShSh #30), to - I kid you not - an
    electrifying Congar Eel (ShSh #65) - Those Fleetway readers
    were a weird bunch.

    Once canny reader suggested that comic co-star Evil Eye
    be sent to the inn for the night (Wh/ShSh 30th Aug 75). But
    the Eye was eventually driven away by Cookie, wailing and
    reeking of garlic...

    

    Perhaps the most interesting guest, however, was the strip's
    artist himself Brian Walker (ShSh #25). That's a thumbnail
    above...

     

    Above is a second thumbnail leading to a larger scan of the
    Scream Inn stars. It's taken from a pull-out poster given
    away in Whoopee! and Shiver & Shake, dated 13th September
    1975. This creepy brochure description also featured on the
    poster:

    "Six feet below sea level, Scream Inn stands
     in its own swamp, overlooking ye Murky Mire,
     guaranteeing foul odours day & night. All rooms
     warranted damp, dark & diabolical, with hot &
     cold hands laid on. We provide gloom service,
     central haunting & a wine cellar. Secret passages,
     creaking doors, cobwebs, reptiles & deathwatch
     beetle inclusive. All mattresses stuffed with best
     vulture feathers. Bed & Breakfast at frightening
     prices..."

    And this was an inviting guide to the staff:

    "Under the direct supervision of the Innkeeper,
     the supernatural staff of spooks, ghouls, witches,
     zombies, devils & phantoms will strike terror into
     the stoutest heart. Dracula Diner's Club &  
     Vampire Luncheon Vouchers accepted..."

   Interviewed for the wonderful comics zine Golden Fun back in
   1983, Brian Walker talked in depth about the strips and how he
   was given a free rein by IPC editor Bob Paynter to create the
   characters and inn setting as he saw fit. He even drew a near
   architectural drawing of the inn building, so that he could get the
   settings right in each strip.

   Brian also gave us the Scream Inn spin-off called the
   Spooktacular 7 which featured the Innkeeper, Bertie and
   the gang as secret agent spooks for hire.

   By the way, Trivia Hounds may note that the first-ever strip
   was reprinted in the 1978 Whoopee! annual...