SCREAM COMICS #18 (FEBRUARY 1948)

Scream Comics began around 1944 as a magazine featuring funny kids, funny animals, funny jokes, and puzzles.  By the second issue the words "FUNNY PICTURE STORIES" were emblazoned across the front cover.  The first fifteen issues featured little pranksters on the covers, but all that changed with issue 16 which had a beautiful red headed teenage girl with a Veronica Lake hairstyle on the cover.  She had on a two-piece sun suit as she relaxed in a field with a bottle of soda pop, and text proclaiming, "Introducing LILY-BELLE from the deep south, sur!"  Scream Comics had officially gone from funny kids to funny teenagers, most likely in the hopes of capturing some of the Archie Comics market.  It didn't work.  Scream Comics soon folded after issue #19.

The last four issues, however, gave us an overabundance of supposedly funny high school teenagers.  Unfortunately, the writers, artists, and editors of this comic book had no clue on how to compete with Archie Andrews and company.  The plots were thin and unfunny and the high school boys were homely, geeky, conniving, and often mean-spirited.  The one saving grace were the high school girls.  They were beautiful and voluptuous, often drawn to push their ample bosoms forward.  Even the freshman girls -- who should have been 13 or 14 -- had Jane Russell bodies.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, from a sexist point of view, that is.  And at least some of the girls had brains and grit.  Only a few were shallow.

Lily-Belle was the only girl to be featured in a story.  The remaining four stories in the comic book  each featured a very forgettable (and sometimes distasteful) character, be it Andy, Orville, Adelbert, or Ernie.

If you decide to read it at the link below, at least enjoy the Good Girl Art.


http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=66200