Were you a child of the 1970s and 80s? Then you will know that both decades vie for the honour of producing the scariest pop culture of all time – and it’s a close call which wins. Luckily, the Scarred for Life books by Stephen Brotherstone and David Lawrence, currently available at discount price, provide plenty of cautionary material, so you know just what to avoid..
Perhaps, for example, your particular nightmares were TV shows of the 1970s such as The Owl Service or Doomwatch? Or do you have particularly memories of Public Information Films, films such as When Animals Attack, or comics such as Action, Misty or The Crunch?
Scarred For Life, Volume One is an affectionate look at the darker side of pop culture in the 1970s. Public information films, scary kids’ TV shows, bleak adult dramas, dystopian sci-fi, savage horror films, violent comics, horror-themed toys and sweets, and the huge boom in paranormal paraphernalia; all this and much more is covered in-depth. Prepare to relive your childhood nightmares. The things that made us… scarred for life!
But wait – the 1980s, was it worse? After all, those Public Information Films didn’t get less scary, with warnings about AIDS, rabies – or crossing the road. Surely Noseybonk, Day of the Triffids and Tales of the Unexpected, and Doctor Who, too, might send you screaming behind the sofa…
Scarred For Life, Volume Two takes an affectionate look at the darker side of television in the 1980s. Shocking public information films, eerie children’s shows, bizarre sci-fi, terrifying horror, surreal, bleak dramas, and much more are all featured at length. And find out how our beloved four channels tackled life on the dole, rabies, heroin, and AIDS. Prepare to relive your childhood nightmares. Prepare to be scarred for life all over again…
Highly recommended by those of us who lived through these dangerous decades, Scarred for Life is a smashing book project well worth your attention… unless you’re of a nervous disposition, of course!
• You can currently get a nice little 10% off Scarred for Life Volumes One and Two by using the case sensitive code MAKER10 at checkout on Lulu | Buy Volume One | Buy Volume Two
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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