Faceache Vol. 01: The First 100 Scrunges Is A Masterpiece Of Comic Horror

Ken Reid is referred to as “one of the all-too-forgotten greats of British comics” on the back cover of this volume, Faceache Vol. 01: The First 100 Scrunges, produced by Rebellion Graphic Novels. He may be forgotten by some, but for those who know their British comics’ history, Reid is a major figure of importance. His career encompassed children’s newspaper strips like Fudge the Elf, which he produced for the Manchester Guardian. He later worked for DC Thompson’s comics such as The Beano and The Dandy, including ‘Roger the Dodger’, the master of avoiding chores and responsibilities, and ‘Jonah’, the sailor who sinks every ship he sails on. Reid’s move to Odhams led to creations including ‘Dare-a Day Davey’, for whom readers could provide a dare for a £1 prize, and ‘Frankie Stein’, an early example of Reid’s desire to create ‘comic horror’ that would find full expression in ‘Faceache’, produced for Jet and Buster during his final years at Fleetway/IPC, and the subject of this volume, which collects the first 100 episodes.
Reid, alongside Leo Baxendale – the creator of ‘Minnie the Minx’ and the sublimely anarchic ‘Bash St. Kids’ and more – could be considered to be of a similar stature to Jack Kirby, in the way their work influenced the humour-dominated British comics of the 1940s to 1980s, forming a parallel to the level of stylistic influence Kirby had on US comics during this same period. Reid’s abilities have been celebrated by creators including Pat Mills, John Wagner, and Kevin O’Neill, while Alan Moore also praises Reid in his introduction to this volume.

Reid’s skill and inventiveness as a cartoonist shines from every full page episode of ‘Faceache’, particularly through the character’s ability to ‘scrunge’, where he manipulates his face and body into a seemingly limitless number of distorted visages and shapes. This ability offered Reid the perfect vehicle in which to give rein to his desire to create ‘comic horror’ that also fueled ‘Frankie Stein’, as well as his full page ‘World Wide Weirdies’ back cover portrait-style illustrations. However, ‘Faceache’ arguably remains Reid’s masterpiece in the deft way it takes recognisable tropes of British humour comics – planning cons, being chased, receiving wallopings from authority figures, and munching grub – and combines them with the surreal scrunges adopted by the character: Ken Reid’s ‘Faceache’ is nothing less than the pinnacle of British comic horror, and a comics masterpiece on any terms.
The only weakness of this near-perfect volume is the inclusion of some ‘Faceache’ strips not produced by Reid. While they are serviceable in the way they attempt to fit into the style and tone of Reid’s work, they are easily recognisable due to lacking Reid’s attractively curvy feel and fuller style of inking. These non-Reid works are identified in the contents page, and while they lack Reid’s involvement, their inclusion does make this volume a comprehensive collection at least.

I hope that this volume is only the beginning of a series of reprints in this ‘Treasury of British Comics’ imprint to showcase Reid’s work on ‘Faceache’. Similar collections of Reid’s work on other strips, and other British creators, would be most welcome to fans of British comics, and humour comics, generally.
Faceache Vol. 01 – The First 100 Scrunges
ISBN 978-1781086018
£14.99 (UK)
112 page, black and white hardback graphic novel
28.5 x 1.8 x 21.5 cm