SCARE TACTICS

Membership: Arnold Burnsteel, Fang, Grossout, Screamqueen, Slither

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Showcase '96 #11 (December, 1996)

History: Fang, Grossout, Screamqueen and Slither, all monstrous superhumans, met and allied themselves at the R-Complex, where they were being held by government officials keen on using their powers for their own ends. They escaped R-Complex with the help of Arnold Burnsteel.

(Scare Tactics #1) - Burnsteel drove Fang, Grossout, Slither and Screamqueen to Screamqueen's neighborhood in NYC. The group decided to go their separate ways, but soon banded together again at club Slaughterhouse to save Screamqueen from the Graveyard Shift, a group of vampire hunters. Screamqueen brought them onstage to give an improvised rock performance as the newly named Scare Tactics. They decided to stick together, and as Scare Tactics they intended to go on tour.

(Scare Tactics #2) - Burnsteel bought a tour bus for Scare Tactics, and they drove to Burnsteel's home in Boston to pick up some things befor a long stretch on the road. Burnsteel got lost, and they ended up in Beaumont, CT. They split up to get gas, and were confronted with their own worst nightmares until Burnsteel saved them, and the nightmares vanished. When they left the town they learned at a nearby town that there was no such place as Beumont, CT.

(Scare Tactics #3) - Scare Tactics arrived in Boston, and Burnsteel insisted on going to his apartment by himself, and left Fang in charge of keeping the others on a short leash. The team enjoyed some time at a bar and grill before changing their mind about listening to Burnsteel. They found him on the verge of being captured by R-Complex agents. Scare Tactics beat off the agents, but had a harder time with Scorcher, a former inmate from one of R-Complex' facilities. Burnsteel convinced her to leave them alone, and Scare Tactics made their escape.

(Scare Tactics #4) - Grossout wrote his tragic life story out on Burnsteel's computer for Scare Tactics to read. Scare Tactics played a small club, with their opening song written by Screamqueen, and inspired by Grossout. The next morning while eating in a diner, their Scaremobile tour bus was stolen by Cain Van Zandt with Screamqueen sleeping inside.

(Scare Tactics #5) - Scare Tactics met Burnsteel's friend Bud, who hacked into the phone company, then sent a fax to the Scaremobile to pinpoint its location. They confronted Van Zandt, but Screamqueen'd become infatuated with him and wanted him to ride with them. The rest of the group objected because Van Zandt was a serial killer who made "art" out of his victims. The escalating argument became moot when Van Zandt ran off. Scare Tactics went back on the road, and they ended up in the Appalachian Mountains where Fang was born and raised.

(Scare Tactics #6) - Fang's family, the Ketchum clan, handed Scare Tactics over to their mortal enemies the Kingsbridge clan to sacrifice to their god Tsathugoth as a peace offering. Scare Tactics escaped with the help of Fang's childhood friend Rod Kingsbridge and Ketchums Deke and Lemmy. Tsathugoth destroyed the Kingsbridge estate in a fury over being denied sacrifices.

(Scare Tactics #7) - Scare Tactics opened up for Children of the Beast. During the Children's performance they performed a magic musical ritual from the occult Deus Requiem that transformed them into demons and opened a doorway to Hell. The Demon Entrigan was bound to destroy them, and Scare Tactics decided to help him out. Screamqueen hit it off with Entrigan, and they flirted during the entire fight. Demon destroyed the Children of the Beast, and then Fate appeared to the heroes because he needed their help.

(Scare Tactics #8) - Fate told Scare Tactics that forces from Gemworld were intent on conquering the Earth dimension. Fate told Scare Tactics they owed him for freeing them from R-Complex, so they agreed to help him. A man claiming to be Sentinel was there to aid them, but soon revealed himself as a disguised army of Emerald Shocktroops. Scare Tactics defeated the army, but afterwards Slither went into a coma.

Comments: Created by Len Kaminski & Anthony Williams.

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