In March 1998, The Face deep-dived into the frustrations of modern life—why does it all feel so exhausting? Too much work, too much drink, not enough drugs, constant snotty sneezes, and the ever-present government sleaze. The mid-twentysomething crisis was in full swing, stress piling up in ways we all knew too well. With entire libraries devoted to analyzing contemporary angst, and recycling bins packed with supplements promising solutions, the question became: is it just more “heal this, repeat that?”

And to distract from it all, they turned to pop culture. This issue explored 100 years of horror, to remind us that gore has always been more about life than death. Additionally, this issue takes a look at the TV cartoon boom, and charted the irresistible rise of Heather Graham—finding solace in the strange and surreal amidst the chaos of the everyday.

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