Hampton began his career following in the footsteps of brother and fellow comic book creator Bo Hampton. Both Scott and Bo studied under Will Eisner in 1976. Scott's first professional comics work was the three-page story "Victims" published in Warren Publishing's Vampirella #101 in 1981. Scott's work on Silverheels from Pacific Comics in 1983 is regarded as the first continuing painted comic (of U.S. origin).