Tiger 20th December 1975

There was no blog post last week. Somebody decided to go to the local pub for the Hazy Beer Festival. Somebody decided to try as many as they could. Somebody then stopped on the way home to buy more, and then the following day somebody was sick in bed all day with a hangover. That somebody is very sorry, and I promise I won't do it again, although to be honest, it was all worth it. Here's this week's blog post, written with a fresh mind, and fuelled by nothing more than a nice cup of tea and a slice of toast. 

20th December 1975

Skid Solo

Skid Solo is the cover star of this week's issue, preparing to race a vintage car against a young man who needed to be taught a lesson.

As Skid tells his co-driver Sandy to be ready for anything, the story flashes back and we learn how Skid came to be in this situation. 

Two days earlier at a racing drivers' dinner, Gerald De Harcourt had boasted that while Skid was fast in a modern Grand Prix car, he wouldn't be able to beat Harcourt in a race between two old Valderlanes. Skid accepted the challenge and with a thousand pounds to go to a charity of the victor's choosing the race is set. 

The race is full of dirty tricks by Harcourt, but after resorting to some dirty tactics himself, Skid is victorious. 

The story ends with Skid telling Harcourt to donate the thousand pounds to a local hospital because the way Harcourt drives, he'll be there himself sooner or later. 

Although this was a typical by-the-numbers story for Skid Solo, it still had an element of fun about it. A large amount of this could be attributed to the fabulous-looking cars they were racing, and the dirty tricks going on while they were racing. It's always good to see an over-confident and boatsful character get their comeuppance, and I delighted in seeing Harcourt coming off second better in his own race. The panels showing the cars crashing into each other were favourites, although a small part of me died when I thought of the cost and love that generally goes into vintage cars, only to see them smashed about like this. The story was well-balanced, and we had a good mixture of car action and character interaction. Normally I would lean toward the car action, but there were some compelling images of the characters' faces as they came into conflict, and these were the best in the strip. I expect to see a Christmas strip next week, and hopefully, it will gift us a story as joyful as this one. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I know a trick worth two of that! Hold tight, Sandy!"

Johnny Cougar

The press conference introducing the five wrestlers taking part in the international tournament has descended into chaos, with all five wrestlers rumbling on the floor in front of the press corps.

A quick call to the fire brigade saves the day, and the wrestlers are hosed down, cooling their tempers and ending the fight. 

Johnny returns to the hotel with Splash where he has another surprise in store. Jonnny smashes down the door of the room with a karate chop before revealing that he had the door replaced earlier with a lighter one, all so he can get some good publicity shots before his match.

The first match is against the Footballer, and the crowd arrives expecting a good fight, while in the dressing room, the Footballer promises that it will be he who has the last laugh, not Johnny Cougar. 

On paper, this looks silly, but reading it was a lot of fun, and it's a lot better than I made it sound in the summary above. The firefighters hosing off the wrestlers was captured well on the page, and we had several panels leading up to it showing the firetruck on its way adding to the fun and sense of drama. The images of several wet wrestlers made me smile and went a long way toward my overall enjoyment of the strip. The Footballer as a character also touches on silliness, although his evil intent on the final panel has me feeling that he is a lot more dangerous than his name suggests. None of this should work, these wild characters, the chaos at the press conference, or a footballer wrestler preparing to take on Johnny but I get a kick out of all of it, and I am strangely engaged as we head toward the next issue. Hard to see how they will shoehorn in a Christmas theme next week, but no doubt they will.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Okay, men, get those hoses unwound fast...this is an emergency!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

To improve his speed in the kart race around the ship, Martin has hit upon the idea of a banked track. 

The crew oblige him and builds this banked track, although Martin still ends up crashing the kart overboard as he attempts the track before construction is finished. 

With the kart lost at sea, the journey continues with Mr Twastle telling the boys he had to pay five hundred pounds for the kart and now needs publicity more than ever.

Reaching Europe the ally continues from Barcelona north up through the Pyrenees. In the snowy mountains, Martin runs off the road. Luckily the car doesn't drop over the sheer cliff, but they decide it will be easier to lower the car down the cliff rather than trying to haul it back up. This plan starts well, with a rope hitched around a tree, but in the final panel there is a cracking noise and the tree looks as though it is about to give way.

I felt we had seen it before in the first half of the strip, and although the second page was better it still had a hangover from the first. Karting on a ship was done previously in the year, and there was nothing new added this time around. Once again the kart ended up in the water, and the race came to nothing. Things improved when we got to Europe, and I was especially taken by the map provided. I love a good map in Martin's marvellous Mini, and I was quite pleased to see one appear here. Like the kart race, I feel we have seen the boys having trouble in snowy mountains before, although this one did seem unique with the rope being tied around a tree. The story moved very quickly this week, and we didn't get involved too much in any one thing which seems to be a trait of Martin's Marvellous Mini. Obstacles are quickly dealt with and we never stay too long in one spot. The final page looked suitable wintery, and with 1976 just around the corner we are in a good place with the story and ready to quickly travel across Europe. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Oh no! I've lost it! We're going over the edge!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy may be playing for England, but his heart is firmly with Melchester Rovers as they play a vital league game on the same night. 

Penny is keeping Roy informed of what is happening in the Rovers game, and after showing him a card showing the score as 0-1, Roy loses concentration as he begins to worry about Rovers. Things settle as Penny holds up another card upside down that says 0-2, and Roy realises that the score is actually 2-0 to Rovers. 

Now reassured, Roy turns his full attention to the England game and in the second half, he comes out as a new man. It is only a series of fouls on him that stop him from being effective, although Mulvania go too far and Roy is fouled just inside the box. A TV replay shows it should be a penalty, although the referee only awards a free kick on the edge of the box. Roy plants himself in the wall, and as the kick curves around the wall, it strikes the post, setting Roy up to score from the rebound. 

It looks to be a certain goal, but the strip ends with a Mulvanian player pulling Roy's shirt, and spoiling his chance of reaching the ball. 

Although predictable, I liked all I saw here. One always had a feeling that Pernny had her signs wrong, and once this was sorted it was obvious that Roy was going to have a good game for England. The artwork depicting the game was splendid, and several panels stood out. It's hard to finger a favourite, but the final image of Roy being pulled back by his shirt sticks in one's mind. With the change of artist, Roy Of The Rovers has taken on a new sheen, and the last month has been lovely to look it. The storyline remains uneven, but I can't complain in the slightest as I find it a delight to read from start to finish. It has shaken off its old-fashioned feel, and it looks as though it has embraced the future with this new look and storylines. Roy is reaching new highs as 1976 approaches, and in 1976 this will be capped with a new eponymously titled comic. One can see why, as Roy continues to go from strength to strength and remains essential reading.   

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "The Mulvanians have gone berserk! They're obviously complaining that Race made a meal of it! But we'll soon see from the action-replay! 

Billy's Boots

Groundwood is losing three-nil, and the late-arriving Billy Dane has just come on as a substitute in the second half. 

It doesn't take long for Billy to make his mark, and he soon scores two goals, both with a header. A third follows soon after, also from a header, and the scores are tired. 

In the final minute of the game Groundswood attacks again, and Billy's magical boots make him walk back to the edge of the box. He is rewarded with a rebound coming his way and he hits it with a superb volley to score the fourth goal and win the game 4-3.

As Billy is carried off on the shoulders of his teammates, two men watch on from the sidelines and discuss the prospect of Billy playing for the Schools Side in a Christmas match against West Germany Schools. It's decided that he could meet up with the rest of the team in Munich, and Billy is interrupted in the changing room by one of his classmates bursting in to tell him that he has been selected to play against West Germany Schools.

That was sudden. A few weeks ago Billy was struggling to make the school team and was playing for his street team, and now suddenly, on the back of one great performance, he has been selected to face West Germany School. The goal he scored off the volley was great, but I don't think he should be picked based on that one performance. I like the idea of Billy going to West Germany, and I anticipate a good storyline with it, but it is jarring how quickly this has happened. I don't know how Billy will break this news to his Gran, and I feel a bit sorry for her now that she'll have to spend Christmas alone. The game played by Billy looked as good as you might expect, and I did get a kick out of seeing Billy score three goals with headers. He's obviously a well-rounded player, and it did give the artist some new angles to play with. The final goal got the artwork it deserved, and it looked just as spectacular in the comic as it would have in real life. This issue capped off the recent storylines in fine style while veering us into a new storyline heading into the new year. It was all fast and furious, but fun to see on the page. It's always a bonus to see things going well for Billy, and in this issue, things went very well indeed. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "On that showing, Dane has to be included! I only hope he can go...we're not giving him much notice!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish's pet sheep, McMutton, is causing trouble at the game, and has just been booked by the referee. Mister McWhacker promises to put him somewhere safe, and the game continues with a quick goal to the opposition before Princes Park has a chance to settle.

The rest of the first half they have several chances, although they fail to score a goal. While Mister McWhacker delivers a succinct halftime message to the team, get the ball to Hamish and his Hot Shot, in the office down the hall McMutton is eating everything in sight. 

The second half is better from Princes Park, with Alec McCloud scoring from a rebound off Hamish's shot, before Hamish scores a second with his famed Hot Shot. 

However, the team receive a shock as they come off the field as Mister McWhacker informs them that all their wages are gone, McMutton has eaten the lot. 

This is just what I expected to see from McMutton, and the story delivered another fun-fuelled issue. There were smiles aplenty, generated by both McMutton and the football being played, and I read this strip with a lightness in my heart. Mister McWhacker's facial expressions were spot on, and I felt for the man as he had to deal with the various shenanigans. The on-field action was fast and intense, and we saw Hamish strike an unsuccessful hot shot that caught an opposing player full in the face- again I felt for the man. Hamish too ended up face first in the turf, and this was another dynamic image that caught my imagination, The story may have centred around McMutton and the problems he was causing, but the best panels all occurred on the football field, making for a balanced story that ended on just the right note with drama to carry us through to next week.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "McMutton's eaten the lot! Yere wee pet's got hundreds of pounds inside him, Hamish!"

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones is about to ride a freak tidal wave off the Welsh coast when suddenly he sees a girl, Polly, fall from the cliff and into the water, He manages to pull her onto his makeshift surfboard, and just as they are about to be hit by the huge wave they find refuge in a crevice in the headland. 

They are saved, and calling back to Polly's brother they send him to fetch a rope to pull them up. Soon all three are reunited at the top of the cliff. Torando Jones asks the children not to report him to the law for attempting to ride the wave, and the children agree and tell Jones they would be in trouble themselves for sneaking out. Jones looks sadly at his smashed surfboard and wonders if he could have done it. Both children enthusiastically reply that they have faith in him and that he is the bravest and best stuntman in the world. 

A soft ending to what has been my favourite Tornado Jones story so far. This story had great characters, a fine location, and well-worked action sequences. The final episode aspired to give us more of the same, but unfortunately, the action wasn't as dramatic as it reads, nor were the characters as fun as we saw previously. The artwork was undeniably good which helped paper over these things, and the story was still a good read despite not reaching the highs previously set. Tornado Jones has improved over the last month, and my feelings towards the comic and the character have warmed. Another strong storyline should cement its place in the comic, and now we have seen what the strip is capable of I expect a lot more from whatever comes next.   

Rating:7/10

Best line: "What happened will always remain our little secret!"

Nipper

Nipper has roped in his former rival Danny Marvin to play in a sponsored non-stop football match to raise funds for a team of youngsters from one of the poorer districts of Blackport. 

Nipper's pal Mike Bateson agrees to play, and it is decided it will be a three-a-side game with rolling subs. Nipper goes door to door to collect sponsors and despite Len Duggan, Blackports Skipper and centre forward, warning him to be careful, Nipper is soon ready and game day arrives. 

The game begins well, with plenty of refreshments available, but as darkness falls and enthusiasm wanes, especially as some of the younger players have to go home, leaving more of the load on Nipper and the other players. Finally taking a break, Nipper asks Kerry how much they have made so far, and is surprised to learn that it's only twelve pounds. With the cost of the party being two hundred pounds, Nipper realises that they'll have to play until next Christmas at this race, and the marathon football match is turning into the non-event of the century. 

Sad to say, Nipper, the non-event of the century was the Y2K bug twenty-five years later (or the second Stone Roses album, take your pick), but I get your gist. This marathon football game is in danger of becoming a non-event, although I do like our path to this point. The story was laid out quickly, and all the necessary pieces were pushed into place with minimum fuss. Nipper got players to sign up, gathered sponsors, and started the game strongly, all rapidly told over a couple of pages. We even had time to see a cracking goal which helped the story gain a bit of excitement. We also had two panels of Len Duggan warning Nipper not to get on the wrong side of his manager, nicely foreshadowing what may come next. I liked the look of the game being played at night, and if we see plenty more of this next week I shall be well satisfied. Again I am reminded that next week is Christmas, so expect to see Nipper doing good with the young kids of Blackport and some Christmas cheer. Meanwhile, back in the real world, Christmas is only five weeks away here. I'm off to get some shopping done, and maybe a cheeky pint on the way home. See you all next week, as we begin to look forward to 1976.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You'll get in the boss's bad books if you crock yourself! Take my advice and call it off, Nipper!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Roy Of The Rovers 

Best Line: "Locked in my office! I'm no' having that walking Sunday dinner wandering oot on the pitch again!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 13th December 1975

Last week I was surprised to find my favourite story was Tornado Jones, and this week delivered another shock as it is again my favourite. I have long been a fan of the artist Jim Bleach, and Tornado Jones is finally delivering a story worthy of his talents. The rest of the comic is strong, and I have rated all the stories above average, something that has me questioning my rating system. Should I be rating these stories against each other, or against each story's own history? Roy Of the Rovers was good this week, but it's always good and I'm not sure I should be giving it a five or a seven. The weight of history is working against it, and against me. Something to sleep on, but in the meantime, I will just enjoy what is laid out in front of me.   

13th December 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

This week's strip is a strip of two halves, beginning with Roy in the England training camp preparing for their match against Mulvania.

Extra pressure is being put on Roy by his teammates, but he blots all out, concentrating only on the ball much to the delight of the team manager. The manager emphasises to Roy that he must remain totally focused on the game at hand and banish any thoughts of how Rovers are doing on the same day, a sentiment that Roy agrees to.

However, Penny tells Roy that she can now attend the game at Wembley, and Roy can't help himself. He asks that Penny help him keep in touch with the Rovers game against Millboro, to which she readily agrees. 

On game day, Milboro starts strongly and threatens the Rover's goal. A hundred miles away, Roy also starts strongly, although he is knocked heavily to the ground by the Mulvania players. Getting to his feet, Roy sees Penny holding up a hastily scrawled sign she has made with her lipstick - it's 0-1 to Milboro.

A colourful start to Roy Of The Rovers, with the cover image showing Roy being pulled by various players all in different coloured strips. The colour of the cover emphasised his dark eyebrows, and I could not help but laugh at it. Inside the comic, I'm pleased to see Penny once again on the pages. She's lost some of her youthful beauty and now has a more mature elegance to her. It will take some getting used to, but a quick glance in the mirror confirms that we're all getting older, including me (despite the fact that I have a blog about boys' comics') The image of Penny in the crowd with a stylish cap was my favourite and once again I can only say Roy Race is a very lucky man. Oh, if only I had been better at football myself. The story itself seems to be obvious, and I have a feeling I already know what is going on with Penny's sign. Next week should confirm my suspicions, and I don't think I will be greatly surprised by what comes next. This is a good start to this week's issue, and the story has blossomed under the new artist, giving it a fresh look and feel week by week. We end with one final clue of where Melchester might be. The caption tells us that Melchester is only 100 miles from London. It doesn't say in what direction, but it does change my original thoughts of its location and led to me wasting thirty minutes looking at Google Maps and pondering the location of this fictional town. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I promised Ron Meevy that I would run myself ragged against Mulvania...and I meant it! But somehow or other, I've got to keep in touch with what's happening at Milboro..."

Johnny Cougar

Johnny is raising publicity for his forthcoming tournament and has had the ill-advised idea to bowl over cardboard cutouts of his opponents at the bowling alley. Johnny doesn't know it, but his four opponents are also at the bowling alley, and they soon have their revenge- balling balls at Johnny Cougar as he stands at the end of the lane. 

The next time the wrestlers meet is at the draw for the tournament. Johnny draws the Footballer for his first bout. The two face off at the press conference, and Johnny taunts the Footballer before rolling at football toward him. The Footballer can't resist and gives the ball a powerful kick, only for it to explode and shower soot over everyone. It's another one of Johnny's stunts, and this time the four other wrestlers have had enough. They immediately jump on Johnny and all four are beating him up as the strip comes to a close. 

No wrestling this week, but the strip was filled with conflict and fighting, making it just as exciting as any wrestling match. We gained a good feel for all the characters that Johnny will be facing and to see some of them already in action raises my expectations for what comes next. Some of the characters look silly, but they all have an intensity, and the way that Johnny is stirring them up is adding some heft to the story. The bowling alley was a fun diversion, although it was the brawl at the press conference that really had me salivating for what is to come. Once again the facial expressions were top-notch, and the look on the wrestlers as they rumbled in the final two panels was a favourite, as too was the face of the startled onlooker. This story could have potentially become silly and lightweight, but instead, it has become essential as the tension is ramped up. More like this please, more like this!    

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Now you make big talk! Cougar think you heap bad as a wrestler and even worse as a footballer!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny are on a ship carrying them and the other New York to Moscow Rally contestants to Europe. In an effort to stir up some publicity for his holiday island, Mister Twastle has organised a go-kart race around the deck. 

The first driver sets a fast lap time of sixty-two seconds, and Martin takes the wheel next to see if he can better it. He can't, and after crashing into some deck chairs and a passing waiter, he ends up crashing into the swimming pool. 

While the go-kart is rescued, Martin and Tiny discuss how they can corner faster on the tight corners. They hit on the plan of creating banking corners, although how they will achieve this remains to be seen. 

Last week the boys said they had done something similar, and although I hoped this would freshen up the idea of go-kart racing on the ship, it hasn't, and it all felt flat. The artwork was its saving grace, and although the story was familiar it was still presented with a vitality and thrill on every page. The crash came on the second page, but the drama of the action was all captured on the first page as the cart skidded around the deck. It looked great, and although I wasn't thrilled by the story, the thrill of the art was undeniable. Overall, I like the way the story is heading, and these issues are merely a speed bump before we get to Europe and the rest of the rally. A quick wrap-up of this side mission next week would be appreciated, and we can get back to the excitement of seeing the two pals racing across the continent.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Martin can't see! He's not stopping!"

Skid Solo 

Skid is about to race in the Cranfield Memorial race, and according to Tommy things are looking good. Reading Skid's horoscope Tommy tells him that he is in for a smash hot success and that his lucky colour is red along with a lucky number of five. 

Things bode well as Skid's sports car is red, and number five, and on the track he is fast from the start. However, so are Von Vargen and Sparrow Smith, and it's not until halfway through the race that Skid decides to make his move. He speeds by the other two drivers and takes the lead. With five laps to go disaster strikes, and the front axle of Skids car breaks. This sends him careening off the track at one hundred and thirty miles an hour. After crashing through a fence and a shed, Skid is surprised to find himself still alive, although the car is a write-off. 

Later, Skid and Sandy return to Tommy and tell him that his horoscope is correct, Skid did have a smashing drive, and the lucky car kept him alive. Furthermore, Sandy tells Tommy that he also has a horoscope that predicts hard work and a chance to shine. With this, Sandy hands Tommy some car polish and tells him to get to work. Skid has the final word, telling Tonmmy that his horoscope is also true.    

A case of steady as she goes for Skid Solo as we continue the countdown to the Grand Prix season. The final joke and overall theme of the story fell flat, but the racing looked great, as did the crash - whetting my appetite for when we get back to racing properly. Tommy is back after taking a break last week, and his role as the boy is summed up well in the final panel as he is given the duty of polishing the car. A nice way to keep him in his place and remind us that despite getting on the track several times in the last few months, he is still very much a boy. We also had a nice reminder that we are heading into winter, with both Skid and Sandy wearing winter coats. I appreciated seeing them wearing the wool-lined coats that were popular at the time, and it served as a nice time capsule of the 1970s. Like Martin's Marvellous Mini before it, the artwork carried the day here. I may not have appreciated the horoscope and final joke, but I couldn't help but fall in love with the art on every page and this will be reason enough for me to return next week for more. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The wheel's gone! It's come loose...or it's sheered off!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy are playing two games in a day, and after successfully negotiating their first game for The Merrydowners, they are now struggling for the Groundwood.

Billy looks certain to score but falls to the ground with a cramp. While his team stop to rally around him, the opposition continues to play and scores at the other end. 

Mister Harris's halftime speech is succinct: They are playing better football, and if they keep going, they will win. Things don't improve for Billy in the second half, and it's his friend Jimmy who scores in the last minute to earn a draw and a replay in the cup. 

That night Billy reads Dead-shot Keen's biography to see how he fared in cup replays. Billy is reassured when he sees that Keen scored four goals in a replay, and he sleeps easily. 

There is more trouble on the day of the replay as Billy is caught talking in class. Forced to stay late, he misses the first half and arrives to find the team down threee-nil. With one of the players limping Billy is told he will be subbed immediately and Billy feels the weight of expectation to score four goals himself to save the match.

Mr Harris didn't live up to his "hard-nut" nickname this week, and it was one of the other masters who played the villain in making Billy stay late. In fact, Mr Harris seemed quite understanding throughout most of the strip, although he was hard to read in the final panel as Billy arrived at the game. I'm not sure if he was pleased to see Billy, or angry at him for the position the team are in. I couldn't help but notice that Mr Harris was also wearing a wool-lined coat like Skid and Sandy in the strip before - no doubt Primark was having a sale that month.  We saw Mr Harris smiling earlier in the strip, which was a nice surprise in itself and gave some balance to the character. Another nice surprise was seeing Billy's Gran, although her page time was limited to telling Billy to turn out his light. A mere cameo, but a nice homely moment. It remains to be seen if Billy can score four goals to save his team, but if he does, then we shall be in for a most exciting week next time out. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Don't tell me what you can and what you can't do, Dane! You'll do as you're told!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish has returned to the mainland with his wee sheep, McMutton. Returning to his lodgings he finds that his landlady is none too pleased about having a sheep in the house, especially as she sees McMutton eating her rug. 

Hamish is thrown out, and with nowhere to sleep, he goes to Princes Park and pitches his tent. The next morning the squad arrives, all wondering where Hamish has gone. It doesn't take long to find out as they come onto the pitch and find Hamish and McMutton sleeping in the tent.

Hamish explains the situation and decides to make McMutton the team mascot. Leading the team out, McMutton and Hamish are pleased, although the crowd find it funny.

Hamish starts the game poorly, the bad night's sleep translating to careless play on the pitch. He crashes over in a heavy tackle, and from the sideline McMutton is incensed by what he has just seen, McMutton bounds onto the pitch, hitting the opposing player from behind with his horns. Hamish apologises to the referee, but there's nothing he can do as McMutton is booked to be reported for hooliganism.   

I love McMutton in this strip, and the image of him watching Hamish from the sideline was a story in itself. I'm not so fussed by the earlier moments of McMutton, but all was forgiven when I saw him watching fiercely from the sidelines. We all need a pet like McMutton in our lives, and I hope Hamish knows how lucky he is. I was surprised by how quickly Hamish's landlady tossed him out of the house, all those years as a tenant seemingly counting for nothing the first time your pet sheep eats a rug. There were several panels of fine art that caught my attention through the strip. The opening image of Hamish and McMutton walking the streets was evocative, while the sight of Mr McWhacker strong towards Hamish's tent gave the story new energy at the mid-point. I have already spoken of the image of McMutton watching from the sidelines, and this was matched by the next few panels as he took matters into his own hands, and his subsequent booking by the referee. They were all sublime, and it was a joy to read. And while I'm obsessing about winter coats this week, it must be a lot warmer in Scotland than the rest of the UK, as Hamish walked about in short sleeves, while McWhacker was wearing his suit in every panel. They're either a lot tougher in Scotland, or they are having an unseasonably mild winter in 1975/76. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Och, ye canna take the name o' a sheep, ref!" 

Tornado Jones 

On the Welsh coast, Tornado Jones has been told by the local police sergeant that he cannot go ahead with his planned stunt of riding the local tidal wave on his homemade surfboard. 

Tornado Jones learns that the freak wave comes twice, once in the morning and once at midnight. The police said he couldn't ride the morning wave, but they never said anything about the midnight wave and this gives Jones the opportunity he needs. 

Two local children see him preparing his equipment and work out that he'll be making an attempt on the midnight wave. They sneak along to watch, and sure enough, Jones is out on the water ready for the wave. Jones sees them on the clifftop and worries that they may report him to the authorities, but here's a much bigger problem as one of them falls off the cliff while Jones watches helplessly on. 

Tornado Jones was my favourite story last week, and it is again this week, although for different reasons. Last week I enjoyed the local flavour and the way the local characters were woven into the story This week I was captivated by Jones's never-give-up attitude, and the arrival of two younger characters. These younger characters are relatable to any child, and I could well picture myself in their position forty years ago. At the time I would have seen them as peers, and I would have probably done something similar if I could. The fall looked scary and was just the cliffhanger we needed to finish off this week's episode. It's hard to imagine anyone could survive a fall from that height, but it is a fall into the sea, and we all know that Jones is going to pull her from the sea and save her life. It's enough of a lure to bring me back, and although any thoughts of Jones's stunt have been forgotten, the story remains thrilling and essential. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Let's sneak out of the house later on, without telling anyone! We can watch him from the headland!"

Nipper

After all the trouble that Nipper has had with Danny Marvin, they are finally combining together on the field, and leading Blackport to a three-nil victory over their Swiss opponents. 

The two come off the field as heroes and Marvin understands that it's all down to Nippper, and tells this to the surrounding fans. Realising it's time to come clean about the accident he caused that started all this drama, Marvin reports to Andy Stewart's office and tells him that it was him who caused the accident with the milk float that led to Nipper being dropped.

Andy Stewart is angry, and dishes out the appropriate punishment. Martin is delighted, he hasn't been kicked out of the club, and he now has a clean conscience. He realizes that he owes Nipper for all he has done, and Nipper tells him that he has just the thing he can do to repay the debt. 

Nipper takes Marvin to see Dock Road play, a team of some of the poorest kids from the Docklands area. They are being thrashed by a team of much bigger players, and Nipper tells Marvin that he wants to give them a special treat for Christmas.  His idea is a marathon football match to raise money for them, and he wants Marvin to help him.

Here it is, the strip that involves charity for Christmas. There are always at least a couple of strips that lean this way as Christmas approaches (usually Roy of The Rovers, Hot Shot Hamish, and Nipper) and it's no surprise to see Nipper laying the groundwork a couple of weeks before Christmas. The way the Marvin storyline concluded neatly in time for Christmas was well done, and it gave us a nice segue into this Christmas storyline. The story of Nipper and Marvin has been uneven, but it has given us several memorable moments, as well as introducing us to the unsinkable Amy Felcher. It feels like it's wrapped up at the right time, and the conclusion was a satisfying end to a storyline that has been running for three months now. Alls well that ends well, and with Nipper helping the poor urchins from the docks, it feels like the story is returning to its roots and bringing the best out of Nipper. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You're right! But I...I owe you a favour now! So I reckon it's time I owed up to our manager about a certain accident."  

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Tornado Jones 

Best Line: "This is crazy! Britain is supposed to be a free country, isn't it? Why the heck shouldn't I risk my own neck if I want to?"

Best Panel:

=

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 6th December 1975

Just when I think I know which my favourite stories are, and which disappoint, we get an issue like this. Old favourites fail to deliver, while stories I never care for suddenly become compulsive reading. The ups and downs of the comic world follow the ups and downs of my football team. Unexpected players score match-winning goals, while the dependable favourite gains a red card, or season-ending injuries. Nothing as dramatic as a season-ending injury here, but an unexpected turn of events that has me excited about every aspect of Tiger. Anything could happen, and this week it did. 

6th December 1975

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy have committed themselves to two games in a day, playing for Billy's street team The Merrydowners in the morning, and the Groundswood's first eleven in the afternoon. They start well for the Merrydowners, and after showing some deft teamwork, Billy and Jimmy engineer the first goal. After taking this slender lead, the Merrydowners park the bus, and Billy and Jimmy spend the rest of the game helping out in defence.

Trouble is brewing on the sidelines as two schoolmasters watch the game. They both recognise Billy and Jimmy, and one of them slips away to report to Mr Harris that the boys are playing two games. 

Billy and Jimmy arrive at the school and receive a message to report immediately to Mr Harris. They fear the worst, but Mr Harris accepts that they are fit enough to play the second game and they are allowed to take the field. 

They start strongly, and Billy demonstrates he is fit enough by chasing down an opposition player and winning the ball back. However, as he takes the ball towards the opposition goal and prepares to shoot, he suddenly falls to the ground with a cramp. 

Highly relatable, although to be honest I mostly get cramps when I'm sleeping. The appearance of some teachers watching the Merrydowners play was surprising, yet I enjoyed seeing the teachers on the sideline and thinking about what they do outside of school. This story was low on action but remained highly enjoyable with the characters interacting. The scenario that played out was believable, and I could easily see myself facing the same situation when I was a boy. The best was saved for last and the final panel of Billy crumpling to the ground with cramp was the right note to end the strip. Everything here is beautifully balanced, with a fine mix of sport, relationships, and nostalgia, all making for another strong entry for Billy's Boots. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Yes, Mister Carr...but the boys gave me their word they were fit...and that's good enough for me!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

Alec McCloud is playing in his first big game, and despite all the jeers and boos he has been receiving, he is preparing to take a penalty kick. 

McCloud is nervous, but Hamish insists he takes the kick. The shot is a poor one, but McCloud follows up and scores, ending the game with a two-nil win to Princes Park.

In the dressing room, Hamish receives a telegram telling him to come home as there is sickness in the house. Hamish fears the worst and makes the trip back to his little island only to find that it's not his Daddie who is sick, but rather his pet sheep McMutton.

Hamish nurses McMutton back to health with some good Scottish broth, and after a week is readying himself to return to Princes Park. As he climbs onboard the boat to take him home, there is a splash and we see McMutton jumping off the pier with Hamish's Daddies still holding the lead. Both are soaked, and Daddie tells Hamish that McMutton wants to go with him, leaving Hamish no choice but to take McMutton back to Princes Park.

It's great to see Hamish's Daddie back in the mix, and although he only plays a cameo role here, the strip lit up with his appearance. The opening panels with the football were well done, with the pressure on McCloud reflected in the claustrophobic nature of the artwork. The tight nature of the game was dispelled when Hamish returned to his island, yet the story remained darkened by the landscape and the subsequent story. Sometimes I find McMutton to be annoying and silly, but I enjoyed what we had here, especially as it exposed the caring nature of Hamish. There are shenanigans on the horizon with the return to Princes Park, but that is a week away, and what we had here was just the right amount of fun. Next week may well be a step down, so until then, I shall celebrate what we have on the page here. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The stupid animal's getting better food than I am!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The New York to Moscow rally has started fast, and Martin and Tiny are already driving across Canada. After crashing into a ditch they found a farmer to loan them a tractor, but now face a bear coming at them as they drive the tractor out of the barn.

Luckily it's only a stuffed bear, and the man carrying it to the barn introduces himself as a local taxidermist who uses the barn for storage. He agrees to help the lads pull the car out of the ditch, and a few panels later the job is done with the help of the man and the tractor.

Tiny and Martin arrive at the next checkpoint where their sponsor Mister Twastle is waiting for them. They explain why they are late, and he is delighted, thinking only of the publicity. Sure enough, the next morning the papers are full of headlines about the boys being attacked by a bear, while underneath is an advertisement for Mister Twastle's holiday island, proudly proclaiming it's free of bears.

The rally continues with the cars loaded onto a ship for the voyage to Europe. Mister Twastle is still eager for publicity and suggests that perhaps they could have a race on the ship. He puts his plan into action, and a go-kart is wheeled out with the offer of five hundred pounds for whoever can do the fastest lap. Tiny and Martin point out that they tried this once before and they ended up in the sea, but Mr Twastle is non-plussed and tells them all they have to do is win. 

Deeply disappointed to see the bear wasn't the threat I thought it was going to be. However, I did enjoy the subplot and the weird way a taxidermist was shoehorned into the story. Bonkers, yet brilliant. The voyage offers potential, although Martin is right to point out that they already did something similar in the past (on the voyage back from Australia, from memory). It's not as long ago as you might think and is still quite fresh in my mind. If we can find a way to inject fresh life into the idea, all shall be well and good, if not then we may have a flat couple of issues as we cover the same ground. This issue itself was neither here nor there, and we are stuck in no man's land until something better comes along. The Canadian story quickly closed, and the voyage storyline yet to burst into life, we look to the horizon for what comes next.   

Rating: 5.5/10

Best line: "You're on the front page! Listen to this..."Martin and Tiny attached by Grizzly Bear, rally aces in peril!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy is off the field injured, but still doing his best to manage his team to victory over Tarbury in the league cup. 

It looks like Tarbury may score and it's only the quick instincts of Charlie Carter in goal that saves the moment. From the sidelines, Roy is beside himself, and he can't help but become more involved when he sees how much attention Mervyn Wallace is receiving from the Tarbury defence. With time running out, Roy offers some quick advice to Wallace, and the next time he gets the ball he runs infield, drawing the Tarbuy defence with him. 

 A nice cross-field pass opens up the field, and Noel Baxter's cross is greeted by Lofty Peak's head to set up Blackie for a match-winning goal in the final minute. Roy is satisfied that the team can win without him, and two hours later is off to join the England team. However, as he drives away Mervyn Wallace tells the others that it was Roy who advised him to pull the defence out of position, and it was Roy who won the game for them even though he wasn't on the pitch. He then suggests they can't do without Roy, on or off the pitch. 

A solid story that is again elevated by the artwork. Thinking about what I had just read, there was nothing here that demanded I read the next issue immediately. However, the art gave the story a sheen that made it read better than perhaps it really was. The football scenes looked dynamic, and I loved seeing Charlie Carter in action. The final panels with the team talking were crucial to the plot, and these looked just as good as the football imagery, even if I wasn't as involved. It was deceptively simple, and the plot was bolstered by this art, making for a story that I enjoyed more than I should have. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Sorry, Taffy! But I'm...still the manager of this outfit! I can't help getting involved!"

Skid Solo

A typical Skid Solo story from the start finds Skid and Sandy driving up to Scotland to test a new invention by one of Sandy's friends. 

They arrive to find Sandy's friend, Angus, in a rage and chasing some kids off his property. Sandy quietly tells Skid that Angus has a temper, so it's best not to upset him.

Angus greets them and then shows them his new invention. This invention is a tyre that is filled with water rather than air. This gives good stability and grip in all conditions. 

Skid takes a car out equipped with these new tyres for a test run. The first part of the test goes very well, as Skid takes the car over some rough terrain,. The next part of the test is some track driving, and for the first few laps, Skid makes good time. However,  after the tenth lap, he fails to appear and Sandy and Angus begin to wonder what has happened to him.

We soon find out as Skid appears over the crest on foot. Walking back to the car he explains what has happened. As the tyres have heated up the water has turned to steam, eventually bursting all the tyres. At this Sandy and Angus are greeted with the sight of the car, all its tyres leaking and steaming. At this Angus flies into a rage, striking the car with a stick and yelling, leading Skid to comment when anything gets overheated it needs to let off steam.

While I related to Angus's fiery temper, I didn't much care for water-filled tyres. The scenes of Skid driving the car were tired and pedestrian (sorry on both counts, couldn't help myself) and were surprisingly the weakest parts of the story. The best parts were Angus and the moments when he lost his temper. The moment he was hitting the car with a stick and cursing was the most relatable panel in the comic and could have been lifted straight out of my life. It also reminded me of John Cleese doing something similar in Fawlty Towers. A quick Google search tells me that that particular episode of Falwty Towers aired in October 1975, so it may well have been a direct influence. We have seen many of these stories before of Skid testing various vehicles, and while this one was par for the course, it was elevated by Angus and his fierce temper. He had more personality than some of the other characters in Skid's world, and it was nice to see someone expressing themselves on the page. Surprisingly, there was no appearance by Tommy this week, but he wasn't needed with Angus amply filling the quiet spots of the story. A Skid Solo story where Skid Solo wasn't the standout, and one that made an impression while I read it, but I daresay it will be forgotten once the Grand Prix season is upon us. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Aye...an' he's got a keen temper, Skid...so dinna upset him!"

Nipper

Nipper and his rival Danny Marvin are playing together for Blackport, although so far Marvin has concentrated more on making Nipper look bad than beating their Swiss opposition. Marvin manages to break through the defence and cross a ball to Nipper and Nipper is horrified to find that Marvin has put a powerful spin on it, making it impossible to kick straight.  

A half time Nipper and Mike talk about the troubles, and Nipper tells Mike that he is going to do the opposite of what Danny Marvin expects. 

From a throw-in, Nipper guesses what the opposing team is about to do and yells at Marvin just in time for Marvin to intercept the ball. Marvin then runs hard at the goal, scoring the first goal from a long-range shot. 

Nipper is the first to congratulate Marvin, and this confuses his rival, especially as Nipper covers him again in the field. With his confidence high, Marvin attempts another shot at distance. It hits the post but Nipper is on hand to head it home and give Blackport a two-nil lead. 

Watching from the sideline, Andy Stewart is happy with what he sees, although it gives him a big problem for the second leg. John Brakespeare should be fit for the next leg, which means he will play either Nipper or Marvin, but how to choose between them?

I have rated this highly, although I should have enjoyed it more than I did. The story is progressing nicely, and it looks like Nipper has found a way to work with Danny Marvin. However, it didn't feel right on the page, and I did question the ease at which it unfolded. Andy Stewart is more shrewd than we saw here, and I don't think he would be so easily swayed by what happened on the field., There are more legs left in the story, and Andy Stewart's selection dilemma may yet add more fuel to the fire between Nipper and Marvin. The football action on the page here wasn't up to its usual high standard. We did see some goals, and some very fine pay, but it didn't catch my imagination in the way that it has in the past. The sight of Nipper scoring from the rebound was the pick of the football panels, and the stand-out panel of the strip, although it was the only one that caught the eye. I would like to see this story wrap up soon, it does feel like it's been several months so far, but it remains to be seen, and judging by the look on Andy Stewart's face, there could be plenty more to come. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Their winger slipped me...but Lawrence was covering! He...he's got me out of trouble again!"

Johnny Cougar

This week's new wrestling story starts with a grotesque lineup of wrestlers, all competing in a Mister Nasty competition. The winner of this contest gets automatic entry into next week's international wrestling tournament, and after seeing a couple of ugly runner-ups we find the winner is a wrestler simply known as "Ugly"

He certainly lives up to his name but there is a surprise at the bottom of the page as this wrestler pulls a mask from his face and reveals himself to be none other than Johnny Cougar himself. More tomfoolery and fun and games from the Indian wrestler and he continues his clowning as the presenter speaks with him and the audience.

They agree that although it was a mask, Johnny can compete in the tournament. With a week until the tournament, Johnny turns his hand to ten-pin bowling. He is interrupted by some photographers who want some publicity shots. Cougar agrees, setting up some cardboard cutouts of the other wrestlers to bowl it. It's great for publicity, but the other wrestlers are watching from the other side of the bowling alley, and they're none too happy that Cougar is making them look stupid.

I was fooled by the opening, and then disappointed to see it was Johnny Cougar playing his pranks., The grotesque lineup would have made for an awesome wrestling match, and I really wanted the Alien Freak to be part of the forthcoming action. We moved away from the wrestling ring in the second part of the story, although I enjoyed these pages much better. The sight of Johnny Cougar bowling brought a smile to my face, a smile that broke into a grin as he bowled at the cardboard cutouts. Having seen plenty of the Roy Race cutout on these pages over the years, it's great to see that such things also exist in the world of Johnny Cougar, and he certainly put them to good use here. There is no wrestling yet, but already we have a cast of villains for Johnny Cougar to take on, and there now exists plenty of tension between the two parties. Next week the story should bloom into some proper wrestling - it's just a shame he won't be wrestling the  Alien Freak.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Haga! The Cougar strikes!"

Tornado Jones 

While on the Welsh Coast, Tornado Jones found a freak tidal wave and has an idea for his next stunt.

Arriving back at shore, he starts spreading the news that he intends to race this giant wave on a specially adapted surfboard. The locals all think he's crazy, but oblige him by lending him a workshop and the materials he needs to build his surfboard.

Jones cuts his surfboard out of a piece of fibreglass and then mounts one of his old motorcycle motors on it. He takes it to sea for a test ride, but hits a submerged rock, damaging his vehicle. He again makes his way to shore, only to be greeted by a policeman with a restraining order from the local court. His stunt has been deemed too dangerous, and permission will be refused. Furthermore, he will be arrested immediately if he attempts to race the giant wave. 

With "Boyo," "Dai," and "Bach" appearing literally in the text, you know Tornado Jones is definitely in Wales. This could have detracted from my enjoyment of the strip, but instead, I found myself lapping it up. The story has grown with the appearance of local characters, and they provide a new context for the character of Tornado Jones. He is a much more sympathetic character with these local interactions, and I am beginning to empathise with his situation. The strip didn't have a stunt, only a test ride that went wrong, but it didn't need to be filled with drama to be an entertaining and warm read. After several weeks of complaining about Tornado Jones, I have come across a story I like, and one that is worthy of the art bestowed upon it. I didn't see this coming, but I love it and can't wait to see more. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "A sheet of fibre-glass? I can let you have that one, boyo...plus the use of this place for a week! What do you hope to make?"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Tornado Jones 

Best Line: "They might be there...but they won't be fit! They can't play two games in one day! It's a disgrace! I'll phone their sports master..."

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 29th November 1975

Tiger is reaching a peak at the moment, and I feel it is much better now than it was a couple of years ago. Some of the weaker stories have disappeared, and all the stories we have now are well embedded. The artwork continues to delight and each week feels better than the week before. We have had some interesting plot twists of late, and several stories are coming to a peak just in time for Christmas next month. Sometimes this blog can feel like a chore, but this week I flew through it, happy to be reading stories that all delivered in a variety of different ways.    

29th November 1975

Johnny Cougar

It's a pinfall each between Johnny Cougar and Ossie Ostrich as this week's action begins on the front cover. Johnny offers Ossie a box as a gift for his efforts so far, but it's all a practical joke and Ossie gets a surprise as a large inflatable snake springs out of the box.

From here it's straight into intense wrestling action, all jokes are put aside as Cougar begins tossing Ossie around the ring. Ossie responds strongly, hammering Johnny with a series of head butts and kicks. It seems only a matter of time before Johnny falls, bad he outfoxes his opponent, and as Ossie comes in for the kill Johnny throws him over and onto his head, ending the bout with a knockout.

This was silly from start to finish. From Johnny's first surprise gift to the look and style of Ossie's fighting, there was a lot here that I shouldn't have liked. Only, I liked all of it. The cover was colorful and despite being silly I wanted to see what it was all about. In the ring, Ossie looked all sinewy and stringy, yet he gave Johnny a worthy fight, and Johnny had to dig deep to overcome it all. It looked great, and I loved it despite myself. It's time I dropped my snobbishness and just enjoyed it for what it is, a boys' comic about an Indian wrestler. This week I laughed at the right places and ate a huge slice of humble pie as I finished the strip with a grin from ear to ear. Top stuff, and I'm on board for wherever we go next. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Okay, man, quit with the clowning...you've got a fight on your hands...and it's gonna be a tough one to win!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy's dance card is full, with a vital league game coming on the same day as an England game. Roy is wrestling with what he should do as he arrives for the fourth round league cup match against third division giant killers Tarbury. 

These worries are clearly showing on his face as he arrives in the team room, and Duncan McKay growls that he needs to focus as there will be no glory in beating the team they're about to face, but if they lose the fans will turn on them

On the field, McKay's anger is still on the rise as they see the Tarbury fans have hung their mascot in the goal mouth. Roy quickly deals with this mascot, but further trouble follows as the Tarbury fans throw a streamer. The streamer misses Roy, yet still causes damage as Roy injures himself trying to avoid it.

Despite this injury, Roy takes the field. Initially, he performs well, however, after one weaving run, Roy crocks himself as he shoots at goal. 

Roy's injury sees him leave the field, and it is Duncay McKay who steps forward to rally the troops. McKay gives a rousing speech, yet the story ends with Tarbury breaking away towards the goal and Roy watching from the sideline wishing he'd never come off.

From where I sit, Roy's injury doesn't look too bad, and I'm sure if Taffy had some magic spray Roy would be able to continue. Interesting to see Duncan McKay showing good on-field leadership here. He's only been at the club six weeks, yet already he is a player that the team looks up to and responds to. I can't say I was overly enthused by this story, although the art held me enthralled. Roty looks good, even when the story slows. There is a lot of internal dialogue going on as Roy sorts out his feelings about which game he should play, and this is slowing the strip down. There is still good football action, but it is tempered by Roy's thought process and the thought of what's to come. Not a good lesson on mindfulness, and I just want Roy to focus on the here and now rather than what's to come. Still, that's 2024 thinking, and I'm sure mindfulness is the last thing on the mind of any Melchester player in 1975. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Let's show him that we might just be able to do without him for one game...by thrashing the daylights out of Tarbury!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The great New York to Moscow rally has started, and we are dropped straight into the action with the lads speeding down the motorway.  

There is some discussion about whether this is the right direction, and Tiny reassures Martinb, telling him to drive and he'll handle the navigation. Tiny's confidence turns out to be misplaced and they are soon back where they started, and now half an hour behind the rest of the field. 

Once again heading off, they make good time and after stopping for a look a Niagara Falls they cross into Canada. Entering Canada they find the weather changing and they are caught in a snowstorm. The snowstorm makes driving treacherous and the inevitable happens with Martin driving off the road and into a ditch. 

Leaving the car in the ditch, Tiny and Martin find the nearest house. The house is guarded by an unfriendly dog, which sets the scene when an equally unfriendly farmer opens the door holding a shotgun. 

Quickly explaining to the farmer what has happened defuses the situation, and the two boys ask if he could use the tractor to pull them out. The farmer refuses to go out in the weather but tells them that they are welcome to use his tractor themselves. The tractor is in the barn, and as the pair prepare to back it out they suddenly find the entrance blocked by the appearance of a large brown bear. 

1975, long before Google Maps or Apple Maps. How different this strip would be if Tiny had a smartphone and good coverage. Mind you, the drama of taking a wrong turn wasn't the only dramatic moment on these pages, and quite a bit happened this week. I did question whether the boys would take time to take in Niagara Falls, but I guess this may be their only opportunity to see them up close before they eventually return to Blighty. We did get the stereotypical snowy Canada in this strip with snow appearing almost as soon they crossed the border into Canada. This was merely the start of their problems, and I wasn't surprised to see them run into a ditch. Neither was I surprised as they approached the farmhouse for help. I'm sure we have seen a similar scenario at least a couple of times in the last few years, although the final twist with the bear was new to me. This was another strip that dialled up the fun. I couldn't take any of it seriously, but I seriously enjoyed it and found the balance is just right as we head into next week's adventure. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Just let me do the navigation...you watch the road. It's tricky enough with all these road signs..."

Nipper

Nipper has lost his place in the team to Danny Marvin, but has finally made his way back to the first team and is on the bench as they take on the Swiss team Zalmo. Danny Marvin is still cocky and trying to do too much, a fact that is obvious to the Blackport fans who are chanting for Nipper to come on. 

Andy Stewart finally makes the call, but just as Nipper is about to be substituted on in place of Danny Marvin, John Breakspeare suffers a bad injury and comes off instead of Marvin. 

Nipper comes on and delivers Andy Stewart's instructions to Marvin. Marvin listens to Nipper and then ignores the advice. Once again he tries too much fancy stuff on his own and loses the ball. With Zalmo in possession, things look threatening, but Nipper is covering for Marvin and wins the ball back. With the ball at his feet, he breaks down the wing toward goal, much to the delight of the fans. Still on the ground after losing the ball, Marvin watches on, vowing to make more trouble for Nipper than the whole team put together. 

Finally, Nipper and Danny Marvin are thrown together into a game situation, and the sparks are flying just as we expected. We haven't reached the peak yet but things are escalating and I'm rubbing my hands with excitement with what might come next. The thing that grabbed my attention most in this story was the name of the injured player - John Breaskspeare. At first, I thought it must have been a mistake, and that he had broken his leg, but no, he was actually John Breakspeare. Curious, I don't remember seeing this player before, and I would definitely remember a name like that. Strange, but I liked it and it did make me pause before plunging deeper into the Nipper and Marvin storyline. Next week promises much, and I hope the seeds planted here bloom into a great storyline next week.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "He's finding out that the European Cup is a lot different to the league football, boss!"

Skid Solo

Skid, Sandy, and Tommy are on their way back to Britain after their overseas adventure. The trio are flying from Rome and enjoying an inflight movie about racing cars. The movie they are watching shows a race car driver becoming ill while driving and pulling into the pits. In the points the older mechanic takes control of the situation, taking the driver's seat and driving the car to victory. 

Sandy scoffs at the film, telling the others that it's totally unbelievable. The others nod in agreement but soon after the air hostess comes down the aisle to speak to the older gentleman next to Skid. This gentleman is identified as Squadroin-leader Ellison, and the air hostess has picked his name out of the passenger list. She quickly explains the situation to the squadron leader, telling him that the flight crew have been taking ill, seemingly from food poisoning, and they require his assistance on the flight deck. 

The squadron leader agrees to go, and he asks Skid to come and assist him. On the flight deck, the pair find the flight crew unconscious and are greeted with the news that they need to land the plane. The next half page is full of drama as Skid and the squadron leader guide the plane down through the fog. It all ends well with a safe landing before a final panel of Sandy quipping that he doesn't believe it, it is just like the film, and Tommy replies that maybe one day he'll have to take over a grand prix car for Skid. 

I'm with Sandy, this was totally unbelievable. Totally unbelievable, and totally great. Another story where all the signs pointed to me hating it, yet I walk away satisfied with all I have read. A large part of this can be attributed to the outstanding art. The look of the old squadron leader was spot on, as were the concerned faces as they attempted to land the aircraft. I could have picked any number of these images as a favourite, and this strip was worth reading twice to catch all the nuance in the expressions. I was looking forward to seeing some Grand Prix action this week, but I'm more than happy with this story.  It was just as dramatic as any racing story, and the artist did a fine job of capturing the excitement on the page. In place of racing cars, we had intense expressions and close-ups inside the aircraft. all of which helped ramp up the intensity of the situation. It was a well-told story and one that lifted Skid Solo above his previous couple of issues. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I--I flew bombers years ago during the war...but this thing is three times as big and twenty times as complicated!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

After little Alec McCloud missed an easy chance the crowd was about to riot. However, Hamish is at hand, berating the would-be pitch invaders and waving his fist at them. This works, and they retreat back into the stands, allowing the game to continue. 

Hamish decides he needs to do something to take the fan's minds off McCloud, and he drives towards the goal before delivering the hot-shot to put his team one-nil up.

This wins the crowd over, and coming off at half-time the mood is lifted within the team, Hamish delivers a rousing speech to McCloud, filling him with confidence as the second half begins. 

This confidence is misplaced, and as McCloud dribbles towards the goal he is hit with a heavy tackle, This tackle only makes him more determined to show his worth, and after doggedly winning the ball back he again dribbles toward the goal. This results in an even tougher tackle on him, one that earns him a penalty. Hamish pulls him up and tells him that this is his chance to prove himself. The strip ends with McCloud about to take the penalty, but feeling the pressure of all eyes on him. 

What a great man Hamish is. Seeing off rioters, inspiring teammates, and protecting the weak, he really does have a heart of gold. In this week's strip, he looked every inch a gentle giant, with his size emphasised as he bent down to support the much smaller McCloud. In an issue stuffed with great artwork, this was another story that delivered viusllly. A different art style from many of the other stories, it is nevertheless perfect for the story being spun, and it's hard to imagine Hamish looking any other way. Hamish troubles with Alfie McPhee were forgotten this issue, but the problems McCloud is facing are far more interesting to me, and I like the direction the story has taken. Another solid issue like this next week would be perfect, and I hope we get to see the underdog come good.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Aye, there's nothing like a little straight-talking...backed up with a big fist!"

Billy's Boots

Billy is playing for the Merrydowners, a team composed of players who live on Merrydowners Terrace. They find they are short on players, and Billy asks Jimmy Dawson if he can play for the team on Saturday morning.

Jimmy agrees to this, and at school the next day they find that they have both also been picked for the school team to play that Saturday afternoon. They both are now playing two games on Saturday, a thought that excites them, but also has them slightly worried. 

The school team prepares during the week, with Mr Harris bringing some new tactical ideas to the team, especially in regards to taking corners. 

Billy and Jimmy decide to try out these ideas during their earlier game with the Merrydowners but find the team isn't quite good enough to pull it off. It's a tough game against larger lads, and Billy and Jimmy find themselves carrying the load in defence for most of the game. Things are getting desperate in n the last panel the goalkeeper tells Billy to run upfield and the keeper will boot it as far as he can, all in the hope of scoring a breakaway goal. 

So, Mr Harris fancies himself as bit of a Pep Guardiola does he? He certainly looked like as he laid out the team's tactical plan using a table and model footballers. Whether this will work on the field remains to be seen, but we certainly had quite a few panels laying out the plan. Nice to see that even the school football team is taking the tactical side of the game seriously, and once again I can only reiterate how much I have enjoyed Mr Harris's arrival and the extras he has brought to the school. last week it was boxing skills learned in the army, this week it is his tactical football brain. Truly a man for all seasons. Although I'm not fussed by the Merrrydowners, I am really enjoying this strip at the moment. The characters are evolving, and being thrown into new situations. We haven't seen Billy's Boots work too much magic of late, and when they have it remains a lowkey part of the story, Right now the story is all about the relationships between Billy and the various people in his life, making it far more relatable than a boy he can score at the will of a magic pair of boots. Nicely grounded, Billy is a far more sympathetic character than earlier and with Mr Harris providing a strong male figure to offset his Gran, the story is well balanced. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "It's like being in a professional football team...with a manager telling you what to do!"

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones is in search of a new stunt to bring him fame and fortune. With his finances bleak he leaves London in his van and drives across Britain to the welchs coast. Reaching the coast he thinks that a motorbike ride across the beach might be just the thing to clear his head. Riding towards the beach, he weaves his way down the cliffs before gunning into action along the beach. 

On the beach, he finds that the tide has quickly come in and cut him off from the path. He attempts to drive through the rising tide but is thrown from his bike and pulled out to sea by a rip. Lucjky a passing boat sees him and he is pulled onboard and taken back. Coming around the headland he can see why the two men were quick to rescue him, there is a massive wave caused by the tide that is a killer. While the men warn him of the danger he is in, Tornado Jones is already scheming on how he could turn this into his greatest stunt ever. 

A pleasant story, and with Tornado Jones not trying as hard for the spectacular it felt much more natural and lighter, That will change next week as he takes on this killer wave, the Giant Whispering Wall, but for now I am going to enjoy what we have here. The story was littered with great panels, Jones driving down the cliff, being rescued by the boat, or even the first panel of him driving the van out of London, all spring to mind and kept the pace up before the final reveal of the next week's plot. This was a good palate cleanser after the last few weeks, and I am once again happy to be reading the adventures of Tornado Jones, made all the better by the rugged Welsh coastline and the art of Jim Bleach.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "A giant moving mountain of water! A deadly tidal wave that's a killer!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Skid Solo 

Best Line: "Flight two-eight-two from Rome has an emergency, sir. Regular crew unconscious. Ex-R.A.F. man at the control's...asking for landing instructions."

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: