Tiger 14th February 1976

Valentine's Day 1976. Given that I was three years old at the time, I very much doubt I was wasting my money on chocolates or flowers for anyone. I'm still the same today, as my wife will happily attest. I have had several true loves in my life, and the greatest of these loves is for the comics of my youth. This relationship has outlasted all others and remains just as strong today as it was in 1981 when my mum first brought me a Tiger comic. I recently ran into an old girlfriend and was shocked at how much she had aged since we were together. Not so with Tiger comic, which remains just as vibrant and attractive as it was when I was eight years old. In the next thirty minutes, I shall revisit this beauty from my past, and enjoy some precious time with those characters who fill my heart with love.    

14th February 1976

Skid Solo

Skid Solo graces the cover of this week's issue as he finally emerges from the hospital. As relieved as we are to see him no longer bedridden, it is sobering to see him in a wheelchair, complete with a blanket across his lap.

The journalists present enquire about his health, but Skid is more interested in talking about his protege Tommy Carter. Addressing the TV audience, he tells them that one day young Tommy Carter will be a World Champion. 

Tommy later speaks with Skid as Sandy explains that the media are now calling him "Crash" Carter. Skid responds by showing Tommy some old footage of World Champions, all crashing their cars in the years before they won. He explains to Tommy that none of them won with a broken car and they all won once they stopped crashing. 

Tommy takes the lesson on board, and in his next race, he cautiously drives Skid's sports car. He is a lot safer, but he is also last. Eventually, Tommy decides he has to find a way to win without crashing, and he is aggressive for the rest of the race. Unfortunately, as he comes around the bend he finds two other cars have crashed and are blocking the track. Tommy manages to stop before he crashes into them, but as he is enquiring about their health his car is shunted from behind and once more he earns the name "Crash"

The strip closes out with Skid chastising Tommy, sternly telling him that next time he stops he should pull off the track first. However, Tommy has a chance to once again prove himself as Skid has entered him in another sports car race next week - that is if Sandy can repair the damage inflicted in time.  

Great to see Skid emerging from the hospital. Skid has been on the front cover many times, usually travelling in a car at high speed. Here the only wheels in sight are the wheels on his wheelchair, and it was a moment to give the reader pause to reflect. 

Inside the comic, the story was predictable, yet well told in a manner that we have become accustomed to from Skid Solo. We had Skid playing mentor to Tommy, and the scenes of him taking him aside for a quiet talk were entirely in character and something we have seen before from Skid. Interesting to see Skid has race footage of previous champions at home, and I did briefly wonder how long it took him to go through all the footage to edit together a package for Tommy to watch. It is relatively easy nowadays, but in 1976 it would have taken quite some time and effort to put together. I shouldn't be thinking about such things while I'm reading the comic, but I just can't help myself. 

The action on the track wasn't as exciting as the action with the film projector, but it was the crux of the story. Although Tommy did take on Skid's immediate advice, he also took on another lesson we have seen in the past from Skid, namely stopping to help a fellow racer. I am sure that Skid himself stopped his car on the track to aid crash victims, and this no doubt has been a positive influence on Tommy. Skid can't be too hard on him for absorbing this lesson, despite its negative outcome in this situation. 

This was a big step forward in the development of Tommy Carter, and in just a couple of months, we have seen him gain his license and begin racing on the track. It has been a slow start but after today's crucial lesson both Tonmmy and the story should take a leap forward and we are now only weeks away from seeing him take the track in a Grand Prix race. Hard to predict what will happen in the next sports car race he has been signed up for, but I have the feeling this may be the final hurdle before it all comes to fruition at the start of the Grand Prix season. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Come and see some film, Tommy...I've got it all set up. It may interest you..."

Hot Shot Hamish

With Princes Park's team ravaged by the flu, they find themselves short on reserves. After an on-field injury, old-timer Jock McBell is called in despite his lack of fitness. He admits as much to Hamish, yet Hamish promises to do his best to look after him. 

McBell spends his first moments nostalgically telling Hamish how tough football used to be when he first started playing. Dreamily he speaks of barging players with his shoulder and bundling keepers over the line for a goal. This reverie ends suddenly when McBell is hit in the face with the ball and drops to the ground. 

The trainers bring him around, and soon McBell is back in the thick of the action. He first gives away a free kick when he shoulder-barges an opposition player, and a few minutes later he goes one further when he knocks the opposing goalkeeper off his feet and into the goal. 

Luckily McBell also knocks himself out, and the trainer checking on his condition tells Hamish that he must have suffered a concussion when he was hit in the face. He is carried off the field and soon after he is followed by two players suffering from the flu. Princes now only have eight players on the field and are grimly hanging on against overwhelming odds. 

My first thought was Vinnie Jones when I read this. I have recently watched a video of him talking about modern football versus football in his era, and he was every bit as nostalgic as McBell in this strip. 

After a couple weeks away from the field, Hot Shot Hamish and his team have returned to the pitch with a humourous story that pushed all my right buttons. Big men playing a tough version of football appealed to me immensely, and I loved seeing McBell wreaking havoc after his concussion. Some wonderful panels were shown of him in action, and the art gave the story an extra punch. The artwork was just as large as the characters it was depicting, and there was completeness to the strip. 

The story of concussion was pertinent to the current situation of football at the moment, and the events on the field didn't feel too much of a stretch. This was a story that spanned the forty years between the comic and now, and while I laughed hard at the story throughout, I also recognised it as something that reads just as well today as it did in 1976. 

I have enjoyed seeing Hamish's problems with finding a house, and the recent shenanigans with a photographer and McMutton, but nothing can beat the sight of Princes Park on the field fighting the odds with an understrength team and Hamish leading from the front. I laughed at it all, but underneath there was a proper football story being told and as such this is my favourite story this week.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Just as well! I was going to send him off!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Tiny and Martin are in Moscow, desperately looking for Mr Twastle who has vanished while leaving a trail of unpaid bills behind him. After some silliness at the airport and a weak disguise, they find him and, rather surprisingly, not only do they pay all his bills but also pay for him to return to his island. 

With this drama behind them, Tiny and Martin return to Great Britain. They arrive at Buxton Street and are surprised to find the street empty. There is a large hole that Martin fails to see, and as their car drops onto it they discover why the street is empty. There is an unexploded bomb at the bottom of the hole, and they are told that the army is on the way to blow it up. 

With their car facing an explosive ending, our lovely lads jump into the hole, planning to save it before it's too late.

The Moscow adventure ended quickly. I was hopeful for a fun-filled coda, but it wasn't to be and the final scenes in Moscow were disappointing. I felt let down by Tiny and Martin, and the way they gave a large amount of their money to Mr Twastle. I understand they are nice guys, but in this case, they are too naive for their own good. Not once did they consider that Mr Twastle could have killed them with the avalanche, and while it did wrap up the story quickly, it did leave a bad taste in my mouth. 

Their encounter with Mr Twastle lasted several months, and casting my mind back this all started in Haiwaii. Since then we have come a long way, both in mileage and in story, and although it had a weak ending a lot of it was very good. I wasn't so fussed by Tiny and Martin's adventures on the island, but the New York to Moscow rally gave us plenty of memorable moments. I shall remember this story for a long time, and when I do it won't be the weaker moments I remember, Rather it will be the moments of Tiny and Martin racing their little car through the snow, overcoming the odds, and almost winning the entire race.  Mr Twastle wasn't the greatest of villains, but he did give us the fuel to get us through the story and was the engine driving all the action. 

My heart lifted when the boys arrived back in Buxton Street, a name I've not heard in a long long time. Even close to home there is drama to be found, and I was surprised by the twist. It was well executed, and although I would have liked nothing more than to see all their neighbours and friends welcome them home, I do like the direction the story took. The hero's welcome can wait a week, first, we'll have to deal with this final bombshell and explosive ending.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Hey! What are you doing? It's dangerous down there! There's a bomb down there...left over from World War Two, we only just found it..."  

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones is innocently driving down a country road when he is suddenly stopped by a pretty girl. This fetching young lady tells him that she is a researcher for the TV host Dennis Dickenson and that Dennis Dickenson would like Tornado to appear on his show.

Tornado agrees but is embarrassed on the show when Dickenson insists on showing all his failures. An angry Tornado rashly tells Dickenson that he will jump a rocket-powered car across the Avon Gorge, but later, as he looks at the map, he realises how big the gorge is and it looks like he has bitten off more than he can chew. 

I'm a sucker for a pretty girl in a sports car, and the first three panels of the story had me drooling at the prospect of a young lady joining the action. It wasn't to be, but it did get me involved early in the story and kept me reading on. 

Dickenson is a good character and although he is the villain of the piece so far, I do like the way he has been portrayed. He is true to life, and I could easily imagine any number of TV presenters taking his place in the strip. His goading of Tornado Jones was a clever way of getting us to his next stunt, and the way Jones walked into the trap was entirely in keeping with his character. 

Whether that stunt lives up to expectations remains to be seen and I often find I like the build-up to the stunt better than the stunts themselves. I am not putting too much faith into what will come next, but if the surrounding story is good, then I shall be more than satisfied. I'm just hoping the pretty girl makes another appearance.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The famous Dickenson chat show? That's fantastic, honey - maybe I'm a bigger name in Britain than I thought!" 

Johnny Cougar 

Johnny is competing in an international tournament and currently fighting against the Chinaman. Although Johnny has an injured arm, Splash Gorton encourages him to forget about it and get himself into the match as he is at risk of being eliminated from the tournament if he doesn't win some points. 

Johnny heeds Splash's advice, and although shaky throughout the fight, he overcomes the odds and wins a pinfall with a surprise move. With this win, Johnny moves into third position in the table, although in the final panel, we learn that he is suffering from a bad concussion. 

I'm a hard man to please and although this gets a pass mark from me it did feel on the light side of Johnny Cougar stories. The match was by the numbers, and while it looked good, it failed to raise my heartbeat. I was more excited by the pretty girl in the last strip than anything I saw here, although that is no reflection of Johnny's good looks. 

The Chinaman looked strong on the page, while Johnny looked weak. You would think an underdog winning in this situation would appeal to me, but it did feel all too easy for Johnny. Not in the manoeuvre he performed, but in the way that the Chinaman was overcome by it and in the easy way he gave up the pinfall. It's things like this that take me out of the story, and while Johnny's fights usually have a realism about them, helped in no small part by the quality of the artwork, this was one occasion where it didn't ring true.

This tournament still has some way to go, and with Johnny scheduled to face The Pirate next week, we have some immediate wrestling action ahead of us. Like the Hot Shot Hamish story earlier, we have another case of concussion and I will be curious to see the impact this will have on Johnny and his performance in next week's issue. An interesting choice, and coupled with his arm injury, he is very much the underdog. That all bodes well for exciting drama, and hopefully a captivating finish to the story. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Hey, man, snap out of it! What gives with you? Where's your pride? Remember you're a Seminole...fight like a Seminole!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy are playing in defence for the next game, while their new friend, the small Mickey Brown, has made the team as a sub.   

Billy makes a good fist of playing in defence, but at halftime time 'Hardnut' Harris makes some changes, bringing on Mickey Brown as a striker. An injury to another Groundswood player sees Billy move into the midfield and soon he and Mickey form an easy partnership. Billy scores one goal from a long ball, and then a second as Mickey threads a through ball to him. 

After losing one nil, Groundswood came back to win two-one. This bodes well for Mickey Brown being picked for the next game, although Billy's friend, Jimmy Dawson, is downhearted as he thinks it will be at his expense. 

Poor old Jimmy, and although the story is ostensibly about Billy, I can't help but feel more involved in Jimmy's story by the end of the strip. Many a young boy has been in a similar situation, and how Jimmy responds will be familiar to most. His forlorn look as trudged off the field said it all and was fuel enough for the fire of the next issue. 

Jimmy wasn't the only one to steal this issue from Billy. The appearance of Hardnut Harris was also welcome, and for all of Billy's on-field play, it was the brief appearance of these characters that caught my eye. Even from behind, Mr Harris lives up to his Hardnut nickname. The profile of his stony face said it all, and his large body reinforced this first impression.

I haven't been too kind to Mickey Brown since his first appearance, but I can't deny he has certainly propelled the story over the last two weeks. It has tilted the story away from Billy, and the repercussions of Mickey's appearance are impacting those around Billy. It's Mr Harris who has to make a decision, and Jimmy who will rise or fall based upon that decision. It has widened the focus from Billy alone, preventing the story from becoming stale and one-dimensional. The magic boots are temporarily forgotten, and the story is a lot more interesting for it. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I play my heart out to help get the team into the quarter-finals of the cup...and now I'll be out!" 

Nipper

As the Italian fans chant the name of their hardman, Zampia, Nipper is on the cusp of regaining his memory of their previous encounter. However, the name slips back into the mists of his mind and the game against Morino begins. 

Zampia resumes the hard style of their last encounter with a heavy foul knocking Nipper off his feet. Zampia expects Nipper to retaliate, but Nipper instead fools him, quickly passing the ball to Mike Beatson who scores the opening goal. 

Zampia is held responsible by his team, and things get worse for him as Nipper slips his marker to score with a diving header. However, in scoring his goal Nipper collides with the Mornio keeper, taking a crack to his head. With this, his memory comes flooding back, and he points out Zampia, loudly telling him he knows why he has been acting so tough, while the rest of the team worries that now anything might happen. 

Nipper's memory loss has taken an interesting twist. Without his fiery on-field persona, his style is noticeably different and it does at times feel like another strip. For all Zampia's attempts at provoking him, Nipper remained calm and unmoved. One wonders how much better Nipper would be on-field if he could rein in his temper like this all the time. He is certainly a lot more effective when playing coolly. 

The final knock to the head was predictable, and the only way the story could go. It does move us into new territory, and we now have the on-field action changing in the face of Nipper's restored memories, as well as the wider repercussions for the rest of the story. There are a lot of directions the story could now go and it will be interesting to see what direction we take first. There are several avenues to be explored and the story could potentially branch in a few directions at once. I don't care where we go from here, and I'm just happy to go along for the ride.   

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "You won't hold out much longer, Lawrence! I make you so angry, you explode!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Gerry Holloway isn't making any friends with his effects on the field. In his first game for Melchester Rovers, he barely exerts himself. Several times the ball comes toward him, yet he makes no effort to chase them down, telling the team he will not blindly chase the ball around like a maniac. 

He crosses swords with an angry Duncan McKay in the dressing room, and coming out after the halftime break the team seems unsettled. Rovers start poorly, but when the ball is cleared upfield, Gerry Holloway suddenly puts on a burst of speed and beats the opposing players to it. He then demonstrates his skills, running hard at the defenders before delivering an overhead kick that puts the ball into the box. From there it is a simple Roy Race header that sees Rovers take a one-nil lead. picking himself up, Roy looks at Holloway, wondering if it was a piece of lucky showmanship, or did he just show his genius. 

I just can't find it in myself to care about Gerry Holloway. That shouldn't matter, but it also means that I currently don't care much about the current story. Gerry Holloway doesn't move the needle one way or another. He is neither a hero nor a villain, but rather just a young lad who is having trouble fitting into the team. 

The story started slow, with only the crowd giving Holloway conflict. This ramped up at halftime, and his angry words with Duncan McKay were the highlight of the story. The final goal may have looked pretty on the page, but it was only a bit of window dressing on what had come earlier. 

I still enjoy the artwork, and if anything this is getting even better week after week. The play looks crisp and fresh, while the facial expressions give life to the characters. The art deserves a better story than that of Gerry Holloway, and once again I can only hope that Roy puts his foot down next week so we can move onto better things.   

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Well, the kid's got spirit, anyway, Roy! He certainly stopped Duncan McKay in his tracks! 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Hot Shot Hamish  

Best Line: "I play my heart out to help get the team into the quarter-finals of the cup...and now I'll be out!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 7th February 1976

It's not you, it's me. I have been feeling blue ever since the hype of Christmas blew over, and this is colouring my reading of Tiger. For the last couple of weeks, I have been struggling to find joy in anything, and that includes my beloved Tiger comic. Some of these stories are great, yet I just can't see it at the moment. It all seems rather leaden, and some of the stories feel like they need a good shake-up. My mood isn't helped by the fact that it has rained for most of my holiday, and I'm returning to work tomorrow feeling just as jaded and tired as I was several weeks ago. Take my following opinions with a grain of salt - I have no doubt I would rate this issue highly on a sunny day following a good night's sleep. 

7th February 1976

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy and former Melchester Rover scout Alf Roper are watching young Gerry Holloway at a fourth-division game. Gerry barely exerts himself on the field, but there is one flash of brilliance from the lad, enough for Roy to offer him a contract. 

Holloway reacts coolly to the contract. He signs it while telling Roy that it will pay for his university studies. He also takes into account that the Rovers home ground is only a short bus ride from the university. 

As Gerry isn't cup-tied, Roy names him to start in Rover's next cup game. Ben Galloway, General Manager, expresses his concern to Roy, telling him they should have told him or the directors first. So far Roy is the only one at the club who has seen Holloway in action.

Roy tells him not to worry, Holloway is training hard.  However, on game day Holloway doesn't chase down Roy's first pass. He tells Roy that he knew he had no chance to get there, so why waste the effort. This irks Roy, and things get worse as Holloway begins to lecture him. 

Over the last two years, we have seen several new players introduced to Rovers and they all start out with problems such as this. This isn't the first unproven player that Roy has signed, and so far it is following a similar pattern to the previous stories. 

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but from what we have seen here, Holloway isn't as yet a strong character. We have only seen him fleetingly, and although he is confident enough to lecture Roy in the final panel, he is rather nondescript throughout the rest of the story. 

When Roy signed Wallace the previous year, we had a good sense of who he was, long before he pulled on the Melchester strip. So too with the circus performer that Roy signed a couple of years ago (sadly, his name now eludes me). We saw plenty of what he was about before he made it to the pitch, and although his career was a failure, it still provided a well-rounded story. 

Holloway has none of this behind him, and after only one appearance he is a pale character on the page. I am surprised that Roy signed him at all based on what he saw. Roy, a professional for twenty years, signing a player after seeing one game, a game in which he only had one moment of class, seems hollow and out of character, yet fits with his previous patterns of signings. 

Holloway has proved to be an unlikable character so far and that isn't helping a storyline that is failing to gain traction with me. A large part of me wants to see him bed into the team as quickly as possible so we can return to the wider story of how Melchester Rovers season is progressing. We may have a few more weeks until Holloway sorts himself out, and until then all I can do is read on patiently. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "But surely you should have consulted me, or the directors first! Apart from Alf Roper, you're the only club official who has seen Holloway in action!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy's bike was stolen by a young boy named Micky Brown. Now Billy and Jimmy find themselves playing ball in the park with the boy who doesn't realise who Billy is. 

As Jimmy and Billy walk home afterwards, Billy tells Jimmy that Micky Brown was the boy who stole Billy's bike. Jimmy is surprised, telling Billy that Mickey seemed like a decent sort of lad. They also discuss their chances of making the school team on the weekend, with Jimmy commenting that Hardnut Haris does some funny things. 

This is borne out when they find they are in the team, but both playing in defence. Harris has switched the attackers and defenders so both can understand the problems each other faces. This sends Billy back to his book on Dead-Shot Keen, where he learns that Keen played as a defender before a chance positional switch revealed that he was a lethal attacker. 

While Billy is reading there comes a knock on the door. It is the local policeman following up on Billy's stolen bike. He tells Billy and his Gran that the boy took his bike because it was an emergency. His mother had been taken ill and he had rushed off to the doctor. Billy and his Gran decide to drop charges, and the matter is left as it is. 

Back at the rec ground, Billy and Jimmy are playing a pickup game when Mickey Brown appears. He tells them his new school will be Groundwood, and asks if they think he has any chance of making the school team. Billy says if he can play, he stands a good chance. The strip ends with Billy and Jimmy watching little Mickey Brown dribbling through the players on the field and commenting that he's good and might even threaten their place in the team. 

This story has slowed, and with the stolen bike drama being resolved the story has pivoted to Mickey Brown trying to earn a place in the team. It's not as interesting as the previous issues, and the whole story feels flat after the intensity of Billy's bike being stolen. 

We still have Mickey Brown looking much too small to play with the other, and once again his proportions seem to be wrong when he stands next to other players. Children do come in all shapes and sizes, but as it stands, Mickey Brown looks much too small to be playing with Jimmy and Billly. This takes me out of the story every time I see it, and it is another strike against Mickey Brown. 

The scene with Billy and his Gran was again the best in the strip. The sight of the two of them, Gran knitting while Billy read his book, was every bit as homely as you could want, and sat at the heart of the story. This directly leads to the appearance of the policeman, and Billy and his Gran dropping the charges has their humanity on full display. It was head and shoulders above everything else in the story (an easy feat when you're towering over Mickey Brown) and I could have done with a lot more of this and a lot less of Mickey running around with the ball at his feet.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "I've met him, Gran...he seems a nice kid..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny are racing for the finish of the New York to Moscow rally with Mr Twastle nestled in the car with them.

They look to have the win sewn up when suddenly Mr Twastle switches off the car with the claim he can smell smoke. This allows two cars to pass them before Tiny can restart the car and cross the finish line. 

Tiny and Martin have finished third but the drama isn't over. Tiny pulls the black hood from Mr Twastle's pocket and accuses him of sabotaging them from the helicopter, and now on the ground. Mr Twastle confesses, telling them that he couldn't afford to pay them the million pounds he had promised for winning the race. He is broke, and as he slinks off he tells the boys that he won't blame them if they go to the police. 

Tiny and Martin decide to wait until after the prize giving before they make any firm decision. At the prize giving they learn they finished second overall, and they receive a prize of two thousand pounds. Walking back to their room they decide to give half of this to Mr Twastle as without him they wouldn't have been able to enter the race. 

They ask reception for his whereabouts and are informed that he has left the hotel without paying his hotel bill, his taxi bills, or his helicopter bills. He owes a lot of money, and even as they speak the police are out looking for him.  

I have enjoyed this rally immensely, although this final rush to the finish line has been a letdown. However, the story is far from over, and we still have more drama ahead of us next week. 

The final play by Mr Twastle in turning the car engine off was weak, and after all we have seen it was hardly the gripping finish that the story deserved. It felt out of step with Mr Twastle's other devious ploys and, although it worked, it wasn't as desperate as his other manouverings. However, it did scupper their chances of winning, which made Tiny's reaction as he revealed Twastle's scheming rather surprising. Tiny was angry, but it wasn't as angry as one might expect, especially when we take into account that Twastle did bury them in an avalanche. Twastle cost them the race and almost cost them their lives, yet Tiny's anger is quickly dissipated and Twastle walks free. We have seen Tiny become physical in confrontations before, so all I can say is Mr Twastle was very lucky in this case. 

It feels like a very long time since the boys won the race that sent them off to Hawaii and started this wild journey. It must almost be time for them to head home, and I have a strong feeling that once they have settled their score with Twastle they may well be pointing George westward and driving home. I have enjoyed the ride we have taken to get this far, and still have hopes that there will be a twist next week to end this story with a suitable exclamation point. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "The truth is...I'm broke! If...if my holiday island scheme doesn't pay off, I'll go to prison for debt!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

Casually dressed, Hamish strolled downstairs at the wealthy mansion he was staying at and into a formal party. The guests are horrified by Hamish's attire, and Hamish finds himself manhandled and called a scruff. 

This leads to a brawl, with various guests taking sides for or against Hamish, and chaos ensues as the food begins to fly. 

The fight ends just as the host, Mr McCash, arrives, and Hamish thanks him for the party before retiring to bed. 

Meanwhile at Princes Park flu is sweeping through the team. With five players sick, Mr McWhacker is forced to call on his reserves and loses the next game four-nil. Come Saturday they are no better off, and desperate for a win to keep their promotion hopes alive. Unfortunately, there is an injury early on, and Mr McWhacker is forced to turn to his scant bench. He calls on Jock McBell, a player who hasn't turned out of the first team for two years. McBell jogs onto the field thinking that Hamish will cover up for him if he is a wee bit slow. 

The fight at the party dominated the strip and gave us some wonderful imagery. Julio Schiaffino is at the top of his game here, giving Hamish a sympathetic look while imbuing the fight with all the chaos and frenetic energy it deserved. It was a delight to look at and with pies and cakes being thrown, it would appeal to any young reader. The smile on Hamish's face as he watched the fight said it all, and was just as joyful as the fight itself. 

The story moved quickly and having just as much drama on the football side of the story made for a balanced read that propelled us along on both fronts. I am just as invested in both sides of the stories, with the flu hit team particularly relatable as I have recently had a similar situation at work with another round of covid wiping out half our staff. Like Hamish, I too have had to carry weak members in the team, and I can only assume that Hamish will do it with a lot more grace and patience than I did. How he navigates these stormy waters remains to be seen, and with the game (and Princes Park's position on the table) delicately poised, there is much on the line for next week's drama.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Och, it's turning oot to be a fine wee party!" 

Johnny Cougar

Johnny is still competing in the international wrestling competition, and this week we see him take on his next competitor, a muscular wrestler called The Chinaman. 

The Chinaman proves to be just as strong as he looks, and Johnny struggles against his large opponent, especially as he is carrying an injured arm.  After being thrown around like a rag doll, Johnny is finally thrown to the floor where The Chinaman covers him for the first pinfall. 

As Johnny recovers in the corner, Splash brings him the news that The Footballer has just beaten The Masked Maniac. As Jonnny gets unsteadily to his feet, Splash implores him to do something, anything, as he desperately needs to win some points in this tournament. 

There was some concern that The Chinaman wouldn't deliver the tough fight required. Last week we saw The Masked Maniac easily beat him, and the seed was planted that he might be an easy beat. That hasn't eventuated, and the story is all the better for it. The Chinaman looks bigger on the page than we have previously seen, and it provides some wonderful images of the two large men colliding. Again, Johnny is on the back foot, and it is always refreshing to see our hero struggling and having to overcome an obstacle such as this.  

The tournament is a lot tougher than it looked some weeks ago and is providing far more entertainment than promised. There has been a lot of silliness of late, yet the wrestling action is tough and exciting, demanding my attention and holding me enrapt. I can easily overlook the silliness when it is backed up with wonderful fighting and art such as this. Having Johnny struggle is the icing on the cake, and once again I have no choice but to return next week and see what develops from here.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Me very good wrestler...man from East, beat man from West!"

Tornado Jones

Jones has landed in a fast-flowing river after lassoing an escaped tiger. Both Jones and the tiger are struggling in the water when a passing fisherman pulls Jones into his boat. Jones then pulls the tiger a shore but then takes to his heels when the tiger turns on him. 

Jones clambers up a tree and watches as the tiger approaches an aluminium-faced hoarding across the road. This is part of his plan, and he is delighted when the tiger sees itself reflected in the aluminium. The tiger leaps at his reflection, crashing into the hoarding and knocking itself out. 

Jones returns the tiger to the safari park, offering to do the stunt again tomorrow. The owner of the park refuses, giving Jones ten pounds and calling it quits. 

This was a short story, and we only had three weeks of Jones and the tiger. That felt about right and although I admired some of the artwork last week, by this week we had run out of steam. The strip was enjoyable enough, with strong artwork that promised much but never quite flourished as it did last week. It remained tightly focused and never did more than it needed to tell the story. 

The story itself was simple enough, although we never saw a strong character emerge as a foil to Jones. The safari owner could have been such a character, but his role was diminished after the first week, while the tiger got off to a slow start, looking less than fearsome in the first week, before finally looking like the predator it did last week. This week it fell somewhere between the two and once again failed to offer the threat it could have been. 

An uneven few weeks and next week we are again off on a new adventure for Jones. He is never short of a fresh start and a new story, and one can only hope for something substantial that can sustain the character for the next several weeks. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "After all the chaos you caused, I never want to see you again! Take this sten sounds and call it quits! Get out of here!"

Skid Solo 

Tommy is in Australia gaining racing experience, and this week's strip begins with him racing a saloon car. He is winning his class, but pushing hard against the bigger cars to win the race. He hasn't had the experience yet and pushes his car too hard, breaking something and crashing off the track. 

Sandy gives him a good telling-off, before telling Tommy that he has been entered in a sports car race in Melbourne. Tommy must go alone as Sandy is flying back to Skid, and Tommy promises not to let him down. 

Tommy's two wins and crash earn him the attention of a local journalist. He comes to interview him, wondering if he has a nickname that might help sell the story. Tommy doesn't and the newspaperman christens him "Kid" Carter. 

Back in Britain, Sandy and Skid discuss Tommy's progress. Skid says he has a lot to learn but has skill and nerve. He tells Sandy that he's going to call him "Typhoon" Tommy, a nickname Skid has thought up himself. 

In Melbourne, Tommy's race is going well and he pushes himself to the front. Again, he has failed to learn his previous lessons, and after pushing his car too hard an oil pipe bursts showering Tommy in oil and sending him crashing off the track. 

Tommy is OK, but the car is a write-off. However, Tommy is more distraught by the newspaper headline the next day calling him "Crash" Carter. 

"Crash" Carter is a fair nickname based on what we have seen thus far. For all his racing flair and skill, Tommy ends up off the track more than he should. It makes for a surprisingly good story and I am enjoying following his adventures in the absence of Skid Solo. It isn't always believable, but it has been fun so far, with some good racing action and memorable panels to keep the reader engaged.

We have yet to see Tommy deliver a perfect racing performance, and despite his natural talent, he is taking an authentic journey. Seeing him race at these lower levels not only helps him gain experience but also makes him a more believable character to the reader. It's stretching belief to see a young lad racing for Skid Solo, so anything like this to add to his authenticity helps with the immediate story and the longer goal of having him drive beside Skid Solo. 

I love a good crash as much as the next man, and we have two excellent crashes in this strip. The first panel shows Tommy's saloon car careening off the track was good, with the flying hay bales emphasizing the speed at which he is travelling. The second is even better, with the energy and speed of the sports car flying off the track clearly visible in the single panel. It's of the highest standard and easily the best image in this week's Skid Solo story. 

I had wondered if Tommy could sustain the story on his own. From what we have seen so far, he can. The stories being told are just as vital and interesting as the ones provided by Skid Solo, and if we maintain this momentum, the strip will gain even more shine once Skid is able to make a return.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Crash Carter! Skid and Sandy aren't going to like that!"

Nipper 

Nipper has been sent to a specialist to help with his memory loss. It proves to be a waste of time- when playing word association, Nipper associates every world with some aspect of football. 

Returning home, Nipper tells Amy Felcher that he hopes that his memorable will be jogged when they play their next game against Mornio. 

Amy hopes not, and while Nipper is outside she gives us the backstory of Morino. The last time Nipper played them he was heavily marked by Zampia, the Morino sweeper. It had become a rough battle, with Nipper giving as good as he got, and at the end of the game, angry threats were thrown. 

Nipper is unaware of this and as he rides to the game he is puzzled by fan's comments to watch out for Zampia. As he runs onto the field the Morino fans tell him to steer clear of Zampia as he has a good memory of what happened last time. Nipper finds that the name Zampia makes him feel tense and nervous, and as the strip concludes he thinks his memory is starting to return.

We are making steady progress with Nipper's story. He still has memory loss, and although he is getting help, it has yet to amount to anything. We have storm clouds gathering as he takes the field against Mornio and this should develop into something substantial next week. 

The opening scene of Nipper in the doctor's office gave us humour and was a soft introduction before the darker story of Zampia appeared. The doctor's frustration translated well on the page, and the dialogue leading up to his final outburst was excellent. 

However, the main focus of the story was setting up next week's confrontation with Zampia. There was a flashback telling of their last encounter, and while this was informative, it didn't make for a great issue of Nipper. It did plant the seeds for what is to come and gave us the context for the next game, both important and did this without impeding the flow of the story too much. Not an energising issue, but a necessary step that puts us in a fine place for the next few weeks. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Football...football! This is preposterous! Everything I say seems to remind you of something connected with football!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story:  Johnny Cougar 

Best Line: "Ye missed the best o' the party, Mister McCash...I think everyone enjoyed it fine. But I'll have to be away to ma bed, the noo...I canna have late nights when I'm in training!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 31st January 1976

Great news for all readers. I have been on summer holiday long enough that I no longer know what day it is. The days are sailing by on a warm, gin-scented, breeze, and I must say this three-week break has done me a world of good. It hasn't done a world of good for my waistline, however, and the days of snacking on Christmas leftovers and sampling craft beers are beginning to show. Yet another reminder that I am no longer young, and the days of abusing my body over Christmas and still performing on the sports field are well and truly over. The most taxing thing I do nowadays is read comics and write my thoughts. It's more stressful than you might think, and in the back of my mind is the thought that my boss will be calling in a few days to remind me to come back to work. These are my final days of a classic summer holiday, and I am going to spend them with Tiger comic dated 31st January 1976. 

31st January 1976

Billy's Boots

Billy's form slumped after having his new bike stolen during a game. However, during his next game the local policeman appears with Billy's bike and a half time tells him that they found the kid who stole it. 

With this news, Billy is reinvigorated and scores a superb solo goal. He follows this up with an assist for Jimmy and the game is won two-nil. 

After the game, Billy is told that the boy who stole his bike is going to court. His name is Mickey Brown and apparently, this is the first thing he has ever stolen. 

Billy and Jimmy are practising their passing while at the park, and a kid comes over to ask if he can play with them. They readily agree, and Billy receives a shock when he asks the boy his name- it is Micky Brown, the bicycle thief. 

Last week Billy's Gran stole the show in a single panel, and she does that again this week. The image of her serving dinner to Billy and telling him that the bicycle thief deserves all he gets was evocative and could have well been lifted out of my own life. A stern Grandmother with a strong sense of wrong and right was just the right card to be played at this moment and it trumped all that came before and after it. 

The rest of the story wasn't as good as this panel, and although I have given the story a strong rating, it didn't grab me in the way the previous issues have. Billy and his bike being stolen was a good concept and well-worked. The thought of a court case on the horizon also arouses my curiosity, and I am intrigued to see how that will work out. Yet, all this in the future, and there was nothing in this particular issue that thrilled me. 

I am not so fussed about Micky Brown's look. In the first panel we see him he looks like a young kid - so far so good. However, in the final panel as he joins Billy and Jimmy the perspective is slightly out and he looks like a jumping gnome next to them. It is the only bum note in the artwork that was otherwise singing throughout the story. In fact, this was a superb-looking Billy's Boots, which made the final panel all the more jarring. 

Rather interestingly, although Billy played magnificently, scoring a goal and setting up another, not once was credit given to his boots. This was refreshing and lifted the story in my eyes. I shall be curious to see if this is a one-off, or if it will occur again in future.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You say the police are taking the boy to court? Well, serves him right!"

Johnny Cougar

Splash Gorton hopes that Johnny Cougar's recent defeat to the Masked Maniac has taught him a lesson about fooling around. He tells Cougar that he needs to concentrate more on his wrestling, and Cougar responds that it's not good to be serious all the time. 

Cougar and Splash go to see the next two matches in the tournament. The bout between the  Footballer and the Pirate shows that the Pirate will be tough to beat when Cougar faces him. The next fight is of more interest to Cougar as it features his next opponent, the Chinaman, against the Masked Maniac. 

The Masked Maniac defeats the Chinaman with a knockout, and after the fight taunts Cougar in the crowd. Wheeling a screen on stage, the Maked maniac shows highlights of last week's bout when he beat Cougar. This is all too much for Cougar, and he jumps into the ring, smashing through the screen to attack the Masked Maniac. 

Splash jumps in to calm the situation, but as he and Cougar leave the arena he notices Cougar clutching his arm. He has injured himself jumping through the screen and with his next contest tomorrow he doesn't have time to get himself fit again. 

This was a curious Johnny Cougar story, with Johnny taking no part in the wrestling action. The only action that he did take part in was smashing through the screen that the Masked Maniac had erected, and although this is an important plot point, the action was a single panel. 

With this, it fell to the other characters to carry the story. While Johnny provided exposition we had our first look at The Pirate and The Chinaman (probably not a name that would fly today). The Pirate carries a flamboyant look, but he doesn't amount to much in the ring. The Chinaman has an air of menace about him, which only emphasised how good The Masked Maniac is as we saw him handily beat him. From what we have seen here it is hard to get excited about either new character's future prospects. 

The Masked Maniac dominated the story physically but also drove the story forward with his taunting of Johnny and contributions to the overall story arc. Johnny may be wrestling the other characters, but The Masked Maniac remains the overarching villain of the piece. While the story wasn't the most thrilling this week, this wider storyline holds great promise and is the main reason why I rate this one well. Several important pieces fell into place today, and seeing it all come together in the coming weeks should be a treat.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Heap lucky smash hit Cougar last time...you not be so lucky again!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Tiny and Martin have dug their car out of the avalanche and are now speeding towards Moscow. In a helicopter overhead, Mr Twastle does all he can to prevent them from winning, swooping low and trying to push them off the road. 

He fails in his attempts and flies back to Moscow where he learns that Martin and Tiny aren't winning, although they are second and making good speed toward Moscow. 

Mr Twastle takes a taxi to the outskirts of Moscow and intercepts Tiny and Martin. Climbing in the car, he tells them the road is blocked and offers to show them a way around the detour. 

After sending them down several sideroads, they emerge back on the main road, just behind the two lead cars. As they speed after them, Tiny notices the black mask in Mr Twastle's pocket and realises that the helicopter pilot was wearing exactly the same mask. 

We are reaping the rewards of last week's issue, and it was all thrown into the mix for this issue. We had fast car racing action, helicopters buzzing overhead, and Tiny unmasking the wider plot. 

Each one of these aspects of the story looked great on the page, and the story was well-paced to give each aspect its due. A two-page, fast-moving story, yet it gave time for each story point to breathe and the overall feeling was although it was fast, nothing was glossed over.

It wasn't just the action that told the story. The faces of the characters were liberally sprinkled throughout, and each flash of a grim-faced Martin, or a shocked Mister Twastle added another layer to the story. It gave the story a realistic feel, even when they were doing unrealistic things, and every panel containing a close-up of a face elevated the story and gave it an extra sheen. The artwork of David Sque cannot be underestimated, and given that he is pulling double duty in this week's comic, it is all the more impressive. Everything that comes across his drawing board is imbued with a sense of humanity, and when paired with a thrilling story like this, we get something very special indeed.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "We're losing time! We're never going to win like this! Are you sure this is the right way, Mister Twastle?"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy is back in the team after his recent troubles with exhaustion, and the Rovers are on form playing against the reserves - winning their match seven - two. 

However, Roy receives a shock when after the game Jumbo Trudgeon tells him that he'll be leaving the team. Roy realises that there is no one in the reserves who can step up to the first team. As luck would have it, Alf Roper, a former Melchester Scout, is paying a visit and tells Roy that he has seen a promising youngster named Gerry Holloway. 

Roy and Alf speed off to see the player, who just so happens to have a game that night. Arriving at the game, Roy is stunned when he sees Gerry Holloway hardly moving on the field and has only touched the ball twice. He isn't exerting himself at all, and Roy is left wondering why Alf Roper has brought him all this way to see the laziest player he's ever seen.

Following on from Martin's Marvellous Mini, we have another masterclass from David Sque for this week's Roy Of The Rovers. However, the plot cannot match the previous strip for intensity, and for all of David's fine work here, we have a less compelling strip. 

However, the strip is notable for the introduction of Gerry Holloway (my computer keeps trying to change this to Geri Halliwell. Imagine her playing for Melchester Rovers...). Roy is unimpressed with what he has seen so far, but I am quietly confident that he will come around to see Holloway as the player he needs. The sight of Roy and Alf in the car about to drive to the match warmed the cockles of my heart, and even though I wasn't thrilled with the following story, it did provide a comforting moment that spoke to the history of the comic and characters from the past. 

Roy Of The Rovers is in a transition period right now, and it needs a strong, tightly focused storyline to snap it back in line. Gerry Holloway signing for the team is a necessary stepping stone to move on Jumbo Trudgeon (whose farewell, it should be noted, was light and hardly worthy of a player of such significance). The sooner Gerry Holloway can be brought on board, the better, and then Roy and the team can move on to bigger things, and hopefully, an engaging storyline that will keep me eager to read more.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Because Alf Roper is the man who discovered Roy Race...over twenty-one years ago!"

Skid Solo 

Tommy and Sandy are in Australia, getting race experience for Tommy while Skid is laid up in hospital. 

Tommy is offered a car, and Skid tells Sandy to enter Tommy in a Formula Junior race being run the following day. 

Sandy offers Tommy strict instructions on race day, telling him he must come in on lap thirty-five to refuel. There is no need to worry about this, other drivers will be refuelling too and he should be OK. 

Skid calls from his hospital bed again, asking Sandy how the race is going. Sandy tells him the race has just started and Tommy is doing well. This is correct, and Tommy is in first place when he comes in on lap thirty-five for his refuel. 

Skid calls again soon after this, and Sandy confirms that Tommy has just refuelled and is just behind the race leaders. When Skid asks who the race race leaders are, his demeanour changes and he tells Sandy to get a message to Tommy to drive as hard as he can. The race leader is Les Robinson, and Skid thinks he probably has put a larger tank in his car so he doesn't have to refuel. 

Skid is right, and Sandy gets the message out to Tommy. Tommy pushes hard for the remaining laps and is rewarded as he finds a way around Robinson on the final corner. In the hospital, Skid is still on the phone and happy to hear about the victory. A nurse next to him asks if it was almost like being behind the wheel himself, and Skid assures her that it was nothing like it, but he sure wishes it was. 

Even when Skid isn't trackside, he still finds a way to inject himself into the story, This was cleverly done via the use of the telephone. It was a timely reminder of how far technology has come, as nowadays not only could Skid be in constant contact throughout every aspect of the race, but he would also probably be privy to every sensor and readout in the car, even at such a distance. 

I am warming up to the character of Tommy, but it is Sandy who remains my firm favourite. Every emotion is reflected on his face, and he is a character you can read easily through his facial expressions alone. His smile while on the phone to Skid spoke of their friendship, while later when he was issuing instructions to Tommy he was all business and serious to the core. He often gets the best lines, but in this case, he also gets the best artwork. 

Sandy got the best of it, but the artwork throughout this strip was of the highest level. Not just Skid Solo, but this entire issue is full of superb art, and it pleasing to the eye through every page. In Skid Solo we have several fine images of Tommy in his car, the car radiating power, while Tommy was made all the smaller and younger for it. Sandy organizing the race, and remaining in touch with Skid provided more fodder for the artist as he was characterised as a hardworking, dependable chap. Finally, we have Skid, still in his bed back in Britain, He remained upbeat, with the art reflecting his positivity, and joy at seeing Tommy doing well. 

All of this made the story better than it really was and was a testament to the power of art. A solid story greatly elevated by the craftsmanship put into it, and this was much better than it deserved to be. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Mister McGrath...telephone call for you...from Britain!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

Princes Park wins their game easily, and coming off the pitch they are instructed to assemble for the team photo. Following on from last week, McFrame, the photographer, is having trouble with McMutton, Hamish's pet sheep. 

McMutton has chewed McFrame's cape, and as he prepares to photograph the team, McFrame waves away McMutton. McMutton responds by ramming McFrame with his horns and McFrame ends up in a crumpled heap with his camera equipment. 

Back at the mansion where Hamish is staying with a wealthy fan, Hamish prepares for a party thrown by Mister McCash. He decides to wear a pullover his Granny has knitted, and suitably attired makes his way to the ballroom. The shocked guests, all in evening wear, stare at him, some thinking he is a servant who has lost his way, while others say he looks like a refugee from a jumble sale. 

Both halves of the story provided laughs but it was the second part of the story that really spoke to me. Hamish as a fish out of water offers plenty of potential for laughs, but also makes Hamish a sympathetic character. I laughed at the sight of him wearing a sweater knitted by his Granny (and reflected on the knitted garments that my own Grandmother gave me) but I also felt his humiliation as he made his entrance. My heart swelled as he strode down the stairs, proud of his attire, only to be completely deflated as the first guests commented on his outfit. 

These contrasting feelings, rubbing up hard against each other, gave the story an uneasy tension and is one of the reasons it is always a favourite. Hamish is the most relatable character in the comic to me (and it is not just a shared first name), and I laugh just as much with him as at him. Similarly, his disasters are my disasters, and I cringe at some of the situations he finds himself in. 

Football is almost secondary to the wider world of Hamish Balfour, and although we see Princes Park week after week, the story is much more than a story of a player who plays for Princes Park. It is Hamish's hot shot that has the title, but he is much more than a man with a hot shot, he is a character blessed with all the traits, the triumphs and tragedies, of a real human, and as such is the most real character on the pages of Tiger. Not everyone is the smartest or most successful, most of us are just average Joes making our way through life the best we can, just like Hamish Balfour.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I wonder what there'll be to eat? Meat pies, maybe...or trifles...or great big steaks..." 

Nipper

Nipper has lost his memory, including how to play football, yet has still managed to score a goal as Blackport play a league game. 

Nipper thinks he has scored from a throw-in, and it is Mike Beatson who explains to him that it is not allowed under the rules of the game. Luckily halftime is blown shortly after and Nipper is subbed off. 

He is examined by the club doctors, who can find nothing wrong with him despite the memory loss. As they come out of the tunnel, Nipper's girlfriend Kerry calls to him. Nipper doesn't recognise her, and it's Andy Stewart who explains that she is his girlfriend. 

Nipper says if that is the case, he can't wait to start remembering again. As Nipper looks dreamily at Kerry, Andy Stewart looks on, worried that if Nipper's memory returns in the middle of the second-round European Cup game, it could lead to the biggest punch-up of the season.

You already know what I'm going to say. Kerry is here, and not only does she steal Nipper's heart, but she also steals mine. Oh, comic book romances. The football provided solid action, but it was the appearance of Kerry and the further development in the storyline that got my heart racing. 

Last week we saw how the memory loss affected Nipper on the field, this week that scope widened and we saw further fishhooks thrown into the story. I took the bait on all of them. Nipper sees Kerry as if for the first time, and instantly being smitten, makes a touching moment that speaks volumes of his love for her. Even a jaded idiot such as me couldn't help but smile at what was unfolding on the page and it is a plotline that should be exploited in the coming weeks.

Andy Stewart's final line pointing towards the next game also pulled me in. It is obvious that these stories need to hook you back for next week, yet it's all done so well that I can't help but get caught up in it every time. I am dying to know what Nippper's trouble with the Italian club is, and I am equally intrigued to see if a punchup will develop. I don't condone violence, but in this case, I am looking forward to seeing some haymakers being thrown. 

The artwork was a step up this week. The page was much cleaner, with less background noise and some very clean lines. This added efficiency to the story, giving me the bare facts and allowing me to quickly reach the key moments. I like to linger on my comics, and although this story shot me quickly to the finish line, I did make the time to go back and have a second look at the artwork. I found myself gazing upon it, much like Nipper looking at Kerry in the final panel, full of both love and admiration, for the quality of work put into this comic week after week.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Er, who's the doll, Mister Stewart?" 

Tornado Jones 

Tornado Jones has bungled his latest stunt, accidentally freeing a Tiger who is now slinking toward a nearby village. 

Acting quickly, Jones gets his spare motorcycle, and a coil of rope and sets forth to bring the Tiger back alive.

The tiger is creating mayhem in the village and it isn't long before Jones on on his bike giving chase. He lassos the tiger easily enough, but the Tiger is strong and pulls Jones from his bike. 

Dragging Jones from the village, the tiger jumps over the edge of the bank, sending Jones tumbling.

Last week the tiger looked limp and uninspired. This week he is reinvigorated and energised, looking much more like a real tiger. The change is noticeable, and it seems Jim Bleach has found a way to present a tiger worthy of its fearsome reputation.   

This supercharged the whole story, and I came away from this week's issue far more enthusiastic than last week. The story moved quickly, and showing plenty of the tiger in the village certainly added to the drama. We had a number of panels showing the chaos the tiger was causing. The scenes in the butcher shop were my favourite, but there were several more vying for my attention, and in particular, the sight of the villagers all running about in the main street was noteworthy. 

Tornado Jones tumbling over the bank wasn't the most spectacular of cliffhangers (or bank tumblers if you will) but the rest of the story well and truly propelled us into next week. With great art and a unique storyline, this remains a solid read and ends us on a good note as we look ahead to next week. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You'd better phone the police, boss! The only thing to do now is shoot the poor brute" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Nipper 

Best Line: "If Kerry's a sample of my past life, I can't wait to start remembering it again!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: