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: