Tiger 21st June 1975

I have been reading a lot of very good blogs recently and this has left me feeling blue. I want this blog to be better than it is, and it could be if only I had more time. I am always rushing to get the net blog post with the only thought in my head that the most important thing is to post regularly. Another hour to brush up on the post and sprinkle my writer's fairy dust over it just doesn't exist at the moment. I am aware of my limitations, and I strive to be better, but as we know perfection is the enemy of progress. All I can do for now is keep pushing forward and hoping that one day my lotto ticket is a winning one and I can dedicate much more time to this passion of mine.    

Tiger

21st June 1975

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy may be dropped from the school cricket team, but they have managed to get a game with the local village team. Unbeknownst to the two boys, the village team's opponents are the school team.

It is a motley cast of characters who take the field for the village team, led by their captain, the Colonel, who Jimmy rightly remarks looks like he came out of a museum. 

Over the page, the boys are immediately found out by their Sportsmaster Mister Renton. Punishments are promised, but first, there is the small matter of the cricket match.

The Colonial is a strong leader, but not a good cricketer. He opens the bowling and is immediately dispatched to the boundary by the batter. The Colonel issues fielding changes, but ignoring his advice Billy moves along the boundary and is immediately awarded with a catch. 

This brings Mister Renton to the wicket, and he puts the village team to the sword, scoring a quick-fire hundred while dispatching the ball to all corners of the field. The Colonel has run out of ideas until someone suggests Billy have a bowl. This pays dividends, with Billy's Boots taking him for a long run-up before bowling a lightning-fast delivery that has Mister Renton out. Two balls later Billy has another wicket and suddenly the game looks very different. 

Wickets continue to tumble, and the school team are out for 143. The Colonel tells the village team that he'll open the batting, and the rest of them might not get a bat. Billy and Jimmy are coming in at four and five in the batting order, and they are required sooner than expected with three wickets falling before a run is scored, The story ends with Jimmy walking to the middle while Billy hastily puts on his pads. 

I have been slow to grasp onto these cricket stories, but this one was a humdinger and I am revitalized. A large part of that is due to the cast of characters presented by the village team. In particular, I was quite taken by the Colonel. His old-fashioned manner added humour, and the way he took himself too seriously was a dish that any young boy would lap up. We all know older gentlemen such as this, and to see them quietly deflated on the page appealed to my ego as my sense of right and wrong. Mister Renton the sports master also had his time in the sun, and seeing him perform great deeds with the bat helped round out his character, and with his sporting pedigree, we are beginning to see why he would be a sportsmaster. With other characters taking centre stage Billy came across as far more likeable than usual, and I felt sympathy for him and Jimmy Dawson as they first try and win the game before once again facing the wrath of Mister Renton. All this was finessed by some wonderful artwork, giving us a diverse cast of characters and a range of personalities on the page. The artwork added depth and warmth to the story, and I would happily take the front cover to be framed on my wall at home - with my wife's permission of course! 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I'm out...bowled first ball. I didn't even see it. I had a fly in my eye. Dashed bad luck!"

Skid Solo

Last week Tommy Carter was sacked by Sandy, so I am most surprised to see Tommy in the pit and talking to Skid at the beginning of this week's comic. 

Skid hands Tommy his medal back after Tommy threw it away last week and tells him that while Sandy is at the hotel nursing his leg, Tommy can help out as his mechanic.

It's a fine plan until Sandy suddenly appears at the track and Tommy is forced into a quick disguise using a nearby hat and glasses. It may hide his identity. but it does nothing for his vision as he makes a series of mistakes due to his inability to see. 

On the back of these mishaps, Skid finishes fifth, while Sandy fires the incognito Tommy. telling him the previous mechanic, Tommy, was much better.

The strip ends with Sandy telling Skid that they should rehire Tommy, and he was much better than the mechanic they just used, and Skid readily agrees. 

A nice finish to last week's story and it was the rounded gentle finish that I like to see and that Skid Solo delivered so often. Tommy is paying for his indiscretion last week, and we the readers are the benefactors of a light story that plays to both the heart and the funny bone. The art conveyed the ridiculousness of the situation, and the panels of Tommy's disguise were particularly amusing - especially when he was wearing the glasses. The writing was just a tongue in cheek, and the non de plume that Tommy came up with on the spot amused me far more than it had any right to. 'Arry Adams indeed, a name worthy of a Skid Solo character. Aside from the humour, there were moments of pathos, especially when Tommy was fired for a second time. It was surprisingly moving (I haven't been drinking, I promise) and a touching moment as Sandy told him that Tommy Carter was far more worthy. It looks like we will have more of the same next week, fingers crossed, and if it is as good as this issue I shall be most happy.    

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Two years? Ye've learned nothing! I had a young lad working here...Tommy Carter, who'd only been a mechanic a few months...and he was twice as efficient as ye are! Get the pit signal board ready!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

We are drawing near the end of the Scandinavian Rally, with the two leading cars side by side and heading towards a gap in the fence that is only big enough for one. Both cars decide that discretion is the better part of valour, and at the last second, both swerve away in opposite directions.

The Ravianian car is the fastest to recover and shoot the gap, so to speak.  Trailing behind, Tint and Martin find themselves driving through the gardens of a stately manor. More trouble is afoot as they find a bar blocking their access to the next part of the course, but a quick shortcut (including driving through a lake) and they are hurtling past the Ravianian car towards the finish line. 

They cross the finish line first, winning the rally much to the chagrin of Mister Vedgic and his Ravianian team. Remembering that Mister Vedgic beat them a sum of money should they win the rally they seek him out, but he has already fled the scene and is making for the airport, 

Tiny and Martin are quickly after him, and after a wrong turn they find themselves on the runway at the airport, with a big jet rapidly bearing down on them. 

The final panel of the story lingers in my mind long after I put down the comic, and I am surprised that a small panel at the bottom of the page can carry so much drama. In another comic in another era, this would be a full double-page splash, but on the pages of Tiger it is understated and gets no more attention or space than any other panel on the page. The story itself wrapped up quickly this week and was almost a letdown after what had come before. To be fair though, I always say that after every story, and I don't know why I expect every story to go out with a bang. Realistically the only way to finish the rally was with the boys winning and being presented a trophy, to expect anything more would be foolish on my part. The Scandinavian adventure is almost over, although I never really felt like we were in Scandinavia, and it was the friendship between Martin and Tiny was the real landscape of the story. It is inspiring to see such a friendship on the page, and after finishing today's issue I felt a sudden urge to go and pick up my best friend and head off on an adventure ourselves.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Deserving something never got anyone anywhere! What we've got to do is catch the guy in front and beat him!" 

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar has accepted Golden Boy's challenge and will now face him in three rounds of boxing followed by three rounds of wrestling. 

No Rocky-type montage, but we do see Johnny taking on extra training and sparring in the boxing gym as he prepares for the bout. 

The day of the fight arrives, and with Roy Race and Skid Solo in the crowd you know it's a big event.

In front of this stellar audience, Johnny awaits his opponent and the Golden Boy makes an entrance worthy of the occasion, arriving in a small aeroplane suspended by robes. In the ring, he is just as eye-catching, and all the early action consists of Golden Boy pummeling Johnny with heavy blows. The strip ends as Johnny takes another fist to the face and the audience wonders how much longer he can hold out against an obviously superior fighter. 

This was a well-paced story and built up nicely from the opening training session to the final confrontation between Johnny and Golden Boy in the ring. It was slightly jarring to see Roy Race and Skid Solo in the crowd, and this briefly took me out of the story. Both were close approximations to the characters I know and love, but not quite close enough for me to believe that they were part of the story. I always expect a lot in the artwork of Johnny Cougar, and on that front this week was a disappointment. The fighting between Johnny and the Golden Boy didn't look as bone-crunching as you might expect and although we saw the two exchanging blows, both looked like they were pulling punches - in the artwork at least. Similarly, the faces of the characters in the build-up weren't as strong as usual. I find the story is often carried in the faces of the characters in the artwork, but his week wasn't the case as neither Johnny nor the Golden Boy looked particularly intense in the build-up to the fight. Maybe I am a cup of tea short of properly enjoying it this week, everything seemed off half a step and I'm not sure if it's me or the comic. Perhaps I'll have a piece of chocolate and a cup of tea and try again. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "What a rough fellow you are, and no mistake! Get your gloves on and let's get started!"

Nipper

Nipper has caused a scene at the cricket, his reckless call to encourage his captain is a distraction that sees the captain dismissed for a duck. 

The new batter looks extremely nervous and Nipper is desperate to make amends. Taking the strike as much as he can. Nipper hits out and is soon swiftly scoring. His partner is encouraged by this and plays with more confidence. A page later they have a 100-run partnership and the spectators are flocking to watch. 

At this moment Mike Bateson arrives and is horrified to see Nipper doing so well. So too is an unseen observer in the pavilion who swears to get Nipper and Mike out of the club.

This story is progressing much faster than I anticipated, and I feel caught up in the action this week as Nipper fought fire with fire. Seeing him encourage a weaker teammate was the crux of the story, and despite the off-field shenanigans, it is what is going on out in the middle that really counts.  The artwork caught all this action superbly and we had a variety of compelling images showing us Nipper in various action poses. Swinging lustily with the bat, diving to save a runout, and shouting instructions, all propelled the story forward and gave us some real momentum. This is the second cricket story this week, and like Billy's Boots earlier it has proved to be a hit at my house. Who knew a cricket story in a comic could be so much fun? I can only hope it keeps up with this frenetic pace.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "After a performance like this, they'll be playing for the first eleven next week!"

Roy Of The Rovers

The final of the European Cup Winners Cup is proving to be a tight affair with both team's tactics cancelling each other out. However, Roy has a plan and substitutes Lofty Peak in defence for another attacking player.

It seems madness, and the other players let Roy know. He is unruffled and tells them it is all part of a bigger plan. 

With Lofty off the pitch, the Greek team Niarkos, becomes more adventurous, with their right back pushing forward to attack. They almost score, and it is only the reflexes of Charlie Carter, "the Cat" that saves the day. 

He follows his save with a mighty kick upfield. Roy is heavily marked and kicks the ball over his head to where his new player is waiting on the wing. With plenty of space, this player makes for the goal as fast as he can. His shot is parried by the keeper, only for Roy to smash it home for a one-nil lead. 

With this goal, Rovers are in the ascendance, and as Niarko's defence begins to wilt, Rovers find the back of the net again in the final minutes. 

The cup is won, and as Rovers parage the trophy around the ground, Roy muses that he might make a go of this player-manager role. 

Oddly enough, winning the Europen Cup Winners Cup isn't the big deal I thought it may have been. There is no protracted presentation, and even once they have the cup we only see one panel of Melchester Rovers with it. Furthermore, Roy isn't even thinking about the cup he has just won, instead pondering on his future as player-manager. The game itself wasn't as intense as it could have been and overall it felt like a foregone conclusion once Roy's tactics were revealed. The drama of the cup wasin the built-up to this final, and as such this issue was deflated in the face of all that has come before. Good but not great football action and a result that was never in doubt made for a solid issue that never burst at the seams as much as I wished for. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You crafty perisher, Roy! You wanted Niarkos to attack, so that it would open up the game!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish has won two contests already and only has to win the caber tossing to be proclaimed champion of the islands. 

As Hamish's Daddie watches Hamish train it is clear that caber tossing is not Hamish's sport, and this is borne out on the day of the competition as Hamish is handily beaten by Big John.

There's still a chance for Hamish as they approach the final sport of the competition which is Golf. Big John takes the first swing and sends the ball directly down the fairway. Hamish isn't quite as good, and his skews off out to sea. There is a brief subterfuge at this point by Hamish's Daddie who points down the fairway while telling all that will listen that Hamish's ball is straight and lies up ahead. 

He keeps up this falsehood all the way to the green. Here his lies fall apart, for as he slips a ball from beneath his kilt onto the green he is seen by Big John, who promptly knocks Daddie over with a fearsome blow of his golf club. 

I think we all know what's going to happen next, and the inevitable comes to pass as Hamish snatches Big Johns Club and snaps it half before the two men face off in a tense last panel. 

Once again Hamish's Daddie is a scene stealer and the best moments of the strip belonged to him. Hamish is very much a big dumb oaf this week, and it was his Daddie that propelled the action. It was an amusing read, and I couldn't help but grin at the action on the page. However, I prefer to see Hamish on the football pitch, and as much as I laughed at this, I would have liked it to be more football-orientated. Still Hamish's Daddie is a treasure, and if had a similar role in a football story I would be over the moon. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Ye dirty, cheating, twisting, two-timing old fool! I saw ye do it...ye dropped it from under yer kilt!" 

Tallon Of The Track

Jo is in search of new riders, and as she cruises the roads a whole heap of trouble is rapidly coming her way. 

A group of troublemakers on bikes see her from a distance and decide that chicks shouldn't be riding around these parts on motorcycles.

They try to drive Jo off the road, but Jo is every bit their equal, and then some, and outrides all of them. Only the leader of the gang, Buster Green, has the skills to keep up with her and she is impressed when he manages to follow her across country. 

She is just thinking that this may be the solution to her problems with Buster showing he has some talent, but she has little time to reflect upon this as the story comes to an end with the other riders appearing and trapping her in the field.

This story felt like it was by the numbers, and it played to several tropes we have already seen in Tallon Of The Track. The casual sexism of the other riders was a low-hanging fruit to be picked by the storyteller, as was the way that Buster Green seemed to be the answer to Jo's problems. This familiar storyline was lifted by the artwork, and like last week the best moments were the close-ups of the riders chasing Jo. This story is now well-signposted for what comes next, and I only hope the finale comes soon so we can move on to something more nuanced. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "No chick is going to make my gang look stupid! I'll show her!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Billy's Boots

Best Line: "Don't tell me what to do...you insolent 'keeper! I was playing cricket before you were born!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 14th June 1975

I have just realized that we are in the final weeks of the football season. On the one hand, I'm sad that I won't be able to waste away my weekend drinking beer and watching the games, although on a positive note, that will free up my time and allow me to read my comics at a more leisurely and considered pace. And with no football on the TV, my entire football fix is going to be satiated by Tiger comic. It is a shame then that all these stories are currently beginning their run through the cricket season and football is taking a back seat in many of the stories. Still, Roy of the Rovers and Rovers playing in the Cup Winner Cup should give me a goal or two and a chance to yell encouragement from the sideline, even if I am 50 years too late and sitting on my couch.  

Tiger

14th June 1975

Johnny Cougar

A new challenge for Johnny Cougar this week, and we learn of this new adventure on the front over the same time as Johnny does. 

Johnny is still at the school where we left him last week when an old bi-plane appears in the sky. Behind this plane trails a banner offering a new challenge to Johnny Cougar, Johnny and the watching school boys are curious as to what is behind this, and we find out soon enough as the bi-plane swoops low a flurry of leaflets falls from the aircraft. These leaflets are a challenge to Johnny Cougar from the Golden Boy, a challenge of three rounds of boxing followed by three rounds of wrestling. 

There is little time for Cougar to consider this before the plane lands, and the Golden Boy quickly makes his way to Cougar to make this challenge in person. 

With a nearby camera recording the events, Johnny Cougar is put on the spot and we all wait to see if he accepts the Golden Boy's provocation.

A new challenge for Johnny Cougar this week, and we learn of this new adventure on the front over the same time as Johnny does. 

Johnny is still at the school where we left him last week when an old bi-plane appears in the sky. Behind this plane trails a banner offering a new challenge to Johnny Cougar, Johnny and the watching school boys are curious as to what is behind this, and we find out soon enough as the bi-plane swoops low a flurry of leaflets falls from the aircraft. These leaflets are a challenge to Johnny Cougar from the Golden Boy, a challenge of three rounds of boxing followed by three rounds of wrestling. 

There is little time for Cougar to consider this before the plane lands, and the Golden Boy quickly makes his way to Cougar to make this challenge in person. 

With a nearby camera recording the events, Johnny Cougar is put on the spot and we all wait to see if he accepts the Golden Boy's provocation.

Having the plane deliver the message from the Golden Boy was a good way to start this story, and the images on the front cover were more than enough to arouse my interest. I presume Golden Boy previously appeared before I started my current read-through, and my first impression of him is positive. He looks good on the page and has all the arrogance of a good Johnny Cougar villain. With his golden locks, he stands out, as highlighted by his arrival by plane. He is certainly a bold figure early on, and with his challenge including boxing, he brings another angle to the strip. A slow start, but a positive one, and all bodes well for the upcoming issues.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "No foolishness, Johnny Cougar...many years ago, you beat me in the wrestling ring...now I challenge you to a real contest...to find the true champion!"

Roy Of The Rovers

It's the final of the Cup Winner Cup and the mighty Melchester Rovers are taking on the minnows of the competition Niarkos. Although Rovers know little of how Niarkos will play, Roy has done some pre-match research - speaking with the Niarkos fans about the various strengths of their team. 

He has done a good job, and the early Niarkos attacks are blunted by the counter moves Roy puts in place. There are also some attacking opportunities for the Rovers, although Roy's first shot that looks like it will be a certain goal is cleared from the line by a Niarkos player covering the keeper. 

This was one aspect of Niarkos' play that Roy was unaware of, and the two teams cancel each other out for the next few minutes. However, Roy has a plan, and soon after he replaces Lofty Peak with a forward, a move the rest of the team question as it makes no sense to replace one of their best defenders with a striker.

I'm not sure what Roy is playing at here, which means I'm itching to pick up the next issue and see what's going to happen. The unpredictable is what keeps the strip interesting, and if Roy were to win the game every week with a hat-trick I would soon become bored and interested. That is what makes stories like this shine for me, and my mind is working as much as my eyes as I read the strip. I still haven't sussed out what Roy's plan is, and as tempted as I am to pick up the next issue and find out, I will have to wait a week to see it all unfold. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "That's the strength of Niarkos! They're so fast, they can afford to pull a man out of the game to take on a special task, and rely on their speed to fill the gap!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

After losing an hour on the timed sections of the Scandinavian rally, Tiny and Martin make up time with a shortcut during the speed section. 

Careening down a narrow alley, they are bounced down a series of steps before they find themselves back on some smooth road and surprisingly just behind the race leaders. 

The cars in front have no intent of letting the boys pass, and Martin is following them so closely that he misses the next turn-off in the rally. Another shortcut across the grass, and bursting through a hedge, they are back on the tail of the leaders with only four laps of the track ahead of them 

Some aggressive driving from Martin has them snatching the lead, and at the end of the stage, they are only one minute behind. Going to bed that night, there is only one stage left in the rally - the cross country.

This would normally be a strength for the pair but heavy rain overnight has Tiny worried that it will be a mud bath the following day. However, they start the stage well and are wheel-to-wheel with the leaders as they reach the downhill section of the course. Speeding toward a gap in a fence, there is only room for one car at a time and we have a cliffhanger of who will get there first.  

We saw a similar cliffhanger in Tallon Of The Track just a month ago, and with that in mind, some of the air is let out of the balloon with this final panel. It's only a minor irritation in what was otherwise another brilliant entry for Martin's Marvellous Mini. It was superb car action throughout the strip, starting with Tiny and Martin pushing to get past the other team, and ending with the cross-country race. I was pleased to see a brief pause in the action to see Tiny and Martin spending time at the hotel talking about the nest day. Any regular reader of this blog will know that I love these little interactions between the two of them, usually involving a cup of tea. No cup of tea this time, but still just as homely as they discuss the state of play. Next week I know the race for the gap in the fence will be quickly resolved and we can move on to greater challenges for the two boys, and their marvellous mini. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Not another short cut!"

Tallon Of The Track

A thrill-packed new speedway story this week, and we are off in grand style as the first panel shows a speedway race getting underway. 

Jo is watching on, and she is far from happy with what she sees. She has her reserve riders taking part in the race with the riders needing to step up in the face of a growing injury list. 

Bill Ritchie is the fastest of the reserves, but he still has much to learn. Jo is taking note and  Bill Ritchie is showing his inexperience from the start with a poor takeoff followed by some reckless riding on the track. 

Later Jo informs him that he just isn't good enough for the team and she and Dave decide to go out and scout some new riders. While Jo sends Dave off to a grass track meeting at Embleton, she heads toward Risely Way. We close out this week's issue with a group of riders seeing Jo ahead of them and threatening to run her off the road. 

A slow start to this story, but it got us to where we needed to go. We are now poised to see some real action next week, and I have a sneaky suspicion that this group of riders promising trouble to Jo may prove to be the solution to her problem. I'm getting ahead of myself, and looking closely at this weels issue, it is again the artwork that is the main draw. The new bunch of riders approaching Jo look suitably dangerous, with the little details in their clothing giving us clues to what type of characters they are. It's early days, but I like this story already and I think I'll be warming to it much more in the coming weeks. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Pull over, Bill! We're partners -- not on opposite sides."

Skid Solo

Tommy Carter has only been in with Skid Solo a couple of months, and already he has a bevy of beauties swarming around him. The young ladies are fascinated by the medal he earned for his bravery in the previous issue, and Tommy fields several questions about it, along with an invitation to a party that night. 

Leaving his fans for a minute, Tommy returns to Sandy and Skid who are preparing the car for a practice. Sandy asks Tommy if he has made all the checks of the car as he was asked, and Tommy assures him that he has. However, once on the track Skid encounters trouble with steam coming out of the engine. In the pits, Sandy pulls the engine apart and finds that Tommy has not tightened all the cooling system connections correctly. 

Tommy admits that it has slipped his mind, and Sandy lets him know how disappointed he is about this. Tommy is given a chance to redeem himself when Sandy tells him he has to leave and Tommy offers to stay and fix the car. 

As Tommy works late into the night he is interrupted by the girls from earlier in the strip, offering to take him to the party. Tommy can't resist and is soon dancing up a storm at the party. Unfortunately, when he gets back to the car he finds that someone has already fixed it and Sandy appears and tells him that he took it upon himself to fix it. Sandy tells him that he's sacked - Skid needs someone he can rely upon and that's obviously not Tommy. 

The following morning, Tommy takes one last look at the pits. With his medal in his hand, he considers that it is the medal that has caused all his problems and he tosses it aside before leaving. 

Skid and Sandy arrive and Skid finds the medal. Sandy explains that he has fired Tommy, and is surprised when Skid unexpectedly stands up for Tommy. The strip ends as Sandy tells Skid that he will quit if he calls Tommy back. 

Not much motor racing, but a brilliant Skid Solo strip. Again, all the action is driven by Tommy Carter, and he is your typical teenage boy throughout the story here. It was very relatable and the situation he was in was familiar with his friends luring him away from his work. Skid is the level-headed one of the situation, although I recognized Sandy's point of view. Sandy sounded just like my father, while Skid came across as a kindly uncle. The Skid Solo stories have gone up a notch since the arrival of Tommy Carter, and this is perhaps the best one we have had since he first appeared. The best thing is, this story is far from over, and we still have to check back next week to see the outcome of Sandy rashly firing Tommy.  

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "I said I fired him, Skid! Ye call him back now...and I go! I told ye...he's no' to be trusted!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Hot Shot Hamish is about to take on Big John in a boxing match, and in preparation, he is fighting against wee Horace. Hamish is a peaceful man and tells his Daddie that he can't hurt anyone as he dances around Horace. Hamish's plan is to avoid being hit by Big John and hoping to exhaust him. 

As Hamish arrives in the ring for his big fight he is handed a telegram that tells him that he's wanted for a big match and to be at the harbour at 8 o'clock - a mere two minutes away.

Hamish is determined to make it to this big match and strikes Big John with two fearsome punches that lay John out on the floor. Quickly leaving the ring, Hamish runs to the harbour. Here the final scene plays out as he finds his Daddie there waiting for him. Hamish's Daddie has tricked him into quickly wrapping up the fight, and when Hamish asks where is the big match, his Daddie hands him a giant match. 

The last thing we see in the strip is Hamish chasing his Daddie and striking him over the head with the match. 

This week's story was all humour, and the peaked with the visual gag of Hamish's Daddie and his giant match. I may have smiled earlier in the strip, but this image made me laugh out loud. We still have a caber tossing competition ahead of us, and no doubt this will be just as humorous. Any time Hamish's Daddie is in the comic, the humour side of the stories is emphasised, and this is a fine example of the humour Hamish and his Daddie generate together. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Och, someone had to give the stupid great lump of haggis something to fight for! Did ye no' see how he bashed Big John? It was a treat to watch!"

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy are in trouble after being caught playing football during a break in their school's cricket match. Quickly called back into action, Billy opens the bowling, and his first two balls have him treading deeper water as they go astray. 

However, he comes right by the end of the over and manages to get a wicket with his final ball. At the other end, the spin bowling of Fatty Ramsbottom is proving to be a game-changer, and while Billy ties up his end, it is Fatty who claims the bulk of the wickets, 

Groundwood wins the game, but Billy and Jimmy still have to face the repercussions of their actions between innings. The pair are dropped for the next game, and they practice by themselves at home in the days leading up to the game. This practice causes some damage to Billy's Gran's sheets, and when they take them in to be repaired they are offered a chance to play cricket for the Groundwood Village team on the weekend. The pair are very happy with this outcome, although they are unaware that the team they will be playing against is their very own school team.  

Trouble ahead for the boys, it was a good way of upping the ante after the trouble they had already found themselves in. I can't see this ending well, and after a fine start to the cricket season, it seems Billy and Jimmy may be on a downward spiral for the next few weeks. The simple homely feeling of the comic was the most appealing part for me, and seeing the two boys playing cricket in the yard with Gran's sheet was a low-key highlight for me. With its familiar setting and the usual school drama, Billy's Boots again appeals to the young boy within me and will always be readable, even if it doesn't reach the same heights as previous issues.  

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "It's ripped a great hole in your Gran's sheet! Can you sew it up? Do it neatly...and perhaps she won't notice!"

Nipper 

Nipper is playing for the Grove Lane cricket team, where the captain has put Nipper down last on the batting order. Nipper isn't going to let this slide by, and while the skipper is batting, Nipper takes it upon himself to rewrite the list - with Nipper coming in next.

When his time comes, Nipper strides confidently to the pitch, ready to swing his bat. The ball comes faster than expected, and after missing the first ball, Nipper manages a flukey shot off the second before an aggressive strike at the third goes for four.

The local factory side they are playing against recognises Nipper, and between overs, they tell him that Grove Lane is useless and everyone looks forward to giving them a thrashing. This plays into Nipper's competitive spirit and as his partner prepares to face the next ball, Nipper yells encouragement - spoiling his teammate's concentration and resulting in him being bowled. 

This week the story meandered a little. Nipper injected himself into the cricketing action, but by the time the strip ended, he had only faced three balls. The story is still in its early stages, and we are still in first gear. There wasn't much that caught my eye in the artwork, and I didn't feel myself involved with anything happening on the page. Maybe cricketing Nipper isn't for me, I still have hopes, but for now, I preferred it when he was playing football. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "No he isn't...he's number eleven! Take a look at the batting order if you don't believe me!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Skid Solo

Best Line: "It's cost me my job...everything. I've let my friends down. I---I wish I'd never seen the medal..." 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 7th June 1975

The leaves are turning brown here and the days getting shorter, while on the pages of Tiger in 1975 we are entering summer and the cricket season. With Nipper donning the whites and Billy Dane pulling on Dead-shot Keen's cricket boots we are nicely working towards several months of summer sports, and although I love football I am quite looking forward to it. We also have Tallon Of Track wrapping up her adventures against Miles Guthrie with a suitable climax. A new adventure for Jo next week, and I wonder where could possibly go from here. Time will tell, but for now, I am deeply immersed in this issue and all the drama within.  

Tiger

7th June 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

Rover's opponents in the Cup Winner Cup final hinge on the outcome of the game between Niarkos and Atletico. Roy has prepared his team to face Atletico, but they are on the verge of losing to tiny Niarkos. With Atletico awarded a last-minute penalty, all Roy can do is watch on and hope they score. 

The penalty misses, and Niarkos are through. This is a disaster for Roy, leaving his preparations in disarray. Scrambling to find information on Niarkos, he speaks to some of the English managers who played against them earlier in the season, but none can provide any information. It's the same story with the sports writers Roy turns to, they haven't bothered to research the team and they too know very little about them.

Arriving at Hampden Park for the final, Rovers find crowds of Niarko fans have made the journey to see their team. This gives Roy an idea, and he engages the chanting fans, fishing for information about what makes Niarkos so special.

Half an hour later, Roy runs into the dressing room and tells all he has learnt. If this will be enough, we will have to wait until next week to find out as the strip ends with the teams running onto the field. 

If Rovers lose this it may cost Roy his job, and deservedly so say I based on his poor decisions in the build-up to the game. The look on Roy's face while he watched the drama of the semi-final playing out said it all, and it gave the reader a good sense of his despair. Always positive though, Roy may have gotten out of jail with the final panels and his on-the-spot research, and this is enough of a hook to leave me feeling relatively satisfied with the story. Little football action is made up for by some fantastic artwork, especially the character's faces which carrier the drama. Great to look at, and even if I didn't care for the latter part of the story, there was still enough there for me to care about the characters.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "From the noise you're making, you chaps sound pretty confident! But what's so special about Niarkos?"

Skid Solo

An eye-catching start to Skid Solo with an upside-down car flying towards the pits in a spectacular crash. 

Apart from the car in midair, the other thing in the panel that catches my eye is Sandy wearing a Tam o’ Shanter, and both these images will play a big part in the story to come.

The car crashes into the pits. Tommy heroically pulls the driver from the fiery wreck, while Sandy is injured by some of the wreckage. 

Sandy knows that if Skid senses something is wrong he will pull into the pits. Putting a brave face, Sandy grimly stands at the rail with the sign for Skid, telling him everything is OK. 

Shortly after Skid sees the sign, Sandy collapses and is taken to hospital. Tommy, not wanting to upset Skid on the track, steps up to the role. Donning Sandy's  Tam o’ Shanter, he keeps Skid informed of his race position, while keeping his face hidden behind the board and only showing Sandy's cap.

This ruse works, and Skid speeds to victory, unaware of all the drama behind the scenes. After taking the checkered flag Skid pulls into the pits where he learns what has happened to Sandy. 

A quick dash to the hospital and we have a happy conclusion. Skid has won the race, Sandy is in a cast but otherwise OK, and Tommy is awarded a medal for bravery.

A solid story from start to finish, and I knew this would be a good one from the first panel. I was wondering why Sandy was wearing a  Tam o’ Shanter, it was quite noticeable, and it played a strong part in the story. Tommy has had quite an introduction to the world of Skid Solo, and although he's only been with us a few months, he has already been the hero of the piece several times. This was an unusual story. Skid won the race, and there was a spectacular crash, but for all that most of the drama took place off the track and centred on Sandy and Tommy. The story was richer for this, and although I am a big fan of the cars on the track, it was again the comradery between the three main characters that kept me reading closely. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "Sandy's in hospital. Skid...he was hurt in that crash. I--I kept it from you. Sandy wanted it that way..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Although in fourth place behind three Ravnian cars, Tiny and Martin are making up for lost time in the Scandinavian rally, and already have the Ravnian team in sight.

The third of the Ravnian cars tries to block them from passing, but some off-track driving by Martin has the mini moving into third place, although not without a cost. As the car swerves back onto the track it hits a glass bottle, puncturing a tyre. 

The puncture is slow, and it's not until Tiny and Martin reach a village that it really comes into play. The tyre bursts, and the pair crash into a vegetable stall. Luckily no one is hurt, and with the help of one of the large local chaps, they soon have the tyre changed and are pointed in the direction of a shortcut. We finish with the boys driving down this shortcut, worried that the drop is very steep and wondering if this was a good idea. 

Superb action, and seeing the mini get by one of the Ravnian team was a highlight for the story and in the artwork. Their chief nemesis Mister Vedgic only played a small role this week, and most of the action revolved around the car racing. On this front, it delivered in spades, and the artwork was excellent in capturing all the action. We had a good mix of intensity and out-and-out action, perhaps best captured when the mini sideswiped the vegetable stand. The look of Tiny and Martin's faces spoke volumes, while the flying vegetables were visually stimulating and added to the vibrancy of the strip. I often comment on the artwork of Martin's marvellous Mini, and this particular story was a good example of why I hold it in such high regard, 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "It is a little bit downhill..yes? But it goes up again in the end! It is a very quick way!"

Johnny Cougar

It looked like this Johnny Cougar story was almost done, with the kidnappers caught and Mister Mitchell free. However, a surprise twist in the last issue has revealed that Mister Mitchell is also one of the villains, and now Johnny must catch him too. 

Using his tracking ability, Johnny pursues Mitchell through the woods. Mitchell catches him off guard, jumping out of one of the trees and hitting Johnny with a double-footed kick.

From here it becomes a typical Johny Cougar fight, and after a page of back and forth, Johnny wins with his patented forearm smash.

All that remains is for the final wrap-up as Johnny returns to the school and tells the three boys who asked for his help all that has happened. They are surprised but upbeat as we finish the story of the three watching Johnny win by knockout in a wrestling match. 

There wasn't much to this story, and although there was some crunching fighting action, it was a downbeat finish. Still, I rated it highly on the look of the strip alone and found it an enjoyable read without becoming overly exciting or challenging. I always have such high expectations for Johnny Cougar, and sometimes I forget that even when it doesn't achieve its high standard, it is still better than most. This is one of those occasions. It only suffers in comparison to itself, and any other day this would be rated highly. A new adventure next week gives us a fresh start, and with this story running an issue too long for liking, I look forward to seeing what fresh challenge Johnny faces next.     

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Broken twig show man go this way. Grass still bent over...Mitchell only just ahead..." 

Hot Shot Hamish 

Hamish has returned to his home island where he has entered the island games - competing against a stranger known as Big John. The rivalry is intense from the start as Big John throws Hamish's Daddie into the sea. 

Hamish has revenge on his mind as the games begin. The games consist of four events - cross-country running, caber-tossing, boxing and golf. The first event is the cross-country run, and as the race begins it's all between Hamish and Big John, none of the other competitors has a chance. 

Hamish's Daddie takes to a bike to act as a pacemaker, and soon Hamish is far ahead of the pack. Coming over the hill they see that Boig John also has a pacemaker, although in this case, Big John is riding on the back of the bike. 

Fighting fire with fire, Hamish jumps on the back of his Daddies bike and soon the pair are zooming downhill in an attempt to catch up. 

Coming around a bend, they find that Big John has blocked the road with a boulder, and taking evasive action Hamish and his Dadiie swerve off the cliff and into the sea. However, this plays in their favour as they come ashore and take a shortcut along the beach, arriving at the finish line far ahead of Big John. 

Big John furiously shakes his fist at Hamish as he crosses the line, promising to tear Hamish to pieces in the boxing match the next day. 

Not a football in sight, but highly enjoyable from start to finish., Plenty of humour on display here and none of it was silly or over the top. It was all part of the story being spun and gave the characters some depth as they competed in the race. I didn't expect a run to deliver as much excitement as it did, and we were treated to some impressive panels as Hamish and his Daddie took to the bike and around the cliff edges. The art has returned to its previous heights after a quiet couple of weeks, and although the previous football story wasn't as rich as I thought it could be, this one is more than making up for it. Next week's boxing match has the potential to be even better and I can't wait. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "Hey, Daddie - Big John's having a lift on the mon's bike!"

Nipper

Nipper has started his new part-time job as a dealer and discovered a case of coins accidentally given to him at his first call. Nipper is honest, and thinking of the trouble the poor maid would be in for giving him the coins, returns them to the wealthy owner, Sir Henry Gifford. 

Sir Henry is most grateful to Nipper for returning them and asks if there is anything he can do to show his appreciation. At first, Nipper says no, but then he recognises that Sir Henry is the honorary secretary of the Grove cricket club, where he was denied a trial last week. 

He has Sir Henry pull a few strings, and come Wednesday Nipper is on the team sheet. The team are surprised when Nipper appears from Sir Henry's car, and aghast at what has happened. 

Nipper looks scruffy and plays with a taped-up bat, a look the team doesn't approve of. Sir Henry may have requested that Nipper be put on the team sheet, but the team still finds a way to deal with this unwanted interloper, and Nipper is disappointed to see his name last on the batting order. 

A very nice surprise here to find the gold coins storyline intersecting with the cricket storyline. I really thought Nipper was going to be falsely accused of stealing the coins, so I was most pleased to see the story swing the other way and Nipper find a way into the team. This is shaping up to be a fish-out-of-water storyline and Nipper will only fit in by proving his worth on the field. That looks difficult from this position, and next week should give the story plenty of time to show Nipper at his sporting best. There is still plenty of friction between all involved to be had, and with a mix of sporting action and conflict within the team, the story is shaping up nicely to carry us for the next few weeks. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Great scott, lad, the Gifford collection is worth thousands! What can I do to show my appreciation?" 

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy are opening the batting in their second school game, and with an expert bowler steaming in Jimmy tells Billy that he will shield him from the strike. 

Scoring in twos and fours, with a single at the end of the overs, Jimmy is doing a good job of hogging the strike, although Billy is frustrated as half an hour passes before he faces a ball. 

Jimmy needn't have bothered protecting Billy as Billy is in fine form - scoring a quickfire eighteen runs off the fast bowler. He isn't as good against a spin bowler though, and is out first ball when the new bowler takes over. 

While his Groundwood team continues their innings, Billy and Jimmy find a football game taking place just over the wall from the cricket pitch. The pair can't help themselves and are soon involved in the game. Billy is surprised to find himself playing well without his old boots, and he and Jimmy earn the respect of the guys they are playing with. So much so, that one of the players tells them to talk to their manager as he is always looking for new talent for the youth side. 

All this goodwill is punctured by the furious sportsmaster who appears at the top of the wall. He angrily tells Billy and Jimmy that the team are all out, and they are waiting for the two of them so they can start fielding. 

Another great episode of Billy's Boots, and having both football and cricket in the same issue appealed to the sporting side of me. Billy playing football well without his boots was surprising and added some intrigue to a straightforward story. He played well in both sports this week, and we had a nice balance as his Achilles heel against the spin bowler was revealed. The sports looked clean on the page, and my eye raced across the panels featuring sporting action. As good as that was, it was the angry sportsmaster that stole the show for me. As I read the final panel I was right in the moment with Billy and Jimmy, it was a familiar page from my own history, and instantly relatable even forty years later. A splendid way to end the strip, and I can still hear the sportsmaster's voice ringing in my ears as I turn the page to Tallon Of The Track. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I think you ought to get back on the cricket field! Groundwood are all out, you know...and we're waiting for you two to start fielding!" 

Tallon Of The Track

Jo and Dave are in the midst of a cross-country race when their bike has let them down with a broken front wheel. Fortuitously they have found an old bike in a shed, and using it for parts Dave makes a running repair. 

With ten miles to go, they are back in the race and as they belt down the track they can see Miles Guthrie and his co-rider taking a rest.

Jo and Dave roar past, and although Guthrie gets back on the bike Jo already has a handy lead on him. However, there is one final twist as they approach the finish line. The front tyre gives out, and Jo and Dave desperately push their bike toward the finish line. They just make it, and they beat Guthrie by a whisker. 

Guthrie is impressed by Jo's never-give-up attitude. He proves to be a man of his word, and conceding defeat he agrees not to sell the Ospreys Speedway stadium. Furthermore, he offers his full support to the club. The story ends with all of them back at the speedway track, with Miles Guthrie taking the club chairman, Basil Oldfield, aside to explain all that has happened.

The last page of the story was anti-climatic, although I immensely enjoyed all that came before that. I was expecting perhaps one or two more twists in the race and perhaps another week's worth of racing. Alas, it wasn't to be and we ended with the bike being pushed across the line. It was dramatic, just not as dramatic as it could have been. Another few panels showing the struggles with the patched-up bike would have been good to further build the tension, and there was certainly time to do that. Still, this has been a worthy adventure for Jo, and the world is our oyster with a new adventure for her next week. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Step aside, Yank! Over here in Britain we never say die! Now catch us if you can!"  

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Hot Shot Hamish

Best Line: "They've diddled us, Daddie! We've had it!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 31st May 1975

The following blog post was written in a football-funk post the Chelsea loss against Manchester City in today's F.A. Cup semifinal. That may explain why I love the cricketing stories in this week's comic while the football strips remain unloved. Funny how sports can affect one's mood, and even an afternoon's drinking with old friends has failed to lift my spirits. Still, this blog is about Tiger comic and not my feelings about football, and with that in mind here's this week's look back at the comic in 1975. 

Tiger

31st May 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

Evel Knievel is on the front cover of this week's comic in a quintessential 1970s moment, but I am far more interested in the stunts being pulled in Roy  Of The Rovers.

All talk is of the upcoming final of the European Cup Winners Cup, although we learn from a TV interview with Roy that the team they will be playing has yet to be decided in the other semi-final. 

That semi-final is between the Mighty Atletico and Niarkos, a bunch of Greek part-timers. Roy pitches his stall early, telling the TV crew that he expects Atletico to win. We see this thinking play out at the tactical sessions Roy runs, showing plenty of film on how he expects Atletico to play. 

With Roy preparing his team for the threat Atletico presents, there is little thought to the semi-final between Atletico and Niarkos. That changes on the last page of the strip as Roy is informed that Niarkos currently hold a three-one lead with only minutes left in the game. Roy rushes to a nearby TV as Atletico are about to take a penalty, a chance they need to score from to make the team's level on aggregate. 

A nice change of pace in this story as we saw no football action at all. Instead, the drama of the piece relied on Roy's choice to concentrate on Atletico for his coaching. This was a risky move and as we see in the final panel it may be the wrong decision by Roy. I enjoyed seeing the path forward for Rovers dictated by another game and another team. Usually, I would be disappointed not to see Rovers in action, but this is part of the wider story of Roy managing the team and as such I did appreciate why we were concentrating so much on a different game. It didn't reach the same heights as previous strips for drama, although there is just enough of a hook in the final panel to make me want to come back next week to see what happens. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Roy, do you think it's wise to concentrate solely on Atletico? Suppose those Greeks manage to scrape through..." 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The Scandinavian Rally has thrown up an odd situation for Tiny and Martin. Rival team manager, Mister Vedgic, has trapped them in a castle, and with the draw bridge up and locked their chances are rapidly fading. 

However, our two boys are resourceful and after bashing the winding gear with an old mace, they manage to get the draw bridge halfway down. It's enough for them to take a run at it, and in a moment worthy of Evel Knievel on the front cover, they use the draw bridge as a ramp and jump the moat. 

They survive the jump, although their Mini isn't so lucky and requires some urgent work on the suspension. While Tiny works through the night, Martin gets a good night's sleep. Come morning Tiny has finished his work and is asleep next to the car with a note around his neck telling Martin the car is OK to go. Tiny is still asleep as Martin straps him into the car, and Martin silently promises him that he'll do his best for him in an attempt to make up for the time they have lost. 

As usual for Martin's Marvellous Mini, this is a story of two halves. In the first half, we saw them face the obstacle of the castle and its locked draw bridge and this worked us into the position for the second half of the story as Tiny worked on the car. I enjoyed both parts of the story, The first part gave us some good action, and some great artwork as the car flew through the air. The second half brought to light the friendship between Tiny and Martin, and this was again reflected well in the artwork and the dialogue between the two. The final panel of Martin promising to do his best for Tiny was a highlight for me. It was warm and showed some feeling while promising more action in next week's issue. A lovely way to finish the strip, and I am completely sold on the story. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "That's a job for you, old buddy...when we get to the night-stop! We can't be far away!"

Johnny Cougar

Johnny and a police officer are in pursuit of a kidnapper when both vehicles suddenly face a head-on crash with a lorry. 

While Johnny and the police officer swerve to the right, the kidnappers swerve to the left, and both cars crash through the barriers at fifty miles an hour. While Baxter, the kidnapper, crashes into a barn, Johnny and the policeman are far more lucky and crash into a haystack. 

Johnny and the policeman run towards the other car as the two crooks pull their pistols for a fight. They needn't have bothered as Johnny and the law is swiftly upon the car and slam the doors shut on the kidnapper's hands, forcing them to drop the guns. 

From here it becomes a brawl, and there can only be one winner in such situations. While the policeman punches out one kidnapper, Johnny deals with the other with a quick chop, followed by a hammerlock move. 

With the kidnappers captured, all attention turns to the school teacher Mister Mitchell who was snatched by the crooks. Here the story takes a massive swerve, as we find Mister Mitchell has vanished. Baxter quickly tells Johnny that it was Mister Mitchell's evidence that had Baxter convicted, but what no one knew at the time was that Mitchell was involved with the bank raid and he was the one that got away with all the money.

Johnny is shocked and asks why Baxter didn't say this earlier, only for Baxter to tell him that he wanted a chance to catch Mitchell himself and get what's left of the money - but now it's too late and Mitchell has got away. 

A fantastic swerve at the end of the story, and just as it looked like the story was coming to an end it reignited with this new information coming to light. It added a bit of interest to a story that otherwise was playing to all the tropes of Johnny versus the bad guys. This story was well served by the artwork, and we had an array of close-ups of the faces of the characters involved, each adding to the layers of the story being told and saying just as much as the dialogue. The car action looked great, the fighting scenes were hard-hitting, and the final panels with the reveal were all superb parts of the story being spun, making for a solid issue that delivered several memorable images that will stick with me until next week's edition. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "By Manitou...you drive heap well!"

Tallon Of The Track

Jo Tallon and Dave Trent have stopped for the night in their cross-county race against Miles Guthrie, while Guthrie has continued on with lights attached to his bike. 

Jo decides that they should press on too, and sets off at slow speed while waiting for the moon to rise in two hours. Reaching the top of the mountain just as the moon rises, Jo opens the throttle and roars off into the night. 

Unfortunately, they have an encounter with a log lying across the road, and the front wheel is buckled beyond repair. However, they find shelter at a farm at the foot of the valley where they also find a solution to their problem. An old bike in the barn gives Jo the parts they need to fix their wheel and the final panel has Jo excited at the prospect of a fighting chance. 

I wasn't as excited as Jo by the story, although I have nothing but praise for the art. It looked fantastic, and the image of Jo and Dave tumbling over the log was a highlight. Close behind was the panel of them thundering down the mountain. It captured the speed and thrill of the moment, and I felt my enthusiasm rise just at the sight of it. We didn't see the team that Jo and Dave were racing against, and this story was about them against the elements. Fortuitously the writer planted a bike in the barn of the farm they chanced across, and another time I may have rolled my eyes at such a moment. Not this time, such was my hangover of joy from the previous images of the bike coming down the mountain. The art was the driving factor of my overall feeling for the strip, and like Johnny Cougar previously, it said more to me than any words on the page. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Same here, Dave! My fingers have been itching to open this throttle, so hang on! 

Skid Solo

The sight of Tommy loading a kayak onto a car and about to go to the river immediately tells us what this week's story will be all about. 

Being the sensible man that he is, Skid tells Tommy that kayaking is dangerous and that he should be extra careful. 

Driving to the track with Sandy, Skid expands his earlier thoughts, again reiterating how dangerous kayaking can be. Sandy scoffs at this and encourages Skid to try kayaking himself after the practice. Skid says he will come to watch Sandy try, but there's no way that he'll try it himself. 

Reaching the river, an instructor takes Skid aside to show him some basics, while Sandy says he'll be along in a minute, just as soon as he has a look at a couple of things himself. 

Before he knows it, Skid is out on the water, and soon he is caught in a fast stretch of water. Navigating some rapids, he decides that's enough for him, and he waits on the banks of the river for Sandy to come down. Ten minutes later Sandy does appear, but not on the river, instead walking on the bank towards Skid. 

He tells Skid that on second thoughts the river did look too dangerous to try and he changed his mind. Skid is taken aback by this, and the two drive back to their hotel. There Skid gets another surprise, Tommy has returned and the kayaks are smashed up. Skid asks what happened, and Tommy tells them that they never actually got to try kayaking - the kayaks fell off the roof of the car as they were going to the river. He adds that it is just as well too, for once he saw the river he decided it was much too dangerous. 

We finish the strip with Skid saying he was the one telling them all that it was too dangerous but was the only one who actually did it. 

A similar story to last week, and a story that didn't involve racing, I wasn't so fussed by this week's edition of Skid Solo. The drama was weak, and the usual snappy dialogue between the friends was lacking. We didn't even get some good lines out of Sandy, usually, the first character to deliver something clever or fun. The story was gently paced and felt more like a Dad and his sons having a family outing rather than a team of testosterone-fueled racing drivers trying an adventure sport. Skid Solo belongs in a racing car, not a kayak, and this wasn't the type of story I wanted to read this week. Another time it may have been passable, but it was weak in too many departments and left me cold. 

Rating: 4/10

Best line: "This canoeing lark sounds dodgy, Sandy, They don't do it in a pond...they almost do it down a waterfall!"

Hot Shot Hamish

About to be subbed off in his first international game for Scotland, Hamish is determined to put in one final shot before he goes,

Beating a player, Hamish dribbles the ball into the Borania penalty area where he unleashes the hot shot. It's a sensational goal for the big man, but unfortunately his shot not only bursts the net, it also strikes the bottom of one of the floodlight towers. The tower topples over and crashes onto the pitch, and the game is duly abandoned by the referee.

It's an inauspicious end to Hamish's first international, and with the season over Hamish and Willie travel back to Hamish's home island. Of course, they arrive to find trouble between Hamish's Daddie and one of the other men on the island. The Island games are about to begin, and Big John is taking part. The problem for Hamish's Daddie is that Big John is from the mainland, although the rules state that if you have lived on the island for a month you can participate in the games, and Big John meets this criteria. 

Things come to a head, and we finish the strip with Bg John dropping Hamish's Daddie in the water, and Hamish steaming in for revenge. 

I feel sorry for Hamish and the way his first game for Scotland ended. It would have been nice to see a full game, but I guess the writer had his reason for wrapping it up quickly. We have seen towers collapse before in the face of Hamish's hot shot, so I wasn't too surprised with what we saw here. Likewise, Hamish's Daddie causing trouble was no surprise and completely fitting with all that has come before. The story almost writes itself from here, and although I am disappointed with the football story this week, the thought of Hamish competing against Big John at the island games offers plenty of opportunities to see Hamish at his physical best, no doubt with a healthy dose of humour thrown in. Overall, disappointed with this issue, but the future looks bright and I look forward to next week. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Yon goalie saved ma last hot-shot. But he'll no' save this one!"

Billy's Boots

After beating Moreton School at cricket, Billy and his Groundswood team must now face the wrath of the Moreton boys. The Groundswood team are pelted with eggs as they exit the pavilion, and they beat a hasty retreat. 

Billy has the idea of fighting off the Moreton boys by kicking footballs at them, and behind a barrage of footballs, the Groundswood team escape the grounds. However, the Moreton School headmaster has seen them and decides to ring the Groundswood headmaster. 

There is trouble for Billy and the team when they return to school, the headmaster has decided they must all stay behind after school as punishment. However, the sports master is sympathetic to their plight, and aware of the eggs incident, and tells them they will all stay behind - and practice cricket. 

The rest of the issue reads like Billy's Sports tips that will appear in later years in Tiger. Jimmy Dawson runs through some batting tips with Billy, as well as offering a training idea that can help with their skills. By the end of the week, Jimmy feels Billy has improved with the bat and recommends to the sport master that Billy opens the batting with Jimmy. Walking to the crease in the next match, Jimmy tells Billy that he'll keep Billy away from the strike as much as possible as the opening bowler is supposed to be one of the fastest in the country. All Billy can do is hope that Dead-shot's boots will help him.

A strong episode, with problems for Billy both on and off the field. Again it plugs into the world of a young boy navigating his way through school and the issues encountered with other boys and teachers. Every action has a consequence, and this played out in a schoolboy drama that was instantly relatable. This cricket story is proving just as intriguing as the football season that has just finished, and already I am well and truly hooked by the storylines thrown up. Next week should present just as many problems for Billy, and if the artwork continues to match the story for intensity I shall be very happy indeed. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Gosh, I hope I'm good enough!" 

Nipper

We start fresh with this week's Nipper story. A sedate beginning sees Nipper strolling towards the nets where Mike Bateson is taking part in a practice session for the professional cricket team, Grove Lane. 

Nipper is expecting a trial, but despite what Mike said earlier, there is no trial to be had. Things deteriorate as the Grove Lane team instantly dislikes Nipper, and they talk down to him from the start. 

This aggravates Nipper, who picks up a ball to bowl in the nets. The batter he is bowling against isn't ready, and when Nipper strikes him on the elbow, the rest of the cricket team is incensed. 

As Mike criticises him, Nipper realises that Mike is ashamed of him. Nipper accuses Mike of worrying too much about this reputation and his toffee-nosed club. Angrily Nipper leaves for home, where he finds a pile of letters in his mailbox. 

Nipper has been advertising for work in the local newspaper and is now inundated with work. His first call is to an imposing house named Gifford Grange. Here the maid sends him around the back, where there is a large pile of rubbish that Nipper can have for ten pounds. Nipper pays up and begins to load the goods onto his bike. As his dog Stumpy scrambles to get out of the way, he knocks over a box which Nipper has loaded on the bike, exposing a case of gold coins. Nipper is excited by the find and the fact that they were sold to him for merely ten pounds. 

I think I see where this is going, and expect to see some trouble with the law next week in a case of mistaken intentions. Nipper may be excited now, but I can't see this ending well. The drama with the cricket that started the strip is simmering away nicely, and the best panels of this week's strip involved the Grove Lane team and their attitude toward Nipper. The way they looked down on him and spoke to him was beautifully captured, and I felt uncomfortable on Nipper's behalf through these panels. Mike's discomfort was tangible, and it is a credit to both the writer and the artist in the way this played out. There was much to like here, and with two threads of the story building up, this is another storyline with an upward trajectory.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Great Scott, Bateson! Surely this little...urchin, isn't a friend of yours?" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Johnny Cougar

Best Line: "As for giving him a trail for the 'Grove', we've already hired someone to sweep out the pavilion!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: