My wife says I should get out more. True, it is a beautiful sunny winter's day out, but why take the risk of a chill when I have a warm cup of tea in hand and a pile of newsprint next to me. These are my simple pleasures, the outside world can wait a while - I've got comics to read.
Tiger
6 October 1973
Roy Of The Rovers
Roy Of The Rovers drops us straight into the action, with new goalkeeper Charlie Carter facing his first challenge from Portdean. It is attention-grabbing from the start and both the story and Charlie live up to the front page billing as Charlie makes a courageous save before setting Rovers off on to attack. This week's issue draws several story threads together into a pleasing conclusion. Charlie gives an unexpected performance, his flashy play put behind him as all he ever wanted was to play in the first team. Likewise, the story of the jinxed kit is put to rest as Peny returns with a photo of a previous Melchester Rovers wearing a similar strip, and being successful with it. All this feels a little too neat to me, having both threads conclude in the same issue, but it clears the plate for future stories to start. I have mixed feelings about this issue, very happy with the Charlie storyline, but the jinxed kit story seemed to just whimper out. Still, I can't deny a great five-nil win over Portdean, well-done boys!
Rating: 6/10
Best Line: "He's safe as houses! And they said this lad was supposed to be a showman!"
A Horse Called Ugly
After a disappointing start to the polo match last week, things improve for Ugly and Joe in this week's A Horse Called Ugly. With their turn of fortune, the story seems to improve too and I enjoy this edition far more than last week Joe's team takes a beating, but he and Ugly give a good performance and earn their place on a trip to South America. I found the on-field action good, and it put me in mind of a good football strip. The artwork of the horses in action was superb, and even though I haven't given it a great rating this week, I did enjoy it very much.
Rating: 5/10
Best line: "Pick up your feet you old haybag. Move!"
Skid Solo
These are the type of Skid Solo stories I love to see. The final race of the season, everything on the line, and some adverse weather, it's all about the on-track action for this season finale. Skid and Sparrow take a gamble with some dry tyres under some wet conditions, but it comes good for them as the sun appears late in the race, paving the way for a one-two finish that assures Skid wins the drivers championship. The artwork captured the speed of the action well, and there is the drama running through the issue as we wait to see if the sun will appear. Sure, it's a cliche to have Skid win the championship in the final race of the season, but it is the reason we all read the comic. Skid Solo, champion of the world, it doesn't get much better than that.
Rating: 8/10
Best line: "Ye keep oot o' ma way, mon! I've enough to do wi' oot ye interrupting. Wet tyres...dry tyres.. I dinna ken why ye canna make up yer minds earlier!"
Charlie Champ's War
We take a comedic turn next with Charlie Champ's War. I never warmed to this story in the previous issues, and this week is more of the same as Charlie causes chaos. A rough and tumble fight at the beginning leads to Charlie finding a map and devising a plan to smoke out the Germans. After successfully executing the plan, the Germans are captured and our time with Charlie ends as the story concludes. This week's episode was better than the week before, but even so, I'm secretly pleased this is now finished. As much as I like the art style, the story never once engaged me, and I know that the story that will be replacing it will be much more to my taste. Thanks for your service Charlie, but we're moving on.
Rating: 5/10
Best line: "Well, thank you Sir... it comes naturally to some people... some of us are born Champions."
Martin's Marvellous Mini
This is a week for endings it seems. After the concluding storylines of Roy Of The Rovers, Skid Solo, and the end of The Charlie Champ strip, we have another ending as Martin's Marvellous Mini current story with Mr. Pog winds up. It is also the end of their partnership with Luigi Moroni, as their time together ends. With the mini "George" being held for randoms, Luigi lends Tiny and Martin a couple of motorbikes to go and recover their precious vehicle. Instead of delivering the ransom in a sack, they instead deliver Mr. Pog a sack full of blank paper, and a mouse trap to boot. The story ends quickly from here, the villain getting his comeuppance as the tractor he was going to use to crush "George" instead crashes into his house. I enjoy these pages, and although this week is short, it is a tidy conclusion to all that has come before. A fond farewell to Luigi Moroni, and the promise of new adventures next week have me leaving the boys on a high.
Rating: 6.5/10
Best line: "All's-a well that ends-a well"
Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton
The main story for Johnny Cougar ended last week, but we're not yet into the next story arc as this week's strip is a one-off filler. While Johnny is recovering in hospital, under strict instructions to take it carefully, it is Splash who suffers a series of accidents and misfortune, the final panel seeing him bandaged up in bed. The story is amusing enough, but with no wrestling action and very little Johnny involved I find myself drifting in and out of it. It is a placeholder for what is to come, and it feels like. An average week, we are hoping next week we will be more substantial.
Rating: 4/10
Best Line: "This mighty good! Letters from Tiger readers saying how pleased they are that Cougar well again"
Football Family Robinson
Another story finishes, as the drama of Grizzly and his weight watchers comes to an end this week. After wishing to dress in a suit like Terry Twinkle, Grizzly finds that Terry has moved on in the fashion stakes. After a poor first half of a game, worrying about fashion, Terry suggests that Grizzly uses his tailor, leading to an impressive second half by Grizzle and a match-winning goal. I haven't been a fan of these weight watchers shenanigans, so again this is another story that I am pleased to see the back of. No real complaints about the story, it just hasn't been my cup of tea, but I do like the characters and art, so I have high hopes for next week. The way things are shaping up, next week may well be a bumper issue.
Rating: 5/10
Best line: "Who owns that grotty old suit?"
The Tigers
I enjoy Chunky Clark and his Tigers, much better this week. After the usual spills on the first page, Chunky ends up in the river and floating into his nemesis Ron Burton who happens to be fishing. This sets us up for an angling completion next week, and how that may play out. The first page didn't enthrall me, but my mood did lift once Chunky is in the river, and I have good feelings about the forthcoming adventures.
Rating: 5/10
Best line: "Grizzly grapefruit - it hurts!"
Issue final ratings:
Overall: 5.5/10
Best Story: Skid Solo
Best Line: Mr. Pog - "My house, my new house...wrecked!"
Best Panel:
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