Tiger 8th December 1973

Burst pipes, no sir, I don't like them. While I'm waiting for an emergency plumber to turn up, and to take my mind off the eventual cost, I'm going to use this time to read this week's Tiger comic. Not ideal circumstances, but in this busy world, you have to use whatever time you can get. 

Tiger

8th December 1973

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy and the team embark on a new storyline this week as we return to on-field action. I much prefer this story to what we have seen in the last few weeks, and as the team prepares for the match against Thornton Villa I wonder where the drama will come from. I don't have to wait long to find out, Thornton Villa has proven a problem for the Rovers in the last couple of seasons, especially Roy's marker, Len Farmer, who proves to be a problem at every turn. To demonstrate this, we have a delightful scene where Tony Storm cues up a film projector and some film of their match last season. We certainly have come a long way since, and I think of the modern players watching videos of players and games on tablets, phones, and touch screens at many of the big clubs now.  Roy is convinced that Farmer is his bogeyman, and sets his mind on how he can beat the man. In the final scene, we see Roy at home with Jimmy Slade, still pondering the problem, before he falls asleep, only to wake Jimmy later with his yelling at night. All in all, much more enjoyable, even if it's not high-stakes drama, it is pure football, and what I want to see more of out of Roy Of The Rovers. Next week's game should reveal more, and the drama with Len Farmer will play out, and I'll be here every page for that, especially if we see more of Roys superb looking car!  

 Rating: 6.5/10

Best Line: "Steady on Roy! You're driving like Skid Solo!"

Skid Solo

Skid Solo isn't the star of his own story this week, but even so, this week's issue continues the good run we have had of Skid Solo stories recently. It is with some relief that Skid has returned to the UK, and I am pleased to see Sparrow Smith make an appearance in the first couple of panels. I had forgotten about him, and seeing his chirpy face lifts the strip and my spirits. It will be Sparrow Smith who carries this week's story, and not only is Skid relegated to the sidelines, but the story also features motorcycles rather than racing cars. Sparrow is training to ride a speedway bike, and we learn that he has an invitation race coming up. In his dour way, Sandy thinks he will fail and offers ten pounds (about 80 pounds when converted to today's money)  if he can manage a win, an offer Sparrow gleefully accepts. Things look grim for Sparrow as he watches a professional team, and tries it himself. However, as often happens in the Skid Solo stories, all is revealed in the final panel as Sparrow wins the cup, Sandy's ten pounds, as the invitation race features a footballer, a runner, and a cricketer. I'm well used to these types of endings from Skid Solo, sometimes I smile, sometimes I groan, but it is part of the reason I enjoy these stories. A nice little story, and considering it didn't feature Skid it rates higher than expected.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "I said I'd learn a trick or two...and I have. Watch from some place else! " 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

You can't beat a good car chase, and that is exactly what we get for most of Martin's Marvellous Mini this week. Zarkoff in his car with rocket launchers mounted in front had me all aquiver last week, and this week we get to see those rockets in action. He does seem to find Martin and Tiny a little too easily for my cynical mind, but as soon as he fires that first rocket I'm totally absorbed in the story. The chase escalates and Tiny and martin drive into a defence area, where a tank soon takes out Zarkoff, without harming him of course. With the main threat nullified, the rest of the story is a wrap-up as martin and Tiny return to the two old ladies who started them on this treasure hunt. They have had some bad luck in the meantime, their cottage being badly damaged in a fire, but our heroes, as they do so often, offer up their portion of the treasure, leaving them once again broke and looking for money and adventure. i had hoped to see more of Zarkoff and this treasure hunt, and it feels like it wraps up all too quickly, the other treasure maps conveniently destroyed in the fire. However, the prospect of a rally car race around Britain next week has me enthused, and although I'm sad to see this treasure hunt storyline behind us, I'm still eager to see what happens next. 

 Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Look...me and Tiny won't take anything! You can have our share of the treasure! You need it more than we do!"

The Tigers

Tigers isn't as sporty as I come to expect, after an opening Bike accident, the story moves indoors, to a library no less, where Chunky again creates havoc. Taking part in an initiative race, Chunky and his pals are on the hunt for a book that will tell them where to find gargoyles. With Ron Burton hot on his heels, they soon clash in a riot of noise and chaos, both of which are deeply frowned upon in a library. It's not quite what I expected, and I think I like it more because of this. The slapstick humour works well in this setting, I can completely relate to the poor old head librarian. No doubt, we will be back outside next week, but this is a pleasant diversion and an enjoyable moment in this week's issue.   

 Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "It can't be mumps - he's had that before!" 

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

Johnny and Splash were with their island friend the last time we saw them and were just about to receive a surprise. The surprise isn't as dramatic as I had hoped, it is an outdoor training gym and wrestling ring. OK< it is pretty cool, but even so, this isn't the page-turning action I'm used to. The story only heats up late, when Mister Harker and his bodyguard turn up to stop their wrestling match and command Splash back to work. This is the first time in the story that we have seen Harker's name, and on that front, I am mighty happy. I am also happy when things turn nasty on these panels,. with both parties facing off, and Cougar telling Harker exactly what he thinks of him and his treasure hunt. With a promise to do the job and get out as fast as they can, it looks like the story will be accelerating next week, but I do hope they have more time to utilize this wrestling ring, and there new found wrestling chum, Not quite as good as last week, but it looks like we still have some action ahead of us. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line:  "Never mind job! No-one make Cougar stop wrestling... no-one damage ring while Cougar fighting!"

Tallon Of the Track

Tallon Of The Track is the most dramatic story in Tiger this week, by a long shot. Tiny and Martin had their moments in Martin's Marvellous Mini, but they don't come close to the life or death situation we find Jo Tallon in. It is this drama that makes Tallon Of The track my favorite story again this week. I can't deny, that I do like the art in this story a lot, but it is the story itself that has me on the hook, and the writers have done another great bit of work this week. With Jo still locked in the steam box, Dave does his best to smash his way into the building but is thwarted by the local police. However, he is not to be denied, and it fights them off and gets to Jo just in a nick of time. Phew! After two attempts on her life, I thought Jo might take a more circumspect approach, but she offers herself up as bait in an attempt to bring these thugs out into the open. With the promise of the motorcycle stunt of the year, it's double jeopardy, and there looks like plenty could go wrong next week. The top story again and everything else in the issue looks weak next to this, Jo Tallon is the queen of Tiger comic this week,. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line:  "Jo, you're crazy! If it goes wrong...! What's your plan, anyway?"

Football Family Robinson 

It looks like the end is in sight for the Rodney Bull storyline, as the story takes a leap forward in this issue. With Rodney about to be released from Hospital, Kev sketches out a lot of information that seems to point the finger at Maxwell. A curious issue is this one, as most of the story follows a football match before Kevin dumps all the information about Rodney Bull's case in a single panel. It feels odd to me, I would have preferred the information to trickle out, rather than a single panel that seems to solve the whole case. However, this isn't the dramatic moment of the story, that is in the final panels when Rodney is released from the hospital, and seemingly into the hands of his assailants, leaving the family Robinson the only people who can prevent further violence. The final panels are the best part of this week's issue, I just wish the rest of the story could have lived up to them. I'm looking forward to next week when, hopefully, the story will be more consistent. Perhaps I'm just feeling bitter because my girl Viv barely features this week...    

Rating: 6/10

Best line:  "Bull is still inside. I've had a tip that he's scared. He's trying to kid the doctors that he's still sick."

A Horse Called Ugly

I didn't know if when I started reading this week, but this is the end of Joe and Uglys South America storyline. With Joe riding Guardsman, much to Ugly's displeasure, this isn't immediately apparent, but after completing a clean round  Joe wins the competition for the team. Ugly isn't left out of the action, in a fit of jealously he completes a clean round, without a rider, just to prove a point. It's all very pleasant and pedestrian and lacks some of the dynamic horse-in-action artwork I have come to expect. I am pleased to see a happy ending, and as always, the promise of a new storyline piqued my interest. Nicely rounded out, I look forward to seeing what awaits Joe and ugly next. 

 Rating: 6.5/10

Best line:  "Come back you animated piece of horse-flesh! The event is over!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Tallon of The Track 

Best Line: Dave Trent - "Stone the crows, y-you look like a cooked Chicken! "

Best Panel: