Tiger 12th January 1974

Last week in Tiger centred around snow and a cold start to the New Year. This week we are immediately warmed by the front cover, a full-colour image of Johnny Cougar in warmer climes. Hopefully, the stories within will be just as hot as the cover. Already I feel very positive about this issue and can't wait to see what comes next.  

Tiger

12th January 1974

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

The front cover shows both strands of this story, Johnny Cougar fighting against the local champion, while Splash is beneath the water and ever closer to the promised treasure. Both plot threads develop well in this issue, with the local wrestler's secret weapon revealed when he hypnotises Johnny, leaving Johnny weakened and defenceless. This is a very good scene, with the wrestling action served well by the crisp clean artwork. Johnny is pinned, and from here we cut to the other half of the story as Splash cuts through the wreck to the strong room. He is equally in peril, and perhaps more so, as he returns to the surface to tell of his discovery. The villain on the boat, Maurice, silently promises that this will be the end of Splash once they have the treasure, which sets us up nicely for the next issue and the drama that will surely follow. This has been an intriguing story so far, and this issue continues to unfold the drama at a brisk pace, while always holding something back for the next issue. Johnny Cougar deserves his cover star status in this issue, and I want to see plenty more like this.   

Rating: 8/10

Best Line:  "Cougar being hypnotised!"

Roy Of The Rovers

I was very positive about Roy Of The Rovers the last week, and this week sees the storyline of Len Farmer and Roy end on a high note. Finally, Roy has worked out how Len is beating him, by talking him out of his game. As Roy is brought on, the crowd is sceptical but Roy is able to win them over as he gives Len Farmer a taste of his own medicine and talks him out of the game. This story got off to a slow start, but I am won over by this issue, and the football action is glorious, with several panels of Roy and Len sparring being particularly notable. There is also an element of humanity in the story, as Roy comforts Len in the dressing room after the match. This would never rate highly as a Roy Of The Rovers story, but this final issue is a fine ending and makes up a little for some of the previous meandering episodes. Next week we are back to see if Rovers can complete the double, so we will be seeing plenty more of on-field action I'm sure. 

Rating: 8/10

Best Line: "Yah-Haaaay! Cop that one, Walford!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

We last saw the boys disappearing into a snow storm, but this part of the story is quickly put aside as we return to the more human drama side of the strip. After surviving the snow, Tiny and Martin arrive in a village where they are offered food and lodging, which returns them to their lifelong problem - how are they going to pay for it? Again they discover the milk of human kindness flows readily through the pages of Tiger, and they are offered jobs as delivery men, as the normal drivers haven't arrived in time. This sets up a conflict between them and the regular drivers once they turn up, leading to the final panel where the delivery truck begins to ram them. Even though it feels like a constant theme of Tiny and Martin having no money and looking for odd jobs, it still provides plenty of scope for drama such as this. I don't feel cheated for seeing this type of story again, after all, it is the bread and butter for this strip, and as always it's done well. An enjoyable, although not challenging, read throughout and still highly recommended. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Haw haw! We won't bash these chaps after all -we'll bash their car up instead!"

Football Family Robinson 

Digger dominates every panel of Football Family Robinson he is in, and despite my reservations about him when he first appeared, I am now a fan. This week he has some splendid lines, as well as playing a blinder on the pitch. Last week the dressing room was robbed while the game was on, and this week we see the game unfold with plenty of Digger in the action before they return to the dressing room at halftime. With Sergeant Gill delivering the bad news of the stolen money, Digger is nonplussed, instead in his usual way he greets the news with a smile and a promise that he'll sort it himself. Although the story doesn't reach any great heights, Digger brightens every page and elevates the story on the back of his character. I am curious to see how he plans on resolving this, and you can bet that I'll be back next week for more of the same.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "There's no need to bother yourself, sport. As soon as this game is over, me 'n' Bluey will soon sort out this thievin' drongo. Leave it to us!"

 A Horse Called Ugly

Ugly is the star for the first half of this week's strip. His adventures in the jungle are well served by the artwork, and much like last week, I am enthused by every panel in which Ugly appears. I sure have come a long way since I started reading this story, back then it was my least favourite, and now I love looking at the artwork. In the second half of the story, we are back with Joe, who is facing trial with the bandits now that they know that no one will be paying a ransom for him. While not as gripping as the first page, it still has some good panels, and it's the villains who look best on the page with their dramatic moustaches and menacing body language. I'm sure that next week we will see Joe and Ugly reunited, and it can't come soon enough for Joe who is in far more danger without Ugly. The strip doesn't quite reach the same heights as last week, but it comes close enough for me to turn the page, well satisfied with what I've read. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "That is good, Lopez. We show Ingleeesi we are honest bandits!" 

Tallon Of The Track

Dave disappeared under the ice the last we saw of him, and the first page of this week is dedicated to Jo smashing the ice and pulling him to safety. Poor Dave, he doesn't look good at all, but Jo pushes on with his training as they return to the track for a four-lap race. This part of the story works much better for me, as Dave remains well off the pace as Jo and the rest of the team scream around the track. The final panel is fantastic, with Dave revealing that he thinks he's lost his nerve. Great stuff, and interestingly it's far more dramatic than the opening of the story when he was pulled from the ice in a life or death situation. Much like the other issues, the on-track action looks great, and the final panels of Dave are a highlight, making for an issue that started well and ended great. You wouldn't think that seeing someone coming back from injury would make for compelling reading, but Tallon Of The Track proves otherwise, and this is one of the first stories I will be reading next week.  

Best line:  "F-four laps w-with no holds barred, eh, Jo? Okay, I- I'm ready..."

Rating: 7.5/10

Skid Solo

A bald-headed villain! If there was a Tiger drinking game, we would all be having a shot now. The opening lines of the story let us know that this isn't going to be a racing story, and so it is with the bald-headed villain appearing in the next panel, reading the newspaper in an Italian Villa, which surely would be another drink if we were playing along. The plot is laid out quickly enough, the villain would like to see Skid compete as a gladiator, although quite how he perceives this jump from racing driver to combatant I'm not sure, and lures Skid and his team to Italy with the promise of a free holiday. They arrive and are led to a vast arena where they are given tridents and nets and told to defend themselves as three gladiators approach. It is now that the villain reveals himself as Tiberius, and he is hoping they can survive so they can take part in the chariot race that will follow. Sure, it's completely bonkers, but I love it all the same. To see something so off the wall, and the ever-calm Skid Solo taking it all in his stride is wonderful. This is the last thing that I might have expected, and I can't wait to see what will happen next. I am always banging on about wanting to see Skid on the track more, but this is completely out of the left field and a most unusual story. One can't help but want to see where it might go from here. It's completely crazy but instantly lovable.    

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line:  "What's going on here, Skid... I canna say I like it!" 

The Tigers

The story of The Tigers this issue is neither here nor there. It's not as funny as it has been recently, and in terms of page-turning drama, it doesn't raise my pulse. After bursting a water main at the end of last week, the story slows down, and most of the pages are just Chunky and friends following Ron Burton on their bikes. The only notable action is the final panel as Chunky's tent spills from his backpack, acting like a parachute and pulling him along by wind power. Asides from this, very little else happens in the strip and I am disappointed after the good run we have had in the last three issues. This might appeal to some people, but sadly for me, it doesn't strike the right chord this week and we finish on a low note. 

Rating: 4/10

Best line: "Ooeeerrrrr! I'm being towed along!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Roy Of The Rovers 

Best Line:  "Blackie's going to drop the ball right on my head! It'll be in the bag before you know what day it is! The ball, I mean...not my head!"

Best Panel: