The best thing about reading these old comics is discovering stories that I had previously overlooked. When I was younger I had no time at all for a Horse called Ugly, yet in the last few months I constantly find it to be one of my favorites. Growing up isn't all bad. I still appreciate Roy Of The Rovers, Skid Solo, and the other stories I remember so well, but these strips that I initially overlooked are new territory for me and proving just as worthy as the names I remember from my childhood.
Tiger
23rd February 1974
Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton
Johnny Cougar's island adventure comes to an end this week as villains are vanquished, sharks fought off, and the groundwork is laid for the next week. This should have been dealt with last week, as Johnny Cougar had already defeated the criminal, but here he is once again putting his wrestling skills to good use and fighting for his life on the boat. He does have the upper hand earlier, throwing his opponent into the shark-infested waters, only to then help him from the water as a shark approaches. This is a mistake, and once again the fight is played out, this time with Johnny ending up in the water with the shark. The story moves rapidly though, and Johnny pulls himself from the water, defeats his foe and restores the nuclear weapon to the US military. He even gains the thanks of the US president, who passes on his appreciation through the military. With everything tied up with a bow, Johnny tells us his next adventure will be in Australia. The UK sure was obsessed with the sun and surf lifestyle that Australia offered at the time! The story has plenty of panels devoted to the return of the nuclear weapon, and the US military, but strangely enough, we never see Johnny say goodbye to the people of the island, nor the wrestler he was fighting before he rushed off to save Splash. Not quite every loose end is tied up in this respect. I find it puzzling, especially since Johnny fought Maurice twice in this issue, and once in the last issue, in a final showdown that could have easily been a panel or two shorter. However, that is neither here nor there, and I must admit that overall I found this story very good. It has kept me engaged since it began several months ago, and most of the issues were of a high standard. I now turn my eyes to Australia and the potential adventures that await Johnny and Splash there.
Rating: 6/10
Best Line: "Well, Daddy-O, you've done it again! The baddies have bit the dust and us goodies have triumphed!"
Tallon Of The Track
The story in Tallon Of The Track is moving rapidly this week, and a lot happens in the two pages it is given. Last week we saw bad boy Dan Rowley clash with Jo and the police. This week things escalate as he goes on the run, evading the police and their efforts to find him. Things are looking pretty grim for him, he is wanted in regard to information about a jewel theft and as his bag is discovered on the final page, full of jewels, the outlook is bleak. Building on last week's well-rounded introduction it is pleasing to see the story gather pace, and although we are still in the dark about a lot of things I can already see that I am well hooked. With questions to be answered there is a reason to turn every page and, of course, grab next week's issue. Jo isn't at the centre of the action yet, but she will be, and I'll be here to see it
Rating: 6.5/10
Best line: "Stop that man! He's in big trouble!"
Martin's Marvellous Mini
The dramatic finish of the last issue is quickly undone in the first panel, as Tiny's squirting of ink on his opponent's windscreen comes to nothing as they safely pull over. Immediately after we have a more sedate scene as they are required to do a snap braking and parking test. It's quaint to see Martin and George driving around the field, but the story picks up again with the arrival of the Americans and some talk of meeting with a mystery boss. The plot thickens indeed. On the banks of Loch Ness, Tiny and Martin see the Americans take to the water late at night, and discreetly follow in a row boat. However, they come unstuck by an unexpected appearance of the Loch Ness monster, and end the issue in the water and once again face peril. Although I was initially disappointed by how quickly the previous week's cliffhanger was defused, I am more than happy with the second page of the strip. I love a good mystery and that is what we have here. I also enjoy seeing Loch Ness, and as soon as I see it I am filled with memories of hiking around it when I had younger legs. The appearance of the Loch Ness monster doesn't feel weird at all, and I'm sure it is tied in with the Americans. Quite how, I'm not sure, but no doubt all will be revealed next week.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best line: "We mustn't panic! Keep a stiff upper lip...stick together...and shout for help!"
Football Family Robinson
Digger is the main character throughout The Football Family Robinson and has the best lines. We see him reunited with Bluey the kangaroo on the first page, as he calls him out of a mob of Kangaroo at Wonford Wildlife Park before he becomes central to the football action in the second half of the strip. With his missing kangaroo no longer on his mind, he plays a blinder, earning praise from the rest of the family. It is unfortunate that this praise is overheard by Crash, as he returns to the family having recovered from his injury. Football is once again the main focus of the story, and as much as I enjoyed the diversion that Bluey provided, I am pleased to see his part of the story put on the back burner. How much drama can be wrung out of a storyline about two goalkeepers competing for minutes remains to be seen, but it does signify a welcome shift in the story.
Rating: 6/10
Best line: "Bluey! Stop playing around and come 'ere, you ugly-faced drongo!"
Roy Of The Rovers
Roy Of The Rovers has a very relatable story this week. As they battle for the cup double they are besieged by injuries and are forced to field a second-string team for their league game. They lose this game and face an inquiry from the FA, but there is little time to dwell on that as they face Weston in a FA cup match. Tired and out on their feet, they struggle through the tie and are awarded a penalty in the dying minutes, a penalty Roy must convert to save their chances of doing the double. Fifty years later and we see teams still with the same scheduling problems and injury woes. This realism is what attracts me to Roy Of The Rovers, and this storyline is highly believable. It may not have the high drama of some of the other stories in Tiger, but it's a drama rooted in the real world and familiar to all football fans. The story has nothing new to say, but it speaks well.
Rating: 6/10
Best Line: "Roy, I thought this was supposed to be an easy game! I'm almost out on my feet!"
A Horse Called Ugly
I have probably said it a dozen times over the last few months, but the artwork in A Horse Called Ugly steals the show every time. No matter what happens in the plot, it is always elevated by the art, and especially any panel with Ugly in action. This week is no exception, with Ugly and Joe fighting for their lives in a field against the raging bull, Mephisto. This provides some memorable images, non more so than when Ugly jumps over the bull. They are saved by the appearance of a cow that immediately attracts Mephisto's attention. No man, or bull, is a match for a pretty girl. Ugly and Joe may be safe for now, but next week they will face new danger and Don Pedro's son plots his revenge for the rodeo. The plot is thin this week, they escape the bull and groundwork laid for next week, yet I found myself enjoying it immensely and once again I am surprised by my continued appreciation of this strip.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best line: "It's the only way to pacify a bull...just show him a cow!"
Skid Solo
Australia is again at the front of the writers' minds, as Skid Solo and Sparrow enjoy some good old Aussie surfing action. It's a little too dangerous for Sparrow though, still recovering from last week's crash, so Skid takes him out to a sheep station and old gold mine. The story accelerates at this point, and from here on in I am pressed back in my seat by the nonstop action. Skid passes comment on a distant bushfire as they drive to the sheep station, and this will become a major factor in a couple of pages' time. Skid's Australian friend Waller shows them the abandoned gold mine, only for the cage he is standing in to snap free and disappear into the mine shaft. While Sandy stays with Waller, Skid and Sparrow drive to fetch help, only to find themselves confronted by the raging bush fire. Covering themselves in wet blankets, they take a desperate drive through the fire to fetch help. With a helicopter summoned, and Waller rescued - suffering a broken leg and concussion, Sparrow can once again go surfing - a much safer pastime. This is a highly dramatic story and contained some great images that serve the story well. I often rate Skid Solo's story highly, and this one contains all the elements I enjoy; Skid driving at his best, some near-death action, beautiful artwork, and economy of storytelling. There is no fat on this story, but it doesn't feel rushed or hurried, and I never once feel shortchanged across its three pages. We're still not on the race track, but this story is just as good as any Grand Prix storyline.
Rating: 8/10
Best line: "It's that bush fire Waller was talking about. It's a lot nearer now!"
The Tigers
A new storyline for The Tigers. as the initiative race is now over. It's not immediately apparent where we'll go next, and the first page of the story treads water as Chunky fixes the fence before he takes off with his friends to fetch more wood. A new direction comes into focus at this point as he comes into conflict with Ron Burton. Ron makes good his escape on an old pram, as Chunky follows him downhill on his cart. As chance would have it, the two youth club organises are looking for fresh ideas for a challenge and seeing Ron and Chunky careening downhill gives them a fresh idea - a soap box derby. Plenty of potential for high jinks one would think, but that lies ahead of us as this week's issue wraps up. Not a lot happened in this week's issue of The Tigers, but I have positive feelings about the coming weeks, Whether or not this will be borne out remains to be seen, I guess I'll just have to come back and read the next issue.
Rating: 5/10
Best line: "We need something competitive for the lads...but I'm right out of ideas."
Issue final ratings:
Overall: 7/10
Best Story: Skid Solo
Best Line: "The Loch Ness Monster!"
Best Panel: