Tiger 9th February 1974

Several stories are reaching boiling point, and this weeks issue of Tiger from early 1974 is shaping up to be a cracker.  This is an issue firing on all cylinders, and I can't wait to lose myself in its pages for the next half hour and enjoy the ride with my favourite characters. 

Tiger

9th February 1974

Roy Of The Rovers

The cover sets the scene of where we are with the current Rovers story. Once again Giles is in the thick of the action, with a rough-looking tackle just inside the penalty area the focus of the cover art. I am relieved for Giles, and for the plot, that the penalty isn't given and play resumes. Giles makes good on his near miss and scores two goals, the second a cracker before the game ends with a goal from Roy and the story settles down. We face the disciplinary hearing with Geoff and it doesn't look good. It gets considerably worst with the appearance of Rover's number one fan,  Ivor T. Winthrop. However, he once again claims he can prove Geoff's innocence and it is with this thought that the strip ends. A nice start to Tiger comic and the cover art in colour of football action is always going to be a huge positive. Likewise, most of the story took place on the field this week, and as I say almost every week, Roy Of The Rovers is always at its best when it concentrates on football. Plenty of positives throughout, and now we are reaching some sort of conclusion with Geoff Giles, making for a solid issue and considerably better than last week. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Goooaaaal! A beauty, Roy! He read that pass from Geoff perfectly!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

There was a lack of action in last week's issue, but it is more than made up for in this week's issue which features action aplenty. Almost every panel has something happening, and the story motors along quickly. You may remember, last week Splash was tired up and thrown overboard, this week it's  Johnny to the rescue as he arrives at the scene, jumps overboard and rescues Splash from a watery grave. However, things don't end there, as the villains return, running over Johnny's boat and sending the pair back into the water, They attempt at running them over again, a fate that Johnny and Splash avoid by diving under the boat. We end the story with Johnny and Splash still in the water and the villains once prepare to run them down. Drama, drama, drama, and all of it expertly captured by the artist. We are far from the wrestling ring now, but Johnny is offering up plenty of thrills and non-stop action. I'm breathless just from reading it, and you can take that as a great recommendation. 

Rating: 8/10

Best Line:  "In you go... Penguin say "we untie you and soon you be good as new!""

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Another week of ups and downs for Tiny and Martin this week, and we go from high drama to the mundane through the story. A gunshot and a bullet through the windscreen was the exclamation point on last week's issue, and this week we find that the shot in question came from a gentleman whose land they are trespassing on. Not that he was shooting at them for trespassing, but rather that he was a bad shot. In fact, it turns out that he's not much good at anything and after a hair-raising ride in his Range Rover, that culminates in his hitting the gate post, they find themselves treated to lunch at a manor house, before they are given access to a private road that comes out just five miles from Carlise. It is not all easygoing for the boys, it is soon after that they run out of petrol. From the near-death experience of being shot at, it is something as simple as running out o fuel that details their rally chances. I enjoyed this issue enormously, the expressions on their faces throughout were brilliant, as was the incompetent landowner whose path they crossed. The drama was good, and the story was well-paced, but it was the art that I devoured in detail throughout. Once again, top notch throughout and is a worthy read. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "I say...I am sorry. I thought you were a rabbit or something! Warbles...take their car and get a new windscreen put in..."

Skid Solo

It is a feel-good Skid Solo story this week, and despite being light on motoring action, I enjoy it a lot. Skid finds himself still in the snowy countryside, where he promises his friends some racing action. It turns out the racing he has in mind isn't racing cars, rather it is yachting on ice. Truly, Skid Solo can drive anything. Unfortunately, his fun on the ice ends with a blizzard, and the local doctor heading off to an emergency case. Speed matters, and once again Skid takes a hand, sailing the good doctor on the ice yacht along the river to the hospital. Par for the course so far, and with a dramatic jump over the bank and along the frozen ground, Skid gets his man to the hospital on time. He is amply rewarded, the doctor has delivered an emergency baby who is duly named Skid Sparrow House - quite a name as Sparrow Smith points out. A nice tale, and seeing Skid speeding around on an ice yacht was quite a sight. The scenes where it is snowing are suitably dramatic, as are the stern looks on the faces of the participants. We are still far from the racing action on track that I love so much, but this is a solid story well told, with dynamic art that captures the mood of the story well.  

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line:  "Great snakes, Skid...I wouldn't try that by myself!" 

The Tigers

I find that The Tigers is up and down for me, and this week is certainly an up episode as Chunky rides his donkey over Sugarbread hill. We have some good humourous activity early on as Chunky does his best to get his donkey moving, first with a carrot, then with a pebble, as a bike tyre exploding propels his donkey into the race. The second half of the story is more settled and well-paced, as we see Chunky and Burton negotiate themselves around the narrow paths of the hill. It looks superbly drawn, last week I was quite taken by a drawing of Chunky driving a donkey cart, this week it is the image of him and Burton on their respective donkeys that sticks firmly in my mind. A vast improvement on last week's issue, and suddenly I find I'm a fan of this strip again., Who knows what next week will hold, one can only hope it's as good as this, 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Not seeing where you're going could put a nervous chap off his appetite. I'm not sure if this sandwich is cheese or ham."

Football Family Robinson 

We join the football family Robinson mid-game and Digger in goal is a disaster. With his mind still on his missing kangaroo, he lets in a goal and then is subbed off. While on the sub bench Viv comments that's the hoax sightings of Bluey that annoy her most and she mentions the call from the Duke of Wonford. It is then that she discovers he is a real person, and she is horrified by what she has done when she told the caller to get lost. A short episode of the family this week, but the story constantly moves forward. As always, Viv remains my firm favourite, and she sparkles in every panel she is on - which is most of the second half of the story. We are edging closer to Bluey being found, but the story continues to weave and wind its way while retaining interest mostly due to the cast of characters on the page. I rate this one highly, both for the appearances of Viv and the plot.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line:  "Oh, my goodness!"

Tallon Of The Track

Tallon Of The Track has had a superb run the last few weeks, and that hot streak continues through to this week's issue. It's drama from the word go, and if the art doesn't deliver the sense of drama, then the captions certainly do. They add a lot to the first page of the story and complement the art well with phrases such as "Rolling wildly on the shale, Jo felt waves of heat press in on her from all sides" and "Beyond the roaring flames, a panic-stricken track marshal yelled instructions.." It all heightens what is already apparent on the page, Jo is in big trouble. Her leathers on fire, and surrounded by flames, there seems little chance for her. That is until Dave appears from the crowd and rushes to the track. Grabbing a bike, he speeds into the flames, rescuing Jo and conquering his fear of the track. With his confidence restored, there is little more to tell of this tale. The Ospreys win, Jo is safe, Dave is back in the fold, and we are all looking forward to a new story next week. This story has been my favourite for weeks now, and it has a suitable ending that rounds out the story well and leaves me completely satisfied. The plot was great, the artwork divine, and all in all, I couldn't ask for more. If future stories reach this level, we are in for a treat over the coming months. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "Just give me that bike! Now!"

A Horse Called Ugly

It all happens in the back end of a Horse Called Ugly this week. After being reunited with Ugly, Joe continues to enjoy the hospitality of  Don Pedro De Maquela Y Granadoulos. The only problem is the nagging suspicion of his intentions, and on the final page, we get the twist that will propel us into next week as a bull is released into the field where Joe and Ugly are. Although not a lot happened, the slower pace worked well, especially coming after Tallon Of The Track where loads happened. I did like the name of the bull "Mephisto," even though the reference would have gone completely over my head as an eight-year-old. Not the best story in this week's issue of Tiger, but a smooth comedown after an intense ride in places, and well placed at the end of the comic.  

Rating: 5.5/10

Best line:  "Out you come, Mephisto...this is going to be fun!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Tallon Of The Track 

Best Line:  "Why should it be my job to check the petrol? I thought you did that!"

Best Panel: