Tiger 30th March 1974

I missed last week's blog. The Football World Cup got in my way and despite my best intentions I never quite found the time to update the blog. With only one game left I am reprioritising and once again ready to indulge my love of comics. And what better way to celebrate the World Cup than reading the best sports comic in the world -Tiger!

Tiger

30th March 1974

Skid Solo

We continue with Skid's adventures in Australia, and this week he is involved in a series of races leading up to the beginning of the Grand Prix season. We begin with a race in Melbourne where disaster strikes as Skid is caught in an accident while driving his new car. Speaking with the designer, Jacko, after the race, Skid reports that the car needs rebuilding after everything had been damaged except for the engine, While Jacko sets about rebuilding it, Skid enters his next race driving his car from the previous season. Exceeding all expectations, Skid and Sparrow smash all track records before finishing in a dead heat. This leaves a conundrum for Skid, should he risk driving Jacko's new car in the forthcoming season, or should he stick with his Tiger car. As he himself says to Sparrow, he has to make the right decision, otherwise, he's handing the championship to Sparrow on a plate. 
The track racing in this story looked great, and once again we have the return of my favourite race commentator. I like the way all of this is building to the new season, and there are already dramas bubbling away in preseason racing. Always dependable, Skid Solo delivers another solid issue again. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Can't control it! No chance!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton 

Johnny was well in control of his match with the Monster when we last left him. With the Monster being put into an aeroplane spin, Johhny tosses him easily into the crowd, where he faces some banter from the watching public. Back on his feet, the Monster and Johnny continue their battle outside the ring, before Johnny throws him back into the squared circle whereupon he delivers his knockout blow with a piledriver. The Monster despatched with, Johnny draws The K.O. Kid for the next round of the tournament, a man that has won forty-two bouts all by knockout. But that lies all ahead of us as this week finishes with the K.O. Kid telling Johnny what he plans to do with him in the upcoming fight. I am pleased to see the back of the Monster, I never warmed to him or his battle with Johnny, but I am deflated by the ease with which Johnny finally beat him. He promised to be much harder than he actually was in the final shakedown of things. However, I leave this story with an upbeat feeling about the next bout against the K.O. Kid, he has a fantastic villain's moustache and as you know I'm always a sucker for that. This week was flat, but next week looks promising so I can safely say I'll be back for more. 

Rating: 5/10

Best Line:  "A Monster does not give in so easily. Be silent, weakling!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Never pick up hitchhikers. That's the lesson I learnt from the first few panels of this story as Martin and Tiny stop to pick up a pretty girl, only from a gang of her friends to emerge from hiding to also get a ride. It's not as bad as I first fear, and although they are crammed into poor George and sitting on the roof, they do help our pals. First, they haul George up to a bridge and onto a faster main road. Then later in the story once they have parted company, they meet again, this time the hitchhikers stopping a lorry to help Martin and Tiny who have unbelievably run out of petrol again. This isn't the first time in this rally that they're run out of fuel, and I'm beginning to wonder if George actually has a faulty petrol gauge. However, that is never there nor there as they continue the rally, now towed by the lorry, only to face one final jeopardy in the last panel as the tailboard of the lorry begins to be pulled off by their tow rope and they face a pile of junk potentially coming through their windshield. A lot of fun throughout this story, the hitchhikers added a lot of life and colour to the panels. Martin and Tiny are far more tolerant than I am, and I certainly couldn't imagine myself putting up with hitchhikers sitting on the roof of my car. Even though they have run out of petrol before, I still smiled to see them do it again, I guess some guys just never learn. It's hard not to love this story in every guise, and once again I find the world of Martin's Marvellous Mini to be warm and inviting, high praise for the most warmhearted story in the comic. 

The Tigers

Chunky was last seen caught on a dingy trailer that had broken loose in the wind. With a large dose of his considerable luck, Chucky avoids disaster, and with the owner happy to see his boat unharmed, suggests a sand-yacht race, with sand-yacht up for grabs as a prize. While the Tigers build theirs out of found rubbish, Ron Burton builds a very streamlined-looking yacht, painted red of course as everyone knows red is faster. We aren't ready to race just yet, as the Tigers prepare, Burton's two pals watch on secretly planning sabotage. There wasn't a lot of action this week, but I found myself enjoying it more than previously. The slower pace appeals to me, I find I can only handle one action scene a week from the Tigers, and can only accept one piece of luck from Chunky. However, that's just me. The story is just getting started, and I have no doubt that there will be plenty of scrapes in future issues, but for now, this is setting the scene and I am inexplicably drawn in despite myself. 

Rating: 5.5/10

Best Line: "It's not that I don't like him - I just can't stand him! I've just got to beat him!" 

Football Family Robinson 

The saga of Crash and Digger continues, but the on-field action remains firmly in focus as Crash demonstrates that he's still a great keeper - pulling off a series of saves throughout the issue. Meanwhile, Digger is still being held by the police, and fuming at the thought that Crash had reported him for stealing the car. The story comes to a head at halftime as Crash comes off the field wondering what happened to Digger, while under the watchful eye of the police Digger waits for him in the office, threatening to break him into little pieces. It's great to see Digger riled up, and any thoughts of the easy-going Aussie we met in earlier issues are put to one side as his stormy face dominates the panels. The artwork feels cleaner in this issue, although that may be because of the printing rather than the artwork, and the expressions on the character's faces add a lot to the story. This isn't my favourite storyline for the football family, but it does enough to hold my interest, and paired with some fine on-field action I'm happy enough with where we are for the moment.

Rating: 6.5/10

Best Line: "I'm gonna break Crash into little pieces..." 

A Horse Called Ugly

Things had taken a turn last week, and with Joe caught in the stirrup, Carlos stepped upon to be the hero of the piece. This week we see that play out as Carlos lassos Joe's horse and allows him to escape to safety. Hands are shaken, bread is broken and all is right in the world for precisely two panels before it's reported that Joe's friend Sancho has been arrested. With Sancho about to be executed for being a bandit, Joe rides hurriedly to the jailhouse where he bursts in and confronts the General about to shoot Sancho. This final panel is the best panel in the whole story and contains a fantastic amount of detail, both about the people involved, and the scene itself. The rest of the story was solid, but this final panel is a cut above the rest and guarantees that I'll rate this highly and be back for more. A Horse Called Ugly continues to evolve and excite and once again is one of the better stories in the comic. 

Rating: 8/10

Best Line: "He went off to get some hotdogs, ages ago"

Roy Of The Rovers

"Now, reduced by injury to 10 men, the Rovers were fighting like wildcats to hang on to a slender, 1-0 lead" 
And so the scene is set for the final minutes of a gripping game against Crampton. With full-time in sight, the Rovers concede a corner. Charlie Carter is at his best as he punches the ball clear, but a Crampton forward volleys it back, only for Roy to head it off the line. This is Roy's final act as he passes out, leaving a young defender to boot the ball clear. With that kick, the game is over and the Rovers have made it to the semifinal of the F.A. Cup. There is further good news as more players recover from the flu, and we see the team enjoying some relaxing times a few days later before the draw is made for the semifinal. It's here that the story wraps up as it's announced that Melchester Rovers will face league leaders Bridgewall in the semifinals. This is a story of two halves as we first see the game against Crampton, before the second half is devoted entirely to recovery, relaxation, and setting the scene for the next issue. None of it feels very taxing and the story slides rather easily by without making a great impression on me. Last week's issue was a cracker, but this week that is a distant memory as the story stays safe and resets itself. A chance for us to all recover, this is a placeholder before the next drama unfolds. 

Rating: 5/10

Best Line: "Roy's gone down! He...he must have knocked himself out!"

Tallon Of The Track

Tallon Of The Track is on the track this week, and I'm happy to see it. With the season beginning for the Ospreys, the crowd is behind them as they prepare for the first race. We are introduced to their mechanic, Oggie, a veteran with more than twenty years of mechanical experience up his sleeve. However, some on the team think he is past it, and Jimmy Benson in particular makes his feelings known. Defusing the conflict, Jo turns everyone's thoughts back to the track, and soon enough the first race commences with Dave Trent taking an early lead. It doesn't last, his front wheel begins to wobble, and Dave takes a nasty fall on the track. In the pits an inquiry starts, and Jimmy Benson points out the fault, a duff connection in the front suspension. All eyes turn to Oggie, who maintains that he checked the suspension only yesterday. There have been a lot of life-and-death situations in Tallon of the Track over recent months, and it is nice to see a more homespun tale appear this week. This a reminder that this is about a group of motorbike racers, and the story looks at its best when the bikes are roaring around the track. A mechanic doing a poor job may not feel high stakes, but I am sold on it and I look forward to seeing more of the story unfold both on and off the track in the coming weeks.   

Rating: 8/10

Best Line: "I've forgotten more than you'll ever know, Jimmy and for two pins, I'd-"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story: A Horse Called Ugly 

Best Line:  "I wouldn't trust you with a clockwork train, mate, let alone a racing engine! You're so old you can't tune a carburettor for the sound of your bones cracking!"

Best Panel:

Roys Sports Quiz: