Tiger 6th April 1974

The drama of the Football World Cup is over and I am back to the genuine sports drama on the pages of Tiger. To be honest, Roy Of The Rovers is going to feel a little tame compared to the World Cup Final I have just watched, but it matters little as my love of Roy Race and his stories remains as strong as ever. No matter how good Messi is, he'll never live up to the legend of Roy Race and his Melchester Rovers.

Tiger

6th April 1974

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Facing the K.O. Kid, it did appear that Johnny Cougar had quite a challenge ahead of him as we enter this week's issue. After the build-up he had, K.O. Kid promised much, and so I am most disappointed to see Johnny deal to him in a mere half page of action. Coming straight from his corner, Johnny hits his opponent with a forearm smash, leaving him knocked out on the canvas and an easy victory for Johnny. I feel cheated, and I'm not sure why the story has taken such a twist. We leave the wrestling ring behind us as Johnny and Splash head to the beach before the next round of the tournament in a couple of days. It is here that we are introduced to his next opponent, The Trickster. Trickster by name trickster by nature, Johnny and Splash are initially scared as a shark fin scythes through the water towards them, only for the Trickster to reveal one of his pranks and introduce himself. We have another interesting panel to finish as Splash speaks directly to the reader, ostensibly to hype up next week's wrestling match. This story was limp compared to previous issues, and the way the K.O. Kid story is built up and discarded in just two pages across both issues is the biggest disappointment. I can't say I'm overly happy about the appearance of this Trickster character, and I fear he may be another opponent that comes and goes in an issue. It's the old story of once bitten twice shy. On a positive note, the story was well told with clean artwork and we are facing next week with a clean slate and an open mind. Let's hope Johnny Cougar delivers what he does best - in-ring wrestling action. 

Rating: 4/10

Best Line: "Cougar think your sense of humour heap twisted"

Tallon Of The Track 

This story promised a lot last week, and although this issue doesn't elevate it in any way, it does keep it moving forward. Oggie the mechanic is still facing an angry Jimmy Benson for neglecting to do his job properly on Dave Trent's bike. After an angry confrontation, Jo smooths things over and the attention turns back to the track where the Ospreys are fighting hard and currently tied on 6 points. Heat three begins and things are looking good for Ospreys before disaster strikes as the chain on Jim Foster's bike snaps, leading to a pile-up between the two Ospreys riders. Back at the pits, accusations fly and Oggie admits that it was once again him that worked on the bike in question. This time Jo does not smooth things over and instead unleashes a barrage on Oggie in the final panel.  Although this isn't as good as last week, it still covers much the same ground and gives us several great-looking panels, with once again the crash looking spectacular on the page. With plenty of scowling faces, the drama between the characters is well expressed, and even though this isn't one of the best Tallon Of The Tracks' I have read, it remains a firm favourite based purely on the artwork. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Oh, marvellous! Which one of you incompetent grease-monkeys was responsible for Foster's bike!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

With a lorry load of rubbish about to derail their rally chances, Tiny and Martin are off to a hot start this week. The tailgate of the lorry towing them does give way in the second panel of this week's issue, and rubbish is strewn across the road -with an oil drum coming desperately close to hitting George. Stopping to clean up the mess, things look bad for Tiny and Martin, yet things take a turn with the appearance of two police officers who not only provide some petrol for George but also escort them to the nearest petrol station. Entering the checkpoint in Edinburgh, our chums find themselves in the fourth position, and once again seeking cheap lodgings for the night as they wait for the next stage to begin. It is here that Edinburgh becomes part of the story, with the architecture making an appearance and the stereotypical Scotsman with a tartan Tam o shanter and a walking stick warning them of a phantom piper that brings bad luck. Soon enough the boys do come across a piper, a piper being thrown out of a cafe and Martin is knocked out by some bagpipes.  A lot of these things we have seen before, the car running out of petrol, a ghost story, Tiny and Martin seeking cheap accommodation, but is all well told and doesn't feel tired. I think this can be attributed to the artwork, which props up the story and provides memorable sequences throughout. Even in this story of only a couple of pages, there are five or six panels that stick in my head, and although it doesn't shine as brightly as other stories it remains firmly dependable in delivering a highly readable story.  

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "We'll find somewhere small...and not too expensive!"

Skid Solo

Skid and his team are leaving Australia this week, but just because they're going to be on a jumbo jet for the next 24 hours doesn't mean we're not going to get plenty of exciting motoring action. Settling in to watch the inflight film, Sparrow and Sandy spend most of the flight critiquing the driving and action scenes of the movie, which we also see panel by panel. Scoffing at the implausibility of some of the scenes, Sandy and Sparrow are rebuked by Skid who says everything seen in the film is realistic, and as the credits roll we see why he has such an opinion, he was the stunt driver for all the car scenes. The story ends here, and I admire the clever way that this got our heroes back to the UK, but kept motoring front and centre through the story. The panels depicting the motoring look fantastic, and even though I foresaw the little twist at the end I still found I enjoyed it. It's not classic Skid Solo, but I rate it very highly for the action sequences and clever storytelling. Next week we are back to racing action, and after seeing this I am well-primed for what comes next. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Gosh, he's cornering at about eighty, Sandy!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Fifty years on, and Roy Of The Rovers feels just as up-to-date as ever as this week's strip deals with the media and Rover's portrayal in the papers. It's not "Messi Magic" that dominates the headlines, but rather "Melchester Magic" as the Rovers prepare for their F.A. Cup semifinal against Bridgewall. Ben Galloway calls for a policy of no interviews or photographers in the build-up to the match, as Melchester focus on how they are going to crack Bridgewall's famous defensive wall. With a series of dummies on the field, Roy has the team train for deflections, but unknown to him or the team, a photographer is secretly photographing the training and captures an image of  Noel Baxter rugby tackling one of the dummies. With this image appearing on the sports pages, the Bridgewall fans and club are incensed with these apparent rough-house tactics, and Melchester Rovers receive a hostile welcome when they arrive for the game. Bridgewall lets them know that they will fight fire with fire if it comes to a physical game, and we end with Roy worried about a potentially explosive game thread of them. Roy may worry about it, but I can't wait to see what will happen next. True, it is the beautiful game, but a bit of needle in the game always adds to the stakes. This issue sets the scene for next week, and even though not a lot happened, it well and truly set us up for the next issue. I'm rating it higher than it deserves, purely on the fact that it places the story in a great position for the next week where this will all pay off. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "We're off...in an atmosphere like an unexploded bomb! And it only needs one hot-headed idiot to ignite the fuse!"  

A Horse Called Ugly 

Sancho was about to be shot out of hand for previously being a bandit when Joe burst onto the scene last week. This week that drama unfolds quickly as Ugly enters the fray, destroying a part of the jail and rendering the General incapable of delivering the final order to shoot. With Don Pedro arriving, things are quickly resolved. Sancho is pardoned, but only on the condition that he joins the army with his former bandit colleagues. Of course, he willingly agrees and this whole South American adventure is wrapped up n the bottom of page two. Don Pedro confesses that he wanted Ugly for himself, but he has seen that Joe and Ugly can never be parted. He then hands Joe a telegram from Anglea, requesting that he comes home urgently for a job with him and Ugly. A new adventure awaits us, but it is with some sadness that we depart South America. I have greatly enjoyed Joe's and Ugly's time here, despite my initial reservations, and I only hope that the story doesn't become dreary on their return to Blighty. This finish was rushed, but not as quickly as some other stores as they finished, and it did feel natural. I was pleased to see that we had a happy ending for everyone, and once again the art was superb. If the next adventure is even half as good as these months in South America, then I shall be very happy indeed. 

Rating: 8/10

Best Line: "Hey Joe! Are you waging a private war with the army?"

Football Family Robinson

It appears that a different artist has drawn this week's Football Family Robinson. It is not quite as intricate and detailed, and appears a lot cleaner on the page The story though continues apace as Crash comes off the pitch asking after Digger. In the office, Digger waits for his chance to confront Digger, but this never eventuates as Grandpa defuses the situation by knocking Digger to the ground with a pump! Back on the field and the family are 2-1 up when it begins to drizzle. This drizzle makes the pitch slippery and difficult to play on and with five minutes left to play Grizzly slips while making a tackle and gives away a penalty. We end with the crowd chanting for Crash to save the penalty, while Digger is locked in the office cursing him and threatening to smash his way out. This story is beginning to become a little drawn out, but it still carries momentum. The anger of Digger is palpable on the page, and every panel he is in catches the eye. I was a little thrown this week by the change in the artwork (Viv wasn't quite as vivacious as I remember) but overall the story didn't suffer and we are still accelerating to a smashing conclusion. I don't know how many issues until that conclusion, but it feels like we getting close now.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best Line:  "What's happenin' out there? You gotta let me out, before I do my flamin' Aussie nut!" 

The Tigers 

This week's issue ends on a low with The Tigers. There is nothing new in this week's strip and I am overwhelmed by the feeling that I have seen all of this before. Taking his land yacht into the park, Chunky is pursued by Ron Burton. Chunky accidentally hooks himself to Burton's yacht, and while Chunky ends up crashing through a fence and out of the park, it is Ron that is stuck in a flower bed and facing the wrath of the park keeper. Chunky is also in trouble, out of the park he can't stop and is facing a wreck himself. The humour isn't as funny as in previous issues, and the land yacht action is very close to the soapbox derby we saw just a few issues ago. I want to like this more than I do, but there is very little that appeals to me this week, and I can only hope next week is closer to what I enjoy. 

Rating: 4/10

Best Line: "My flower-beds! I'll prosecute him!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story: A Horse Called Ugly

Best Line: "Don't be daft! The piper's supposed to be on the castle wall...and not having a cuppa in a cafe!"

Best Panel:

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