Last week's issue of Tiger appealed to me on many fronts and was strong throughout. If this week can retain that run of form, we should be in for a real treat. I can't decide which story I look forward to most, all of them have some merit. The world is my oyster, and I'll be happy with whatever story comes first as I turn the page and begin this week's journey.
Tiger
22nd June 1974
Skid Solo
Sparrow Smith gets us off to a flying start this week with his new car spinning into the sand as a striking cover image to entice us. His new car is fast, yet not particularly good at steering. Sparrow has a solution in mind though and tells Skid he's going to change the wheels before he puts in some extra practice.
The following day and the race begins. It is a low-key introduction to the race, we don't get the familiar commentator yelling into the microphone as the cars take off. However, the race is action-packed, with sand continually causing chaos, with one large crash early on playing a large part in what develops.
Carbonne and Elton are far ahead of the field, engaged in their own private duel, while Sparrow and Skid are the best of the following vehicles. Skid has a couple of near misses, coming off the track, which eventually lets Sparrow through to chase down the race leaders.
He comes close but can't make up the time, finishing a close run third, while Skid finishes in fourth place. The table shown in the final panel tells the story of the race, and the championship, with Carbonne and Elton far ahead in the standings, while Skid and Sparrow are neck and neck in third and fourth place.
Although this is a grand prix episode of the story, it didn't grab me in the same way as the first two races of the season. True, it did fill the whole story with its intricacies and drama, but it didn't feel important and, after a crash early on, the story ran out of steam and drama. On a positive note, this is shaping up to be a close-run season, and Skid may struggle to retain his crown. I have enjoyed the introduction of Carbonne and Elton, and seeing them lead the table as two rookies bodes well, not just this season, but also for the following seasons. A nice injection of new blood, one can already see a rivalry being built.
The next race should cement this rivalry and its importance to future issues, as things currently stand now, the Skid Solo stories are on an upwards trajectory.
Rating: 7/10
Best line: "Skid's done it again! He's hit the sand!"
Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton
This is just the type of Johnny Cougar issue I like to see. Three pages of nothing but wrestling action, and Johnny taking on an opponent worthy of his attention.
Mighty Man is every inch of his name, and although Johnny comes out very strongly against him in the first minute, he asserts his strength and sheer body size against Johnny.
There is offence from both parties, Johnny with some strong holds and Mighty Man with some mighty blows before the match settles into a tit-for-tat affair. However, as we come to the final page Johnny is steadily gaining the upper hand, and after two explosive moves, he cradles Mighty Man into a potential pinfall. If he can hold him there or not, we'll have to wait until next week, but it certainly looks positive for Johnny in the final panels.
With believable action, snappy dialogue, and some dynamic art, it almost felt like I was there as I was reading this. I am a fan of modern professional wrestling, and what I see on TV each week isn't too far removed from what we see here on the page. I appreciated how close the match is between the two, and seeing Mighty Man resisting the dynamic force of Johnny made it all the more believable. I have no gripes with this story at all, and although it is not a 10/10 it is almost a frictionless read, making it an early highlight in this week's Tiger.
Rating: 9/10
Best line: "We shall see, O tubby one. Actions speak heap louder than words!"
Martin's Marvellous Mini
My world is brightened by the appearance of Martin's Marvellous Mini. Its coloured pages are matched by the bright storyline, and this week's things are escalating quickly in the treasure hunt.
Sent down the wrong road by Algy and Percy, Tiny and Martin soon find themselves at a dead end - halfway up a hill and nothing but a rock-strewn road behind them. Being resourceful chaps, they soon have George tied with ropes and lowed down a slope before they return to the main road.
Back in the hunt, they quickly solve the next clue, before heading off to Whitefield farm to solve the next puzzle. They are seen by Percy and Algy, who upon seeing that their scheme has failed, devise a new one.
Skipping ahead in the clues, the two saboteurs make for Enny tunnel. Enny tunnel is dangerous and closed to the public, but Percy and Algy push the door open to lure our pals in, with the intention of closing the door behind them.
A lot was crammed in the two pages here, and we saw Tiny and Martin rescue George, solve a couple of clues, and make for a third, while we also got to see the nefarious deeds of Percy and Algy. Not overly dramatic from panel to panel, the story was propelled by the bigger picture and the under current of Percy and Algy's doings. We didn't get to see Tiny and Martin make a nice cuppa, disappointing, but we did get to see some great facial expressions, and overall the story moved quickly, with a good hook to bring us all back next week.
Rating: 7/10
Best line: "Great! You're not as stupid as you look, Tiny old pal! Ha ha!"
The Tigers
Cricket is the name of the game, and after being introduced to the team previously, this week both Chunky and Ron are called upon to demonstrate their skills.
After catching the eye of the Dinglewell cricket team, Chunky, Ron, and their respective friends are asked to try out for the team. This makes up the rest of this week's issue, and we see Chunky bat, bowl and field, utilising his luck at every turn, while the other boys also demonstrate their worth. After two pages of cricketing skills, the story closes with five of the boys selected to play while one of Ron's friends misses the cut, although this is all the better for him to cause trouble with Chunky.
I liked what I saw, although, unlike the previous Martin's Marvellous Mini, the story didn't move forward at all. As I recall, at the end of the last week, we saw the cricket team watching some of Chunky's skills and suggesting he might be available for the team, and this week that was built upon but only very slightly. We did see more skills, but by the end of the story we are still in the same place as last week, with the boys looking like they will be playing for the team. It was a pleasant read, but it barely raised my pulse, and overall, it left barely an impression on me.
Rating: 5/10
Best line: "Great, my hobby is winning trophies!"
Football Family Robinson
I don't have high hopes as I see the first panel and the blasted monkeys are still with us. Things improve quickly though and I like where we are heading this week.
Seeking to find a way out, the family splits up and heads in different directions. Three of the parties find nothing and return to camp. After five hours Titch and his group have not returned and the other family members become concerned.
Three of them set out to find the missing party, and spirits lift when they come across Titch's football. However, a round of calling out for them is answered with silence and they ponder their next move. That next move will be revealed next week as they decide whether should they go forward to find them, or go back to the rest of the family?
The world is expanding for the family, and it was nice to see them push out a little wider after several claustrophobic episodes. Of course, there was football involved this week, they haven't entirely left that behind, but for the most part, it played as a typical lost in the jungle story. Not as exciting as perhaps I might like, but several notches up from the last few weeks, no doubt helped by the appearance of Viv in several panels. Better, but still not to the level we were a few months ago.
Rating: 6.5/10
Best line: "We should have gone with them. You know what our family is like for getting into trouble"
A Horse Called Ugly
The cross-country race come to an end, a neck-and-neck race for the finish line, before it is decided on penalty points.
The points are tallied, and it is extremely close, but sadly for Joe and Ugly, Lord Humphrey is announced the winner due to the penalties incurred by Joe.
All that remains is for Joe to honour the agreement and surrender his possessions, including Ugly, to Lord Humphrey for one day. Joe reluctantly surrenders Ugly, but then he and Angela secretly follow the horse float.
Clive Mannering shakes them and waits for Mungro to arrive with a lorry. Mungro is eager to be paid, but Mannering dismisses him for the time being, leaving a disgruntled Mungro plotting to make things difficult for Lord Humphrey and Mannering.
Not the story I expected, but most enjoyable. I was pleased to see Joe and Ugly lose the race, it would have been a cop-out for them to win, and this leads to much more interesting developments in the story. With all three parties pulling in different directions the plot could go anywhere from here, and I love that anything could happen. Again, not a lot of horse action, but some fantastic facial expressions on the characters that more than make up for it. Not what I expected, but just what I needed.
Rating: 7/10
Best line: "I lost by a trick! But I have to accept it. Okay...Humph can take everything I have - but only for one day!"
Roy Of The Rovers
Roy and Blackie are about to play for the village team of San Palos in the local tournament, with Roy playing under the assumed name of Roberto.
With the opposition playing rough, Roy relies on his skill and quick passing to open up the defence. With a quick one-two, and despite the field sabotaging his skills, Roy manages to score a goal. This proves to be his downfall, for as his team celebrates many of them call him by his real name, leading the opposition to rumble about exactly who he is.
The name Race is like a red rag to a bull, and Roy soon finds himself on the end of some rough challenges. The final one leaves him crumpled in the dust and Blackie fretting about the season back home.
I felt that this story got off to a rocky start in previous issues, but now we are on the field and playing football it has solidified and is now on a more sure footing. It is a retelling of a familiar story, one team playing rough, while Roy sparkles with his skills. Although familiar, it works well in this different context, and there is a sense of importance of what the teams are playing for beyond any trophies. With just Roy and Blackie, it could have been set in any period of Roy's career, and hopefully their friendship will be an important part of what comes next.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best line: "Er, many pardons, Roberto!"
Tallon Of The Track
With Jo in the hospital and the doctor about to deliver some bad news about her condition, Tallon of the Track spends this week's edition away from the track. Dave receives the doctor's bad news outside her room, Jo is in a coma and unaware of her surroundings. There is nothing that can be done, and the doctor informs Dave that the only thing that could possibly bring her around is a familiar name or sound.
This leads us to the second half of the story as Dave returns to the Ospreys, with a seed of an idea germinating in his mind. Rounding up the team, they ride their bike out to the hospital, then proceed to roar around the hospital grounds. It causes chaos, but of course it also awakens Jo from her coma, and we finish the story with her sitting up thinking of racing and her precious Ospreys.
An issue with Jo for the most part, although she was the main driver of the story, it was also notable for being away from the track. We have had plenty of stories before away from the track, but never one where Jo wasn't chasing crooks, or otherwise dominating the dialogue. Dave is a likeable bloke and he carries the story well on his broad shoulders, helped by some fine artwork that is emotive as any dialogue. A gently told story, with no spectacular crashes or the like, but still kept me engaged from beginning to end.
Rating: 6.5/10
Best Line: "Cut those engines, you irresponsible fools! There's a young girl in here who is seriously ill!"
Issue final ratings:
Overall: 7.5/10
Best Story: Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton
Best Line: "I warn you Cougar...I'm a real heavyweight...you're out of my class and under my weight!"
Best Panel:
Roy's Sports Quiz:
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