Hamish's Hotshot Tiger Blog: Tiger 5th October 1974

This issue of Tiger (5th October 1974) contains some big news that colours the entire issue. Next week (12th October 1974) Tiger will team up with Scorcher, bringing on board some of my favourite stories and characters from the 1970s and 1980s. Before we can welcome these new strips we must first say goodbye to some of the characters we have come to know so well over the last year. This is the end of the road for The Tigers, Football Family Robinson, and A Horse Called Ugly. I will do a follow-up post to say goodbye to these standards, but on a positive note next week we will welcome three new strips, Hotshot Hamish (my namesake and firm favourite going forward), Nipper, and Billy's Boots. All these will become mainstays in the coming years and I look forward to their arrival with some excitement. Next week's comic will start from a clean slate, so not only do we say goodbye to three strips, but every story wraps up this week, ready for a new beginning in every story in the next issue. Some stories are rushed to an unnatural conclusion, while for others it feels fitting to end where they are now. Lots to look forward to in the next few weeks, but in the meantime let's look at how each of the stories conclude this week.

Tiger

5th October 1974

Skid Solo

And they're off! Final race of the season and we have the excited race announcer getting the race underway. With the field racing directly towards us off the page, it doesn't get any better than this. I'm tempted to give it a ten right from the start, but we must turn the page to see what eventuates.

By the end of lap one Skid has taken the lead with Sparrow right behind him. They stay like this for lap after lap, both pushing each other as hard as they can with the lap record being broken several times.

There is another battle going on, the battle for third and fourth, where Jean Corbonne and Mike Elton are scrapping for position. Corbonne pushes a little too hard and crashes off the track whereupon his car bursts into flame.

Skid is first onto the scene as he comes to the same corner. Without hesitation, he stops his car and runs to pull Corbonne from the flames. With flames licking up around them he drags Corbonne from the car and to safety, earning the respect of the firefighters who have now arrived.

With Skid now out of the race, it is Sparrow Smith who takes the checkered flag and the World Championship. It is Skid who earns the bigger honour though as we see in later panels he has been awarded an O.B.E. for his rescue of Corbonne. Skid and his team have exchanged their racing gear for formal attire and are all at Buckingham Palace for the award.

A fine way to wrap up this story, and the season. Like Sparrow Smith in the final panel, I wonder what next season will bring and it is hard to imagine it could live up to this issue. I remember this story well from when I was a child. I'm too young to have brought this comic new, but I was given it by an older relative and I was impressed at the time by Skid's bravery and the overall feel of the story. The story did live up to those memories and to the excitement of the first page. Not every story is afforded a stirring finish such as this, and it feels like the first time in quite a while that any Tiger story has finished so strongly. Not only the best strip in this week's comic but also one of the best in Tiger's run so far, this is memorable for all the right reasons.

Rating: 10/10

Best line: "These flame-proof overalls are good, but it's getting too warm! Heck, come on, Corbonne...come out!"

The Tigers

The Tigers has just as much action as Skid Solo, yet it doesn't feel as important at any stage of the story. We are still at the fell racing contest, with Chunky Clark and Burton neck and neck as they race downhill towards the finish.

It goes as you might expect. Burton throws an obstacle in front of Chunky, only for Chunky's luck to take a hand. In this case, it is a log that Burton pushes in front of Chunky, and instead of tripping over it, Chunky ends up riding it as it rolls down the hill. It's enough to get Chunky in the lead, and even better, as he jumps off the log it bowls over Burton.

There is one final burst of excitement over the page as Chunky accidentally kicks a hornet's nest. With a trail of furious hornets after him, Chunky makes it to the finish line in double quick time, giving him and the Tigers the victory.

Burton sums it up nicely in the final panel - only luck can beat Chunky Clark, and he always has that on his side. I often tire of Chunky's luck, and in this week's strip that was all there was - just his luck alone. There was very little interaction with the other competitors and the story focused solely on Chunky. Although it had moments that made me smile, the strip never became fully humourous, and overall felt like a gentle trundle to the finish rather than a dynamic sprint. An average way for the strip to end, but it does fit with my overall perception of the story - a humourous facade but in the background, not much of substance happens.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "It's the return run - and there's only Burton ahead. Flaming fig-pips, I'm running a blinder. 'Course, I was sort of running blind when I got caught in the mist!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

We are rapidly heading towards the conclusion of the great London to Sydney race and there is still a twist in the tale for Martin and Tiny. They aren't in immediate peril, and instead, it is the Carton team of Grimble and Perch that faces an oncoming stampede while Martin and Tiny watch on.

They don't watch on for long and rush to the aid of the two hapless drivers, loading Grimble and Perch into their own vehicle after the Carlton team car is caught in the cattle stampede. Clear of the stampede they encounter the angry owner of the Carlton team, who in his anger accidentally reveals that he was behind the stampede with the intention of slowing Tiny and Martin. This earns him a well-deserved punch to the jaw by his own driver Grimble.

With this drama firmly behind them, the two pals continue their journey across the breadth of Australia. It looks like plain sailing but on the outskirts of Sydney disaster strikes as George's engine gives out. It's hands-on as they do their best to push George to the finish. Unfortunately, the finish line appears in sight just as the Renworks car appears, and the two friends get nothing for their efforts.

This is where we leave the story this week, with the despondent pair grumbling about their rotten luck. I'm not grumbling though, this has been an exciting story for the last few months as they have raced across the globe, and to come as close as they did after all they faced is a great result. A good decision by the writer, letting them win this race was the obvious result, and having them pipped at the post was realistic and true to their adventures this far. It was also pleasing to see Mr Carlton take a punch to the jaw, a blow I would have quite liked to have delivered myself. He has been a fantastic villain throughout, and to see his own team turn on him was rewarding. As second-string villains, the bumbling Grimble and Perch have brought a touch of humour to the strip and lightened up some of the more dramatic moments. I have nothing but positive thoughts as I reflect on the last couple of months of this story. We have seen some interesting locations, leading to some stunning art, and seen the team pitched into some unusual situations. Here's hoping the next adventure will deliver plenty more of the same.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "One minute...just one rotten minute and we'd won! Next time, if we can get George repaired properly, we'll have to try even harder!"

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Johnny Cougar is still fighting the odds, and the hired henchmen of a promotor trying to put together an international circus of wrestling stars, as we begin this week's strip.

A double-flying dropkick puts paid to two of the thugs before a quick toss to another leaves Johnny and Splash with the upper hand. The final two crooks are dealt a punch and a karate chop before the boss of them all pulls a pistol on Johnny.

This only serves to anger the matman, and the gun is kicked from the promoter's hand in short order. This is the end of the fight, and the story, as Johnny hangs the man on a coat hook before walking off to seek his next adventure.

Not much in terms of story here, it was all about the fight and wrapping up the story of the last three weeks. We don't even learn the name of the promoter it is all dealt with so swiftly. I enjoyed seeing the fight, but with no real story behind it, I couldn't help but feel it was all rather meaningless. Like some of the other stories this week, it is all wrapped up very quickly in anticipation of starting afresh next week (more on that later). I like Johnny Cougar a lot, especially the artwork, but this week it never got out of first gear and all I can do is hope that a reset next week will get it back to its previous high standards.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Maybe not so mean without gun!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Another case of a story coming to a close, with the saga of the goalkeepers about to be resolved.

After taking a heavy blow from Roy, with no ill effects, Tubby Morton's confidence is seemingly restored as a cross comes in from their Dutch opposition. Tubby is equal to the moment, and jumping into the action he punches the ball clear.

With a solid goalkeeper now behind them, Melchester Rovers rally and a strong kick from Tubby late in the second half gives them the half chance they need. With Roy on the scene with a diving header, the Rovers take a one-nil lead. This turns out to be the final score, with Rovers missing a chance right on full-time, and they leave the field taking a slender one goal lead into the away leg.

Off the field, Roy's other goal-keeping problem is just about at boiling point. Charlie Carter is on the cusp of signing a record deal with his slimy manager Larry Sharp, but Roy's background connections pay off just in time.

Marty Miller, a famous performer and good friend of Roy's through his charity connections, arrives as Charlie is about to sign. Marty informs Charlie of some of the fish hooks in his contract that Charlie has overlooked, and this results in a displeased Charlie not only refusing to sign the contract but also throwing Larry Sharpe fully clothed into the baths.

Charlie's future at the club is assured, and the story rounds off with Tubby and Charlie shaking hands and promising each other that they will both compete hard for the goalkeeping spot.

Like the other stories in the issue, this one is wrapping up one story arch so we can embark on a new journey next week. Unlike the Johnny Cougar story earlier in the comic, this was well-paced and felt like it would have come to a close at this point anyway. The artwork on the final page was the highlight for me, and seeing Charlie Carter and Tubby Morton in the same strip was a treat. Now the goalkeeper issue is resolved, we can look forward to the return leg against Zeeden, and I can only assume this will be the main storyline for the next few weeks. With the thought of more onfield action on the horizon, I leave this week's strip with positive thoughts for what may come next.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "In that case, old son, I'll leave you to it! You won't need me to cover you anymore..!"

Football Family Robinson

The final week of the pagan head saga, and I can't begin to express how happy I will be to see the back of the story. With Viv's boyfriend, Kevin, about to throw it from a helicopter it looks like it will finally be good riddance to the head.

Little known to Kevin is that now the family need it back as they have found it is not an ancient pagan god, but rather a childhood project of their bank manager who would like to be reunited with it. Viv and Grandpa make haste to the reservoir where Kevin intends to throw the head to a watery grave. Kevin sees them from the helicopter as they begin to paddle a boat out to catch his attention and stop him, but their efforts only result in Kevin dropping the head early and sending it crashing through their boat.

Luckily they are still in shallow water, and even luckier is when Grandpa retrieves the head from these shallows. Mission accomplished they rush back to the ground where they are able to present it to the bank manager as the game finishes. With the bank manager happy, they are guaranteed the loan he promised and we finish the strip with many happy faces and the promise of happily ever after.

Ignoring the silliness of this whole storyline, I quite enjoyed this instalment. Viv and Grandpa were ineffectual yet enjoyable to read on the page. Most of the family took a backseat this week, and it was Viv and Grandpa who held centre stage in the final moments of this story. Although this story has been a letdown for me throughout, I still have a soft spot for Football Family Robinson. They deserve a better send-off than what they get here. I'll be sad to say goodbye to the family but will shed not a single tear for this pagan head saga.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Ooops! I promised to drop it in the deepest part. I've let it go too soon"

Tallon Of The Track

New rider and pop sensation, Sven Jannson, has been dragged into a store room by an unknown attacker while out on the track the Ospreys are neck and neck with the Latchford Lions in their latest heat.

With the team in trouble, Jo tracks down Sven based on some suspicious noises heard from the storeroom by a track official. Bursting in, Jo saves Sven from his captors, who also happen to be members of his fan club.

The upshot of it all is that his own fan club are trying to stop his track career, for fear of him leaving the music world. Jo assures them that Sven intends to do both, and is not choosing one over the other. To make amends she asks that Sven play a free concert after the race, letting his fans know that he will be both racing and singing in future.

It all comes together in the final panels as Sven wins the race that sees Ospreys triumph in the track meet, and then plays to a small crowd of adoring fans.

A rather light ending to a story that contained a kidnapping. There were previously some strong issues here, but the ending felt rushed. After seeing Sven kidnapped one would have normally assumed at least two or three more issues to resolve this, yet in this case it is solved almost as soon as it happened. It is another case of clearing the decks so the story can start afresh next week. Likable as always, but nothing here feels essential and once again I look forward to hitting the reset button and seeing what comes next week.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Stand back! T-take one more step, and I'll bash Sven!"