Tiger 21st December 1974

A beautiful cover featuring the Skid Solo story, hints that this could be a great issue. Today's issue is from 21st December 1874, right in the middle of winter. What better way to brighten that winter gloom than a brightly painted racing car, and in sunny Florida to boot. My spirits are raised already, and I haven't even charged my glass. I will have a swig now, and we'll see if the rest of the Tiger lives up to this delightful cover.

Tiger
21st December 1974

Skid Solo

It's the week before Christmas and Skid and his team are getting some sunshine in Florida. The front cover of this week's Tiger comic features a resplendent red and white striped car which is matched in loudness only by its driver, the brashly confident American Bud Danvers.

Bud lets Skid know that this car is a world-beater, and that Skid has no chance of beating him in the next day's race. Skid counters with a fast practice time, but at dinner that evening Bud arrives and confidently tells Skid he has beaten his time by two seconds, and it will be Bud on the front row of the grid tomorrow rather than Skid. 

This brash American is beginning to grate on Sandy and he offers to go over and sort him out. Skid calms him, and tells Sandy he will do his talking on the track the next day. 

The race itself is a close-run affair. Bud's Candy-striped car is considerably faster than Skid on the straights, but when it comes to cornering and bends Skid has a wealth of experience that he puts to good use, and try as he might, Bud just can't shake him.

It is Skid who holds a slender lead as they enter the final half lap, but the power of Bud's car proves to be the deciding factor and on the straight he just edges Skid to the finish line. 

We finish with the three friends heading back to the UK, and Sandy still complaining about how much he dislikes Bud. He is interrupted by the air hostess, who hands them a candy-striped box each. They are expecting cornflakes, but upon opening the boxes they find solid gold watches, gifted to them by Bud along with an explanatory note saying he wishes them all the best, and he may have had the faster car, but it was Skid who was the faster driver. 

This isn't the first time we have seen the stereotypical loud American, and it felt overdone in this issue. I half expected Bud Danvers to burst into a "U.S.A, U.S.A, U.S.A" chant as he sped around the track in his highly commercialised colourful car. However, it was a nice change of pace from Skid testing cars, or getting caught up with criminals, as is his wont in the off-season. I could criticise this story for being too simple, but that would be unfair. It has Skid racing a car, and racing it well, and that is the most important thing to me when reading a Skid Solo story. There wasn't a lot at stake, and it was a gentle telling, yet I still got a thrill from seeing the cars on the track. The most striking image is the candy-striped car on the front cover, and it was easy to carry this visual in my head for the rest of the story. Tidy from start to finish, this was Skid at 50mph rather than 100mph.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Go on, Skid! Show that boasting oaf what it's all about!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy is in an unusual spot, the circus big top. He is there with Rover's new scout, Archie Miller, who is convinced he has found their next star player.  

As Roy watches on from the stands, Sammy Spangler puts on a spectacular show. Riding the unicycles he flicks footballs onto his head, where he balances them, before showing some more conventional skills by chipping the ball through a swinging pendulum.

Archie is keen to sign him, but Roy has reservations. So too does Sammy's father as he considers football to be a roughneck game. However, a trial is organised and a few days later Sammy arrives at Rovers to see if his football skills and tricks can translate to team play.

He is successful with his trial, setting up a couple of goals, leaving Tony Storme facing the final decision as to whether or not he should sign him.   

The scene at the circus dominated this week's story, and most of the panels were devoted to Sammy's tricks. I didn't mind it too much, but by the end I was pleased when we finally got back to Melchester and saw him with the rest of the team. This isn't the most riveting of storylines, and I know we are still facing a few weeks of this. No doubt next week Roy will do something Christmas-related, so the story will probably stretch into January. Some action wouldn't go astray right about now, and perhaps Sammy should have been thrown onto the field this issue. However, the writers are taking their time, and my impatience is just that, my own impatience. Roll on the new year, and some proper football action. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "The cheeky little perisher! He back-heeled a perfect pass through Loft Peak's legs..!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Last week we saw George falling off the edge of the edge of a pier and into the water. What I didn't realise at the time was that poor Martin was still inside the vehicle. 

Tiny, good friend that he is, immediately dives into the water and pulls Martin from the car and to safety. Both ashore, the next problem they face is getting George out of the water, but this is accomplished soon enough as a rescue vehicle with a crane hauls him up and onto dry land. 

Three days of cleaning follow, and the pals' hard work pays off as George's motor starts the first time they try it. They quickly set off to the nearest town, fifty miles away, and it's here that they have another stroke of luck when they see the launch belonging to Mr Eazzi, the man who stole the money, docked.

It turns out that the launch has been sold, but further down the street, they see Mr Eazzi eating at a cafe. A small chase and they soon have him cornered. With nowhere to go, he practically throws the money he owes to the two friends, before scurrying off as fast as he can. 

I can already see where we are going with this next week. Martin alludes to it in the final panel as he tells Tiny that they now have a stack of money, and Christmas is only next week. No doubt a charitable event is on the horizon. This was a fine finish to this storyline, and I appreciate that it didn't linger too long. It was only a couple of weeks ago that we met Mr Eazzi and already he is gone and his storyline with it. It was mostly chasing, last week wasn't particularly exciting, and this week was more satisfying, especially with a red herring thrown in with the launch being sold. The story never scaled great heights, but it did just enough to keep me turning the page, which I guess is the goal of any story writer. Not the best in class, but easy on the eye and a pleasant read.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Hang on, old buddy...I'm on my way!" 

Hot-shot Hamish  

Hamish is tense right from the first panel of the story as he prepares for the second leg of their European Cup game against a Spanish side. The thought of winning the game for the children he met in the hospital is weighing heavy on his mind, and as the game begins he can't stop talking or thinking about it.

Of course, it affects his play, and he makes a foolish backpass that gives the Spanish an early goal, and a two-nil lead on aggregate. Now needing to score three goals, Hamish plays like a charging tank, and in the final panel of the strip he unleashes the hotshot, only to see it saved by the keeper in a dramatic dive. Even Hamish is applauding, as the children back at the hospital are despondent at the thought of Princes losing. 

Once again, Hot-shot Hamish has the best art in Tiger comic. We see football action in plenty of these strips, but in Hot-shot Hamish there are constantly new ways and angles of showing what is happening on the field. It makes it far more dynamic and interesting than any of the other football stories, and even if I don't like some of the silliness in Hot-shot Hamish I always have the art to treasure. This week we see action from ground level, some from above, and some right on the shoulder of the Hebridean Giant as he blasts his shot at the keeper. It brings me right into the action, and along with the use of the newspaper in the opening panel to tell the story, it is my favourite part of this week's issue. I don't care if the team win or loses, I just want to see more like this, and I sincerely hope that we get at least a couple more weeks out of this game. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "What are ye doing Hamish?...Ye great loon!" 

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

An odd Johnny Cougar story this week, as he continues in the international wrestling tournament. 

Johnny is training hard, and his companion Splash warns him that he needs to be at his best as he faces his next opponent, Big Jim Jackson. This is backed up by the appearance of Barney Thompson, a reporter from the wrestling magazine, who reiterates to Johnny what a threat Jim Jackson is, and that Jackson had knocked out his opponent in the first match with a killer knockout smash.

Suitably warned, Johnny arrives at the match, only for members of the crowd to likewise warn him what a threat Jim Jackson is. Johnny takes it all in, but he tells Splash that he is sick of all the warnings and just wants to fight. 

Big Jim Jackson lives up to the big part of his name, and he stands considerably higher than Johnny as they face off in the ring. Once the bell rings through, it is Johnny who seizes the initiative. First, he charges Jackson, before hitting him with a shot to the gut. He follows this up with a two-hand smash, and Jackson is laid out, barely seconds into the match. 

With the match won in record time, Johnny tells us that his previously undefeated opponent was too used to winning, and didn't expect an early attack. Splash is overjoyed with the victory, excitedly telling Johhny that he is pleased he won as that makes next week's Christmas celebrations so much bigger.

With a break in the tournament next week, and Splash promising Christmas celebrations, we have another story that will be angling towards a charitable Christmas story. For now, I am celebrating a short sharp story that was purely wrestling focused. I am pleased we didn't dwell too long on this fight, and it was just as satisfying as any other Johnny Cougar bout we have seen. Everything was distilled to its essence. We have a good introduction to his opponent, highlighting how dangerous he was, some in-ring banter, and then some dynamic wrestling action, albeit across only three panels. Not a breath was wasted, and I appreciated it. Next week will be a throwaway storyline, but I look forward to picking up this tournament storyline in the new year 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Haga! Cougar beat opponent and all warnings!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy is facing the angry tongue of the sportsmaster after dribbling the ball around the referee at the end of last week's issue. A half-mumbled excuse seems to do the trick, and Billy is told he can go back and watch the rest of the game, but he must stay out of trouble. 

He accomplishes this easily enough and as he watches from the sidelines his team win three- one and are through to the next round. There is a chance that Billy might be picked, but first, he has to get over his injury. 

On Saturday morning he heads down to Groundwood Town's ground where he is cleared by the team's doctor. It is now just a matter of Billy finding a way to get match fit. Calling in on the Welldale Wanders he is offered a game, although when he tells his Gran later she expresses concern about him playing with grown men. 

Billy plays well, using his new dribbling trick to beat the opposing left-back. He only does it once, and after that the defender resorts to rough physical tactics to stop him. After crashing to earth a couple of times Billy threatens the defender, only for the referee to warn them both that he'll send them off if this continues. 

The first half of this story wasn't much, but I found the second half very good indeed. Seeing Billy being roughed up by the opposition was true to life, and I could feel the heavy impact of some of the tackles. The art seemed to improve as the strip went along, and again on the final page it became a real highlight, adding to the intensity of what was happening on the page. With the artwork firing on all cylinders, and the writing hitting a fertile streak, Billy's Boots has made great strides this week, and I think this is one of the best ones we've had yet.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "I'll be okay, Gran. Being smaller will help...I'll be able to dodge quicker!"

Tallon Of The Track 

It's racing all the way as the Ospreys take on the Ukrainian Bears. Debenko, leader of the Bears, is giving the Ospreys a hard time, and it is left to Jo Tallon, and her waggling finger, to defend her team. Debenko laughs off the tongue-lashing he receives, telling Jo that perhaps they should be riding pedal bikes. 

Taking stock, Jo rallies the troops. Reserve bikes are bought out, as are the reserve riders, and before heat three she tells her riders she has to attend to a few things, and they should ride as fast as they can from the start.

They do ride fast, but not fast enough, and once again it is the Ukrainian riders who sweep the points. This time it is David Trent who suffers Debenko's boasting. As he looks around for Jo he notices one of the reserves riding onto the track, and realises that it's Jo herself who's about to take on Debenko. 

We were on the track, but not a lot happened. The focus wasn't on the bikes on the track at all, but rather on the drama surrounding the track as Jo and Debenko clashed verbally. I do like seeing the fiery side of Jo emerge, although in this case, it wasn't enough to hold my attention on the story, especially as she was missing for half the story while her team was racing. And the racing itself was hardly gripping, with the team being comprehensively outridden. It all felt rather flat, and as much as I wanted to enjoy it I just couldn't. Debenko is a great character, but the story around him isn't strong enough, and overall I feel this is a wasted opportunity. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Perhaps it is pedal bikes you should be riding...haar, haar, haar!" 

Nipper 

Nipper has scored, but it's too late and the England selectors have already left the ground. Nipper is downhearted, but the rest of the team points out that there are still forty thousand fans at the ground for him to play for and Nipper responds with an outstanding performance - scoring three goals himself and setting up Wilf Tucker for the fourth of the afternoon. 

This earns Nipper a standing ovation, and as he comes off the field Mike Beatson has one more surprise for him - a mystery figure is waiting to meet him and the three goals he has just scored might be the most important of his career. 

Lots to like here. The story was strong throughout, and we continually moved forward on and off the field. Seeing Nipper respond to his fans was entirely in character, and just as important as his relationship with his own team. Mike Beatson again plays an important role in the story, last week it was feining an injury so Nipper could come onto the field, and this week it was finding the mysterious figure who will propel us forward into next week's strip. Throw in a few good goals in typical Nipper style, and we have a great ending to this week's Tiger comic. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The cheeky shrimp! He pushed the ball through the goalie's legs!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story: Billy's Boots  

Best Line: "Och, it's a' very well to say relax Mister McWhacker but I canna relax! I promised the wee bairns up at the hospital that Princes Park would win!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: