Tiger 29th March 1975

I have the week off work. You might think that means a week of reading comics, supping beers, and falling asleep in the garden. Apparently not - my wife has other ideas, and most of them involve spending money. Still, the worst day at home is better than the best day at work, and I am enjoying a longer breakfast in the morning while managing to snatch an extra hour in the afternoon with my comics. Only another twenty years until I retire, and then every day can be like this.          

Tiger

29th March 1975

Billy's Boots

Billy Dane is on the cover of this week's issue, taking the field in the quarter-finals of the school's cup. The big defenders of the opposing side have taken their toll on the first-choice Groundwood centre forward, and he is carried off the field, leaving Billy to step up and face this imposing defence. 

The Springfield team have Billy's Groundwood struggling, and despite some heroic efforts by the goalkeeper, Groundwood concede a goal, making the score one-one.

The game continues apace, the minutes ticking by and the Groundwood boys cheering on their school team. Billy has not touched the ball, with the game being all defence and nothing coming his way. 

Eventually, this changes and Billy finds the ball coming his way. With a defender on his back, there is little time to think, and Billy finds his magical boots taking control of the situation. A deft flick sees Billy lobbing the ball over the defender and he breaks into space. He wants to shoot as the keeper comes towards him, but the boots continue to do as they will and Billy finds himself dribbling the ball around the goalkeeper and into the net. 

The ecstatic crowd flood onto the pitch, and with time up on the clock, the game ends at this point. As the hero of the moment, Billy is carried off the field on the shoulders of his peers, and his team are through to the semi-finals. 

The following Wednesday the team is named for the semifinal. Billy has retained his place and is now joined by his good friend Jimmy Dawson. Determined to be at their peak, the two boys begin training again and look to cook up something special for the semifinal. Consulting his trusty book on Dead-shot Keen's life, Billy finds that Keen also had a unique connection with one of his teammates. Reading that the two of them had a special move involving a headed pass backwards, Billy and Jimmy decide to give it a go in the semifinal. 

Not what I expected, and all the better for it. Yes, we did have a lot of the boots taking control. We also had plenty of the friendship between Billy and Jimmy, something which I was delighted to see. I was also heartened by the happy outcome of the football game. There are times when Billy's boots, and particularly Billy's life, can feel a bit miserable. Any positive outcome helps lift the feeling of the comic, and in this case, not only did Billy score a goal, but the game finished with a victory and Billy was named in the team again with his best friend. Surely that must bring a smile to the face of our boy Billy. A well-balanced issue, with good football action and a storyline clearly defined and moving forward, this was just the start we need for this week's Tiger. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Right, Dane...on you go! The defenders are big and tough...but you can beat 'em if you use your skill!"

Skid Solo

Young Tommy Carter is back again, strolling up to Skid and Sandy who are at work in the pits. He wants nothing more but to sit and watch, and as Skid drives out onto the track Tommy sits with Sandy.

On the track, Skid considers how lonely Tommy must be, and how he will miss them once they return to Britain. Returning from his lap, he finds that Tommy is now helping Sandy to work on an engine, and showing a fair amount of ability while he's at it. 

The rest of the week passes like this and soon it's time for Skid and Sandy to return to Britain. At Tommy's house, we see that his living situation with his relatives is dire, and after an argument, he tells his caregivers that he is going to Britain with Skid and Sandy to learn to be a mechanic. 

Later at the airport, Skid and Sandy arrive to find Tommy's relatives waiting for them, with Tommy in tow. Handing over his passport, they thank Skid for taking off their hands, and if he hadn't they would have been taking Tommy to the authorities. 

Skid is surprised, as he knows nothing of what they speak, they're has been no discussion of anything of the sort with Tommy. However, Tomy's relatives soon leave, and Skid notices that Tommy has vanished. he is found not far away, and tells Skid that he told his relatives this tall tale to get away from the, 

Skid tells him to get in the car they've got a plane to catch. Sandy backs him up, and it's quickly agreed that Toomy can join them, with Sandy taking him on as an apprentice. The story ends happily as the three of them drive toward the plane that will fly them back to Britain. 

This was a nice way to introduce a new character, and although the story didn't advance, it was necessary to build the character of Tommy Carter into the story. Since the departure of Sparrow Smith to a rival team, there has been a void of a young and relatable character in Skid's team. Tommy Carter plays out every young boy's fantasy as he joins as an apprentice to one of the greats of the motorsport world and gives the reader, primarily young men, a relatable perspective. Low in drama, yet important to the world being built around Skid Solo, this story was satisfying without being demanding. A lot of that satisfaction is derived from owning what a mainstay of the comic Tommy Carter will be, and seeing him given a suitable backstory that adds an interesting slant to the character. We should be back to the more familiar Skid Solo tropes next week, and for now, this was a nice building block in a much larger story. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Look, son...get in the car. We've got a plane to catch!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny are back in Britain and need to raise some money. George has been repaired, but the mini that the ship's captain lent them needs some costly work, and the two boys are soon towing the red mini from the track and heading into the village.

Here more trouble finds them and after the tow rope snaps and the red mini ends up in a river they are facing a much larger repair bill. 

Back at home, they ponder on how they can generate some more cash and Tiny finds what seems to be the perfect solution - Hill-climbing. There is an event nearby, and with cash prizes on offer, it looks just the ticket. 

Two days later they enter the event and after watching several competitors take on the hill it is their turn. They are fast, as observed by many in the crowd, although they find they are too fast as Martin loses control on one of the corners. Sliding towards a TV camera it looks bad for two pals, although we never see it on the page. Those watching at home suddenly find their TVs have gone blank and it is assumed that they have crashed into the camera. 

I love a good hill-climb story, and I'm sure we have this event several times across the years of Martin's Marvellous Mini. We are back in Britain, and everything feels as though it's back on an even keel as George slews his way up a muddy road. With this familiarity comes a warm feeling, and this week's story doesn't put a foot wrong throughout. There is humour, more disaster for the boys, and a shot at redemption, all neatly spread across two pages. All of it is charming, and it's a hard man who reads these stories without a smile on his face. A great little package, and like the mini itself, everything is beautifully constructed on a small scale. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Hill-climbing! That's great...we'll enter George! He can do anything!" 

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

The saga of Grarg, the robot wrestler, continues this week. Grarg is out of control and in the countryside, although not for long as he soon approaches a small village.

Meanwhile, in the castle, Johnny confronts Grarg's manager, Jacob Barclay, and tells him that they must do something. Jacob stammers that there is nothing he can do - he had intended for Grarg to become a sporting superstar, not go on the rampage like this. Johnny is tired of this talk and leads them out of the castle in search of Grarg. 

In the village, Grarg smashes up the village store, before moving on. Johnny and the others arrive to find a policeman taking a report from locals who observed the attack and quickly asks one of the witnesses which direction Grag went. 

Grarg is already on the other side of the village, where he smashes through the wall of a house and throws the occupant and the bath he is sitting, in out of the window and into the village duck pond. 

Next, he heads to the village hall, and as he enters we see the sign outside which advertises a wrestling tournament which is taking place at this very moment. 

We can already see what will happen next and expect to see Johnny in the ring with Grarg very soon, if not the next issue then certainly the one after. This issue primarily showed the strengths of Grarg, and without a direct conflict with Johnny, the story was broken up into several vignettes of Grarg wreaking destruction on various parts of the village. Once again the character is well established as an unbeatable monster, and the scene is set for a showdown with Cougar. It seemed a little too neat that there just so happened to be a wrestling tournament taking place in the village, but it is what it is, and will bring the story to a suitable conclusion in the next couple of issues. No action this week, it will all be happening in the next issue, and I for one can't wait to see Johnny Cougar lock up against this seemingly unbeatable robot.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "How dashed embarrassing!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Rovers have landed at Zarnov airport for their second leg against Dynamo Zarnov, and the reception they receive upon landing is hot, to say the least. A crowd of Zarnov supporters have turned up, and the Rovers receive a torrent of abuse as they exit the plane. 

They are wondering how they will make it past this angry mob when suddenly a minibus pulls up, and with a yell, they all jump aboard. There is no time to pause and consider where the bus has come from, already objects are being thrown at it, and they quickly speed off.

The Rovers speak with the reporters on the bus, and thank them for arranging this. The reporters tell Roy they have nothing to do with it. There is some concern as there is no connecting door between them and the driver, and there is a brief second of worry that they have been kidnapped. 

However, they arrive at their hotel safely. Quickly looking in the driver's window, they find that the driver has already scarpered, but not before leaving a note. It's the same type of mystery note they have been receiving for several weeks, and this one urges them to stay at the stadium rather than the hotel.

Seeing a mob of angry fans down the road, Roy can see the sense in this and pushes the Rovers to get back on the bus. It's a quick drive to the stadium, and soon they have set up mattresses in here changing room and are ready to settle in for an unusual night. Roy is worried that tomorrow will be worse, and this is just the beginning of their troubles. 

I enjoyed this issue a lot and found it quite believable. It may seem strange now to see the team bed down at the stadium, but I well remember the 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand, when the Springboks were forced to sleep at the stadium the night before due to concerns that protestors would close all routes to the ground the day of the game. Only a few years after the comic I now have in my hands, it seems all too real as I read Roy's story. Let's hope that Rover's game against Zarnov is less eventful than the Springbok's game against the All Blacks. As for the mystery notes, they have become tiresome and it's time to move on. The drama against Zarnov is enough, and the mystery van driver and notes are a distraction compared to the far more compelling football story currently taking place. That football story should come to full fruition next week. With everything primed and in its place, we should be in for a great issue, let's hope it delivers.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "...but this is most irregular! Sleeping accommodation the stadium has not got, Sir!" 

Nipper 

Nipper is playing for the Blackport Reserve team, and attracting most of the Blackport fans to the away game against Kelford. 

It's not just the Blackport fans who have made the journey to see Nipper, in the crowd a host of First Division managers are in attendance, all hoping to sign Nipper on transfer. 

Inspired by the appearance of these managers, the Blackport reserve team give it their all, all hoping that they might be signed. On the other side of the coin, the Kelford players decide that they won't be guinea pigs in this show, and from the start, they resort to rough-house tactics to upset Nipper. 

Nipper stays resolute, and demonstrating his football nouse, he outsmarts Kelford to earn his first goal. His second goal comes shortly after as the game becomes Nipper's show. All the while, the visiting managers are visibly impressed, and each has aspirations to sign Nipper. 

A pure football strip, this story remained firmly on the rails and gave us just what we needed, a celebration of football. Some of the distractions of previous Nipper stories are dispensed with, and what we have here is the essence of the story - a young man with a football at his feet. We saw plenty of Nipper's character shining through with his toughness, and fury, all making an appearance, along with the young impulsive energy that he carries. It was uplifting to see him overcoming his previous problems, and even in the reserve team, he is still finding positives and the story is quickly advancing. Needless to say, I'm a fan.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "In that case, let's put on a show for 'em, lads! Maybe we'll all get snapped up!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Speaking of transfers, Hamish Balfour also looks like he may be leaving his team. Needing money to repair the stand, Mister McWhacker has put Hamish on the transfer list, desperately attempting to raise more funds for the club.  

The fans are not happy with this turn of events, and they soon mobilize to raise the required funds to institute the repairs. A variety of schemes take place on the page, and it seems that enough has been done to keep Hamish at the club.

Prince Park's next game is against Westboro' Town and will be played at a neutral ground due to the unsafe condition of Princes Park ground. 

It's a wet and wild day, and the bus is shown driving through heavy rain on its way to the game. The inevitable happens, and as visibility becomes worse the bus suddenly has to take evasive action as a lorry comes from the opposite direction, and it ends up on its side in a ditch.

Emerging from the wreckage, a majority of the players are uninjured. However, three players have minor complaints, and with only two reserves, it looks like the team will be short for the game. However, they have fifteen-year-old Donald McGregor with them, currently the boot boy, but about to become the vital eleventh member of the team.

The stand-out part of this story was the artwork. Every panel of art added extra layers of interest to the story being told, and the panels of the bus in the driving rain were especially compelling. The drama was tucked away in the second part of the story, while the first part of the story contained a heavy dose of humour that carried us swiftly along. It was a lot of fun seeing the money-making schemes, and the moments when aspersions were cast upon Hamish's intellect also brought a smile to my face. Beautifully balanced, and with more of the same to come, this was a strong strip for Hot Shot Hamish and points to a bright future.

Rating: 8/10

Bets line: "Hamish would sell twice as many photographs if he could write his name a wee bit faster! He's a slow mon wi' a pen!"  

Tallon Of The Track

Sven has suddenly swerved off the track, and down the stadium tunnel, much to the horror of Jo who expected him to win his heat. We see the cause of his decision immediately this week, a strange man is running off with Sven's precious balalaika. Jumping from his bike, Sven runs down the corridor, only to be knocked out by a single blow from the man he is chasing.  

Jo and Dave help Sven to his feet but there is nothing more they can do. Things get worse with the appearance of three race officials. Sven's erratic behaviour cannot be condoned, and he is duly suspended for the rest of the meeting. 

The next race the Ospreys give a good account of themselves, but it's not enough, and the Russians earn enough points to hold their overall lead. There is one final twist just as the race ends, with Sven emerging from the dressing room, yelling to Jo that she has to come and see what he has found. 

I am enjoying the race meeting. The balalaika storyline, not so much. I always tell people how much I like Tallon of The Track, however as I read it week after week I am finding I am constantly disappointed by the direction of the story. It is the artwork that I truly love in the comic, and this week is another fine example of the art I enjoy so much. The bikes on the track look fantastic, the faces of the characters of the story are all expressive and realistic, and the drama off the track is captured simply and in a manner that makes me want to read more. The panel of Sven being punched is a fine example, just his face and fist, but it is fabulous. Russia and the story of balalaika pales in comparison, and I have no interest at all in what they are doing and why. Yet, I continue to read, drawn invariably to the artwork and clinging to the hope that soon a story will arrive worthy of it. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "But why? What's so special about that wretched instrument?" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Hot Shot Hamish 

Best Line: "It took him a lot of practice before he could write his name at all! He's no' a great scholar!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 22nd March 1975

Sunday morning, and all is quiet. It's just me and Tiger comic - and of course my obligatory cup of tea. Time for a peaceful hour of flicking through my favourite comic before the real world beckons and I am thrown into a day of chores, cleaning, and doing whatever my wife tells me!         

Tiger

22nd March 1975

Tallon Of The Track

Tallon Of The Track isn't my favourite story at the moment, so I'm secretly pleased that's the first story this week and we can get it over and done with. 

All talk is still of the balalaika, although, as Sven tells Jo in the first panel, it has now gone missing from the changing rooms. 

There is little time to consider what happened to it as the race meeting is still racing outside.

After three heats the Ospreys have a slim lead. Heat four doesn't go so well, with a bad accident and the Moscow team drawing level on points. 

Sven takes the track for heat five and looks as though things are looking up as he has a handy lead coming into the final lap. It is here that the story takes a turn, with Sven suddenly leaving the track and heading straight towards where Jo and Dave and standing. Without pause, he drives between the pair and down the tunnel under the stand, leaving Jo both furious and wondering what on earth he could be up to. 

Actually, despite my negative opening comment, this was an enjoyable romp and one of the better issues we have had from Tallon Of the Track of late. The race action was tight, and fast-moving, with three heats appearing on the page - a close finish, a crash, and then Sven's dramatic departure. The balalaika opened the story, and with its disappearance, the story has gained an extra depth and more intrigue. It feels as though the story is back in balance after several uneven weeks, and once again I am feeling happy to see Jo's face glaring at me from the page. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The stupid, crazy fool! He's just lost us the heat! What the blazes does he think he's playing at?" 

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

Johnny Cougar is right where we left him last week -  fighting the robot Grarg in an eerie castle in Yorkshire. So far, so normal,  although in this case, Johnny is struggling to gain the upper hand. 

With both combatants picking up swords, the story goes up a gear. The sword fight is short-lived and Johny finds his sword broken in a powerful blow from Grarg. 

Elsewhere in the castle, Splash and Grarg's manager, Jacob Barclay, hear the noise and decide to investigate along with the professor who created Grarg. They find the trouble soon enough and enter the room just as Johnny Cougar strikes Grarg in the head with a well-thrown shield. 

The professor attempts to switch Grarg off with all the key switch-off words but nothing works, and he tells them that Grarg is out of control, the bang on his his head must have caused it. 

There is nothing anyone can do, and before they know it Grarg has left the castle and is striding purposefully into the countryside. 

Another powerful edition of Johnny Cougar, and one that has me hungry for more. Grarg is proving to be quite a challenge, and it is giving us some exquisite artwork as his story is told on the page. The story holds my interest, while it is the artwork that provides the real joy of this week's comic, and my eye is drawn back to it serval times before I can turn the page. Johnny looks strong, while Grarg is fantastically rendered to hold all the power. The facial expressions of those looking on tell a story just as well as any speech bubbles, and overall I am enthralled by all I see here. Johnny Cougar has an extremely long run on the pages of Tiger, and from what I see here I can understand why. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "Hey, you guys...you'd better come and take a look at this!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

The boys are almost home from their Australian sojourn, although there is one final twist in the tale as George is badly damaged in the ship's hold on the return voyage. 

Eager to make amends, the crew lend them a red mini while George is off having repairs. Tiny and Martin accept, and soon they are back in Buxton Street for a street party to celebrate their return.

Not only a party but also an invite to race tomorrow at Fairfield track. Of course, they have to race in the borrowed car, and things don't start well as they get off to a slow start. Martin manages to get past one car on the first corner, but it comes at a frightful cost as the mini tumbles off the track, rolling onto its roof. 

Walking to the pits, Martin finds that the ship's Captain is there, speaking to Tiny. He has good news in hand, George has been repaired and is waiting for him as good as new.  Rather sheepishly, Martin can only stammer, as the Captain's red mini is towed in at that moment, heavily damaged. 

We finish with Tiny saying that they have to pay for the damage but they'll get cash soon enough now that hat they've got George back. 

As expected, the boys are back and already owe cash to someone. No surprises there, as I have found out over the last two years this is the main driver of these stories - they have an accident, need cash, try to gain cash only to have another accident that results in them owning cash...and so it continues. Much like real life I guess - at least my life is often like this. If only I could make a comic out of it...

Anyway, back to the comic at hand. It was enjoyable, every single panel, and as a boy's comic, this was all I could ask for. There was drama, low key to be sure, but it was enough for my eyes to dance from panel to panel, and I found happiness in seeing Tiny and Martin racing on the track with their friendship always to the fore and their pure love of life. Martin's Marvellous Mini is always uplifting, no matter the fate bestowed on the two heroes, and this one gave me plenty to smile at. We have a lot more ahead of us now we are back in Britain, and I can't wait to see where we will go from here. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You...you've wrecked it!"

Billy's Boots

Billy is in the reserve team and playing a blinder. Linking up with Jimmy Dawson, they have the reserve team purring and are handing a well-deserved thrashing to the first team.

At half-time changes are made, and the sports master swaps the forward line of each team, moving Jimmy and Billy to the first team and the first team forwards to the reserves. Billy and Jimmy continue as they did in the first half, and again the goals flow. 

Come Saturday Billy is named in the first team, but only as a reserve. Jimmy can't play on Saturday and doesn't feature at all. 

Eying up the size of his opposite number, BiIly is pleased to be on the sub's bench. The first team scores an early goal, and the opposing team decide its team to put their size to good use. Granger is knocked heavily off the ball and takes medical attention. He's fine to carry on, but a bad tackle from behind lays him out and it looks like Billy will soon be on the field and in the firing line. 

Plenty of scoring action in the first game put this story on the front foot and built up a reserve of positive feelings for a more dramatic second page. I rejoiced in seeing Billy and Jimmy having a good game with no negative consequences, and it was refreshing to see them play and score at ease. For once in his life, something seemed to go right for Billy. The second game with the first team playing the cup tie was equally compelling, and it gave a firm foundation for next week to build upon. The threat of the opposition is well established, as is Billy's current form, and the two should come together nicely next week. I shall be here for it, and will dutifully blog the outcome. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line:  "Granger's twice my size, but that chap's knocking him about as though he were a baby!"

Nipper

The headlines of the day tell us where Nipper currently stands - he has been dropped by the Blackport chairman and moved to the reserves. 

The fans are not happy, and neither is Nipper who puts all his frustration into the training session. There is very little sympathy from his teammates who treat it all as a joke and give Nipper a ribbing every chance they get. 

Later at his girlfriend's house, Nipper is buoyed by the news that all the fans are planning to forego the Blackport game that Saturday, and instead travel to Kelford to see Nipper play for the reserve team.

As so it comes to pass, Nipper turns out for the reserves with a massive crowd coming to watch him play. Meanwhile, at Blackport stadium the stands are only half full, much to the ire of the chairman Clive Norton who quietly promises himself that that will be the last game Nipper will play for Blackport.  

Any story where we see Nipper's girlfriend Kerry is alright in my book, and even more so that we see Kerry putting a record on the record player - a girl after my own heart. This story draws heavily on the characters we know so well, and it is the characters that drive the story rather than the story that drives those characters, a sign of a comic well-written. Seeing Nipper's reaction to being dropped was good, and we had several strong panels showing his displeasure and anger. Likewise, the chairman, Clive Norton, remains the driver of all that is happening to Nipper and the direction the story will go next. With these two butting heads, sparks are beginning to fly, and we should get plenty of mileage out of it in the coming weeks. Kerry, Nipper's girlfriend, threw a shaft of light on these turbulent times, and overall the story was well balanced while feeding us enough conflict to keep the pages quickly turning. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Good grief! Look at that crowd! Kelford don't get this many people for their first-team games!"    

Skid Solo

Pierre Daval wants Skid Solo banned for driving dangerously in the previous race. It's a serious allegation, and the officials tell Skid there will be a court of inquiry the following day. 

That evening Sandy is worried about the case and decides to head inside early. Skid reassures him that it will be fine, and Skid intends to defend himself. 

Left alone with his thoughts, Skid is interrupted ten minutes later by a young boy scrambling over the hotel fence behind him. The boy knows that Skid is in trouble, and introduces himself as Tommy Carter, a name that we will come to know well in future. 

He tells Skid that he can help him out, and after a discussion, Skid is pleased to accept his help and tells him to come along the next day. There is a brief gear change in the story here, and Tommy Carter tells Skid about himself, how he is always in trouble and has been sent to South Africa to live with his Uncle. 

Skid considers him to be a rough diamond, but admires his courage in helping him out. Exactly what that help is we find the next day at the inquiry as Tommy Carter arrives with a film that he filmed himself at the race. It shows an earlier incident in the race when Daval pushed Skid off the track and into the barrier. Confronted with this evidence, Daval has no choice but to angrily withdraw his case against Skid.   

All is well that ends well, and all that remains is to reward Tommy Carter for his help in the matter. Tommy's only wish is to take a ride around the track, a wish that Skid is only too happy to oblige him. However, in the final panel, Tommy has one more thing he wants of Skid - to return to Britain with him and Sandy. 

A notable issue for Tommy Carter will later become Skids mechanic and feature on the pages of Tiger many times in future. Here he is but a boy, and at first, I couldn't remember why his name sounded familiar to me, but by the final panel we can see where the story is going and the pieces fell into place. The trial didn't amount to much, and neither did the following panels. Mostly this issue was given over to setting up Tommy Carter and his back story, and this it did efficiently and with the minimum of fuss. This new character should be further expanded next week with his demand to be taken back to Britain, and I am curious to see how this will unfold. An important issue, but not a particularly exciting one (except for Pierre Daval's magnificent 1970s suit), we are merely laying the groundwork for what comes next.

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "I'll defend myself, Sandy...Daval won't have it all his own way! I'll fight him!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Following their feisty encounter with Dynamo Zarnov, Rover's medical room looks like a battlefield. Roy, resplendent in his new suit, surveys the damage. Most are minor knocks and bruises, but Taffy warns him that he expects the return encounter to be much worse. 

Facing the reporters outside, Roy fields a series of questions. While answering one on the matter of how the Rovers will respond to provocation, Roy suddenly stops his answer as he sees the mysterious figure that has been popping up over the last few issues. Roy stops the press conference to chase after him, but the figure escapes using a motorbike, 

Returning to the reporters, Roy finishes answering questions, although the first reporter he was speaking with is now gone. 

On Saturday Rovers beat Weston easily enough and thoughts turn towards the return game against Zarnov. Tensions are high as fuel has been poured on the fire with an incendiary newspaper article setting the tone. Roy has been misquoted, in saying that Rovers will fight fire with fire. Things are exacerbated by a photo from the previous match showing Roy standing over a fallen Zarkov player. It appears that he has punched him, and coupled with the screaming headlines, the fires are well and truly stoked for the return match. 

The final panel captures all this tension, with Rover's plane landing in front of an angry crowd of Zarkov supporters, and the airport police struggling to contain them. 

I didn't much care for Roy running off after the mysterious figure, and it fell to the rest of the story to carry my interest. Tensions have been beautifully ratcheted up for next week, and I'm hoping for a big payoff after the groundwork that was laid this week. It was great to see Roy sporting his suit from the front cover of last week, he seems to have embraced the manager's role through and through. The game against Weston was necessary for the pacing of the story and the timing of the next European match, and it was dealt with quickly and did what it had to do. Next week promises much, and I'm sure it will deliver a cracking storyline. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Here they come...the animals of Melchester! We will teach them to threaten our players!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

Needing money to repair the grandstand, Mister McWhacker, Princes Park manager, is considering selling Hamish. On the field, Hamish is unaware of this, and his only concern is the muddy pitch which is creating havoc for both teams. 

Pulling wee Wallie Campbell from the mud, Hamish tells him of his plan. If Wallie gets the ball he is to bang it done the middle while Hamish will run down the only dry part of the field - down the wing.

It doesn't make sense to Wallie, but he does what Hamish asks and when he gets the ball he dutifully bangs it down the centre of the park. 

Hamish takes off along the touchline at great speed, and as the ball hits the ground and sticks in the mud, Hamish suddenly comes in from the wing, sliding through the mud. 

In a pile of mud and legs, Hamish ends up in the back of the net, with the ball, for the first goal of the game. 

A second goal also comes from a moment of inspiration from Hamish. As the opposition goalkeeper prepares to take a goal kick, Hamish tells his team that he won't be able to kick it far in the mud and they should advance. Hamish is correct and takes a heavy, muddy ball to his face for his efforts. However, a Princes Park player is at his shoulder and cannons home the rebound for the winning goal. 

The team are victorious but as they come off the field it is announced that Hamish is to be transferred, and Mister McWhacker endures a barrage of abuse and rubbish as he makes his way down the player's tunnel. 

Hamish's inventive first goal was the highlight of this strip and delivered an image I'll not soon forget as Hamish came sliding in from the wing. I thought that perhaps more could have been made of Hamish being put up for transfer, as this was how we finished the last issue, and it wasn't any part of this issue until the final two panels. The humour was still present throughout the strip, and although light compared to other issues, still gave me plenty to smile about as I read. I can't bear the thought of Hamish moving to another team, and although he probably won't, it still gives us pause to consider that these things do happen in the world of football. A good issue and this ends this week's Tiger comic with a hook to bring us all back next week 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Balfours forever!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Johnny Cougar

Best Line: "He...he's out of control! That bang on the head must have caused it...he's not responding to instructions!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 15th March 1975

I'm pleased to report that this week's issue is a return to form and once again all the stories we know so well are reaching their apex. Skid Solo and Roy Of The Rovers are all ratcheting up the tension, while Martin's Marvellous Mini crests on the back of Martin crashing in the ocean. This week's issue was a joy to read, and it felt like barely ten minutes had passed with it in my hands before I was on the final page and facing a return to reality.          

Tiger

15th March 1975

Skid Solo

There is barely time to draw a breath as Skid Solo begins with Skid pulling into the pits with a badly damaged sports car. A brief caption and dialogue soon brings us up to speed- Skid is still in South Africa where he has decided to take part in a sports car race. Skid is third and pulls in on the twenty-sixth lap due to the damage inflicted upon his vehicle by, in his own words, that idiot Pierre Daval who has tried to run him off the track. 

A brief flashback explains why Daval would do such a thing. The previous night at the hotel Daval had spoken threateningly to Skid. Skid is not a man to take abuse lightly, and in reply sent a trolly towards Daval, knocking him over and into the fountain. An incensed promised revenge, and judging by the first few panels he has had it. 

After cutting away the damage on his car, Skid is back on the track and shaping for a battle with Daval. Working his way through the field he finds himself behind Daval, whereupon he shunts him from behind. Daval doesn't like it one little bit and the two change words. The war of words is short-lived, and Skid again pushes Daval from behind, knocking him off at the corner and into a lake. Once again Daval is soaked and angry as hell. 

Skid takes the chequered flag for the victory. However, celebrations are cut short by the news that Daval has been to the track authorities and reported Skid with dangerous driving. The gloves are off, and in the ultimate panel, Skid promises to fight the charges and take him on again. 

I thought the way we jumped directly into the story was great and it accelerated us directly into the action. It also gave us another memorable cover image, which I guess was why the story was structured this way. Apart from the cover, the art also gave us the fantastic scowling face of Daval. This angry face carried most of the intensity and was the energy that propelled the rest of the story. It was a nice touch having Daval in the water not once but twice, and this bookend put a tidy bow on this first part of the story, with just enough threads hanging to make the next issue compelling. Once again Skid Solo excels in a comic full of champions and we'll be back next week to see how he fares against this new adversary. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "That idiot, Pierre Daval, drove me off the track at Raven's bend..."     

Roy Of The Rovers

As Rovers struggle against the rough and tumble Zarnov team, Roy is once again convinced he has seen Tony Storme in the crowd holding yet another message for him and the team. Investigating further, he can find no sign of him, although the message left behind is loud and clear - Cernik is too big for Roy, keep the ball on the deck.

Roy relays this message to his team, and it pays off with a goal. Even better it is captioned with a note proclaiming it as a "rocket" - the first time that Roy's shot has been described as such in the comic - a historic event worth noting. 

Although the Zarnov resort to their usual dirty tactics, Rovers manages to hold on for the win. The only note of concern is the behaviour of the visiting fans, and Roy and his men leave the field under a barrage of rubbish being thrown at them by these fans. Roy voices his concern, rightly pointing out this is a home game for Melchester Rovers, and things will be much worse when they play the return leg at Zarnov's home ground.

This wasn't quite the fiery encounter I expected after last week's issue. The sense of danger drifted by, and although the Zarnov team did display plenty of fight and bending of the rules, it never felt out-and-out dangerous. Next week should up these stakes, and I anticipate a much feistier encounter for Roy and his team. This was a nice issue to build the rivalry between the teams and a signpost towards trouble further up the road, and as such I was quietly drawn into the story and what will unfold in the coming weeks.  

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Roy, you're standing off-side! What are you staring at?"  

Martin's Marvellous Mini

With Martin plunging off the side of the boat in a soap-box car at the end of the last issue, we are off to a wet start this week as the ship is forced to turn around and pick him up.  

This dunking does nothing to dampen the spirits of our two pals, and soon enough the soap-box car is repaired and ready to continue its race to do as many laps as possible before sundown. The one problem is that now sundown is less than an hour away and they only manage to get ten laps in. That's good enough for one of the passengers, Hilda Parsons, to win the jackpot, and she is pleased for her meagre winnings. 

With the soap-box racing drama behind them, the plot moves forward with Tiny and Martin looking out at the rough weather, while in the hold beneath them, the first damage has already been wrought by the winds as a heavy wooden crate topples onto George.

This story did a good job of mopping up the remains of last week's soap-box racing and subsequent fall out of Martin's dive into the water. Although it was light, I found it amusing and the warmth of the characters once again carried the day. The blue of the ocean was a nice contrast to the months of browns as the boys were in Australia, and this helped brighten the comic, and the storyline, considerably. We still are a few days away from an arrival in Britain, and although Geogre is damaged, I don't think we will get too much more drama out of this boat ride home. What awaits us in Britain I can't even begin to guess, however, I know this much - I can't wait for it.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "I've won...I've got the ten-lap ticket!" 

Tallon Of The Track

Bikes and bodies are all over the track in Moscow in the wake of a spectator, a musician who earlier presented Sven with a balalaika, running out in the middle of a race.

While the Russian is carted off to the hospital, the rest of the riders carry on with the meeting. Sven only has a twisted ankle, and he recuperates in the dressing room while the Ospreys continue the heats. 

They win two races and look comfortable, so Jo wanders back to check on Sven. She tells him that weird things have happened since he was given the balalaika. Sven agrees and then points out to Jo that while they were racing it has now vanished altogether. 

Although I was pleased that no one was seriously hurt in the accident, I wasn't pleased with the overall flow of this week's story. The McGuffin of the balalaika feels like it has been with us for months now (in reality this is the third week) and there is too much made of it. I was intrigued by the warning the elderly Russian delivered to Sven, but then we were derailed by the track meeting which dominated most of the strip. Under normal circumstances that would have been fine, but it was a boring race meet and didn't move the story any further forward. Ospreys won their races, with only a drizzle of drama, and the story only advanced once Jo went to the changing room to check on Sven. There is a mystery to be solved here, one that needs to be pulled into the light soon before I lose all interest and mentally check out.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "You...must...beware! Beware!"

Billy's Boots

Without his boots, Billy is playing badly for his school. How many times I will have to write that in the coming years, I wonder. Johnson and Bates have stolen his boots, and even as Billy wonders where they have got to, they are making plans to chuck them in the river. 

This they do, although Billy has been tipped off that the boys were seen carrying his boots by the river, and he arrives just in time to see the boots floating away. A quick dash beside the river, and Billy scrambles onto a bridge where he hopes to grab them as they float by. 

He grabs them all right but ends up in the river for his troubles. Luckily a fisherman sees Billy struggling in the water, and paddles to his aid. Pulled up on the boat, Billy is still clutching his prize boots, much to the surprise of the fisherman. 

Making his way home in borrowed clothing, Billy dries his boots. The next day he finds he has been dropped from the school team, which although isn't surprising is still nevertheless upsetting to Billy. 

Billy is called to play for the reserve team in a match against the first team. With his boots back on his feet, his confidence is buoyed, and juggling the ball before the match Billy feels confident about turning in a good performance to show the school that he deserves a spot in the first team. 

A very typical Billy's Boots story, with Billy retrieving his boots from a nearly lost situation to turning out at the match with something to prove. I should be tired of it, but I'm not.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Come on, Dane...get changed! I want the reserves to play hard and give the cup team a good workout. No sulking because you've been dropped!"

Hot Shot Hamish

With the ground subsiding near one of the stands, Hamish finds himself sinking in thick mud, and sinking fast! The story of off to a fast start as a fire engine wails its way to the ground in hopes of rescuing Hamish before he sinks to Australia (his words, not mine). 

The rescue is quickly affected, and Hamish is soon clean of mud and ready for the game. This cleanliness doesn't last long as the field is a muddy mess, and soon enough Hamish is once again covered in mud as he struggles to get the ball for his team. 

It's not just Hamish who is struggling with the mud, and Princes Park goes one-nil down as the goalkeeper fails to catch a slippery ball and concedes the goal. 

Worst news awaits at halftime as the draw of the next round of the cup is announced. Princes Park has drawn Westboro' town at home. That sounded OK until the team found that the authorities had decided to close their ground after this current much due to the danger presented by the stand that was damaged in the heavy rain. 

The team and managers are despondent as the second half begins. However, there is a light on the horizon as it's suggested that if they sell one of their players they afford to repair the stand. The obvious choice is Hamish, and we finish the strip with Mister McWhacker seriously considering the idea. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "What aboot Hamish? There's many a club that would pay good money for that laddie!" 

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton. 

Johnny has discovered that Grarg, his previous opponent, is actually a robot, and he rapidly descends from his vantage point to tell Splash.

A plan is quickly formulated, with Splash creating a diversion at the front door while Johnny investigates this robot further. 

The diversion is successful, and Johnny sneaks silently into the room where the robot stands impassively. Johnny examines Grarg closely, noting how human he looks despite his internal robotics. With Grarg unmoving, Johnny taunts him, becoming angry that he was defeated by a robot. Unfortunately, he finishes his rant with the word "attack" which is a keyword used to set the robot in motion.

And attack he does, with Grarg striking out at Johnny and setting Johnny on the defensive. Johnny is struggling to contain Grarg, who picks up a large desk and tosses it at Johnny. As Johnny wryly comments in the final panel, he has started something he cannot stop, and the robot means to quickly finish him off.

This was just what I wanted to read. Johnny has rumbled the mysteries within the castle, and we have a worthy competition with Grarg to drive the action into next week. It looked fantastic on the page, with both the story and the artwork powerfully combining into a fantastic issue. I hope this story runs for many more issues, it is back to its best and I love every panel.    

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "This wrestler not so tough when no-one there to operate him! Come, o fake one, where is your wrestling skill now?"  

Nipper

While brawling with his England teammate Denton, Nipper is pulled aside and informed of the car accident involving Andy Stewart and Ron Bayliss. The English manager tells him to get changed, and they are soon in a car speeding to the hospital to check on the status of Nipper's club manager and trainer. 

They are in a serious condition, and the English manager tells Nipper that they will be laid up for a couple of months at least. This starts Nipper worrying about who will replace them, although on a positive note the English manager tells him he won't report Nipper for the fight with Denton - he has been punished enough with this shocking crash. 

Nipper sums it up succinctly in the following panel as he talks to his dog - what a mess. This mess gets worse when he picks up a paper and finds his fight with Denton reported on the front page. It seems someone has leaked this incident to the papers. 

Nipper rightly assumes that the new manager at Blackport won't look on this kindly, and so it proves as Clive Norton, chairman of the board of directors, takes over Andy Stewart's role in his absence, and immediately calls Nipper to his office. 

Nipper's punishment is severe and despite scoring two goals for England, he is dropped to the Blackport Reserve squad until further notice.  

Another great story, and one that didn't rely on action on the page to tell its tale. The expressions said enough, and we had a lot of character work going on in the dialogue to carry the main thrust. Every word on the page felt true to the character speaking it, and the nitty-gritty of Nipper and his world was brought to life on the page. Just as good as Johnny Cougar for the connection between art and word, this was an extremely strong ending to a great issue of Tiger. Nipper still has a mountain of trouble, and I expect this high standard will be maintained for some weeks.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "How could you, Lawrence? How dare you ruin the club's reputation with such an exhibition of...of hooliganism!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Nipper

Best Line: "It's too late for excuses, young man! Your back-street insolence might have been tolerated in the past, but not anymore! It's time you were brought to heel..!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: