Tiger 24th May 1975

Comics and hangovers are not a good combination. Or should I say, comic blogs and hangovers aren't? Last night I was in fine form. This morning, not so much. Lying on the couch reading comics is a good option, however, the thought of trying to write about them is terrifying. I shall see how I go, but if you notice the below riddled with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, you'll understand why.    

Tiger

24th May 1975

Billy's Boots

Billy's Boots prove their worth on the front cover of the comic as we are treated to the sight of Billy bowling against the famous cricket school of Moreton. Surprising all, including Billy himself, Billy delivers the ball at express pace, claiming a wicket with his very first ball. 

Following this dynamic start, Billy unleashes a series of bouncers over the page, rattling the Moreton batters and snaring another wicket

Wickets continue to fall, although Moreton continues to accumulate runs and steadily approach their target of 97 runs to win the match. In the field, Billy makes another valuable contribution, first with a splendid catch on the boundary, before sealing the game for Groundswood with a dramatic runout and a fantastic throw from out in the field. 

Although some Moreton players take the loss with good grace, we finish the strip with other Moreton players preparing to lob rotten eggs at the Groundswood team as they exit the changing rooms. 

Last week I wrote that I was looking forward to seeing how Billy would fare against this Moreton team, and I had high hopes that he would excel. All my hopes and expectations were exceeded, and from the very first image of Billy bowling at full pace against Moreton, I was grinning from ear to ear. Dead-shot Keen's cricket boots are proving to be just as powerful as his football boots, and Billy looks like he has a successful cricket season ahead of him. This first sight of him bowling delivered all that a young boy could have wanted from a sporting comic, and even someone as old and jaded as myself found joy in Billy's performance. We all know that there will be trials and tribulations ahead of Billy, and no doubt a few cases of the boots going missing, but this was an issue where we could revel in Billy's success and enjoy the story of an underdog coming out on top. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Don't ask me, Davis! I didn't even see it! That kid they've got opening the bowling is really fast!" 

Skid Solo

It's the week of the Belgium Grand Prix, and watching the practice laps all can see that Sparrow Smith is the one to beat and he puts in a series of fast times. 

Sandy tells the team that Skid's only hope is that it rains,  as in the rain Skid is untouchable. However, a timely weather forecast tells us that the current dry spell is set to last at least another twenty-four hours while several forest fires continue to rage nearby.

The smoke from these forest fires can be seen from the track, and once the race begins this smoke causes some problems. With smoke blowing across the track, it becomes a hazard and the pace of the race slows considerably. 

Meanwhile, the firefighters continue their battle with the fire and pray for rain. Their prayers are answered, and rain is soon falling, aiding the firefighters, and giving Sandy hope that Skid can deliver on the track.

However, Skid soon finds he is in trouble, and he slides off the track in the wet conditions. With both Skid and Sparrow sliding off the track, Corbonne takes the race, and the following day the newspapers tell the story of how the rains helped the firefighters but ruined the race. 

Skid drily tells the others that if it hadn't rained he might have won, and Sandy points out that it did someone some good - the firemen and Jean Corbonne - who is now only five points behind Skid in the driver championship. 

A solid Grand Prix, although I'm not convinced that the fire subplot worked as well as it could have. It did feel disjointed and perhaps the fire on its own would have been enough of a plot point without the need for the rain to be involved. The race did however deliver some excellent artwork, and the sight of Skid sliding in the rain was an excellent image that carried most of the drama of the race. This wasn't the best example of a Skid Solo Grand Prix and did just enough to keep me interested without ever delivering a knockout blow that could have elevated it to the next level. One can only hope that it is just a temporary blip, and the next race will deliver a lot more of what we have come to expect from Skid Solo. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Can't do much here. Not enough water. What we want is rain!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Tiny and Martin have been sent in the wrong direction by the nefarious Mister Vedgic, and are now stuck at the bottom of a steep valley. 

Help is near at hand, and a friendly tractor diver is soon pulling them back to the farmhouse and a track leading to the road. Reaching a checkpoint they find they have not lost too much time and are currently in fourth, just behind the three rival Ravnian cars managed by Mister Vedgic. 

Driving at top speed they manage to get by one of the Ravnian team, but another sign put up by Mister Vedgic sends them again in the wrong direction. Speeding into a gloomy castle, they are trapped when Vedgic raises the draw bridge and locks them in.

Once again the boys have easily escaped one problem only to face a greater one at the end of the story. Along the way, we had a steady stream of exciting panels, the pick of them when they sped by the Ravnian car. I'm a sucker for spooky castles and the ending of this story had me abuzz about what might come next. Although I wasn't enthralled by the opening peril or some of the racing, the appearance of this castle righted all the previous wrongs, and we are in a good place for the next issue to pick up the action. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "I hope they've got some baked beans ready...I'm starving!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

It is Hamish's first game representing Scotland, and his Daddie watches proudly from the stands. 

Hamish finds the international standard rather higher than second-division football and struggles at first. Even his hot shot is saved, and Hamish begins to question if he is good enough for the team. 

Hamish is about to be subbed off, but before the change can be made Hamish gets his head to a corner kick, sending the ball into the back of the opposition net. However, the goal is disallowed, leading to Hamish's Daddie storming onto the pitch to confront the referee. 

Hamish's Daddie is escorted off by the police, and Hamish cottons onto the fact that he is about to be subbed off. As play resumes, Hamish decides that it is his last chance to do something and we finish with the image of him running towards the ball to make a mark while he can.

This wasn't what I expected from Hamish's debut, and the story was all the better for his struggles. It would have been all too easy to have him score with his first hot shot, and seeing it saved highlighted the fact that this is international football with a much higher than the second-division action we see week after week. Hamish's Daddie was true to form and his appearance fitted in very well with Hamish's performance on the pitch and understanding that he was about to be replaced on the field. Not the most exciting Hot Shot Hamish story we have seen, but there was plenty to enjoy here, and one has to take some pleasure from seeing Hamish take the field in a Scottish jumper. My Irnbru was flat by the end of the story, but I know that Hamish will bounce back next week, and my hopes are high that we will see a goal from the big man.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Did ye see that? What a header. That's ma boy who scored! I told ye he was the greatest!"

Johnny Cougar

Johnny is facing Scarface Baxter, an escaped prisoner with revenge on his mind, and with Baxter holding a pistol things are not in Johnny's favour. 

However, Johnny has a unique set of skills, and after a couple of wrestling moves he has disarmed Baxter. This moral victory is short-lived, and Johnny is hit from behind by Baxter's accomplice. The two villains make a getaway, with the kidnapped Mister Mitchell whom Johnny was supposed to protect. 

A police car appears, and collecting Johnny gives chase to the kidnappers. They catch up to the kidnapper's car but are forced off the road by some reckless driving. Resuming the chase they again gain on the crook's car, only for the story to finish with the two cars locked side by side and driving directly towards an oncoming lorry. 

An excellent Johnny Cougar story with plenty of highs and lows throughout. I was quite taken by the swings and roundabouts of the story and never once did the story let up as the chase sprawled across two pages. We had the early sight of Johnny putting his wrestling skills to good use before the story settled into the car chase that dominated the bulk of the story. All of it felt important, and although it wasn't Johnny driving the police car, it still held my attention and felt like a proper Johnny Cougar story. It seems the end is almost upon us for this story, although I hope not. It did take a few weeks to really warm up, and now we are in the midst of it I would hate to see it blow by us so quickly. Next week will be make or break, and I can only hope that there is some way that this story can be extended. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Now we fight with bare hands...only weaklings use guns to protect themselves!" 

Nipper

The football season is over, and after winning the league Nipper and Mike Beatson are now playing cricket in the car park. Should Nipper survive the last two balls bowled by Mike, he expects Mike to get him a trial for Grove Lane, a situation Mike is desperate to avoid. 

Nipper survives two close chances and gratefully receives the five pounds he has bet against Mike. The question of the trial for Grove Lane remains unresolved, and the next step for Nipper is to take a turn bowling against Mike. 

Mike dispatches Nipper's first ball out of the car park but is undone by Nipper's next ball, a spinner, and is bowled out. Mike is aghast and quickly leaves, telling Nipper that he'll see what he can do, but is making no promises. It is up to Len Duggan to take Nipper aside and warn him that Mike has his own reputation to consider, and Nipper should perhaps stick to football.

This story is still stuck in second gear. After the football season wrapped up last week I thought we might have sunk our teeth deep into this story, but it is yet to truly get started. Watching the banter between Mike and Nipper was the highlight of what we have here and although the cricket hasn't started properly we have already seen what sort of player Nipper is, and Mike's obvious abilities. With contrasting styles, not to mention personalities, there is fertile ground here for the story to grow organically and overall I'm not too disappointed with the pace of the story thus far.  We have just a small taste of the artwork that is to come with Nipper with a ball and bat in hand, and it should be just as lively to read as his football exploits. A strong strip next week should set this story on firmer ground, and I shall be much happier when we get onto a proper cricket pitch and see what Nipper and Mike can really do. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "It...m-must have turned a yard! Where the heck did you learn to bowl spinners like that?"

Roy Of The Rovers. 

With Roy intent on catching the mystery man who has been helping the team, Rovers have fallen three-nil behind against Durmstadt in the second leg of their Cup-Winners Cup semifinal.  With Roy subbing himself into the game, the ship is soon righted, with Roy taking on the responsibility of shutting down the Germans's key player, Franz Heller. 

It is still three-nil at halftime, but Durmstadt are no longer as threatening as they were. The Melchester team is eager to learn the identity of the mystery man as they come into the dressing rooms, and Roy immediately reveals that it is Tony Stormes' brother Brian. It seems Tony wanted to help Roy with the transition into management, and he had been using his brother as an intermediary to pass on notes and advice.

With this drama behind us, the game continues. Durmstadt are still behind on aggregate, and with Rovers putting on a stronger showing in the second half they have no chance. The crowning moment comes late in the second half when Roy scores, putting the result beyond doubt. 

The game is won, and as the team leaves the field Roy is already thinking ahead to the next game and the fact that he alone will be making the managerial decisions. 

This was the ending we all expected after last week's issue. Even so, it was disappointing to find the mystery man is Tony Storme's brother. Since the opening salvo was fired in this mystery man saga, Tony Storme has always been the front runner of possible suspects, and having him deliver notes via his brother felt like a copout. Better to have Tony Storme himself do it, or a total stranger, rather than this note passing by proxy. On a positive note, the footballing side of the strip looked great, and in particular, I enjoyed seeing how Melchester Rovers played against Franz Heller. It looked intense on the page and captured the drama of these two-legged European games well. I am excited to see what new story will spring forth next week, and with the final of the Cup Winners Cup still to come, the next few weeks should be a riveting read.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Right, Blackie! Tony had built up a fantastic knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of other teams over the years, and he gave me a thorough briefing before the start of each game. My own experience...gained through running sports centres...did the rest!

Tallon Of The Track

We are still in the midst of Jo's race against Miles Guthrie for control of the Osprey's stadium. Racing across the country, each with a sidecar passenger, Jo encountered trouble early on with a fuel leak on her bike. Taking a handkerchief from her passenger, Dave Trent, Jo makes a quick repair and soon they are back on track and chasing down Miles Guthrie. 

Guthrie is slowed by a flock of sheep, and Jo seizes the initiative with an awesome display of skill.  First, she manoeuvres her bike along a ramp, before jumping the flock and putting her and Dave back in front.

Gaining a solid lead, Jo and Dave continue until nightfall, and then prepare to camp for the night. However, they are shocked to find Guthrie has mounted powerful torches to his bike and he gloatingly speeds past them in the dark. 

Not as good as last week, but not too far off it. The early fuel tank leak was resolved rather easily, and it was the drama of seeing Jo jump over the flock of sheep that carried all the drama and thrill of the story in a single image. The final cliff hanger was slight in the face of this amazing jump and a let down after all that had come before. Having torches mounted to the bike didn't spin my wheels in terms of must-read comic action, but as always the art was excellent and worth every minute spent looking at it. I shall slip easily into sleep now, but it is unlikely I shall be dreaming of Tallon Of The Track. Instead, it is opening Billy's Boots that captured my imagination and that is where my thoughts turn to as I consider what is to come next week.

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "I'll get you for this, Tallon...if it's the last thing I ever do!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Billy's Boots

Best Line: "Car we chase contains Scarface Baxter...heap evil escaped prisoner. He kidnap schoolteacher who give evidence at his trial! You call up reinforcements on radio?" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: