Tiger 5th July 1975

I'm a couple of days late with the blog this week. I went to the rugby on Saturday night and I may have overindulged, making for a very slow Sunday indeed. Regretfully, I couldn't even manage a quick read through this week's comic, and I now find myself on Monday evening with a blank page and the feeling of a teenager who has left his homework to the last minute. Unlike Billy Dane, I don't have a Mister Renton keeping an eye on me, although I do have a wife who thinks I spend far too much time "with those silly comics".  Sigh. Here's this week's issue.    

Tiger

5th July 1975

Skid Solo

A flash of lightning and falling rain opens the French Grand Prix. On the track, it is a bad start for Skid Solo as his car fails to move as the flag drops to start the race. 

It is not as bad as first feared, and Skid is merely making a snap decision on the start line to change to rain tyres given that the rain is now coming down. 

Sandy and Tommy oblige him, and the race starts properly for Skid. He rapidly makes up the time lost, with several cars already crashed out of the race in the bad conditions. 

While other cars pull in to change to rain tyres, Skid continues to move up the field and as more casualties fall by the wayside Skid is out in front. 

Eventually, Skid falls foul of the conditions, and after recovering from a slide off the track he finds himself in second place behind Von Vargen with only two laps left. 

Some furious driving, and a slip from Von Vargen, sees Skid recover the lead. There is more drama to come, and a fast-moving Sparrow Smith overtakes Von Vargen, before zooming by Skid. This leads to a fantastic finish, with all three cars side by side as they come out of the final corner. The final drive to the line sees them all cross together, with Sparrow edging Skid and Von Vargen for the win, with Von Vargen claiming second and Skid third. 

The final comment goes to all three men who, when interviewed on TV, all simultaneously tell the viewers that it was wet. 

A great issue, only let down by the final panel as all three drivers spoke to the T.V. The racing action was crisp and fast-moving, with plenty of luscious panels showing the cars muscling their way around the track. It was great to see Skid making tactical decisions at the moment, and it wasn't just his speed around the track that got him to the front. It was equally enthralling to see three cars coming in for a close finish. The easy option, and one we have seen before, is to see Skid win the race handily. This close finish not only highlighted the competency of all those on the track but also created further drama with the driver's championship now becoming a close race. After several weeks of focusing on Tommy, it was refreshing to see us returning to a Skid-centric story and fast cars racing around the track. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Get these tyres off! I want rain tyres on...now!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Melchester Rovers are playing in a five-a-side tournament, and as the first game begins Roy can't concentrate as he is still wondering why his old friend Jules Bernard gave him the cold shoulder before the game. 

After losing the ball,  Roy gives himself a stern talking-to. This self-motivation tactic works, and Roy scores four quick goals, before limping off with a knock to the knee. 

It is not as bad as he is making out, and after quickly changing he takes the Rover's minibus and looks for his old friend Jules Bernard. At the hotel, Roy learns that Jules has left instructions not to be disturbed for the next twenty-four hours. Leaving the hotel, Roy has a stroke of luck as he sees Jules leaving by the staff entrance. Roy resists the urge to call out to him and instead shadows him, although we will have to wait until next week to find out where they are going. 

I'm not convinced this is a story I want to read. I like Roy, and I am intrigued by his relationship with Jules, but the story didn't grab me until the very last panel. The final panel is enough to lure me back next week, with the promise of the story deepening and a hint of danger. On the plus side, the artwork was fabulous this week. Away from the football, the character's expressions remained my favourite part of the story and I enjoyed reading their expression as much as reading their dialogue. You just can't beat the perplexed expression of Roy as he assesses the situation. The art and a strong final panel saved the story for me this week, and I have high hopes as the story moves forward that we will soon be on fertile ground.    

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Wake up, Skipper! You're playing like someone with a problem on his mind!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

After a brief holiday in Spain, Tiny and Martin find themselves now chasing some armed criminals with a policeman as their passenger. 

Seeing the road zig-zagging downwards, Martin has a good idea. With the help of Tiny and the policeman, they push a large boulder from beside the road and down onto the road below them. This stops the cars in their tracks, and a few panels later the police have their men and Tiny and Martin continue their drive home. 

Reaching the French border they are stopped by the Italian border guards. They fear the worst but are instead rewarded for their efforts earlier in the story and presented with a wad of money. 

The boys are soon on the car ferry and heading for Dover. They have yet to count the money and as Tiny pulls the cash out, a freak wave hits the boat and the strip ends with the money blowing overboard, much to the dismay of Tiny and Martin. 

A strong start undone by a weak midsection took the wind out of the sails of this story. Ironically it was a wind gust at the end of the story that picked it up and set the story sailing into next week. I expected more from a story that opened with the two lads under gunfire, and I can't help but feel a little cheated by the way this thread was quickly snipped off. The story never recovered from this, and it was only in the final panel that it began to move forward. Once more the lads have been parted from their money, and as we so often see they will be starting over next week and looking for a new way to earn some cash. On the plus side, the artwork was the best in the comic and was a delight throughout. I rated it so highly, that I made this my favourite strip this week, and considering how the story stalled in the mid-pages, that is really saying something about the art. It was beautiful to hold in my hands, and even after I finished my eye was drawn back to it.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Stop the ship! Money overboard!"

Nipper

Nipper has had a successful first game for the Grove Lane cricket team, although he now finds himself lumbered with looking after Sir Henry's son, Roger, who has gained new confidence playing with Nipper. 

Nipper leaves the cricket behind him and returns to his caravan where he has a new idea for training. Setting up an old mattress against the wall, Nipper kicks a ball against it. With the springs sending the ball rebounding in various directions, Nipper finds it good for his ball control and his reflexes. 

With the arrival of a tough-looking stranger, things go astray, and Nipper misses one of the rebounds. The ball cannons into the new arrival, sending him crashing backwards into a pile of tyres, and Nipper looks on horrified at the prospect of what could come next. 

Another story caught between two threads. The cricket spluttered to a stop this week, although it did seem to take a while to wind down with almost a page dedicated to Nipper and the fallout of his great innings with Roger. The second half of the story points us in a new direction with the appearance of both a football and a new character. Quite how this plays out in future remains to be seen, but for now, there is just a hint of interest from me as we pivot away from the cricket. The storyline with Roger and Sir Henry may prove to be a dead-end, and I am quietly hoping that this new direction will be the future way this story will progress. A lot of questions in my mind, which is always a good thing, and although this week is a stepping stone, next week the story should firm up and we will have a better idea of where we are heading.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Which is why I have decided to let you take him under your wing, Lawrence! Coax him along, as it were...make sure he keeps up the good work!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

Hamish has injured himself after falling off a ski jump, and as Princes Park takes the field against an Austrian team Mister McWhacker is concerned about his star player. 

Hamish makes it onto the field, although it is obvious that he's in a bad way. Mister McWhacker has named him as a sub, so Hamish is only to play if he's needed.

He is needed, as the Austrian team score a quick goal and the Princes Park keeper is injured while trying to make a save. Hamish takes his place in goal, although it is apparent he has a different set of skills from those required. 

Hamish's first goal kick is much too strong, and the team urge him to throw it next time rather than kick it. This he does, although he can't help himself and is soon charging downfield to help the attack he has started. It goes astray as he loses possession, and a long shot by the Austrian team is punched clear off the line by the Princes Park fullback. 

Hamish is unable to save the resulting penalty, and an angry Mister McWhacker tells Gordon to take the goal-keeping duties from Hamish while telling Hamish that he'd better score three goals in double quick time, or he'll be dropped for the next six games. 

Although I don't read Hot Shot Hamish to see Hamish play in goal, I did enjoy his cameo here. It was just long enough to give us a taster, and now the scene is set for Hamish to engage in some outfield action while Mister McWhacker threatens him from the sidelines. Good times indeed. We have something to play for now, and there is also the lingering thought that Hamish's ski jump injury may still have a part to play. The artwork wasn't as dramatic as we have come to expect, but there was still enough on the page to hold my eye and it propped up the story while Hamish was in goal. Some of the humour was toned down a little, which served this particular story well and was a nice change after the humour-heavy stories of the last two weeks. The balance here was much more to my taste, and although it wasn't the strongest issue I still found I read through it quickly and enjoyed what I saw. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Get back, ye great idiot! Ye're goalie - no' an attacker!"

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy are about to face the wrath of Mister D. Renton after playing for the village team against their own school. 

The boys are worried, and rightfully so as they enter the office to see Mister Renton flexing his cane. However, he is pleased with their form as he has put their names forward to play for the Combined Schools team. Upon finding out that Billy and Jimmy are trying out for the County Colts, Mister Renton even manages a smile and wishes them good luck. 

Billy isn't confident about his ability for the Combined Schools team, and talking to Jimmy they decide to undertake some extra practice. Showing some good handyman skills, they build their own bowling machine in Billy's yard, although they do damage the TV aerial on the house in doing so. 

All comes good though, and Billy fetches the neighbor to fix it. It's better than ever and his Gran actually rewards him for his part in fixing it, giving him 25 pence (Don't spend it all at once Billy!)

At the County Colts trial, Jimmy finds himself struggling against a fast bowler while Billy watches on. As Billy's turn to bat comes, the ball is given to another player who bowls even faster, and Billy finds himself facing a bowler who bowls at almost the same pace as the Australian duo of Lillee and Thompson. 

The most striking thing about this story is we learn that Mister Renton's first name begins with a "D", at least that is what it says on the door of his office - "Mister D. Renton". This fired my imagination, and I did take a minute to consider what the D may stand for. The name Dave, or David, was at the forefront of my mind, and the more I looked at him, the more he looked like a David. No doubt we will find out in future years, I will be keeping an eye for it. Aside from my excitement about Mister Renton's name, the story delivered a few twists and turns and there was a lot packed into its two pages. The bowling machine built by the boys occupied a lot of the story and had a nice spin-off with a lovely moment between Billy and his Gran. All of it gave me warm fuzzies, and even as Billy prepared to face the pace bowler I was still dwelling on the moments between him and his Gran. It is not my favourite story this week, but it's not far off based on these soft family moments.   

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Nonsense. He's not fast...he's just a medium-pacer! Let your chum have a go. I'll put our pace-man on for him!" 

Johnny Cougar

Golden Boy is facing Johnny Cougar in a boxing match followed by a wrestling match. Golden Boy is declared the winner of the boxing portion of the fight, and now Johnny Cougar is promising to get even in the wrestling. 

Johnny is as good as his word, and for the next page and a half, he dominates the Golden Boy before the strip ends with Golden Boy down for the count while Johnny stands determinedly over him. 

Not much to write about, but plenty to look at as we are back to pure wrestling action. Golden Boy is tougher than it looks, and although Johnny Cougar dominated the fight, Golden Boy proved himself to be no pushover. The action was rendered beautifully, with large panels capturing the action giving it the space it deserved. It was well-paced, and the bout was given time to breathe in contrast to some of the other stories this week that felt rushed. With no gimmicks, the story hinged on the believability of these two large men fighting, and I was completely sold on the intensity and physicality of it all. Johnny Cougar is back to what he does best, and we are all the better for it.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Cougar ready to wrestle now! Soon your golden image become heap tarnished!" 

Tallon Of The Track

Jo has selected newcomer Buster Green for her team, and despite their rough start and the threats of previous reserve rider Bill Ritchie, he performs admirably on track. 

A selfless rider, he comes first or second in every race he is in, and inevitably Ospreys win the match. We finish with Jo watching on as Buster Green receives the trophy, Jo silently happy with the outcome. 

With no drama and little excitement on the track, there was little to spin my wheels here. The Ospreys raced well, and they won the meeting.  "Veni, vidi, vici" a lesser man might say. No peril or sense of the unthinkable happening made this a mundane ride through the countryside compared to some of the other situations Jo has been in. I was looking forward to seeing Buster Green and Bill Ritchie clash, yet it was barely touched on, and perhaps in a first for any strip in the comic, it was all smooth riding. I never thought I would say this, but I hope something terrible happens next week and we are again thrown into a world of the unexpectedly dramatic.  

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Jo, Buster's still leading! He's a natural!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line: "I can do two things to you two! I can punish you... or use you..." 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: