Tiger 16th August 1975

My exciting weekend of sportball didn't quite go to plan. My beloved All Blacks managed an unconvincing win over England by a single point (What a player Itoje is - the one Englishman I fear more than any other). Then the next day I got up at stupid o'clock to watch the English football team play out a ridiculously boring Euro's quarter-final against Switzerland. It was hardly pulse-raising stuff, and I now find the most thrilling part of my sporting weekend comes from these old comics from 45 years ago. There is more excitement on the second page of Roy Of The Rovers than the entire 90 minutes of England at the Euros, something that I didn't think would be possible after the previous couple of issues of Tiger. Given the sport I have seen over the last 48 hours, you can keep the here and now. I'm going to retreat to the past for the next half hour and follow some top-notch sporting action on the pages of Tiger from August 1975.     

Tiger

16th August 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

Melchester Rovers are playing well in their final pre-season warm-up game against Barford Albion, and as Roy pokes home a fourth goal all seems well in the world. Roy's management style looks like the winning ticket, and the opening caption even goes as far as to describe it as one the finest displays of football ever seen at Melchester. 

The Rovers are applauded off the field by Barfield, and their six-nil victory is all over the front pages the following day. Across all media, their style of play gathers acclaim, and we even see one of the TV pundits predicting that Melchester will do the double. 

Roy is unhappy with all this praise and warns Rovers that every other team will be coming at them hard. This bears out on their first game of the season against Weston. There are some heavy tackles earlier on, and Roy hopes the referee will calm things down before someone gets hurt. A minute later Weston is on the attack, and as Ralph Derry goes in for the tackle there is a sickening crack. The team look on shocked, and Roy immediately suspects that Ralph has broken his leg. 

Ralph Derry has barely been mentioned in the last two years, and here he is at the centre of the story with a broken leg. I had trouble recalling his name, and if I had more time I would go back and see what role he has played over the last couple of seasons. However, I don't have time, and I would much rather keep reading forward. Last week we saw that Duncan McKay was on the transfer list at a rival club, and I surmised that an injury crisis might bring him to Melchester Rovers. That injury crisis looks like it has just arrived, and the next few issues should see Duncan McKay playing a bigger role in the story. This week's comic did what it had to do in setting up the context for this eventuality, with Melchester being built to great heights by the media, only for them to come crashing back to earth with this broken leg. The scene is set, and we are on a steady course for the inevitable. I can't wait. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Roy, that... ghastly, cracking sound..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The caravan race is about to start and Martin is desperately worried about damaging his father's caravan. 

Martin takes it easy on the first lap, and on the second lap, he finally makes his move, pulling alongside the car he racing against. He is shocked when the other driver gives a little swerve and the two caravans collide. Martin is determined not to get caught by this move again, and the second time the other driver tries it, Martin brakes heavily. This evasive action works and the other driver and caravan veer in front of him before tipping over. 

This is the end of the caravan racing idea, and the next suggestion from the fair owner is perhaps they could do some jumps with the caravan. Martin envisages his caravan being wrecked as he jumps over cars, but the owner has something much more sedate in mind. The caravan will be filled with helium-filled bags, before jumping over a small ramp.

This works well in the trial, and soon the owner has a series of posters printed up, all promoting Martin and Tiny and their amazing flying caravan. 

The first page was fun, but the story failed to build on this and it petered out quickly. The prospect of doing a jump with a lightened caravan has promise, although I would have liked to see the caravan race get a little more time first. I thought this fairground storyline would have delivered much more than it has, and as much as I love losing myself in the artwork, the strip has yet to deliver something spectacular on the page. Like Martin, I am worried about his father's caravan, but thus far I needn't have worried too much. Some trouble next week wouldn't go astray, and I'm hoping for some hair-raising moments to show off the lovely art we always get. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Serves you right! No more caravan racing for me! I'm not wrecking my Dad's caravan for anyone!"

Billy's Boots

Billy is on holiday, and with his new friend Dave, he is playing for the local seaside team. The opposition are grown men, and as they bring on their fastest bowler Billy finds his boots are advancing him down the pitch. 

It all turns out well for him, and he hits the ball cleanly over the fence for six. The grownups in Billy's team are suitably impressed, and as Billy and Dave both approach their fifties, there is talk about whether they can bowl as well as they can bat. 

Billy and Dave soon have their fifties, and at the end of the innings, they have a one-hundred-run partnership. In the field, things start slowly, with both Billy and Dave fielding in the deep. Eventually, the team decide to give Billy a bowl, and Billy insists on having Dave as a slip fielder.

This brings results, with Billy snaring three wickets in the over, and Dave taking a fantastic catch in the slips for one of them. At the end of the game, Billy and Dave are rewarded for their efforts with three five-pound vouchers to be spent. 

Billy's luck continues as they head to the fairground. After winning prizes at the shooting gallery, Billy has success at the bingo table. Unusually for a Billy's Boots story, we end with everything going right for Billy and the prospect of more success on the horizon. 

It's odd to read a Billy's Boots story where everything goes right for the lad, and I'm not sure I liked it. I'm also uncomfortable with the idea of Billy playing cricket with adults, something we have seen several times over the last six weeks. With all the good luck flowing Billy's way, I'm confident next week will see things take a turn, and normal service will resume. Until then we have the sight of Billy smiling on almost every panel, and winning his way through the day. If only he had such luck with the ladies, and I briefly wonder what happened to the young girl who was in the strip a couple of weeks ago. An interesting issue this week, and we all look forward to the flipside when the real world raises its head, and Billy once again becomes a relatable character.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "They can play cricket, after all! When we field, we'll let them have an over or two...they might be able to bowl as well as they can bat!"

Johnny Cougar

Golden Boy has a good lead over Johnny Cougar and is already halfway down the pool by the time Cougar reaches the water. Swimming with only one leg, Cougar miraculously closes the gap and at the turn is only a couple of metres behind.  

A great turn and a burst of speed from Johnny see the two neck and neck halfway down the final length. Johnny is first out of the pool by a whisker but still has to find the strength to climb the diving tower. He achieves this without using his injured leg and pulling himself up by his arms and hands alone he reaches the top of the diving tower at the same time as Golden Boy. 

As Golden Boy runs to the end of the diving board, Cougar instead throws himself straight off the tower and into the water below for victory. Golden Boy is angry about this and accuses Cougar of cheating, saying that he didn't run to the end of the board. The officials tell Golden Boy that there is nothing in the rules about this and that Cougar has won fair and square.

The story ends with Golden Boy protesting violently, and finding himself falling backwards into the pool. As Golden Boy spits water from his mouth, Cougar laughs and tells him that he should always compete to win, but compete fairly. 

That is the end of the Golden Boy and Johnny Cougar competition, and next week we will be embracing a new story. Hopefully, it will be one involving wrestling. As much as I enjoyed seeing Johnny try his hand at various events here, I do like to see the big man slapping around other big men and in the last few weeks, we have strayed away from his raison d'etre. Overall the story was good, although there were a couple of issues that felt like padding. The ending felt right for the story that had been told, my only issue is that Johnny's final words on playing fair felt a little preachy and unnecessary.  This would have been a stronger story if it had been tightened up, and some of the unnecessary flab removed. Usually, I can tell when the time is right to finish a story as it begins to become stale, and we are just at that stage in the last couple of issues. It was fun while it lasted, but it's time to move on to the next adventure, and hopefully, one that's tighter on its focus and can deliver a knock-out blow early on.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "It was all one big cheat! Cougar didn't run to the end of the board!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

Hamish is late for the final match in Austria and faces a terrifying descent by sledge to the village at the bottom of the mountain. 

The men carrying the sledge are impressed by Hamish's bravery, interpreting his cries as Hamish yodelling as he relaxes. He is far from relaxed, but all ends well as he arrives safely at the bottom of the mountain where he is escorted by two policemen to the game. 

Mister McWhacker gives Hamish a frosty welcome. Princes Park is winning five - nil, and Hamish's replacement, Angus McKay, has scored a hattrick. McWhacker tells Hamish that the team does just fine without him, and they don't go to pieces when he's not there. 

He reiterates this on the plane flight home, telling the team that their goal for the forthcoming season is to win promotion. It will take hard work and dedication, and no one can think he can miss a game just because he wants to. This is an obvious barb aimed at Hamish, and coupled with the fact that no one is talking to him, leaves Hamish feeling very much on the outer. 

In the week leading up to the first game, they train hard. However, Hamish is shocked to find he has been dropped from the team for the first game, and his mood darkens when he overhears Mister McWhacker saying he's got no time for him since he failed to turn up in time for the Austrian game. 

The strip ends on a downer as Hamish walks away with Mister McWhacker emphatically stating that he must prove he's worth his place and that it will not be easy. 

I have a lot of empathy for Hamish in this story, and the expression on his face in the final panel was heartbreaking. This was a story of two halves, and while the first portion of the story gave us some laughs, it was the more serious second section of the story that made for compelling reading. We have had an interesting time with Hamish in Austria, with a variety of humourous situations, although not of them were paid off. This last hurray was a worthy ending, with one final laugh as Hamish shot down the mountain on a sledge. The return to Princes Park and the fallout of this European sojourn deepened the storyline and brought Hamish back to grey Scotland with a plot to suit. He now faces an uphill struggle to regain his place in the team, and no doubt that struggle will power the story for the coming week and perhaps months. You have to feel sorry for the big man, but adversity brings the best out of him, and the next few weeks should be a compelling journey. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I'm in trouble... no-one's talking to me...they think I missed the game on purpose!"

Skid Solo

It's race day at the Austrian Grand Prix, and Sandy has Skid's replacement car all ready to go. As they make the final preparations they see Von Vargen having some trouble with a bee. After falling over an oil drum in an effort to get away, Skid goes to his assstance, where he learns that Von Vargen is petrified of bees, and it is his one great fear.

The race starts, and Skid is soon in the lead and going fast. A little too fast, and it begins to take its toll on his rear tyres. Sandy calls him into the pits and although he and Tommy make a fast tyre change, Skid is fourth as he heads back out onto the track. 

Skid makes up for lost time, and is soon behind Von Vargen, pushing him hard. However, at this moment Von Vargen finds a bee inside his helmet, and he quickly pulls it off and throws it aside. Skid is surprised to see the helmet flying out of Von Vargen's car and takes evasive action to avoid being hit. Unfortunately in doing so, his car skids off the track and Skid is out of the race. So too is Von Vargen, who also comes off the track at the same time, and he quickly explains to Skid what happened. 

With Skid and Von Vargen both failing to take points, their respective positions in the championship stay the same. Skid explains in the final panel that he looks forward to getting his old car back, as he has only gained one point with this current car in the last three races. If he wants to remain world champion he is going to have to start winning, and fast.

I cannot wait to see Skid return to his regular car and for the story to tighten its focus. There has been a lot of distraction of late, and although Skid has continued to race throughout, I feel our attention has strayed away from the track. This week's episode may have taken place on the track, but there were all sorts of bits and bobs thrown into the story, leaving me unsatisfied with what I read. On a better day, I may have been more charitable to a storyline involving a bee in a helmet. Not today, and it was silly and unbelievable in my eyes. This isn't me speaking as an adult reading a boy's comic, I am sure that even as a ten-year-old I would have been disappointed to see Skid crash out of the race due to Von Vargen throwing off his helmet. All will be forgiven next week if Skid turns up in his old car and wins the race, we have no talk of Tommy and his licence, and we never have to mention this current mismatched car again.    

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "What--what's that? It's...his helmet!"

Tallon Of The Track 

Osprey's new signing, Billy Bolton, is turning the Ospreys against Jo Tallon, and this week things get worse for Jo as Billy stirs up more trouble.

As they prepare for their next race against the Pirates, Jo tells Billy that the Pirates rider likes to ride out wide and then cut in at the corner. If Billy hugs the inside line he should cramp his style and have an edge. Billy is against doing this, telling Jo that the inside line has soft clay, and it will only make him slower. There is a heated argument, and Billy tells Jo he will do it her way, but don't blame him if it doesn't work. 

The race begins, and it unfolds as one might expect. The Pirate's rider does stay wide, and when he cuts in at the corner Billy is on the inside line, but his bike is travelling slow and the Pirate rider gets the win.

In the pits after there is another argument, with Jo accusing Billy of deliberately going slow. He tells her that she knows nothing of riding and the strip closes with Billy throwing his gloves and helmet down, telling her that he quits the team. Two other riders behind him support him and tell Jo they quit too. 

Things are coming to a head, and although there wasn't a lot of action in this week's strip, there was plenty of drama. It was all good solid writing, and we are in the perfect place as we look forward to next week. There is no easy way out for Jo and her predicament, and it will be interesting to see how the story will unfold from here. Expect the unexpected, and I expect to keep the pages quickly turning as Jo continues her struggles with the team. Once again, my biggest takeaway from the strip is what a great villain Billy has been thus far. He has wormed his way into the good graces of the team, with his nefarious deeds only apparent to Jo. All of it makes for a deliciously tangled web, and after a slow start, I am well and truly caught up in the intrigue. It is not quite at the level of a Netflix drama, but it is well on the way, and pretty good for a boys comic from almost 50 years ago.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Only you wouldn't know that - because you're never astride a bike to find out!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Billy's Boots  

Best Line: "Thanks to the press, we've as good as won everything...which means every team in the land will be looking to us apart!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: