Tiger 6th September 1975

Duncan McKay is in the building. After being teased for a few weeks, this is the issue where we first see him in action, and he doesn't disappoint at all across the pages of Roy Of The Rovers. The joy of his appearance is bolstered by the quality of the artwork in this issue, and after a careful read, I am convinced that this is one of the strongest issues we have had in terms of art. Each story severed a platter of interesting and arresting art, and the choice of my favourite artwork was a tough one. I could have selected any number as a favourite, a testament to the quality of the work in this week's comic. There is not a single disappointment, and although not every story runs on all cylinders plot-wise, the art is reaching new heights and continuing to impress. I don't remember much about 1975 (I was two years old) but I am sure that I will remember this comic for some time. Welcome Duncan McKay to your new home. 

Tiger

6th September 1975

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar is on the front page of this week's Tiger, and we are into the action straight away. After it looked like Splash would have to fight Kolchak by himself, Cougar appeared at the arena without a word and entered the ring to do battle himself. 

The fight against Kolchak is a brutal affair, with Johnny electing to use aggression over finesse. Fighting on raw anger, his first-round performance is poor, and in the corner, Splash tells him so. 

Cougar treats his words with indifference, and as the second round begins Johnny fights in the same style as before. The only words spoken to Splash were to tell him that Cougar was fighting to prove his friendship, using deeds, not words. 

Johnny gets the worst of it in the second round, and with his aggression misplaced, Kolchak gains the upper hand, the strip ending with a fearsome forearm connecting with Johnny's head.  

With Johnny remaining unresponsive, and fighting with an aggression we haven't seen before, he is barely recognizable as the character we have journeyed with over the years. This makes it difficult for me to warm to the story, and although I appreciated the fighting action in the ring, I remained detached from Cougar, and the story itself. That said, the in-ring action is superb, and we had plenty of hard-hitting moments for those who enjoy such things. The brutal edge elevated the action, and once again the artist brought plenty to the story as he made this action leap off the page. A little more humanity in the story would be welcome, at the moment it is poor old Splash who is carrying the load on that front, but despite my reservations about the characters in this story, there is no denying that I am anxious to see how this fits into the context of the wider story. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "What gives? Johnny-baby storms in here, without a word to anyone, then starts fighting as if he's a baddy instead of a goody!"

Billy's Boots

Billy's seaside holiday is over and he is on the train home. Sitting opposite Billy and his Gran is Colin Burns, manager of Darnbury Rovers. Billy isn't shy about speaking to Colin Burns, and he asks for a trial for his new friend Dave who plays goalkeeper.

Oddly enough, Colin Burns accepts Billy's assessment of his friend, and a trial for Dave is arranged. Billy writes to Dave immediately and a date is set for that Thursday. 

Back at school, the sports master is preparing for the football season. The school has entered the Southern School league, and Mister Renton tells the boys that it will be a tough competition. Even so, plenty of boys sign up to play, and they have enough players for four teams. A school trial is set for Thursday, which unfortunately for Billy also clashes with his friend Dave's trial with Darnbury. 

Billy tells Mister Renton of his problem, and Renton tells him he can trial with the D team, although he will have to play well as they are all useless. Billy readily agrees, happy that he can still make his appointment with Dave. 

Dave and Billy arrive at Darnbury for the trial, and Dave encourages Billy to get his kit on and play too. Billy again shows that he has some confidence for a young fella, and he quickly gets changed. On the field, he starts well, despite not having his boots. However, after doing a great run, Billy passes the ball off so he doesn't have to shoot at goal, only for the pass to come straight back to him and the strip ending with Billy having to take a shot in unfamiliar boots. 

The most striking part of this story is the opening panels when the manager of Darnbury readily accepts Billy's recommendation with a " "If he's as good as he says you are, then I'm interested...". Although it's a comic, I can't bring myself to accept this as believable (oddly enough I can accept Superman flying) and I inwardly cringed at this line. I also cringed when Billy had the front to even ask in the first place, although that says more about me than Billy. I would never have the confidence to ask such a thing from an adult, and I don't even think I would speak to an adult when I was Billy's age. Billy is obviously a better man than me, and we see his confidence resurface later in the comic as he takes the field to try out. I was surprised to see this, given that he didn't have his boots with him. This confidence is misplaced as we saw in the final panels as he falters with a chance to shoot. Once again I am cringing, which bookends this week's issue nicely, and I will read the next instalment with trepidation as Billy continues without his boots. It's all in the title, surely he should know better. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "If he's as good as he says you are, then I'm interested..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

After drifting out to an island underneath a caravan that acts as a balloon (don't ask) Tiny and Martin now find that the tide is coming in and the Mini and caravan risk being flooded. 

Once again the balloons in the caravan save the day, and the two friends inflate them beneath the car and caravan to act like a raft. 

This works better than expected (and much better than I expected) and they float away from an island and reach the safety of the mainland. Here the fairground owner approaches them and asks them if they would like to do more stunt work, a question they respond to with a resounding "No". 

The boys hit the road, looking for money and adventure, and as is often the way they see a poster beside the road advertising a twenty-four-hour race. They make some inquiries and find that the race organises already have too many Minis. To get around this, there will be a Mini race to decide who can take part in the main race, a race worth entering as the first prize is a trip to Honolulu. Tiny and Martin are greatly enthused by this, and judging by their faces, they are already dreaming of the sun and surf. 

The balloon story wrapped up quickly, and although I loved last week's issue, I think that was the right call before we became overwhelmed with silliness. This week we returned to solid ground, as the boys made it back to the mainland and their next adventure. Apart from sailing off the island, there wasn't a lot of action this week, and what there was all occurred in the first part of the story. However, the art amply made up for this, and there were some fantastic panels of the lads' face and their reactions. This lifted the story in my eyes, and although we didn't see a lot of the Mini, we were treated to plenty of interaction between Tiny and Martin. That is no bad thing, and judging by their reactions in the final panel, I think we can safely assume that they will win their upcoming races and earn a trip to Honolulu. Good times ahead if they do, and I think some time in Honolulu will do all of us some good.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Nothing doing!"

Roy Of The Rovers

In the first part of this week's story, we see the fallout from last week's disastrous first match, with Ralph Derry laid up in hospital with a cast on. Speaking among themselves, the team realise that he will be out for most of the season. Roy tells them that he would like to give an extended run to Gary Fane, although the directors have aspirations to sign the Scottish international Duncan McKay from Portdean. 

Roy drives with Ben Galloway to see Portdean's next match and check out Duncan McKay in the flesh. They aren't the only ones taking an interest, and there is an array of managers at the game to see his performance. Duncan McKay delivers, and we see him controlling the defence with confidence, leading from the front, and scoring a goal in the second half. All are impressed, although Roy has reservations about his three hundred thousand pound price tag. 

At the board meeting, Roy insists on giving Gary Fane another chance. He explains that he has concerns about Duncan McKay's dominating attitude, and tells them that he may not be good for the dressing room. 

With the chance to save three hundred thousand pounds, the board agrees to give Gary Fane another chance before they make any signings. Come Saturday, things look promising as Roy puts a perfect through ball to Fane, and the strip ends with Roy hoping he can prove himself or they face taking on the unpredictable Duncan McKay. 

 Another historic day to mark in your calendars - the first proper appearance of Duncan McKay. It had been mentioned in earlier comics, but this is the first time we get to see what he looks like and what he can do on the pitch. I wasn't disappointed by any of it, and after this single issue, we can already see what a good footballer he is and have an insight into what sort of person he is. I can understand Roy's reservations, and we had a good balance in the story of the positives and negatives of Duncan McKay. I'm pleased we finally have him appearing on the page, and after a couple of weeks, I was beginning to wonder exactly when he would arrive. Just in time, as I'm not known for my patience, and I could feel the storyline gain momentum with him on the page. I'm unsure how long Roy will persist with Gary Fane, and the sooner he gets Duncan to sign on the dotted line the better, as far as I'm concerned. It's not the greatest of issues, but one well worth noting and I'll long remember the first time we saw Duncan McKay play.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "I think I will auction my plaster when it comes off, lads! It should be worth a small fortune with all your autographs on it!"  

Skid Solo

It's the day of the Monza Grand Prix and all the talk is of the battle at the top of the table between Sparrow Smith and Von Vargen. With Skid only taking one point from his last three races and only three races left in the season, many are writing him off. 

However, Skid is determined and as the race starts he shoots out to the lead. Some aggressive driving keeps him there, although, with two laps left, Von Vargen is making his move. Skid still has the lead, and Von Vargen misjudges the corner as he goes to pass Skid, crashing off the track and out of the race. 

Skid stops to check on Von Vargen, and as he does Sparrow Smith drives up. Skid waves Sparrow on, telling him the Von Vargen is OK. 

This costs Skid the race, and although he pushes Sparrow Smith hard to the line, Smith just edges him. This gives Smith a ten-point lead on the driver's table, although all three drivers know that if Skid hadn't stopped he would have won the race. Skid is the on-form driver and things could be a lot tighter at the top of the table. 

The Monza Grand Prix didn't break any new ground and there isn't anything here that we haven't seen before. The action was good, and the Grand Prix delivered what we expected, which is part of my problem - it delivered what we expected. There were no surprises, no plot twists, and nothing out of the ordinary here. Skid drives well, is true to his character in checking on Van Vargen, and still has a slim chance of winning the championship. This strip could have been from  1969, 1973,  or 1979 and I wouldn't have known any different. That said, it looked great, and the sight of the cars racing around Monza delivered all the action panels we have come to expect from a Grand Prix race. With a chance that Skid could still steal the championship we should be for a tense last two races, and I expect the drama to be cranked right up by the time we reach that final race. No surprises there either, but I'll buy what they're selling.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "He's okay, Sparrow. Just a busted car! Keep going!"

Tallon Of The Track

While Jo rushes to the track where Billy Bolton is about to sabotage his own team, her reporter friend Pete heads off to develop the photos they took of Bolton accepting a bribe from the manager of Ruxford Ravens.

Jo arrives and watches on as the Ospreys win their first races. Things change in the third heat as Bolton rides for Ospreys, partnered with Debenko. Bolton is in the lead when he suddenly slows. The crowd thinks his engine has stalled, and things get worse as he fights to control his bike. It comes to a head when he crashes on the track, taking Debenko with him. 

Jo is sure it's part of his scheme, and when Pete arrives she can't wait to show the evidence to the team. Ignoring Pete's call to wait, she storms into the pits and pulls the photo from the envelope. It is then that Pete catches up with her and says this is why he was trying to tell her - the photo was taken as they fell from their hiding place, and shows only the ceiling of the room where the money was changing hands. 

The final photo that Jo produces may not be good, but the images through this strip sure are. The first panel is a doozy, and the rest of the story continues in this vein, delivering a variety of eye-catching images. The artist James Bleach does a stupendous job of capturing all the action while giving the characters real emotion, making this far more than a story about bikes. Bikes I can take or leave, but I care about what happens to these characters on the page and that is the magic of this story. It looked as if Jo was finally going to triumph over her nemesis Billy Bolton this week, only for her haste to prove her undoing as she finds she doesn't have the evidence she thought she had. This gave us more artistic delights as we went from the early harried drama to the sight of bikes on the track, before finally resting on the faces of the lead characters in the final panels. Beautifully paced across two pages, this still is accelerating as we hit the final straight, and with a couple of deft manoeuvres we should soon be over the line.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Bad luck, my eye! Billy Bolton is simply earning his bribe money - he's succeeded very nicely in giving the Ravens that heat!"

Nipper

Nipper is in trouble with Andy Stewart after seeing a back-street herbalist to fix his injured leg. Stewart has subbed Nipper off at halftime, and Nipper isn't backwards in letting Steward know how feels about this. 

Angry words are exchanged, and Nipper backs down as he understands Andy Stewart's thinking. Wishing luck to Danny Marvin, Nipper's replacement, Nipper takes his place on the bench next to Stewart.

Danny Marvin is a confident player and is soon showing his flashy skills on the pitch. After a silky run, he ignores his teammates, and elects to have a shot himself. It should never be a goal, but it takes a deflection off an opposition player and goes into the goal. 

This only pushes Marvin to greater heights, and he showboats on the field. Watching on, Nipper is worried that this flashy play will him his place in the team, and Nipper might never get back on the field.

The smug look of Marvin speaks volumes about what sort of character he is. Like Tallon Of The Track before it, this story hinges on the characters as much as the action on the page. Nipper was absent for the last page, yet Marvin carried the plot forward, playing well while becoming villainous in the process. This gives the story a double edge, with the drama between Nipper and Andy Stewart still to be played out, along with the repercussions of his injury. We are off to a fast start to the football season, and already the cricketing storylines feel like distant memories. I've been waiting all summer for a cracking Nipper storyline, and now we are rewarded with just that. Brilliant artwork, a great villain, and dramatic football action - just the way I like. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "They should give the goal to Marvin! It was his solo run that made it!

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish is being tapped up by two men from Marborough United. There are no Panorama cameras to catch the moment, but Hamish is well aware of the illegality of the situation and sends them on their way with a bee in their ear. 

Meanwhile, in Mister McWhacker's offer, McWhacker is listening to the director of Marborough tell him that he's poaching Hamish. McWhacker points out that that is illegal, and his words are backed up by the appearance of the two men who were sent around to speak to Hamish, both looking flustered and dishevelled after being run off. 

Mister McWhacker calls on Hamish, and although Hamish isn't home his neighbours are, and they tell him of Hamish's hard training and subsequent damage caused. Mister McWhacker leaves a message for Hamish that he's in the team, and must be at the park on Saturday to play. 

Hamish is overjoyed, and even more so when he learns that four of the youngsters from the reserve team have also been named. On Saturday, Princes Park starts brightly and they are soon two goals up. The only dark cloud on the horizon comes from the opposing team's team talk at halftime, as the manager tells them that Princes Park is playing youngsters who will run out of steam, and it's time to show them what real football is about. 

I have just noticed that the angrier Hamish gets, the stronger his accent gets. We have a fine example here as he turns down the two men visiting him about signing with another club. His Scottish accent goes up several notches, and although you may not understand what he said, you definitely understand his meaning. The opening panels were sublime, with the very first image taking the perspective of looking up. This made the men visiting Hamish seem more forceful and stronger than they perhaps were, but also gave us a sense of how Hamish felt when he was confronted by them. These first panels were also interesting from a historical perspective and a reminder of how prevalent tapping up was long before the scandal of 2006 (which in itself is almost 20 years ago. Unbelievable). The more things change the more they stay the same. The strong opening panels gave way to consistency throughout the strip, and  Julio Schiaffino's work looks just as good on the last page as it did on the first. With the strip turning towards football, we saw Hamish in full flight, along with some contrasting characters, all of which gave the strip a sense of movement, and a chance for Julio Schiaffino's work to shine just as much as the characters on the page. This is another strip with several contenders for my favourite art, only pipped at the post by earlier strips that had already caught my eye. Lovely to look at, and a strong ending to a mighty issue.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "It's no'legal to speak to a player about playing for another team...wi'oot permission! I'm staying with Princes Park...get oot o' here!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Tallon Of The Track 

Best Line: "And I don't think it'll be easy! McKay isn't popular with the other players, and he's a born individualist! His dominating style might be good for Melchester" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: