1976 has arrived. I was only three at the time, but people tell me that it was a very good year, at least on the pages of Tiger. 1976 was the year that Roy Race got his own comic, and although he will remain on the pages of Tiger for a while yet, it will irreversibly change things. That's still to come, and as they say, a journey of a thousand miles starts not with the first mile, but with the first page. Or something like that. Anyhow, 3rd January 1976 presents us with a bold issue pointing to new beginnings and mysterious storylines, all of which bode well for the next few months. Like all the best things in life, I always feel like I was born too late, and although I was three when this issue came out, I know ten-year-old me would have loved it, just as fifty-year-old me has.
3rd January 1976
Billy's Boots
A Jumbo Jet in full flight is the attention-catching image that opens Billy's Boots. Splashed across the cover of the comic, it demands I look at it and is a spectacular start to the story.
It may seem surprising to catch a Jumbo from Heathrow to Munich, but Billy quickly explains that it was just making a stop on the way, and he was lucky to get a ride for the last leg. There are further surprises as he lands, with some media on hand to ask questions about his arrival in Germany.
Over the page, we get to the football as Billy arrives at the Olympic stadium. A quick training run with the lads settles Billy's nerves and his boots seem ready for the big game. However, the manager doesn't like the look of Billy's old boots and come game day he is issued a new pair of boots.
Without his old boots, Billy struggles. His warm-up is terrible, and although the coach offers to get his old boots, Billy finds himself starting the game without them.
His first shot at goal is wayward, and just as things are looking grim, his old boots arrive. Quickly putting them on, Billy is soon dribbling his way through the German team. However, just as he enters the box and is about to shoot, he trips over his own lace and is fortuitously awarded a penalty.
I'm sure we had a similar situation, not so long ago, with Billy falling over in the box. I would have to go back and check, but I swear it was only a couple of months ago. Billy had best be careful, lest he get a reputation as a diver. This was a lot of fun, and although some things felt shoehorned in, it was still enjoyable. I did wonder why a Jumbo Jet would be flying Billy to Germany, but the quick explanation put me at ease. The sight of journalists waiting for Billy also stretched my belief, but being full of goodwill and cheer, this too I enjoyed for the fun aspect. The front cover was commendable, and it made me want to pick up the comic and read on. The rest of the story is a Billy's Boot story by numbers, with all the usual tropes in place. Billy not having his old boots for the game, and then gets them just as the team go down a goal before the final scene of Billy dribbling through the team. We have seen it all before, but that doesn't lessen my enjoyment of it, nor does it feel stale in this case. The image of Billy shooting at goal and missing was memorable, shown from the pitchside rather than Billy's point of view, and the sight of the two cameramen beside the pitch taking evasive action was a delightful touch. This was a typical Billy's Boots story done well, and although it didn't mine any new material it still remained an integral part of the comic.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best line: "You're not going out there with those old things on, Dane. You'll look ridiculous..."
Roy Of The Rovers
Roy has been advised by a doctor to take a medical, but instead, we find him running stairs at the Melchester ground as the story opens.
Roy is ignoring the doctor's advice, and later he angrily tells a television reporter that he's sick and tired of being reminded what a tough job he has taken on as player-manager.
The following Saturday Melchester are playing Kingsbay and we learn that Roy has had to apologize to the TV people and that he still hasn't taken a medical.
Roy appears to be a little slow in the field, but when Charlie Carter is taken off injured, Roy volunteers to take his place in goal, telling the team that everyone wants him to take a rest, so that's exactly what he will do between the sticks.
Seeing Roy in goal is always a treat, and I would have given this an 8/10 if not for the fact that he hasn't actually taken his place in goal yet. The rest of the story did a good job of getting us to this point, and this wasn't the twist I expected when I started reading today. I was surprised to see Roy avoiding going to the doctor, this doesn't seem very professional for a footballer such as Roy, but it was just the tension we needed to keep the reader interested and the story moving forward. I expected to see a medical emergency, so this new plot line of Roy in goal is a good diversion and a timely way to keep me involved for a few more issues. The strip continued with strong artwork, and although we didn't see a lot of Roy in action we did get the spectacular image of Carlie Carter getting injured. I'm not an ambulance chaser, but this was the best panel in this week's story, and despite the story being about Roy, the one time another player made an impression. Next week we get to see Roy in goal, and I expect to read the comic with a huge smile on my face as Roy once again demonstrates his all-round footballing ability.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best line: "You did it - you reached the top of the Granite Hill Terraces in thirty-two seconds!"
Martin's Marvellous Mini
Leading the rally out of Paris and towards Berlin, Tiny and Martin make good time despite the change in weather and the prospect of the rain turning into snow.
They reach a washed-out bridge near the border with Germany, forcing them to change their route and cross a small wooden bridge further upstream. Later they find a fork in the road, and unsure which to choose, they go to the right. This turns out to be a mistake as they find it's a private road leading them to a large chateau.
The chateau appears to be empty, and glancing out the window they catch the sight of someone stealing their car. Quickly following the tracks they find two men about to push it in the lake.
A story of intrigue and mystery this week, and although it was like Billy's Boots in that there was a feeling that I had seen it all before, it was still captivating. The final page held all the treasures, with the jewel of the story being the moment Tiny and Martin saw the car being stolen. Not only did this get the pulse racing, but coming on the same page as some intriguing panels of the empty chateau had me asking a lot of questions that can only be answered in the next few issues. The chateau itself looked wonderful on the page, and the entrance hall with the suit of armour was a particular favourite of mine. We have seen the boys in castles and similar buildings before, and it never fails to delight. Although the final panel saw Tiny exclaiming that the rally would be lost if the car went into the lake, any thoughts of the rally had already been banished from my mind as I just wanted to see more of this country house and the mystery surrounding it.
Rating: 8/10
Best line: "It...it's a bit spooky in here..."
Nipper
Nipper and his team are playing the first round of the European Cup against Zalmo of Switzerland. After the first leg, Blackport is three-nil up, and in the second left Zalmo is fighting for survival.
With home-ground advantage, Zalmo is attacking strongly, with Nipper in the thick of the action defending wherever he can. Needing to ease the pressure with a goal, Nipper outsmarts the Zalmo team when they have an attacking corner - stealing the ball and after a series of plays scoring at the other end.
With a one-nil victory, Blackport is through to the next round, and the flight home is a relaxed one. On the flight, Nipper's landlady tells him he has had a lot of offers for his business and it looks like he will be very busy when they return home.
Nipper's first job is at an empty house on Blenheinm Avenue. Entering the house, Nipper walks into a trap as four masked men appear and quickly overpower him.
This was a good ending to an otherwise ho-hum story,. The return leg against Zalmo wasn't particularly interesting and there was a feeling that this was just tying up some loose ends before we got into the serious business of the last half page. The last half page was another beast entirely, and the entertainment factor was high as we had some action and a mystery appear all at once. The final panel of Nipper on the ground with four masked men pouncing was the highlight of the strip, and the anguish on his face was matched in intensity by the dynamic leap of his assailants. It was a satisfying conclusion, and like Martin's Marvellous Mini, it raised a lot of questions that can only be answered in future issues. This is proving to be a strong issue of Tiger comic, and with many stories having cliffhanger endings, there is a lot to lure me back next week. Nipper has bounced back after a slow start this week, and the final panel alone was enough to redeem it in my eyes and make it another favourite.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best line: "He's walked right into the trap!"
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Skid Solo
Skid, Tommy and Sandy are watching bobsledding when Sandy tells his pals that he once won the two-man bob about fifteen years ago,.
Skid thinks he's kidding, but back at the hotel, there is a photo of Sandy and Sir Thomas Mainly to prove it. Sandy then regales Skid with the story of how it came to be.
Sandy was working for Sir Thomas at an engineering firm and Sir Thomas talked him into racing with him. All Sandy had to do was work the brake while Sir Thomas did the steering.
Their first training run was very slow, with Sandy being scared and braking all the way down. On race day Sit Thomas chastises him and tells him they will have to be much faster to win.
Their race goes well, with Sandy resisting the urge to brake, and the pair winning the race by a mere two seconds. Sir Thomas asks Sandy what happened, as the day before he had been much too scared. Sandy confesses that the reason he didn't brake was because he fainted with fright halfway down the run and was unconscious for most of the run.
Back in the present, Sandy tells Skid that he made a resolution never to race a bob-sleigh again, and Tommy chips in that it's probably the only New Year resolution that Sandy has ever kept.
I love it when Sandy gets some time in the spotlight, and with Skid taking a background role in this story it was an exciting read that had a freshness to it. Sandy was the everyman character in this story, and his plight of being stuck being brakeman for Sir Thomas had an air of authenticity about it that I liked. Having been talked into one too many uncomfortable situations by my boss, I felt for poor old Sandy sitting in the back of the bob. The artwork that came with the story was outstanding, and instead of having two or three outstanding panels, we have a couple of pages of them. Every panel showing the bob racing, or Sandy and Sir Thomas was top-notch, and there were any number of moments here that I could have picked as a favourite,. This was one story that I wanted to read twice, the art was a delight to the eyes, and even without the strong storyline it still would have remained an essential read. No Skid this week, but the story was as strong as ever and one can only hope that the next time Skid gets on the track he can deliver a story as good as this one.
Rating: 8/10
Best line: "I dinna think I can, sir...my legs are like jelly!"
Tornado Jones
Tornado Jones is riding the Wall of Death at a fairground, hoping to make some good money with a 50/50 share of the profits. Unfortunately, the Wall of Death is rather old-fashioned, and despite his riding abilities, no one is interested in watching except one older gentleman.
Coming down off the ride, Tornado Jones is approached by this man who it turns out has an interesting proposition for him. This man is Sir Gerald Fitzroy-Parker and he owns the old mansion up on the hill. Many years ago his father rode the two-hundred and fifty-mile trek across the Pennines on an old Starlight Special. This took place in winter and despite the conditions, he completed it in two days four hours and ten minutes.
He was so proud of his achievement that he offered a prize of ten thousand pounds to anyone who could beat his time. Tornado Jones is immediately interested, although Sir Gerald warns him that he has made the same offer to three other riders in the past month, and all of them have vanished on the moors without a trace.
This was a lot better than last week, with a clear plot line and the groundwork laid for another intriguing storyline. Vanishing riders on the moors sounds like just the ticket, and finally, there is the feeling that Tornado Jones has a solid storyline to embrace. He has been uneven since his arrival, and it was only the storyline about the giant wave in Wales that provided any substance to the character. This moor ride should prove all the more challenging, and with mystery in the air, there is more than pure action to drive the story. This week's story started slowly and we had a whole page dedicated to the Wall of Death before the real story emerged on the second page. With little action, it was the facial expressions of the characters that carried the drama, and as we have commented many times before Jim Bleach is a master of this, this issue being a fine example of his craft. A slow issue, but a most necessary one, and next week we should see some reward for this plot that has been put in place.
Rating: 7/10
Best line: "You'll never make a fortune that way, Mister Jones! You'll have to try something more original...like the ride of Moorland madness!"
Johnny Cougar
Finally, all the Christmas nonsense is behind us and Johnny Cougar is starting his bout against the Footballer.
The Footballer proves to be a worthy opponent, and early on gains the advantage with some strong kicks. Johnny comes back later in the round, and the Footballer is flung from the ring.
There is some playful silliness from Johnny, but the fight soon regains its intensity, with both wrestlers having moments of strength. However, it is the Footballer who finishes the stronger, and after it looks as though Johnny has him in a pinfall, the Footballer grabs him in a submission hold.
Great, after weeks of mucking about we finally have an episode dedicated to wrestling. As much as I have enjoyed the issues leading up to this, with last week being the notable exception, I am pleased to see us getting back to basics with Johnny in the ring. The entire story was dedicated to wrestling, with only one panel showing Johnny playing a practical joke. Every other panel was physical combat between the two men with a series of holds, kicks and throws appearing throughout the comic. I enjoy the periphery action that surrounds Johnny Cougar as this gives an interesting context for these fights to occur, but nothing beats seeing the big man in the ring doing what he was born to do. Not the most exciting of episodes but for wrestling purists it was was delight, and there's nothing like getting back to basics to reignite my enthusiasm for the story.
Rating: 7/10
Best line: "What's wrong, Cougar? I don't see any smile now? Try joking your way out of this situation!"
After celebrating Christmas on Hamish's island, the Princes Park team is now doing a training run to work off the party.
Hamish is falling behind, and as Mister McPodger goes past in a cart Hamish asks him was his secret was to being a fast runner when he was younger.
Mister McPodger tells him he needs to run over the hills, and giving him a heavy parcel he asks him to deliver it to McHackle's place. He also tells him that once he reaches McHackle's to ask if he can take a run with Rufus, that will increase his speed.
This Hamish does, although he is surprised to find that Rufus is a ferocious dog, and his run consists of him trying not to be bitten by Rufus.
Come game day and it all pays off. A long kick has Hamish racing down the field, and with his newfound speed, it reaches the ball and smashes it into the net with his hotshot. The comic ends with Hamish telling us that 1976 is going to be their year and they are out for promotion.
A gentle end to this week's Tiger comic with some light comedy taking us into 1976. Unlike other strips in this week's comic, the story didn't end with a cliffhanger and some outstanding action, but rather it put a bow on what had come earlier in the pages. The vein of comedy mid-story was the essence of this week's strip, and it gave us some more great artwork with the sight of Hamish trying to outrun the dog. It was funny without being hilarious and was the best moment of the strip. The buildup to this was pleasant without being essential, as was the game that followed. It seems next week will be where the real story starts, and although this was pleasant I can't wait to see something more substantial appear as we embrace 1976.
Rating: 7/10
Best Line: "Ye're a traitor, McPodger! Ye tricked me!"
Overall: 7.5/10
Best Story: Skid Solo
Best Line: "This is the slowest time ever recorded, McGrath! You'll haver to do better than that tomorrow or we'll be a laughing stock. Now, get up, man..."
Best Panel:
