Tiger 23rd March 1974

Another week has gone by so fast, and suddenly Christmas which has loomed on the horizon for so long is now just around the corner. If I was better organized I would be reading Christmas issues of Tiger, but here I am reading my way through late March of 1974. So be it, perhaps one day I'll catch up to the same month, or more likely fall behind, so I'll be in sync. Until then, I'm happy just to plod along with the comics as they are, as always with a cup of tea close to hand and a cheeky couple of chocolate biscuits. 

Tiger

23rd March 1974

Roy Of The Rovers

I love this week's issue of Roy Of The Rovers. With Melchester Rovers taking on Crampton in the sixth round of the F.A. cup with a depleted team, the action is entirely on the football field. I have always felt that football is the greatest strength of this comic, and so it proves this week as Roy leads his team through the tough match. With only five first-team starters in the team, we see Roy rally his team of youth players by encouraging them and building their confidence panel by panel. Early on the youngest, Eric Motson, proves his worth, beating a player before sending his shot over the bar. Over the page and Roy manages to clear the ball to Eric from a corner and Eric loses his maker and breaks downfield where he inevitably scores a goal. It sounds easy, but his shot does take a deflection from a defender before hitting the post and rolling across the line. There is still more drama to be wrung from the story, with ten minutes left to play Rovers are down to ten men. The flu has struck again and as Jumbo comes off injured, Tony Storme informs Roy that they have no reserves to send on in his place. With it still all to play for, next week should be another excellent episode. This week played to the strengths of the comic and as a Roy Of The Rovers fan it doesn't get better than this, Realistic action on the field, no side distractions or shenanigans, just pure football drama. Stories like this are one of the reasons I first started reading Tiger, and this week is everything I love about Tiger.  

Rating: 9/10

Best Line: "Good grief, the lad's managed to get past! He's clear...!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

First pinfall to the Monster and things don't look good for Johnny Cougar. The power of the Monster dominates the first half of this week's story, but things change rapidly later in the story. After managing to knock the Monster over, Johnny watches on as the referees counting him out are taken out of the action by an angry Monster. From here on in it is no rules and anything goes. This makes for some great in-ring action, and Johnny proves that he can rough it up with the best of them. Johnny hits the Monster with a full-blooded drop kick, leaving a dazed Monster whimpering that he wants to go back to his cage, but Johnny hasn't finished with his yet and hoists him up for an aeroplane spin. I enjoy the action greatly, but the swing back towards Johnny in the match feels too sudden and is jarring. There is no sense that he's struggled his way back into the match, he just outfights the Monster in a couple of panels, and then we have the Monster capitulating and asking to go back to his cage. I'm not an expert, but I would have liked to see another page of wrestling before we got to that point. That aside, the story is still a lot of fun, and I do turn the page on it feeling good about all I have seen and read.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best Line:  "So be it! If there are no rules, Cougar not stick to the rules..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny were taking a shortcut through the mountains, and potentially facing a waterfall when we left them last. And so it plays out, the mountain road narrows until they eventually face a waterfall cascading across the road. With no option, they plough through and find themselves clear of the mountains with a clear downhill run. With this behind them they find themselves arriving at the checkpoint dead last. As is par for the course, they fall asleep with money worries on their minds, and a desperate need to perform well the next day. They start the stage well, overtaking another vehicle, but the strip doesn't end well as pull over for a pretty hitchhiker, who unbeknownst to them has a group of friends hiding in the bushes. Many a man has come unstuck due to a pretty face, and it seems our heroes have feet of clay when it comes to lovely ladies. An enjoyable story, but it lacks any real high-stakes drama. The waterfall promised to be quite an obstacle, but it once it eventuated it was easily dealt with. I am surprised to see this new twist, I was expecting it to be about motorcars from here on in, but I too like seeing a pretty girl on the page, so I can understand Tiny and Martin's decision to stop. This rally has been going on for several months now, but I'm not the least bit tired by it and this new twist has once again kept me guessing what might come next.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "She said, please! It would be ungentlemanly not to stop!"

The Tigers

The story is reset this week, and we have a new beginning as Chunky and his friends take a training run by the sea. After the kinetic action of the last couple of weeks, this is a far more sedate story, on the first page at least, before Chunky's luck takes a hand the story begins properly on the second page. With Ron Burton and his gang giving chase, Chunky stumbles upon a yacht on a trailer, and after several panels of high-jinks finds himself at sea while the disgruntled owner of the yacht watches on. One can already see where this story is going to go, and I think things are shaping up well. The slapstick comedy is firmly in place, but it is well-paced in this case, and the story flows nicely from the first panel to the last. Chunky's luck delivers him from trouble, but it can also get him into a lot of scrapes, as we see here. A soft start, it won't be until next week that I really know how I feel about this story. 

Rating: 5.5/10

Best line: "Whoops, I'm away! 'Sea' you later fellers!!"

Football Family Robinson 

Things are escalating for the Football Family Robinson after last week's uneven episode. This week is more focused and tighter throughout with our attention firmly on Digger and Crash. With Digger being pulled over by the police in a case of mistaken theft, it's up to Crash to take his place for the game. With the family unaware of the cause of Digger's absence, they are naturally worried and this translates to their on-field performance. Crash is especially affected and lets in an early goal, much to the chagrin of the fans who want Digger back. After serval loose weeks this is much better reading, I am happy with the way the story is progressing. Even though the story is moving quickly forward, there is very little of the wider family, and Digger and Crash remain the figures at the forefront this week. My girl Viv gets a single line, but I am unfazed as the rest of the story has me quickly reading through the panels. Sometimes less is more, and that is certainly the case this week as we zoom in on the essentials of the story. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "What's the trouble, sport? I wasn't breaking the speeding limit."

Tallon Of The Track

Things are fast and furious in this week's Tallon Of The Track. With Jo and an unconscious Dan Rowley in the path of the Exbury to London express train, this could be a short issue. Luckily Jo has seen plenty of movies and knows just what to do. Dragging the still unconscious Dan to the centre of the train track, she lays flat, letting the train pass over the top of them. It does feel unbelievable, but I believe it for the sake of the comic and my own enjoyment. From here on we accelerate to a conclusion, with Jo taking a speedway bike and pursuing Pete Rowley and sending him crashing off the road. With police on the scene, it is case closed and we can look forward to the beginning of the speedway season next week and beginning from a clean slate. Like so many of these stories, it wraps up too quickly for my liking, but then again I also hate it when stories are dragged out, so I guess there's just no pleasing some people. The art looks fantastic for the train scene and car chase, and I know we will get plenty more in the same vein next week as we take to the track, so there is still plenty more to look forward to, even if it's not quite as life and death as these last couple of issues have been. A strong ending to a good story, I feel well-nourished by the strip and ready for whatever may come next.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line:  "Good, he's driving with his window open! Stand by for the shock of your life, Pete Rowley!"

Skid Solo

For those that go to motor racing to see the crashes, this is the Skid Solo issue for you. Skid isn't the only one to have a new high-powered car, a face from the past, Dutch Evans, is also on the track with his own newly designed car. Skid and Dutch have a history, many years ago Dutch pulled Skid from a flaming wreck and they ended up in a hospital together recovering. From the start of the race, it's clear that Dutch's new car is a cut above the rest when it comes to raw power, but the car itself is badly designed, and Dutch himself ends up in a fiery wreck. With no thoughts of his own safety, Skid rushes in and returns the favour from all those years ago as he pulls Dutch to safety.  Once again they are side by side in the hospital again. With Dutch telling Skid that he's still racing because he needs the money, Skid assures him that everything will be alright as there is a fund set up to support him. In the final panel, it is revealed by Sandy that there is no fund, but that Skid will see to it that the car's designer pays for the accident. An interesting story, this was never about the race on the track, but rather the history between Skid and Dutch and the crash. We never find out the outcome of the race, or even how Skid is doing in the race, we only see the accident and the fallout from it. It's great to see Skid back on the track, and some fine race car action, but I was unsatisfied with the conclusion. The outcome is right, but it's too easy and dismissed in a single panel. On the positive side, the track racing looked great, and I did enjoy seeing some sense of history from Skid. The backstory added a lot to the strip, and once again helped round out the characters. Overall it was very good, but still not quite back to its best.  

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line:  "You don't have to worry about that, Dutch...Mason Buckhurst is opening a fund for you! You'll be looked after! Heck, he could have killed you! That car is a menace!"

A Horse Called Ugly

There is a great turn in A Horse Called Ugly, and after tiring of this storyline between Joe and Carlos, I am reinvigorated by this instalment. With the dodge-me-loop competition about to start, Joe is at a great disadvantage havening never used a lariat before. He has little time to prepare, and Carlos toys with him for the first round. However, just when it looks like Joe will surely lose, he receives a warning shout and manages to duck out of the way of Carlos's loop - only for his foot to get caught in the stirrup. Caught on the side of his horse, Joe is in serious danger, but Carlos realised what has happened, and abandoning his own horse, jumps on the back of Ugly and sets to saving Joe. I love a good surprise, and seeing Carlos change midway through the competition and try to save Joe fills me with warmth. The art of the horses isn't as impressive as previously, but once again the looks on the faces of everyone involved are sublime. Last week I had said I was hoping that this story would wrap up soon, but here I am eating my words and already my thoughts are drifting to next week's issue, 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line:  "If anything happens to Joe it will be my fault...I've got to do something!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 8/10

Best Story: Roy Of The Rovers 

Best Line:  "A monster triumph for the Monster!"

Best Panel:

Roys Sports Quiz:

Tiger 16th March 1974

 I love a rainy day. No need to feel guilty as I indulge in some of my favourite comics from the past. With Johnny Cougar in the full colour entering the ring on the cover, there is plenty to entice me, and the rainy day outside will soon be forgotten as I lose myself in Johnny's adventures in Australia.    

Tiger

16th March 1974

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

Johnny Cougar is in the ring facing the Monster for the entirety of this week's story, and that is exactly what I want to see from a Johnny Cougar strip. Last week not a lot happened as this battle was set up but here we are with the payoff as the finesse of Johnny Cougar meets the sheer power of the Monster. We get some great look panels as Johnny headbutts his opponent, only to find himself rolled up in a potential pin in the final panel. It's a typical matchup of Johnny facing a bigger and stronger opponent, yet it still has a thrill as we see him trying to find a way to overcome the odds. Not the most inventive story, but one that is tailor-made for the market it's aimed at, and as one of those it's aimed at, all I can say is it's topnotch from start to end.  

Rating: 8/10

Best Line:  "The monster waits for no bell...I will finish this right now!"

Roy Of The Rovers

It's the League Cup final and the last we saw was Roy pulling up with a muscle strain. With the Highwood defenders slowing, Roy suddenly puts on a burst of speed to steal the ball and put it in the back of the net. Yet another match-winning goal from the unstoppable Roy Race. The final minutes see Highwood throw their all against the Rovers, but Roy and his team hold on for the win and end triumphantly holding the cup aloft at Wembley Stadium. In the dressing room it is revealed that George Slater's criticism of the team was merely a motivational tool and he praises the team for their performance. All is not 100% right in the dressing room as Geoff Giles sits with a high temperature, and after a doctor's check-up is diagnosed with influenza. This has implications for the team and their next game, as six other team members come down with the flu, leaving Roy to face the next game with a dressing room full of young faces he hasn't played with before. Again, this a highly relatable story, and my mind is cast back to just a couple of years ago as several Premiership games were postponed after teams were struck down by Covid-19.  The cup final was a lot of fun to read, although in the back of my mind I always knew that Roy would score a winner. The final half of the story with the Flu storyline is shaping up well, and one wonders how Roy will go with this team of youngsters. Plenty more to come in the next few weeks, and Roy Of The Rovers is on an upturn at the moment.  

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Influenza? I'm afraid so, Tony! And you'd better hope that he hasn't passed it on to the others!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny had come across a farmhouse with a crying boy at the end of the last issue. With his father missing, they set off in George to find the missing farmer. This is good for seeing George in action, and we get our money's worth as he accelerates around the darkened hills, eventually jumping over the top of a steep hill and landing on a farmer's haystack. After freeing George they set off again, and soon enough find the lost farmer. The farmer tells them there is a faster way to John O Groats, and points them to a mountain pass. Taking the boy as a guide, things are looking good, until he tells them the road will be faster - once they negotiate a waterfall. I am pleased to see driving action throughout the story this week, and the rally is back to the fore once they rescued the farmer. It was a pleasant diversion, and I certainly enjoyed seeing George in action here, but for my money it's all about the rally, especially now that the end is in sight. Tiny and Martin are always there for those that need them, and I hope they get the result they deserve.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Where's the ground gone? We..we're falling!"

A Horse Called Ugly

The race between Joe and Carlos climaxes this week, with the blindfolded Ugly exceeding all expectations and well in the race as the final fence approaches. However, Carlos is determined to win, and swerves his horse in front of Ugly, causing him to crash into the final fence. Tempers frayed, the two riders confront each other with Joe demanding an apology. Carlos says he will make a public apology if Joe can beat him in 'dodge-me-loop," a game that involves the riders trying to pull each other from the saddle with a lariat. It looks like we will be in for an exciting read next week, and the 'dodge-me-loop' challenge looks most intriguing. This week's instalment wasn't quite the climax I had hoped for, I was expecting a much more thrilling conclusion, but next week's issue promises much and hopefully a fitting conclusion to the Carlos and Joe feud. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line:  "But Joe, you don't even know how to use a lariat! This game is so dangerous it is banned at most rodeos!" 

Football Family Robinson 

Football Family Robinson is uneven this week. The first half I enjoy greatly, with Viv alerting the family to a rival manager attempting to sign Crash. Rushing to Crash, they arrive just in time to hear him tell the interested manager that he has no intentions of leaving the family's team. Crisis averted, Digger, with the help of Crash, buys a car so he can see a little more of the county. Before setting off they treat themselves to a meal at Thatchems finest establishment, Chez Ambrose, and arrive to find Ambrose dealing with some troublemakers refusing to pay for their meal. With Digger and Bluey leading the charge the young hooligans are seen off, but they plot revenge as Bluely leaves on his week trip, and the day he is due to return for the game they phone the police and report his car stolen. Viv is wild looking in the first panels, all legs and wide-eyed expressions, while Crash radiates cool throughout his panels. The scene at Chez Ambrose feels silly and shoehorned in, but I do enjoy seeing Digger in his car and it is a good setup for next week's issue. Digger has been leading the storylines now since his arrival and still has not worn out his welcome, although I have tired of seeing his kangaroo, One hopes next week's issue will steady the ship and this new storyline will come into focus.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line:  "We'll deal with the thieving Drongos!"

Tallon Of The Track

Tallon Of The Track ended with a classic cliffhanger ending last week as Jo awoke to find herself and Dan Rowley both tied up. All is revealed this week as we find the villain of the piece is Dan's half-brother, Pete Rowley. In true villain fashion, he reveals his plans and leads Jo and Dan off to face their fate. At the edge of a steep bank, he knocks them both out and sends them tumbling onto the train tracks below, while a quarter of a mile away the London express approaches at full speed. Another very tidy instalment this week and with no motorcycle in sight it continues to deliver thrills and suspense. Jo has faced death many times in the last six months, and I'm confident that the writers will deliver her from a sticky end again, but the story is well written and I can't help but desperately turn the page to see what will happen next. The Dan Rowley story has got better week by week, and this one raises the stakes once again, making for another strong issue. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "It's a long, sad story, Jo, but he's my half-brother Pete Rowley!"

Skid Solo

Skid Solo slows its pace after the fast track racing of last week. We are still in Australia and learning more about Skid's new car designer, Jacko Jameson. While Jacko and Sandy work on the car, Skid and Sparrow go exploring on scooters and narrowly avoid a herd of cattle while they're out and about. Later, Jacko invites them to his house in the countryside. Skid and friends buy a large hamper to treat Jacko and his wife, and decide that in fairness they would split all future winnings with Jacko and his wife fifty-fifty. After a bumpy ride out to his place, in which they find themselves and their vehicle covered in dust, they arrive to find he lives in luxury, proving to be a successful prospector. He offers to share all race expenses, and Skid can keep all race winnings. It's a neat twist on what Skid expects, and Jacko tells him he actually has three gold mines. A likeable enough story, this didn't grab me as much as the previous issue and its on-track action. However, Skid is extremely likeable in every story and I always warm to him and the team, no matter what they are doing, even in their most tame of moments. The story had a worthy twist, and it looks like we'll be seeing more of Jacko in the coming weeks. If we're back to the track next week I shall be happy, but for now, we are given a wider context of the story and the characters are rounded out a little more.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line:  "Don't talk..you'll only swallow more dust!"

The Tigers

We're off in the soapbox derby and it's chaos from the start with mayhem across the board. With cars falling apart or crashing on every panel, there is a lot to take in, and it has me smiling and reminiscing about my own experiences. Chunky has his luck working for him, but it's Ron Burton who wins the race, but in one final lucky moment Chinky trips as he offers congratulations and reveals Ron's cart has a fly when underneath, making him automatically disqualified. Promoted to first, Chunky and the team once again beat Ron and it's all down to Chunky's luck. We have seen this luck in play before but even so it remains enjoyable. The whole strip was a joyous romp, and the soapbox derby fully lived up to expectations. With gentle humour, and the good guys winning, the story wraps up this week's comic well and has me putting down the comic with a smile on my face and the troubles of the world temporarily forgotten. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Curses! I've been rumbled!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line:  "If you two think you're going to tell the police all this, you can forget it!"

Best Panel:

Tiger 9th March 1974

 The weekend is almost over and all I have managed to do is read a few comics and watch my garden grow. Sounds pretty good to me, there is no need to complicate my life when it is the simplest things that give me pleasure. This week's Tiger read was interesting, there are several stories that I am following, and I found my mind wandering towards the comic a couple of times during the week. So here we are, my favourite day of the week doing my favourite things, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  

Tiger

9th March 1974

Skid Solo

Skid solo is on the front page and we're racing - all is good in the world. Last time out we saw Skid driving a new car, a fast car, to be sure, but one that still has some faults to be ironed out. He does have luck on his side in this issue as the car's designer gives Skid his father's lucky watch. It's not quite as lucky as he thinks as Skid accidentally drives over it on the first page of the story. After this, it is all about the racing action and after a slow start, Skid drives his car like it's a rocket. It may not handle well and be a slow starter, but it has straight-line speed a plenty, and soon enough Skid is in his rightful place in polo position. There is one sticky moment in the pits, as he has to take evasive action to avoid another driver pulling out, but with his skills, and a sliver of luck, he manages to keep control of his car for a race victory three laps later. The conclusion of the story sees the car designer reminding Skid that it was the lucky watch that saved him from an accident, only for Skid to reveal that broken watch from earlier in the story. I adore seeing Skid on track and racing at his best, and even if the story about the watch doesn't appeal to me, the panels of the race certainly do. We still haven't reached peak Skid Solo, which will come with the battle for the championship, but with the Grand Prix season underway the story has settled down and we are in for a thrilling ride in the next few months.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "Skid's in trouble!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Only minutes into the League Cup final and Roy has given away a penalty. With his mind still on George Slater's comments, he is riled up and not at his professional best. However, Charlie Carter is at his best and he makes an outstanding save, followed by Roy who then heads the ball clear from the line. It's breathless action as Melchester sweep forward, Roy himself finishing the move he started, only to hit the woodwork. Even the following Jimmy Slade can't put the ball in the back of the net and the game remains nil all. The rest of the half belongs to Melchester, as we see them coming close to scoring several times in a tidy single-panel montage. It remains to be seen if Melchester can score in the second half, but things don't start well as Roy pulls up in the final panel with a muscle strain. Melchester is struggling with injuries and tiredness, and this translates on the page with the football action low key, and even the chances they do generate feel leaden. There is a crispness missing in the story, and as much as I like the football action I don't lose myself in the action. The highlight for me is Charlie's save, but the rest of this issue lacks the same intensity and wonder if the story has the legs to pick up again.   

Rating: 5.5/10

Best Line: "We should be three-nil up by now! Still, I expect George Slater's Happy!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

I am very happy with this issues story as three threads are woven through the panels. We have the resolution of last week's cliffhanger as the boys pull the lorry driver and his dog from the swamp before we are once again thrown into the rally. With the wild weather continuing to wreak havoc, Martin and Tiny are now behind their American opponents and facing fallen trees, flooded rivers, and blown-over signposts in their race for the front. In the final third of the story, we see them come across a toppled signpost, meaning a fifty-fifty decision on the correct road to take before darkness falls and they find themselves seeking shelter at a farm. The farmhouse is empty, except for a boy crying for his father, who is seemingly lost somewhere in the darkened hills. Another top-notch story this week, and there is certainly plenty packed in the three pages. The weather has played a big part in the rally up to this point and it continues to do so, playing into the image of Britain as a nation obsessed with the weather. In the artwork, I enjoyed seeing Tiny and Martin rescuing the driver and dog, as well as their scrapes on the road as they encounter various obstacles. This rally is giving us plenty to enjoy, and there is a part of me that hopes it will continue for many more issues yet. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "It's a boy!...and he's crying!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

A new Johnny Cougar is in Australia where he is running through the zoo in hope that he will see his next opponent, The Monster. Well, this week he gets his wish and more, as The Monster bends the bar of his cage to escape and confront Johnny face to face. He is more than a match for Johnny, appearing both bigger and stronger, and after a tussle, he asserts himself as the more dominant of the two. With zoo keepers appearing to herd him back to his cage the stage is set for their wrestling showdown next week, a showdown that has Splash wondering just how Johnny will go against such a wild opponent, and for eight rounds. Although we now have a confrontation between the two and a sense of how powerful the Monster is, it doesn't feel like we have progressed very far this week. We are still building for next week, and this issue didn't give us anything we didn't already know - asides from the sheer strength of The Monster. We are in a holding pattern and waiting for a resolution in the wrestling ring, where I hope things will ignite. 

Rating: 5/10

Best Line:  "Something tells me this could be kinda n-nasty..."

Football Family Robinson 

We are off to a great start this week and the first panel with Digger making a spectacular save that looks most impressive. Picking up with the Crash storyline, Digger is well and truly cemented in the first team, leaving a despondent Digger concentrating on the building work rather than the football. Turning down training to continue on the building site, the story takes a twist with an opposition manager approaching Viv to ask where Crash is. It's only after he leaves to visit Crash that Viv realises who this manager is, and he is looking for a new goalkeeper. This is where the heart of the story is, and my heart too at the appearance of my dreamgirl Viv. The first half of this week's issue laid out the story as it is, and in the second half the future appears with this manager looking to sign Crash. The fact that Viv is at the centre of this is an added bonus as far as my reading is concerned, and her facial expressions drive the story just as much as any dialogue. A lift after last week's issue, this story is once again taking flight.   

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line:  "You're taking a chance, Crash! Ma hasn't said anything about you easing off training"

The Tigers

Chunky Clark's luck is at the forefront of The Tigers with a wild soap box ride highlighting his lucky streak time and time again. Both pages are dedicated to Chunky's ride, and his luck is on display as he manages to ride across a river, duck under a gate, break up some sheep rustlers and jump a barbed wire fence. Watched by Ron Burton and friends, they decide the only way they can beat Chunky is with some special modifications to their own soapbox racer. This riding of his luck and slapstick in the first pages is the meat and potatoes of this strip and something we have seen many times before. There are no real stakes in this issue, the race hasn't started yet, and it is purely about the humour generated by Chunky's ride. It is fun, but I smile rather than laugh, and overall this week's issue sticks firmly to the middle of the road, something that can't be said about Chunky Clark and his soapbox ride.  

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "We'll get even with that kid...and soon!"

A Horse Called Ugly

Last week Joe and Ugly went from El Magnifico to a coward, as during a show jumping event Ugly refused to jump a fence that had the horns of a bull on it. This week that story escalates as Joe confronts Carlo and challenges him and his horse to a race around the course, with Ugly blindfolded. Challenge accepted, they are head to head over the first fence and approaching the fence that gave Ugly problems last week. Although the story took a while to get to this point, the final half page of the race looks great and makes up for some of my feelings about the first half of the story Its not that the first half was bad, its just that not much was happening apart from laying the groundwork for this race. Last week was a solid issue, and although slower in pace this week was just as good, with next week looking to be the cherry on top. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "He's galloping off to hide his shame!" 

Tallon Of The Track

Things are developing quickly in Tallon Of The Track, and we have gone from a bad rider with a bad attitude to a full-blown jewel heist in the last two weeks, and this week things take another step forward as Jo and Dave confront a man armed with a shotgun. We left them facing a shotgun blast, and in the first panel, Jo saves Dave's life with a diving tackle. The story continually moves from here on, first, they face another shot as they pursue him underground before he clambers to the surface and into a car. Not one to give up easily, Jo gives chase and manages to cling to the roof of the car in a hair-raising moment, until the crook jumps on the brakes, throwing her off and into a tree. The action is over, but Jo's peril isn't as she awakens to find herself tied to a bed, and her teammate Dan Rowley tied in the bed next to her. This is a story full of hooks and thrilling action, and even away from motorbikes Jo proves her mettle and courage. The action is done well, never once does it feel shoehorned into the story, and it keeps the story moving forward. Since its debut, Tallon Of The Track has been a firm favourite and this week's strip shows why with its combination of fine storytelling and crisp art. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "Oh, no, we haven't! Watch this!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Tallon Of The Track 

Best Line:  "Nobody shoots at me and gets away with it! Let's get after him!"

Best Panel:

Tiger 2nd March 1974

I didn't update the blog last week. I had a couple of wisdom teeth removed and was under the weather for several days. It's hard to enjoy comics when you're feeling miserable and every time I opened a comic I was taken out of the moment by the constant painful reminder of what had happened in my mouth. But, I'm back on board this week and happy to report that once again I am ready to drift off into the world of Tiger for the next hour. Such welcome relief. 

Tiger

2nd March 1974

Roy Of The Rovers

An F.A. Cup tie with just a few minutes left on the clock and a penalty to be taken. Who better to take it than Roy himself. Thus we begin this week's Roy Of The Rovers story with Roy once again stepping up to the mark to save the day. I think Roy Of The Rovers is at its best when it sticks to pure football and all the drama I need is in these opening panels as Roy steps up to take the penalty. You can't beat the drama that is inherent in a game of football and as Roys's shot is blocked by the keeper I can't help but groan as if I was actually at the game. However, Roy always finds a way and with a diving header, he sends the ball into the back of the net for a victory. Phew! The rest of the story is devoted to the Rover's injuries worries and their harshest critic, George Slater, who still thinks they won't be able to achieve the double. With an ever-growing injury list it looks like he may well be right.  With a depleted team, Rovers take the field at Wembley for the league cup final, where they inevitably give away an early penalty. I feel like Rovers is my own team and I feel every injury on the pitch. My heart drops as they give away this early penalty, and by the end of this week's episode I know the writers have done a good job of keeping me engaged through the story. Perhaps some people want more than a football story, but this is the heart of Roy Of The Rovers, and I am well satisfied by what is laid out here.   

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "As of now, every one of my players is undergoing some kind of treatment! If you want them to play on Wednesday they'll have to do it one walking sticks!"

Skid Solo

Finally, Grand Prix season is upon us! After waiting several months we have arrived at the part of the Skid Solo stories I enjoy most, racing on the track. We are still in Australia, preparing for the first race of the season when Skid's car is dropped as it is unloaded from the ship. However, he is approached by a local designer who asks if he would be prepared to drive the car he has been building. After a fast and furious test drive, Skid agrees, and with four new tires, he prepares for the race. Sandy is aghast, and even more so when Skid tells him that if he goes well he will race it all season, he is that impressed with its speed. There is plenty to like through the story, and the sight of the Grand Prix cars appearing in the story as my heart fluttering from the start. The new car designer is an interesting-looking chap, and judging by how fast his car was during Skid's test drive we could well be in for a very interesting season. The artwork is sublime in its crisp clean lines, and it serves the build-up to the race well, presenting the story efficiently without clutter or drawing attention to itself. We are off to a good start for the race season and I look forward to next week when the flag finally drops on the first race. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "You're really going to drive that thing, Skid?"  

Martin's Marvellous Mini

I am disappointed from the start with this week's story. Not with the story itself, the artwork, or in fact any creative decision. I am disappointed that in the first panels we find the Loch Ness monster isn't real, no matter what Martin and Tiny think they saw last week. We soon learn that the monster is a hoax, helped in part by the two Americans that Tiny and Martin are racing against. These two take our heroes into their confidence and swear them to secrecy, the Loch Ness monster they saw is a mini-sub, designed to give kids rides during the summer months. Great idea, I must admit, but sadly my faith in the Loch Ness monster is shaken. First Santa, now this, how many more lies are waiting for me to uncover? The rest of the story unfolds easily enough, with the next leg of the rally beginning, and once again the weather is about to take a hand. We have had both flooding and snowing intervene so far, and this week it is the wind that upsets the race, as Martin and Tiny witness a large lorry being blown off the road. They stop to help, but the lorry driver is mostly concerned about his dog that is in the back, a plot point that we will have to wait until next week to be resolved. I like this story a lot, the Loch Ness section was a lot of fun, despite my disappointment, and the lorry blowing off the road looks suitably dramatic, as do our boys standing in the wind with collars turned up. Pretty to look at and pretty to read, once again this stays at the top of my reading pile. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "He..he's gone right off the road...and into that swamp!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

A new Johnny Cougar story this week and after a sedate start, it quickly gets wild. As their ship cruises into Sydney harbour, Johnny and Splash look forward to some well-earned rest and relaxation. They soon get a rude awakening when they learn that Johnny has been signed up for a wrestling competition, and is facing an opponent called the Monster - a man so wild he is sleeping in a cage at the zoo so the public doesn't have to face him. He certainly lives up to his name from what we see of him on the page, but Johhny isn't one to take a backwards step for anyone, and the next day during his morning run he makes for the zoo, perhaps hoping to see this monster. In the last panel, we see that perhaps he will get his wish, and the monster awakens in his cage, disturbed that he has been awoken. Sure, we have seen Johnny fight wild men before, so this is par for the course, and this early encounter will give us a good idea of what is to come in future issues. The monster is well-designed, he looks like a man with enough wild features to carry justifying the monster tag he is given. It is very early days for this story, but given its location, and the look of Johnny's nemesis, it is shaping up well for what comes next. 

Rating: 5/10

Best Line:  "Pheeew...it's making this cat feel like an old man! I should have stayed in the hotel with the ice-chick!"

Football Family Robinson 

Two threads run constantly through this week's story. Digger is making save after save on the field, while Crash tries time and again to tell the family the result of his check-up - he's fit and ready to play. That is the entire story this week, and it's only in the final two panels that Crash is able to pass on the news of his results, and Ma realises they have a big problem - there isn't room for two goalkeepers. The on-field action looks great and is much more enjoyable than the panels of Crash trying to tell what has happened on his side. It is all important for what is coming but makes this issue a stepping stone rather than a vital moment in the ongoing story. Now that we have some clarity, I expect next week will give us much more to enjoy, but for now, this was a nice placeholder.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line:  "Ma, we've got a real problem on our hands!"

Tallon Of The Track

A holdall full of stolen jewels is pretty damning evidence against Dan Rowley, but full credit to Jo Tallon, she plays with an even hand and tells the others they have to speak to Dan to get his side of the story. Things escalate quickly after these opening panels, and using the jewels as bait, Jo and Dave hide in the dark overnight, waiting to see if Dan comes back for his bag. Someone does come for the jewels but it's not Dan, and Jo and Dave pursue a mysterious figure across the track before the vanishes. The story isn't done there, Jo sees a figure disappearing down a manhole and approaches, only to find him reappearing with a shotgun gun pointing directly at her and Dave. Of all the stories in Tiger, it is Jo Tallon who seems to find herself up against tough criminals the most, and even with a gun pointed at her, I have faith that she will triumph. This story has taken a turn, last week it certainly looked like Dan Rowley was the villain of the piece, but on the back of Jo's sense of justice the story has shifted and we are off into unexplored territory. No motorcycle action this week, but it hardly matters as there is plenty happening elsewhere to keep us enthralled, and this is another very strong episode from Tallon Of The Track and the story moves from simmer to boiling.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "I still can't believe he's a criminal, Dave!"

The Tigers

A vast improvement for The Tigers. With a soap box derby ahead of us, we have several amusing panels as Chunky Clark procures the equipment needed to build his cart, and as someone who in his youth spent many hours building carts myself, I can confirm that his cart looks pretty impressive. Equally impressive is Ron's cart, and soon enough we see them competing. It's never smooth running for Ron and Chunky, and Ron is quickly in the water, victim to his own team's shenanigans, with Chunky looking to follow shortly after as the story closes with a crash inevitable. The theme of this week's story speaks to me and my own childhood, and I am heartened to see the carts and racing that follows. The humour is gentle and not quite so slapstick, giving this week's strip a well-balanced feel and setting the tone for what I hope will be a worthy storyline. No complaints at all from my end, this isn't the best story in this week's issue, but it is solid enough and I enjoy it more than I expect. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Hurraaaaah, I've pipped him! I'm the mostest and fastest"

A Horse Called Ugly

With Joe and Ugly off to the rodeo, Carlos remains steadfast in his attempt to discredit both of them. It is a gentle approach to the rodeo, the first page showing Joe and Ugly arriving, and the posters proclaiming Joe as 'El Magnifico' for his role in saving Don Pedro. We return to Ugly's roots on the following page, and he and Joe give a display in showjumping, something we haven't seen for quite some time on these pages. With a gleeful Carlos looking on, Ugly refuses one of the jumps, leading to some in the crowd branding him a coward. Like the preceding "The Tigers" this is a gentle story, with a page of soft set-up, before we get to the action of the second page. The characters continue to develop, and as always, any panel with a close-up of a face is worth taking the time to admire. Not so much horse artwork this week, but there is enough meat in the story that I'm not too bothered. One feels next week things may come to a head, but for now, the story is building nicely and stays well-rounded.       

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "It is the great Joe! El Magnifico!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Skid Solo 

Best Line:  "Howling cats! It accelerates like a moon rocket!"

Best Panel: