Tiger 13th July 1974

 The last issue had a couple of stinkers. As much as I love this comic and the story within, sometimes I feel disappointed. This week is an improvement, and I rate several of the stories highly. There is still a couple that isn't pulling their weight, but even they are improving, making this week a more enjoyable experience. A little unbalanced, sure, but we're seeing things turn around. 

Tiger

13th July 1974

Skid Solo

With a fancy-looking hotrod on the front cover, my expectations are sky high for the Skid Solo story within. The story shapes up to be something we have seen before, a new car design and a test track. The difference, in this case, is the car is designed and built by a teenager, and it is a concerned father who introduces the car and the boy to Skid. 

Worried about the harm that he may do to himself, the father asks Skid to ride with the boy as they take a test run around the track. With Skid in the passenger seat, I wonder how this will go, and from the outset, it is apparent that the car is fast, very fast.

Skid encourages the teenager to go faster, exhorting him to put his foot down and push the car to the max. He dutifully obeys, although the ride gets a little hairy from here on as the car leaves the track several times, as well as takes a spin through some hay bales.

Skid takes the wheel, and things become even faster, with Skid keeping the car on the track and the speedo pushed to the limit. It has the desired effect, and the teenager is scared straight by the end of the ride, promising his father that in future he will only design cars and has no further interest in racing them. 

Ok, so the story didn't quite live up to that first image of the hotrod, but it came close enough to leave me satisfied. I was quietly pleased that this wasn't Skid simply test-driving another unique car like we have seen so many times before, and the story offered a little more. Not a lot more, but enough that it carried its own weight. The scene with Skid in the passenger seat exhorting the driver to go faster was fun, as were the final pages when he was behind the wheel.  Fun, and not too taking, this is a gentle entrance into this week's comic.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Nothing wrong, is there? You look a bit pale. Have you eaten something that's disagreed with you?"

Roy Of The Rovers

Not much football in Roy Of The Rovers, but it's a cracking story and I savour every moment of it. 

Roy and Blackie are enjoying the carnival, especially the people wearing large funny heads. This proves key in the story, as Roy and Blackie find themselves suddenly having two of these heads placed over their own heads, disguising who they are and more importantly landing them right in a pivotal moment of the carnival. 

Wearing the heads of the bulls, they are the ones chosen to be chased by the fighting bulls when they are released. Taking to their heels they do their best to outrun the bulls and are eventually hauled to safety by some helping hands on a bridge. 

This is not the end of their troubles though, and after having some refreshing lemonade they become drowsy and dizzy and are escorted to a wagon where they are promised a lift home. 

It is not the ride they expect, and they awake as prisoners high in a clifftop castle, while many miles away their team prepares to kick off without them in the crucial match. 

More like this please. This was a great story from beginning to end. The artwork was eye-catching, especially the carnival goers with the large heads and Roy and Blackie when they are similarly attired. The story was unexpected and new, and I devoured every page. No football, yet I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it twice. Easily the best story this week.

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "Blackie, I've just remembered what 'Maletilla' means! It's someone who volunteers to get chased by fighting-bulls at carnivals!"

Matin's Marvellous Mini

With four cars racing to be champion of the treasure hunt, it's all on the line for Tiny and Martin. However, with their nemesis Percy still out on the track, anything could happen, and so it proves on the first page as he rolls a barrel of oil onto the track.

Martin and Tiny take evasive action, and in doing so hit the shed where Percy is hiding with a glancing blow. It's enough to send them back onto the track, but it destroys the shed, leaving Percy unharmed in the wreckage. 

Although unharmed, Percy's race is run as the officials promise to hand him over to the police. With that said, all eyes turn to the track where the race is wide open and it is still anyone's race. 

Percy has been put in his place, and we are back to racing on the track, normal service has resumed in Martin's Marvellous Mini. I liked the story well enough, but it wasn't quite as gripping as previous issues. Percy was dealt with easily, and although the oil drum he rolled out was a potential hazard it never really came to much. With the story plateauing, all that was left to admire was the fine artwork, always a joy to my eye. With that in mind, I rate the story higher than I should, but it looks so jolly good I just can't help myself. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "There doesn't seem much harm done...except to that shed!" 

The Tigers 

Chunky Clark did the business in the field, now it's time to see how he goes with his batting. We have to wait for most of the story before he gets out to the middle. There are a few high jinxes off-field between Burton and Chunky, before having a page showing the game and putting Chunky's place into context. It is only then that he takes to the middle, bat in hand. 

A couple of incidents between Chunky and Ron early on was the only thing of note to occur in this story. Like cricket itself, there was a lot of waiting around as the game gradually evolved. It was pleasant to look at, but it barely raised my pulse, and I found it finishing just as it was promising to get good. Low and slow, fingers are crossed for some batting action next week.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "I'll just brush up on my batting strokes...now how can I do a square cut with a round ball...?"

Football Family Robinson

With the family fighting among themselves to decide which of the two exhibition matches to accept, it is down to Ma to bring peace to the situation. She does this the best way possible, with her frypan put into action against several hard skulls. As the chaos quietens, Ma explains a plan to satisfy everyone. Half the team will go and play for Pacific Paradise and half will play for Coral Wonderland. As for the game itself, they can play the two teams against each other, with the numbers made up of tourists at the respective resorts.

It's a sound plan, and soon the family is split and whisked off to the resorts. Both are a far cry from the forest conditions the family had been staying in, and there is a whiff of luxury in the air. This luxury doesn't come for free, and the owners of the resort are hoping to leverage their football guests as a promotional tool for their resorts. 

Ma and Viv have their photos taken, ready to be shown around the world as a boost for the resort, but before they can be properly interviewed, the camera crew are off to the other resort to interview the other half of the family. As Viv muses, the family has let itself in for more than it bargained. 

Taking the match seriously, the family begin training. However, this training is interrupted by Viv. The family ask her if anyone has signed up yet, to which she replies "Just wait until you see what's happened" What that might be, I will have to wait a week to find out in the next issue. 

Finally, we are back in civilization and the Robinsons are back on a football pitch. I haven't enjoyed this strip for a couple of months now, but this one showed improvement. You may think that is because my girl Viv made a strong appearance, but it's more than that. The family dynamic is in full play, and having them separated into two resorts makes it much easier to follow the individual characters. I am intrigued by Viv's news in the final panel, and on the back of that alone I have high hopes for the coming weeks. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "You've got to be joking! Just wait until you see what's happened!" 

A Horse Called Ugly

So it's all come down to this, a single race across a two-mile course. 

The race is simple enough, Joe and Lord Humprey are neck and neck, but once out of sight of the crowd, Lord Humphrey is up to his old tricks. As they take a jump, he strikes Ugly with his riding crop. It is the first time that Ugly has felt the sting of the whip, and he doesn't like it one bit.

With his blood boiling, UgIy races like never before, overtaking Lord Humphrey before the mile is up and then extending his lead comfortably over the second mile.

The race is easily won, and all that remains is for Joe to receive his prizes, five hundred pounds from Clive Mannering and a week living in Lord Humphrey's castle from Lord Humphrey himself. Neither man is very happy about it, but begrudging concedes. 

The story wraps up with Joe dancing a jig outside the Scottish castle after his month-long stay, while Angela brings news that they have been invited to ride for Britain in Italy. A whole new adventure awaits us. 

This was the short sharp finish that I had hoped for over the longer story. There were some nefarious going ons, but they didn't derail Joe and Ugly too much from winning the race. Although it lacked drama, the story did all it had to and I walked away from it with a satisfied smile. Not every story has to be life or death, and overall this week's issue of A Horse Called Ugly put me in mind of the very best Martin's Marvellous Mini stories which have an immense feel-good factor. How Italy will play out, who knows, but it is a nice location and no doubt the artist will have plenty to sink his teeth into. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "There are no rules in this race, Larcombe!"

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Their time in Australia is over, and Johnny and Splash fly out to Germany where their next adventure awaits them. 

That next adventure will involve Johnny fighting as a tag team, and he is driven to a nearby military base to meet his new partner. His new partner is a British soldier, Staff Sergeant Martin, a physical training instructor. With that sort of background, it's no surprise that he wants Johnny to take on the assault course. We don't get to see this assault course, it's only introduced in the final panel, but we do get to see the look on Johnny's face, and from his expression, he may well be in for a tough time. 

A stepping stone issue here for Johnny Cougar, Nothing happened in the story, but it laid out all the groundwork for his next adventure. We saw him fly to Germany and travel to the army base, and it was in only the final six panels, he met his partner and saw the assault course. Not a lot for me to hang my hat on there. I like the premise, it is up to the story now to reel me in on the back of such promise. No flash to speak of, but a steady introduction.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Left-right-left-right! Get in step, waddle-baby! This cat would have made a real swinging soldier"  

Tallon Of The Track

I wasn't a great fan of Tallon Of The Track last week, and although this week is a little better, it's still far from its previous heights. 

We last saw Jo Tallon standing up and pointing out that she had worked out what was making the Hunsford Hawks so fast. She lets us know in the first panels of this issue what it is she has seen - a secret addictive being added to their fuel, strictly against the rules. 

Jo encourages her boys to ride as fast as they can at the next race meeting. They do so, and after three heats they have a slender lead and no sign of the previous speed from the Hawks. 

That changes in the fourth heat as the Hawks riders take off like they're jet-propelled. Jo is infuriated and immediately goes off to seek out the race official, only to be hit in the face by an oily rag thrown by persons unknown. 

The second page of this story was a lot stronger than the first page. The first page saw the story again treading water as Jo and her team watched the footage of the Hawks and this felt much the same as what we saw last week. Seeing some action on the track over the page helped to kickstart the story and we finally felt like we were moving again. As for being hit in the face with an oily rag, it is hardly the deadliest situation Jo has been in, but it does lend an air of intrigue to the story, and that alone is enough to convince me to give it another chance next week. Far from vintage Tallon Of The Track, but a gradual improvement.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Glooaagh!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Roy Of The Rovers

Best Line: "Stop it! Stop the car! Stop it!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 6th July 1974

 Although I loved Johnny Cougar last week, the rest of the comic didn't live up to this strip. It felt flat throughout and some of the usual strong stories fell a little flat. A quick peruse through this weeks issue and I can see already that things look much better. Johnny Cougar's fight against Mighty Man is winding down, but plenty of other strong stories are rising to take their place. 

Tiger

6th July 1974

Roy Of The Rovers

Football on the beach in Spain, how lovely. And so we begin this issue with Roy training the Sao Palo village team on the beach in preparation for their final match of the tournament. They need to beat Camplona to win the tournament, a tough task given that Camplona has the best facilities and a wealthy benefactor, Senor Benitez. 

Roy and Blackie get up close and personal with Senor Benitez as he offers them a free lunch. If there's one thing I know in life, it's that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and so it proves here as Senor Benitez's lunch comes with a fish hook, a threat and a bribe to Roy to stay out of the tournament. 

Roy is not one to be bullied, and with the aid of Blackie he throws Senor Benitez into the pool. They may have won the battle, but Senor Benitez storms out with thoughts of the wider war raging in his head. These dark thoughts manifest themselves in the final two panels of the strip as a parade passes the two young footballers later that night. Two of the parade members are not what they seem, and there is talk of kidnap in the air. 

The story started softly but ramped up by the end. The training session did little to excite me, but it did lay out the context for what came next. I must say, I was a little surprised to see this is the key game and that they have played three matches already. I feel like we have missed something along the line, or the story glossed over some of the games. Senor Benitz is a worthy villain, and I appreciated the early encounter between him and Roy which resulted in a dunking in the pool. The only part that took me out of the story was his name. I couldn't help but think of Rafael Benitz every time I read his name. Try to imagine Rafael Benitex being thrown in the pool by opposition players! Overall a good start to the comic, and I hope next week's fireworks live up to the expectations set here. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Of course it didn't, you fools! Do you think I am in the habit of swimming with my clothes on!"

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Johnny Cougar has been the best story for the last two weeks as his fight against Mighty Man has outshined everything else in the comic.

Sadly, this week isn't as good as last time out, and the fight and overall story of the tournament ends today. Johnny battles with Mighty Man for the first two pages, not in the face-to-face intense style we saw before, but rather with Johnny using his speed to avoid Mighty Man. It is this quickness that finally defeats the Mighty Man as Johnny avoids one of his attacks and Mighty Man finds himself crashing into a ring post. 

Taking advantage, Johnny claims the final pinfall, allowing him to lift the oversize cup and consider what the next adventure might hold. The final tagline tells us that Johnny's next adventure will be in Germany, so it seems our time in Australia has come to an end. 

A letdown, but by no means a poor story. The result was right for what was being told and Johnny beat his opponent the only way possible. A part of me wanted one more week, but if I'm honest with myself, that would be too much for this one bout. Johnny's time in Australia has been enjoyable, but we did lose sight of the location in the last few issues, and these final bouts could have been fought anywhere. Still, we had a good run, and although the story didn't finish on a total high, it was still highly readable and fun. 

Rating: 8/10

Best Line: "The Cougar moves faster than the charging Buffalo!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

With their rival, Percy, lining up to shoot out their tires, things looked dire for Tiny and Martin when we left them. 

Fortunately, he misses, and Tiny and Martin take evasive action. Percy doesn't miss with the punch he delivers to Algy though, as Algy again reminds him it's only a treasure hunt, while Tiny and Martin waste no time finding out who shot at them and instead speed off to the next clue. 

The boys solve the final clue of the treasure hunt with ease, down by the seaside, and make for the finish line where they find they are one of four teams to solve all the clues. To break this deadlock, the race will be decided by ten laps around the runway.

We are lined up at the start as the story fades, Algy appearing at the window of their car as they're about to start to tell them that Percy is out there on the track, determined to stop them at any cost. 

A mixed bag this week between high-stakes drama, and low-level frivolity on the beach. I liked all of it, Percy with the rifle was thrilling, but I was equally enamoured by the appearance of two donkeys on the beach, and an ice cream van - a timely reminder of summer as the nights get longer here. Next week should be the climax of the story and all the building blocks are in place for a good issue. Martin's Marvellous Mini has delivered before, and I have every faith that it will deliver again next week with a fitting end to this story. 

Rating: 8/10

Best Line: "I - I want to talk to you chaps! About Percy...my friend, well, he was my friend...but he's not anymore!" 

Skid Solo

Race day, and it is the French Grand Prix. Skid puts in the fastest practice lap, but soon enough he is eclipsed by the French driver, Corbonne, who tops him and takes the pole position on race day. 

The race itself becomes a battle between these two, with Corbonne in the lead and Skid pushing him hard all the way. Back in third, Sparrow and Juan Landio are also fighting hard, but not as hard as Al Ledstock who is pushing his car to the limit. 

Ledstock makes his way past Sparrow and Landio and manages to catch Solo and Corbonne. He briefly takes the lead, but he has pushed his car too hard and is forced to retire due to mechanical failure. 

Solo and Corbonne are left still scrapping for the lead, and after sitting second for most of the race, Solo finally makes it past Corbonne as the French driver makes an error. It is short-lived as Solo soon finds his car is losing power. Corbonne goes by him, and so too Sparrow Smith. 

Skid hangs on to third, barely making it to the finish line. He tells Sandy that he ran out of fuel, but a quick inspection by Sandy reveals a broken fuel line. While they look forlornly at the vehicle, Corbonne takes the trophy, and the points, giving him an eighteen-point lead on the table. 

This was a hard-fought race, and it took its toll on both man and machine. Just what I have come to expect from Grand Prix racing, and I found this story gripping throughout. The race had a close finish, mechanical failure, ups and downs, and best of all no major accidents. Exciting reading for motor racing fans and comic fans alike, this is the Skid Solo I hope to see every week. Pure race action, I loved every minute of it, and this is my favourite story this week. 

Rating: 9/10

Best Line: "Why don't you guys build a car that can take it? What's the use of me being the greatest driver you've ever seen...if the car falls to pieces!"

The Tigers

There isn't much to tell with Chunky Clark and his Tigers this week, Chunky is still playing wicketkeeper, and for the first half page of the strip he is just as bad as last week. Things take a turn once Ron Burton's crony, Tuff, hits him with a slingshot. Hitting Chunky in the back, it catches Chunky by surprise and he jumps, just in the right direction to catch a ball. 

In the next panel he stumbles and manages to get a runout. Things are looking up and it gets even better once he is hit in the face with a cricket ball. Now seeing double, he suddenly finds he's catching everything, much to the chagrin of Ron Burton who can only look on in dismay.

Not as funny as normal, nor as thrilling, this felt like an odd entry. However, I liked what I was reading, although the story only slightly progressed from where we were last week. I'm not sure how the blow to the head has helped Chunky, but he is playing like a completely different player in the latter half of the book, and this is stirring up Ron Burton no end. One can sense that this will lead to Buron doing something drastic in the next issue, and hopefully the story will continue to unfold from there. A good issue, still not a favourite, but steady enough. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "D'you think that wicket-keeper has got his right glasses on?"  

Football Family Robinson 

A noise approaches through the forest towards the Robinson camp, and no one knows if it is friend or foe. Relief then when Bluey the Kangaroo appears. But that's not all, he also arrives with Titch and some of the lost family members. 

At this point the story expands considerably, for not only has some of the family returned, but they returned with news that the forest isn't uninhabited, and there is a super tourist centre just a few miles away. And that's not all, they have also been offered a contract to play exhibition football for this Pacific Paradise, and all they need to do is find the rest of the family. 

Problem solved as in the very next panel the other missing family members appear, with their own super tourist centre connection, this time Coral  Wonderland who has also offered a contract to play football. 

All their troubles seemingly behind them, the rest of the comic descends into bickering among the family about which offer to take. Things become physical and fighting begins, before in the final act of the story, Fred is knocked unconscious against a tree. 

"And we have been offered a contract to play some exhibition football!" - and with this line the story jumped the shark. Sure, this lost in the jungle lark hasn't been my favourite storyline, but then to get offered not one, but two contracts to play football, from out of nowhere, well, that was just too much for me. Both lost family members just happened to find different tourist centres and be offered a contract, No sir, I'm not buying it. Let me look for a positive. We did see Viv. But she was being manhandled, and I'm definitely not happy about that. I guess the one pleasing aspect of this whole episode is next week we can move on to something new and hopefully put this whole sad episode behind us.

Rating: 3/10

Best line: "Fred, exert your authority. Do something!" 

Tallon Of The Track 

I thought Jo had figured out why the Hunsford Hawks were so fast as she looked at her watch last week, but apparently not as we are back to square one this week. Watching them race we get a recap from Jo who once again tells us that there is no way they can travel at that speed and break the records.

She requests TV director Richard Caxton to film the Hawks, including in the pits with their reserves and mechanics. He follows orders, and quickly develops his film for a viewing session the next day. 

The viewing sessions are more of the same, with a lot of talk of how unbelievably fast they are, before Jo leaps to her feet. Pointing at the screen she exclaims she knows how they are doing it, and it's right there on the screen. 

We are treading water with this story, and after six months of exciting and compelling storylines from Tallon Of The Track, it feels like this one has run out of steam. I confess I don't really care how this team is riding so fast, and it could have been resolved this week after Jo's discovery last week. The fact that we got two pages out of filming a race and watching is all too much for me and on the back of the previously disappointing Football Family Robinson, the comic is feeling particularly weak at this point. One thing the story did highlight was how far technology has come. While they filmed the Hawks with a bulky camera and developed the film, now we would just point our phone and watch it back immediately. Now that would have sped up this week's issue considerably.

Rating: 5/10

Best line:  "Maybe the Hawks are just brilliant riders!"

A Horse Called Ugly

Things come to a head in this week's strip as Joe catches up to Cliver Mannering, Lord Humphrey, and the horse float with Ugly. Things kick off immediately, with Mannering lunging at Joe with a wrench. Joe is too fast for him, and it is Humphrey that takes the blow.

With Humphrey out, Joe and Mannering scuffle, Joe triumphing as he pushes Mannering's head into the dirt.   

While Mannering and Humphrey bicker about whose fault it is, Joe frees Ugly. Just in a nick of time too, as Mannering makes a break for it. Ugly doesn't wait for instruction, and easily runs down Mannering, bailing him up near the fence and leaving him begging for mercy. 

This part of the story wrapped up, the race organisers cancel the race result, and Mannering and Humphrey are banned from all future race events. 

There is one unresolved issue though, which horse is faster, and Joe insists on a one-mile dash to decide once and for all which horse is better.

Just when I thought this story was wrapped up, we get this one final coda. Overall I was happy to see how it all unfolded, and a highlight was seeing Mannering and Humphrey get everything they deserved. I was surprised to see Joe scrapping but cheered on every blow he dealt to Clive Mannering. Ugly wasn't entirely forgotten, and he was given his moment to shine as he ran down Mannering, in one final humiliation. I'm not sure how much mileage we will get out of this one final race, fingers crossed it won't be dragged on for weeks. This was a good story, but I'm just about ready to wipe the slate clean and begin a new story.

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "You want trouble... you've got it!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6.5/10

Best Story: Skid Solo

Best Line: "Gosh, look at all that money. He's trying to bribe us, Roy! "

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 29th June 1974

Happy Easter! I have decided to forgo the chocolate today, lest I get chocolate fingerprints all over my beloved comics. So here I am, no chocolate high, just the high of some good old-fashioned storytelling from back in the day.

Tiger

29th June 1974

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Last week's issue of Johnny Cougar was a barnstormer, with his contest against Mighty Man proving just as mighty as his opponent's moniker. 

We kick off with Johnny gaining first pinfall over Mighty Man, an event that deserves the front page cover treatment it gets. 

Inside the comic, they continue their ferocious battle and it is just as bone-crunching as last time with both wrestlers having their moments in a back-and-forth fight. Neither gains an upper hand, but it matters little as the fight is the spectacle and each panel contains pure wrestling action.

It is only on the final page that Splash makes an appearance, dosing Johnny with a bucket of cold water in an attempt to revive his flagging energy. It initially works, with Johnny hitting Mighty Man with a dropkick before Mighty Man responds with one of his own that leaves Johnny on the canvas. Rising to his feet, Johnny realises that he needs to start using his head to out-think Mighty Man. 

Johnny Cougar was outstanding last week, and this week is just as good as we stay firmly focused on the wrestling match. The artwork is close up and takes us right into the heart of the action. It is intense, just like the match itself, and serves the story throughout. I can't speak highly enough of the Johnny Cougar story at the moment, and reading it here I wonder if this is where my love of wrestling began, not on TV, but from the pages of the Tiger. Better than the real thing, this is again a highlight. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "Forget about forearm smashes, Indian...my chin's a lot tougher than your arm!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy is floored by a heavy tackle playing for a village team, and things look bad on every front. Bad for Roy, bad for his team, and potentially bad for Melchester next year. 

Roy regains his feet, and the opposition goes on attack sensing that the San Palo team is weakened, However, the San Palo keeper pulls off a save as Blackie yells at him to kick it out to the left where a limping Roy is waiting. 

In a sudden turn of pace, he explodes into action, rapidly bearing down on the opposition keeper before duly slotting the ball in the back of the net. The San Palo players surround Roy, admiring his crafty play, Roy had been injured, but not as bad as he made out and has outfoxed his opponents. 

He is still struggling with his tight boots though, and sees out the rest of the game in goal, making several crucial saves in the process. 

The game is won, and Roy is convinced to stay on and play again in the tournament, although he is concerned that he and Blackie will be marked men for the rest of the tournament. This assessment proves correct, as we see some locals plotting to kidnap Roy and Blackie just as the story concludes. 

A fitting finish to the game, this is the result we all knew we would get. The on-field action was good, as always, but the real meat of the story was in the final panel and the kidnapping plot. Playing a game in tight boots is child's play compared with fighting off kidnappers. I appreciated seeing Roy's gamesmanship at play, it's always nice to see him out-think his opponents rather than beat them on skill alone. The story didn't have any negatives as far as I could see, although it never quite engaged me as I would have wanted. Again, I think it is well done, but not running at its full potential just yet. Once again I will wait and see if next week brings the story to fruition. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "He explodes into life like an express train!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Tinty and Martin are driving straight into danger this week, hurtling down a slope towards the Enny Tunnel. Driving into the tunnel they little suspect that their rivals are about the close the doors behind them. 

The doors are slammed shut on the tunnel, and the roof begins to cave in. There is no time to waste and Martin reverses the car through the doors and back into the open air. They don't see that Percy and Algy are there as they immediately drive off after the next clue. 

Percy is blind with rage, and won't listen as Algy tries to pacify him. Driving recklessly, he overtakes Tiny and Martin, and several miles down the road pulls over. Setting up an ambush, he pulls out a rifle, with the intention of shooting out the tires of Tiny and Martin when they appear. 

My, how things have escalated. We begin the story with a bit of life-or-death action with the collapse of the Enny Tunnel and ended with this out-of-control Percy looking extremely dangerous with a rifle in hand. We are a long way from a simple treasure hunt adventure now. Not as strong as some previous issues, but still a page-turner, and as always the artwork looks divine, especially the panels of Percy speeding around the roads. Like the previous Roy of the Rovers, next week promises much, and this is a fine setup for what comes next. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Be careful, Percy! There's no need to go mad!" 

A Horse Called Ugly

We are finally getting to the bottom of all the shenanigans taking place in A Horse Called Ugly. Ugly has been loaded into Mannering's truck, but things are not sitting well with the villains. Mannering still refuses to pay Mungro, and as he drives off he yells at Mungro to keep his mouth shut.

Of course, Mungro is unhappy with not being paid and immediately confesses to Joe what's been happening through the race, and how he had been duped. Angela takes Mugro to the race officials, where he confessed, while Joe sets off in pursuit of the truck and Ugly. 

Joe catches the truck and forces it off the road, but Mannering emerges from the cab, telling Joe it's too late, and Ugly is going to disappear and Jow with him.

 Things are beginning to move quickly here, and I enjoyed the fast-flowing action. It did feel a little simplistic, perhaps my only complaint, yet it all happened so quickly that I barely had time to register this thought. The highlights were definitely seeing Joe chasing the truck, and the artwork for these panels stood out far beyond everything else., I was disappointed about how quickly Mungro changed sides but overall found the story highly entertaining as we accelerate towards a conclusion. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "But you promised me fifty quid, for doing yer dirty work!"  

Football Family Robinson

Titch, Alf and Crash are still missing, and they remain missing for this entire episode. The family are at a loss of what to do, and although they make a kite from one of Ma's dresses, in the hope the others will see it and make their way back, it comes to nothing.

Later in the story, night falls and they build a fire, again hoping the others will see it and come to them as well as providing them with warmth. The story ends this week with some crashing approaching them, and the family wondering who or what it could be.

Almost nothing happened this week. The kite building and flying took up a page of action and were a mere diversion. The only thing of note to happen was late on the final page when they built a fire, and some noises from the jungle came towards them. I did like that we saw plenty of Viv on the pages, although this barely compensated for the lack of direction and progress in the story. I wanted to like this a lot more than I did, and if things don't pick up soon I may never come back to fully loving the story in the way I did in the past.

Rating: 4/10

Best line:  "If we don't get back to civilisation soon I'll have nothing to wear but rags" 

Tallon Of The Track

Tallon Of The Track is a story of two halves this week. In the first half, we have Jo still in a coma and the Ospreys racing around the hospital on their bikes in an attempt to awaken her. It works well enough and by the end of the first page, Jo is released from the hospital and back at the track to train her beloved Ospreys.

The second half of the story sees Richard Caxton, the film director, apologize to Jo and offering to make amends. Jo asks if he could come to the track and film the Hunsford Hawks before they compete against them in the second leg of the Speedway Silver Cup. 

He does as she requests, but while they are there Jo times the heats on her stopwatch and finds something is not quite right. What that might be, we'll have to wait until next week, as this is the final act of this week's issue. 

A surprisingly weak issue of Tallon Of The Track. One of my favourite stories, this week it never makes the high standard that I come to expect. The first part of the story was boring, and although the second half was better, it was hardly the high-stakes drama I have come to expect. I am intrigued by what it is that Jo finds strange about the heat times, but I'm not convinced it was the cliffhanger that this story needs right now. Not what I expect from Tallon of the Track, and as my father said to me many times over the years, "I'm not angry, just disappointed" 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Hey, fellas, our number one slave-driver is back!" 

Skid Solo

The Skid Solo team are in a small central European country as begin this week's issue. With Sandy, the "dour Scotsman" as he is referred to in the opening caption, working on their cars, Sparrow and Skid prepare to go for a ride on their bikes. 

They are urged to take it easy and relax by Sandy, and begin well enough, cruising the hills and stopping to take in the view. Sparrow takes out his binoculars and spots a couple of shady characters setting up a machine gun. Skid surmises that it's probably just the army setting for manoeuvers and they cruise on down to a village.

At the village, the story widens to its full scope, with us learning that it's a carnival day in the village and that the minister is visiting. We also learn that it is dangerous at the moment, because of the local bandit, whose face on the wanted poster looks very familiar to Sparrow. Indeed, it is the very man he saw setting up the machine gun. 

With the minister in danger, Skid and Sparrow speed a cross country to warn him, and we get the happy ending we deserve, with the bandit being captured without a shot being fired and Skid and Sparrow returning to Sandy. Sandy asks about their day, and they tell him that they took his advice, visited the village, and played on the dodgems. We finish the story with Sandy looking directly at us and saying how pleased he is that they followed his advice and visited the village, after all, it could be dangerous riding the bikes around the countryside. Oh Sandy, if only you knew. 

Skid Solo loves these little adventures in made-up central European countries, and we have encountered similar stories in the past. I did have a quiet laugh to myself when Skid said nothing seems to happen - Skid, something always happens! I liked the story for its humble ambition and easygoing style. Skid saw something bad about to happen, told the right people, and returned to Sandy for the story to come full circle. It never felt intense or rushed, and as such as one of the easiest-to-read stories this week. It was pleasant, but not essential, Skid Solo and was a gentle story after some heavy hitters early on. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Lovely day, Sparrow... I like this quiet countryside. Nothing ever seems to happen!"

The Tigers

Chunky Clark has been selected as wicketkeeper for the Digby Cricket Club and the bulk of this week's story is dedicated to his training for the match. It isn't anything we haven't seen before, with Chunky making a poor showing of it, and his long-suffering neighbour once again receiving a ball through his greenhouse. 

Over the page, and things aren't much better at the park as Chunky trips over himself and upsets the park keeper. Chased from the park, they finally arrive at the game, and the final few panels of the strip show Chunky in complete disarray as a wicketkeeper, much to the dismay of the other plays for Digby Cricket Club. 

This story took too long to get to the game, and in the first page and a half, we saw the same things occur twice, clumsy Clark and his friends. It felt like padding, and I was desperate for them to get to the game and begin the story. The humour was unambitious and merely brushed my funny bone. I had such high hopes for this story after the last couple of weeks, but overall found it interesting and a flat spot to end this week's issue. 

Rating: 4/10

Best line: "Where did Digby find the clown?" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story: Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Best Line: "If we hear that machine-gun open up...then we'll know we're too late!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 22nd June 1974

Last week's issue of Tiger appealed to me on many fronts and was strong throughout. If this week can retain that run of form, we should be in for a real treat. I can't decide which story I look forward to most, all of them have some merit. The world is my oyster, and I'll be happy with whatever story comes first as I turn the page and begin this week's journey.  

Tiger

22nd June 1974

Skid Solo

Sparrow Smith gets us off to a flying start this week with his new car spinning into the sand as a striking cover image to entice us. His new car is fast, yet not particularly good at steering. Sparrow has a solution in mind though and tells Skid he's going to change the wheels before he puts in some extra practice. 

The following day and the race begins. It is a low-key introduction to the race, we don't get the familiar commentator yelling into the microphone as the cars take off. However, the race is action-packed, with sand continually causing chaos, with one large crash early on playing a large part in what develops. 

Carbonne and Elton are far ahead of the field, engaged in their own private duel, while Sparrow and Skid are the best of the following vehicles. Skid has a couple of near misses, coming off the track, which eventually lets Sparrow through to chase down the race leaders. 

He comes close but can't make up the time, finishing a close run third, while Skid finishes in fourth place. The table shown in the final panel tells the story of the race, and the championship, with Carbonne and Elton far ahead in the standings, while Skid and Sparrow are neck and neck in third and fourth place. 

Although this is a grand prix episode of the story, it didn't grab me in the same way as the first two races of the season. True, it did fill the whole story with its intricacies and drama, but it didn't feel important and, after a crash early on, the story ran out of steam and drama. On a positive note, this is shaping up to be a close-run season, and Skid may struggle to retain his crown. I have enjoyed the introduction of Carbonne and Elton, and seeing them lead the table as two rookies bodes well, not just this season, but also for the following seasons. A nice injection of new blood, one can already see a rivalry being built. 

The next race should cement this rivalry and its importance to future issues, as things currently stand now, the Skid Solo stories are on an upwards trajectory.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Skid's done it again! He's hit the sand!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

This is just the type of Johnny Cougar issue I like to see. Three pages of nothing but wrestling action, and Johnny taking on an opponent worthy of his attention. 

Mighty Man is every inch of his name, and although Johnny comes out very strongly against him in the first minute, he asserts his strength and sheer body size against Johnny. 

There is offence from both parties, Johnny with some strong holds and Mighty Man with some mighty blows before the match settles into a tit-for-tat affair. However, as we come to the final page Johnny is steadily gaining the upper hand, and after two explosive moves, he cradles Mighty Man into a potential pinfall. If he can hold him there or not, we'll have to wait until next week, but it certainly looks positive for Johnny in the final panels.

With believable action, snappy dialogue, and some dynamic art, it almost felt like I was there as I was reading this. I am a fan of modern professional wrestling, and what I see on TV each week isn't too far removed from what we see here on the page. I appreciated how close the match is between the two, and seeing Mighty Man resisting the dynamic force of Johnny made it all the more believable. I have no gripes with this story at all, and although it is not a 10/10 it is almost a frictionless read, making it an early highlight in this week's Tiger. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "We shall see, O tubby one. Actions speak heap louder than words!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

My world is brightened by the appearance of Martin's Marvellous Mini. Its coloured pages are matched by the bright storyline, and this week's things are escalating quickly in the treasure hunt.

Sent down the wrong road by Algy and Percy, Tiny and Martin soon find themselves at a dead end - halfway up a hill and nothing but a rock-strewn road behind them. Being resourceful chaps, they soon have George tied with ropes and lowed down a slope before they return to the main road.

Back in the hunt, they quickly solve the next clue, before heading off to Whitefield farm to solve the next puzzle. They are seen by Percy and Algy, who upon seeing that their scheme has failed, devise a new one. 

Skipping ahead in the clues, the two saboteurs make for Enny tunnel. Enny tunnel is dangerous and closed to the public, but Percy and Algy push the door open to lure our pals in, with the intention of closing the door behind them. 

A lot was crammed in the two pages here, and we saw Tiny and Martin rescue George, solve a couple of clues, and make for a third, while we also got to see the nefarious deeds of Percy and Algy. Not overly dramatic from panel to panel, the story was propelled by the bigger picture and the under current of Percy and Algy's doings. We didn't get to see Tiny and Martin make a nice cuppa, disappointing, but we did get to see some great facial expressions, and overall the story moved quickly, with a good hook to bring us all back next week. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Great! You're not as stupid as you look, Tiny old pal! Ha ha!"

The Tigers

Cricket is the name of the game, and after being introduced to the team previously,  this week both Chunky and Ron are called upon to demonstrate their skills. 

After catching the eye of the Dinglewell cricket team, Chunky, Ron, and their respective friends are asked to try out for the team. This makes up the rest of this week's issue, and we see Chunky bat, bowl and field, utilising his luck at every turn, while the other boys also demonstrate their worth. After two pages of cricketing skills, the story closes with five of the boys selected to play while one of Ron's friends misses the cut, although this is all the better for him to cause trouble with Chunky. 

I liked what I saw, although, unlike the previous Martin's Marvellous Mini, the story didn't move forward at all. As I recall, at the end of the last week, we saw the cricket team watching some of Chunky's skills and suggesting he might be available for the team, and this week that was built upon but only very slightly. We did see more skills, but by the end of the story we are still in the same place as last week, with the boys looking like they will be playing for the team. It was a pleasant read, but it barely raised my pulse, and overall, it left barely an impression on me. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Great, my hobby is winning trophies!"

Football Family Robinson 

I don't have high hopes as I see the first panel and the blasted monkeys are still with us. Things improve quickly though and I like where we are heading this week.

Seeking to find a way out, the family splits up and heads in different directions. Three of the parties find nothing and return to camp. After five hours Titch and his group have not returned and the other family members become concerned. 

Three of them set out to find the missing party, and spirits lift when they come across Titch's football. However, a round of calling out for them is answered with silence and they ponder their next move. That next move will be revealed next week as they decide whether should they go forward to find them, or go back to the rest of the family? 

The world is expanding for the family, and it was nice to see them push out a little wider after several claustrophobic episodes. Of course, there was football involved this week, they haven't entirely left that behind, but for the most part, it played as a typical lost in the jungle story. Not as exciting as perhaps I might like, but several notches up from the last few weeks, no doubt helped by the appearance of Viv in several panels. Better, but still not to the level we were a few months ago. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "We should have gone with them. You know what our family is like for getting into trouble"

A Horse Called Ugly

The cross-country race come to an end, a neck-and-neck race for the finish line, before it is decided on penalty points. 

The points are tallied, and it is extremely close, but sadly for Joe and Ugly, Lord Humphrey is announced the winner due to the penalties incurred by Joe.

All that remains is for Joe to honour the agreement and surrender his possessions, including Ugly, to Lord Humphrey for one day. Joe reluctantly surrenders Ugly, but then he and Angela secretly follow the horse float.

Clive Mannering shakes them and waits for Mungro to arrive with a lorry. Mungro is eager to be paid, but Mannering dismisses him for the time being, leaving a disgruntled Mungro plotting to make things difficult for Lord Humphrey and Mannering.

Not the story I expected, but most enjoyable. I was pleased to see Joe and Ugly lose the race, it would have been a cop-out for them to win, and this leads to much more interesting developments in the story. With all three parties pulling in different directions the plot could go anywhere from here, and I love that anything could happen. Again, not a lot of horse action, but some fantastic facial expressions on the characters that more than make up for it. Not what I expected, but just what I needed. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I lost by a trick! But I have to accept it. Okay...Humph can take everything I have - but only for one day!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy and Blackie are about to play for the village team of San Palos in the local tournament, with Roy playing under the assumed name of Roberto. 

With the opposition playing rough, Roy relies on his skill and quick passing to open up the defence. With a quick one-two, and despite the field sabotaging his skills, Roy manages to score a goal. This proves to be his downfall, for as his team celebrates many of them call him by his real name, leading the opposition to rumble about exactly who he is. 

The name Race is like a red rag to a bull, and Roy soon finds himself on the end of some rough challenges. The final one leaves him crumpled in the dust and Blackie fretting about the season back home. 

I felt that this story got off to a rocky start in previous issues, but now we are on the field and playing football it has solidified and is now on a more sure footing. It is a retelling of a familiar story, one team playing rough, while Roy sparkles with his skills. Although familiar, it works well in this different context, and there is a sense of importance of what the teams are playing for beyond any trophies. With just Roy and Blackie, it could have been set in any period of Roy's career, and hopefully their friendship will be an important part of what comes next.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Er, many pardons, Roberto!"

Tallon Of The Track 

With Jo in the hospital and the doctor about to deliver some bad news about her condition, Tallon of the Track spends this week's edition away from the track. Dave receives the doctor's bad news outside her room, Jo is in a coma and unaware of her surroundings. There is nothing that can be done, and the doctor informs Dave that the only thing that could possibly bring her around is a familiar name or sound. 

This leads us to the second half of the story as Dave returns to the Ospreys, with a seed of an idea germinating in his mind. Rounding up the team, they ride their bike out to the hospital, then proceed to roar around the hospital grounds. It causes chaos, but of course it also awakens Jo from her coma, and we finish the story with her sitting up thinking of racing and her precious Ospreys. 

An issue with Jo for the most part, although she was the main driver of the story, it was also notable for being away from the track. We have had plenty of stories before away from the track, but never one where Jo wasn't chasing crooks, or otherwise dominating the dialogue. Dave is a likeable bloke and he carries the story well on his broad shoulders, helped by some fine artwork that is emotive as any dialogue. A gently told story, with no spectacular crashes or the like, but still kept me engaged from beginning to end. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best Line: "Cut those engines, you irresponsible fools! There's a young girl in here who is seriously ill!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Best Line: "I warn you Cougar...I'm a real heavyweight...you're out of my class and under my weight!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: