Tiger 17th August 1974

It's no secret that Martin's Marvellous Mini is one of my favourite stories. When I was a child, I would often play a game with my brother, where if we saw a mini on the road whoever would yell out "Martin's Marvellous Mini" first would win a point. Oh, those were the days. Reading this week's issue of Martin's Marvellous Mini I can see the appeal to the younger me. In colour, with a variety of exotic landscapes, and with two good friends sharing adventures, it's everything a young boy could win. This week ticks all those boxes and more, as they speed across Europe and into the Middle East. The adult me loves it just as much as the boyhood me, and after reading this week's issue I'm sure to be yelling "Martin's Marvellous Mini" at passing cars for the next few days. 

Tiger

17th August 1974

Roy Of The Rovers

Although tempted to quit football and pursue a career in pop music, Charlie Carter is back to his goal-saving best on the cover of Tiger. Making several saves, he is playing with new confidence now that he has been told that Tubby Morton is ready to take his place.

This confidence is misplaced, and from a conversation between Blackie and Roy we learn that Tubby is not back to full fitness, and it all hinges on how he goes in his comeback game for the reserves. 

At the conclusion of training, they return to the changing rooms where Larry Sharp, the variety agent trying to lure Charlie, is waiting for them. Waving his contract in front of Charlie, he is anxious to gain his signature as soon as possible. Tony Stome is not happy with this interference and strongly shows him the door while making his feelings clear. 

Game day arrives, and once again Larry Sharp is proving to be a nuisance. While the team take the field, he makes his way to the stadium's PA system and insists the DJ there plays Charlie's demo recording. 

Roy and Tony Storme are furious, and Tony rushes off to shut it down while on the field Charlie is distracted by the attention and the music, missing an early save. This is all part of Larry Sharp's plan -  Charlie takes up singing or his football career will be ruined. 

Although not my favourite story at the moment, there is plenty to like here. The front cover with Charlie at full stretch pulling off a save is exactly what I want to see in a Roy Of The Rovers comic. This onfield dynamism is matched by the fiery Tony Storme over the page. Twice we see him in this strip with his face twisted into a scowl as he delivers verbal punches. It's stirring stuff and just what we would expect from a top manager like Tony. He has his work cut out matched up against the agent Larry Sharp, who, much like Tony Storme, has a name that matches his personality. I don't care too much for Charlie's singing career, but I do look forward to these two clashing heads in future episodes. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "He's got back to smother it! Charlie's recovery rate is fantastic!" 

Tallon Of The Track

We start quickly this week, with Jo on her bike still pursuing the black-clad rider that stole the trophy from the fete. 

It's an exciting chase through the woods, but as expected Jo triumphs as she forces the rider into the water. 

The rider is disappointed to find out he was out-ridden by a female, and as he takes off his helmet we see that he is just a boy.

He was disappointed that he wasn't allowed to take part in the fete having been deemed too young to participate. Jo has a solution at hand, and as the rest of the Ospreys approach, she informs them that she wants to use the young lad for a novelty event.

We see this novelty event in the final panels of the strip, a replay of the trophy snatching and the Ospreys chasing the rider, this time all in the name of entertainment. 

This was a slight story. I enjoyed it for what it was, but it quickly faded from my mind once I finished. The chase through the woods dominated the story, running for almost two pages, and was the best part of the story. The rest of it was merely window dressing for this chase and tidying up loose ends. After some heavy action in earlier stories, the last two stories have been an easier ride for Jo Tallon. She deserves a break, but part of me longs to see her in a life-or-death situation just one more time. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Dave, don't argue with her, she's the boss!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Having escaped the law in the last issue, Martin and Tiny now find themselves prisoners of hospitality at a local village. It's not easy to escape a welcoming party, and Martin and Tiny do what any brave young man would do - they run away. 

Back on the road, Tiny and Martin drive right across Europe, before, as the caption informs us, they one day stop at a filling station in a Middle Eastern country. It is here that they receive some sound local advice. Do not stop, do not leave the road, and be aware there are many bandits in the area. 

Back on the road, they drive across the desert lands, only to encounter a sandstorm. Being good Englishmen, they stop the car, make a cup of tea, and wait for the storm to pass over. 

The storm may have gone, but their problems are only just beginning as any sign of the road is for. They drive on, looking for it, but all they find is sand. Then, to cap it all off, some horsemen approach from over the top of a dune. 

An excellent story, I enjoyed the shorthand employed here to keep the story rapidly moving. We are told they are driving across Europe, and this is expressed in a single panel of them driving past a Roman ruin surrounded by grass. Likewise, we see them arrive in the Middle Eastern country, the petrol station surrounded by sand while a man in ethnic dress ties the load on top of their vehicle. The flip side of this is I would have liked to see more of their time in Europe. We are told simply that they have travelled across Europe and we see them in a Middle Eastern country later. I can't complain too much about this, the following page is one of the best we have seen in Tiger so far. Seven panels that look fantastic singularly, and taken as a whole. First, there are the two panels of George driving in the sandstorm, suffocating sand seeping across the panel. Then Tiny and Martin take in a sandwich and a cuppa while the storm rages around them, all top-notch stuff. To cap it off we have them looking for the road and encountering what may well be the bandits. All of it is superb, and I could choose any one of these for my panel of the week. Needless to say, I rate this highly and it makes clear why this is my favourite strip.

Rating: 10/10

Best line: "We're in the middle of the desert! There's nothing but dunes!" 

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

After talking about it for four weeks, we finally have Johnny Cougar competing in a tag team match with his partner, Staff Sergeant Martin. 

Martin starts strongly for the team, though his German opponent is as clever as he is strong and reverses an early move, giving Martin a sore neck. A quick tag and Martin has little time to think about his neck as his new opponent hits him with a flying headbutt. 

Making the tag to Johnny is about all he can do, and Johnny steps into the ring to face these two fearsome wrestlers.  A flying head scissors starts things well, but once again the continental wrestlers gain an upper hand with Johnny held in a neck hold by his German opposition. 

Johnny tags out, and at this point of the story, his nemesis the K.O. Kid enters the picture. Johnny drinks heavily from his water bottle, little realising that it has been poisoned by the K.O. Kid. We will have to wait until next week to see the outcome of this, but for now, the scene is set. 

I have always said that Johnny Cougar is at its best when Johnny is in the ring, and it proves so here. The panels of Johnny being held in headlocks, or hitting opponents with flying kicks look magnificent, and the worlds on the page can only bow down in front of such captivating artwork. It matters little who he is fighting against, the flow of the wrestling match is all that matters, and I read the panels of the bout far slower than any other part of the story, letting myself get lost in the battle of the big men. The first appearance of the K.O. Kid back in Australia was disappointing, as was his chase through the first with Johnny last week, but here he is finally growing not a worthy villain. We have many questions to be answered next week, and hopefully, these will come with a heavy dose of wrestling actions. I shall cross my fingers now. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Great forearm smash by the soldier...that really hurt!"

The Tigers

Ron Burton and Scully have crashed into a village cricket match while chasing Chunky on their cycles. Being labelled as cricket hooligans from the city, the big country boys are incensed. 

Chunky defuses the situation, challenging the toughs to a fair and friendly cricket match. 

Keen to teach the townies a lesson, they accept, although we know from the previous issue that it is unlikely that this country team will play or friendly. 

The trial and tribulations arise before the match even begins, with Chunky's map to the ground leading the team through some rough terrain. They are attacked by some angry geese, while Ron Burton and his cronies face even worse in the shape of three angry rams. 

Arriving at the match in a foul mood, the rest of the team gets their first look at the opponents, their obvious large size causing immediate concerns. 

The strip closes out with an angry captain telling Chunky that they are already exhausted from his map, and if they are made to look like fools in the match he will be out of the team for good. 

This was surprisingly fun, with both cricket teams expressing their anger with Chunky and his pals. The expedition to find the match was enjoyable, and there were some obstacles thrown up that we hadn't seen before. Chunky didn't ride his luck too much in this episode, and it was far more balanced than previous stories. If it was like this more often I would have far better feelings towards The Tigers, and as it is, this feels more like a lucky one-off rather than an ongoing trend.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Stop! Senseless clobbery isn't cricket! I'm here from the Digby cricket eleven to challenge you to a fair, friendly match."

Football Family Robinson

Back from their Australian sojourn, the Robinson are once again rooted in the real world of working as building contractors. 

Digging foundations and talking of the weekend's impending game, Bert digs up something solid. Thinking it might be valuable, he cleans it up and finds it is some sort of statue head. 

Ma thinks it's revolting and tells him he's best to bury it again. However, he clings to his belief that it is valuable and takes it home. It is there that Viv's boyfriend Kevin (who we haven't seen for months!) sees it and takes it into his own hands to do some research. 

His research turns up a picture of a pagan god that looks just like it. The caveat is that is the pagan god of misfortune. How this came to be in Thatchem is explained in the next panel, with the information that there was a temple on the site of Thatchem about two thousand years ago.

Back to the football, the team begin their season against Nottborough. It is not a great start, with Bert bashing his head against the post in the opening minutes. Viv and Ma watch on from the sideline, with Viv sure that the ugly head is going to have an evil influence on the family. 

The Football Family are back in their natural environment, and I love it. The physical toil on the first page speaks to me, and even if I don't believe in evil pagan gods, I did enjoy seeing Bert discover it. I also enjoyed the family's overall negative reaction to his discovery, and I can imagine that my family's reaction to something similar would be the same. The disdain that Viv regards the head with when she first sees it is superb, and her face is worth a thousand words. A vast improvement from the Asutailian storyline, we are back on track. I never thought I would say that about a storyline based on an evil pagan head.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "That settles it. We'll smash it to pieces before it starts putting some evil influence on us!"

Skid Solo 

The Austrian Grand Prix is on, and it's a fantastic race from start to finish. 

We have a gentle introduction to the race, with Skid approaching his hotel to find a crowd of reporters waiting outside. It's Von Vargen they're waiting to see, but the German graciously invites Skid into the circle, telling him that it costs nothing to be polite. 

Race day and the cars start fast, with Skid taking the lead into the first corner. The race continues for the next two pages, with Skid leading the way while behind him Sparrow Smith and Von Vargen battle hard. 

Late in the race and Von Vargen makes a final run for the lead, catching Skid right on the line. There are only inches in it, but Skid prevails to take the win. 

Trophy in hand, he is surrounded by reporters, but in a move that draws from the first panels of the story, he calls Von Vargen in to stand beside him and share the attention, with the final words "One good turn deserves another."

The racing action was excellent in the story and in particular the battle between Von Vargen and Sparro Smith. They both held the upper hand at various stages of the race and if not for the back markers they were lapping, this battle might have continued right to the finish. The subplot with the reporters was unnecessary, yet entirely par for the course of a Skid Solo story, there is always such a subplot that bookends these races. The track action was what enthused me most though, and once again Skid delivered a race that mirrors just what we see in real life. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line:  "Heck! Von Vargen's taken Sparrow...and closed right up on me...he's only three seconds behind...and one lap to go..."

A Horse Called Ugly

Joe is worried about the missing Angela but is forced to compete in the jump-off at the horse show. 

The first round goes well enough for Joe and Ugly but before the next round, Joe finds a note left for him by Angela's kidnappers. This note tells him that they have Angela, and he can swap her after the horse show for the valuable item that he has. 

With thoughts of the fate that may befall Angela, Joe fails to pay attention and rides straight into a wall. This isn't all bad, and he dashes off on Ugly to find Angela. 

There was drama at the show jumping, but the real drama was taking place off-page for most of this story. Like Joe, my thoughts stay with Anglea, and I was just waiting for that final panel when he rode off to find her. A necessary step in the story, what happened the week before and what will happen next week are far more essential than Joe finishing the show jumping. Still, I love seeing Ugly in action, and the artwork looked great on every page. Not the episode I wanted, but we are nicely set up for what will come next. 

Rating: 7/10 

Best line: "You can do some grass-munching Ugly...I've got to sow how our rivals perform" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 8/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line: "Those crazy British!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sport Quiz:

 

Tiger 10th August 1974

Changes are coming says the editor's note in this week's comic, and fifty years later I know exactly what those changes will be. I'm not going to say too much, but the next couple of months will see the comic become much more familiar to me. That's all in the future, today let's set our time machine for 10th August 1974

Tiger

10th August 1974

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

There is very little in-ring action this week, as Johnny instead fights his opponent in the forest rather than on the canvas. Last week he ran down the K.O. Kid who had tried to kill Johnny and Splash with a runaway lorry, and this week he seeks vengeance with his bare hands. 

The fight isn't one-sided, and the K.O. Kid acquits himself well before Johnny finally overpowers him. Grabbing the K.O. Kid by his lapels, Johnny shakes the truth out of him. The K.O. Kid blames Johnny for ruining his career, having defeated him in Australia, and since that bout no one has taken him seriously.

Johnny dismisses this notion, telling him he is a good wrestler. The K.O. Kid easily agrees and thanks Johnny before disappearing into the woods. 

Our attention now turns to the tag-team bout with Johnny and  Staff Sergeant Martin preparing to take on their foes. It is in these final panels, just as the fight is about to start, that we see the K.O. Kid hasn't quite given up on his scheme, and is currently in the crowd preparing to poison Johnny and have his revenge. 

The first portion of this was very good, and seeing Johnny and the K.O. Kid fighting in the river and the woods was agreeable to my taste. What I didn't like was the end of this fight, with the K.O. Kid suddenly humbled and easily agreeing with Johnny. It didn't sit well with me, and even though we later see why he was so readily walking away, it still didn't seem right for the character. Apart from this small niggle, I found the strip to be very good, and as always the artwork was beyond reproach. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Th-thanks, Johnny. You're the greatest! I won't bother you again!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

With Charlie 'the cat' Carter out of form, this week we find out what is on the cassette player that he offers up as an excuse at half-time. 

It's the most dangerous of all things, a pop song, sung by Charlie himself. The lyrics are terrible, but the music must sound OK as all the players compliment Charlie on his musical ability.

The back story tumbles quickly out. Charlie entered a talent contest at a holiday camp last month, and not only did he win it but there just so happened to be a talent scout there who persuaded Charlie to make a trial recording. This recording has proved to be somewhat of a success, with at least one record company already making an offer to Charlie to sign a contract.

The crux of the problem is now the agent wants Charlie to quit football to concentrate his energies on a musical career.  Roy takes this news in stride and tells Charlie not to worry so much about it after all he has one of the greatest keepers in the game to replace him with. Tubby Morton has been out for months with a broken leg, but Roy reassures Charlie that he is well on the way to recovery and will soon be having a run out with the reserves. 

With this weight lifted from his mind, Charlie plays a blinder in the second half. With the team secure at the back, the attacking weapons of Melchester Rovers take centre stage, scoring two goals and managing to salvage a draw. 

Not all is as well as it seems, and we end with Blackie chastising Roy for not telling Charlie the whole truth about Tubby Morton and that they may well be facing the best teams in Europe without a number-one keeper.

It's hard to see what the agent sees in the song that Charlie has recorded. The lyrics as they are written on the page are terrible, and one can only assume that Charlie has the voice of an angel to sell such tripe. The football action remains the backbone of the strip and after the halftime chat in the dressing room, the story moved quickly in the right direction. As much as I like Tubby Morton, Charlie is my guy and I hope that he will soon give up on his pop dream and focus on what he does best - saving goals. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "They call me the cat, and I'm pleased about that, 'cos I always purr when you're near meeee!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

In an unnamed central European country, Martin and Tiny are being pursued by the law. With the policemen carrying guns, there is only one course of action- stopping immediately. 

Waving his pistol, the first policeman promptly arrests them, under a variety of charges that he quickly reels off. 

Behind bars, things look grim for our two pals. The next day in court they have very little choice but to plead guilty and apologise. This succeeds beyond all expectations. Nobody ever pleads guilty and the judge is so taken by it that he releases them without any further punishment. 

There is a further surprise as they exit the court to find a police escort waiting for them. With two police bikes leading the way, they make the border in quick time and are soon across the frontier into the next country. 

Things are far more relaxed here, and as they stop in a cafe they learn from the radio that they are a day and a half behind. Everyone in the cafe is just happy that they are safe and decide that a party is in order to celebrate. It becomes quite the party, and Tiny and Martin finish the episode wondering how they can get out of it and back on the road. 

The courtroom part of the story was weak, but I enjoyed everything else. The drama of the police stopping them was well-drawn and I had a sense of the danger they were facing. They escaped the court a little too easily for my liking, but I did enjoy the race to the frontier, and the village cafe they ended up in. Not everything was great here, but it was all likeable. Not a page-turner, I want to take my time and marinate in the panels as they stop in the villages, but enough to draw me into the world they are creating. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "He's throwing the book at us!"

Tallon Of The Track 

We embark on a new storyline this week as Jo and the team prepare to take part in a charity fete. There is both speedway racing on grass, as well as Jo doing some stunts before a trophy will be given to the most popular event. 

Dave puts the Ospreys through their paces with some training on the grass, and then it's all about Jo as we see plenty of her riding abilities as she goes over several jumps before riding through a flaming hoop.   

It is just as she comes through the hoop of the flame that the story takes a twist with another rider appearing out of nowhere. Clad all in black, he snatches the trophy before riding into the forest. Jo takes up the pursuit, but the other rider proves to be just as good as her on a bike and it looks like Jo will have her work cut out to catch up with them. 

A pleasant start to this story, and I liked the gentle feeling of the fete. I always enjoy seeing Jo on her bike, and we get two good scenes of that here as her stunt riding is highlighted, before the chase in the forest again sees her mastering her bike. There is some intrigue about this mysterious rider and paired with on-bike action, this story has gotten off to a strong start. 

Rating: 7.5/10 

Best line: "We've some trainer, Dave. When courage was dished out she was in the front row" 

Football Family Robinson

The Football Family are on the field and playing for their respective resorts, Fred's team is propped up by a selection of former superstars, while all Titch has is Ma's good advice and some ringers from their resort. 

At first, it is Fred's team that has the upper hand, building a three-goal lead, but Titch remains confident based on the advice from Ma. This advice plays a hand in the second half as the team of former stars begins to tire. Titch's team pulls it back to three goals each, the other team out of shape and unable to compete with the speed of the match. 

That's where the game ends, Fred's team refuses to play extra time as their contract is only for ninety minutes of football. The voice of reason is again Ma, who tells Mr Richafella, the investor looking to put his money into one of the resorts, that the answer is obvious - he should invest in both resorts.

As he agrees with this idea, the story is all but over and all that remains is for the family to board the plane that will take them to the UK and the beginning of the next football season. 

I am pleased that this storyline is over and pleased that it had a solid ending after shaky beginnings. It feels like a long time ago since their plane was forced down and the family first found themselves in the jungle. Since then there have been ups and downs, but the story got better as it went along and we finished on the right note. The football action was crisp and clear, and as always it was the indomitable Ma that stole the show. A fearsome matriarch she is the lynchpin of the family, and the comic strip, and one of the strongest characters on the pages of Tiger. My father always told me that if I meet a pretty girl, I should look at her mother to see what the future holds. In that case, Viv has quite a future ahead of her with both strength of character and beauty. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "You've got to be joking. We've had it. Besides, our contract with him was to play in a ninety minute game!" 

A Horse Called Ugly 

With pistols drawn, the two crooks - Luigi and Ferdi - are demanding that Joe reveals the location of the package they'd hidden under Ugly's saddle. 

Joe doesn't know what they are talking about, so at gunpoint, the two crooks bundle Joe and Farmer Corker out the door and towards the car. It is at this point that Ugly intervenes, chasing the villains off in a funny moment. 

Farmer Corker and Joe decide that it's not worth getting the police involved, and Joe sleeps soundly in the stable, little realising that the artwork he has nailed to the wall is worth a fortune. 

The next day and Joe and Ugly are called by Angela to take part in a show. Angela jumps well but her fortunes take a turn while Joe and Ugly are taking their turn in the arena. Passing by a small tent, she is grabbed from behind by Luigi and Ferdi and kidnapped. 

Back at the arena, the officials are calling for her to attend a jump-off. She is about to be disqualified for a no-show while Joe pleads with the officials that something must have happened as she would never fail to respond to such a challenge. 

I am greatly enjoying this storyline with Luigi and Ferdi, and the fact that Joe has simply nailed this artwork to the wall of the stable has me laughing long after we have moved to other things. The initial danger of the crooks with guns was dealt with easily, although a little unbelievable, by an angry Ugly. I'm not convinced an angry horse would be enough to dissuade crooks with guns and a fortune on offer. However, that didn't detract a jot from my overall enjoyment of this strip, and I am pleased with the direction we are going. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "Beat that if you can, Joe Larcombe!" 

Skid Solo 

A week before his next Grand Prix and Skid and Sparrow are taking part in two hundred mile race in a borrowed car. It's hard to imagine a modern driver doing this, but it's not just them, several other top drivers from around the world are also taking part in borrowed cars. 

Not everyone has a borrowed car, Von Vargen has his own car and drives it fast from the beginning.  Skid matches him for speed and soon both of them are out in front. 

Sparrow Smith is determined to catch them, but he suffers some bad luck as one of his wheels falls off. It is not just his bad luck, it's everyones, as his wheel hits a tower beside the track - knocking it over and leaving the track blocked. 

Skid and Von Vargen are the first to encounter this obstacle, and they both take the same evasive action. Turning hard to the left, they find themselves travelling one hundred and sixty miles an hour through an orchard. They daren't hit their breaks, for fear of the cars sliding into the trees, and all they can do is drive to survive. 

They manage to avoid the trees, only to find themselves in a paddock facing a herd of cows. Again, they both take the same course of action, driving side by side into a haystack. Unharmed, they exchange pleasantries before heading back to the track.

At the track, one man has some luck and that's Al Ledstock who has managed to pull off a victory, his first of the year. Skid and Von Vargen are all smiles after their adventures, but we finish with Sandy assuring us that won't last as next week's Grand Prix in Austria will once again bring out their competitive spirit. 

It wasn't Grand Prix racing, but it was dramatic, and the off-track driving by Skid and Von Vargen looked great. Speeding through the orchid was a definite highlight, and nothing on the track came close to the thrill of seeing Skid and Von Vargen driving their cars through the trees. I could have done without the Al Ledstock win, it would have been nice to see it go to an unknown driver, but I can't complain too much about the story, Even without being competitive, Sparrow Smith played a crucial role, and once again his crash was just about as exciting as anything else in the strip, A strong story and with plenty of eye-catching panels, Skid Solo once again remains a favourite.

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "A wheel's come off Smith's car...I've got it in picture...a great shot!"

The Tigers 

Chunky Clark is in the countryside and seeking a team to play cricket against Digby's Cricket team. With Ron Burton's two cronies cycling after him, there are high jinks aplenty of the first page of the Tigers. 

The serious meat of the story comes on the next page as we get out first look at a rough and ready country team playing. They are a tough bunch, ignoring the niceties of the game and torturing the opposition. Into this cauldron rides Chunky and Ron Burton's men, ruining the country team's game and immediately making enemies of the team. This is where this week's issue concludes, with the country team about to rough up the townies for their interference. 

I do like the look of this rough team, even if the rest of the strip isn't appealing to me to. They look tough, they talk tough, and they act tough, in contrast to the upturned noses of the team that Chunky has attached himself to. There was no direct confrontation this week but next week should see the two come head to head in what promises to be a battle of contrasting styles. The story falls on the weak side in my opinion, but the core elements are sound and I have positive vibes for what comes next.

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Hurry next man. If I call 'play' an' there b'ain't no-one in, the innings be closed!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Skid Solo 

Best Line: "Just get off with a fine, you said! Huh! Look at us!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 3rd August 1974

This is a great issue of Tiger comic and I have rated several stories very highly indeed. In fact, I have even scored one story 10/10. Anyone who has been following this blog might know which one holds a special place in my heart, but for those that are new - read on to find out which story has scaled such heights this week. 

Tiger

3rd August 1974

Skid Solo 

A fast start to the strip as we are already four laps in on the Nuremberg Ring on the front cover. It seems Solo is going well, after four laps he has a slender lead over Mareillia and Von Vagern. Things are not going quite as well for Sparrow Smith who has driven off the track. 

He may have had an off, but Smith is hot and driving faster than anyone else on the track. He overhauls Johnny Lyon and steadily gains on Mareillia and Von Vagern. 

Out in front Solo is facing issues of his own, a strange noise from his engine and a loss of revs sees him nursing his car and watching helplessly as Von Vagern drives past him. Not only Von Vagern, but Mareillia too, before the familiar car of Sparrow Smith also goes by him. 

The race is on for the finish, and Smith is driving the race of his life. He makes it past Mareillia before catching Von Vagern and racing him side by side towards the finish. It is Smith who snatches victory right on the line, leaving Smith second on the drivers' table with Solo sitting in fourth.

We finish with Sandy thinking aloud that Sparrow Smith might manage to win the driver championship. Skid Solo reminds him that he is still champion, and has no intention of giving up on the championship, even to a pal. 

A solid Grand Prix race, and I appreciated that we dropped right into the action with the race already well underway before it appears on the cover. Skid doesn't need to win for the race to be dramatic, and Sparrow Smith challenging for the lead was every bit as exciting. The powerful cars roaring around the track were perfectly captured on the page, and I felt I was right in the driver's seat as the drivers tore around the track. My favourite type of Skid Solo story, this issue is off to a fast start.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Vagern still leads, with Mareillia now in second place. Skid Solo is nursing a sick engine and he's back in third position. But here comes Sparrow Smith...and this boy is moving!"  

Roy Of The Rovers 

Roy and Blackie are back from Spain, and we are straight into football action as they take in Burndean for the community shield.  

The game starts fast, but Charlie Carter in goal doesn't seem to have his head in the game. An early mistake by Charlie sees Rovers concede a goal, and Roy is distracted by Charlie's uncharacteristic mistake. Trying to build his confidence, Roy pokes back another ball for Charlie to get a touch, only for Charlie to make another mistake and concede another goal. 

Down by two goals at halftime, in the dressing room Roy and Tony Storme push Charlie for what's troubling him. Throwing a cassette player on the table, Charlie tells them all to listen - they're in for a big shock. 

I have a hunch of what this big shock might be, but I shall keep my cards close to my chest until next week. Like Skid Solo, it was great to see Roy does what he does best. In this case, it's playing for Melchester Rovers against their great foe Burndean. Even without the Charlie Carter troubles, this would be a tough match, and I loved seeing the free-flowing action on the field. Roy and Blackie in Spain was a lot of fun, but this is their natural environment. The story feels like it is on a firm foundation and although I think we're going to take a turn away from the on-field action, I enjoy what we have here so far.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Your, Charlie...come out, you idiot!" 

Martins Marvellous Mini

We left Martin's Marvellous Mini on a cliffhanger last week, literally, as they ran out of road and were about to drive over a cliff edge. The opening panel lives up to all expectations with Tiny struggling to control the car as they go over the side of the cliff.

Luckily they hit a big rock, which arrests their fall but still leaves them in a precarious position. Their nemesis from the previous issue, Grimble and Perch, arrive and although it is their task to put them out of the race, they still stop to help Tiny and Martin, 

They pull Martin and Tiny up to the road, but there is nothing they can do for the car. Making an empty promise to send help, Grimble and Perch drive off, happy that Tiny and Martin will be delayed for days by this development. 

The following morning Tiny and Martin realise that help isn't going to be coming, and they set off to the nearest village. It takes a day to arrange a crane to lift George back to the road and by the time they get underway again the rest of the field is twenty-four hours ahead of them 

They reach the border, and letting them by the soldiers there warn them to follow the speed limits. With time to make up, our pals pay little heed to this advice, and after clipping a hut, we finish the issue with a police car in the rearview mirror as Tiny and Martin panic. 

I nice glimpse at the pre-European Union days, with Tiny and Martin stopping at a border post and being let through by soldiers. I think they would have enjoyed modern times and the effortless speed of travelling through European countries now. I got a kick out of the panel that has the guard raising the barrier arm to enter the next part of the adventure, and the story was sprinkled throughout with memorable panels, I have several favourites, the first three and the last three are immediate contenders for the panel of the week and contain the most dramatic parts of the story. Although not as fast-moving, the middle section of the story also provided several compelling panels, especially the ones of George being hoisted back up to the road. It's a long way to Sydney, even longer with such delays, but with such gorgeous-looking art I intend to be here every step of the way, 

Rating: 10/10

Best line: "Move slow and easy...one false move and George goes straight down!" 

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

An empty lorry is about to run down Johnny and Splash, and this could be a very short issue indeed. However, Johnny moves just as fast out of the ring as he does in it, and with a flying leap he pushes Spalsh out of the path of the lorry and dives to safety. 

There is little time to ponder their escape, they are both on their feet quickly with Johnny giving chase to a man running away into the woods. This pursuit goes mile after mile through the German countryside, until eventually Johnny gets his man, only to find that it is a familiar face - the K.O. Kid who he wrestled not so long ago.

The K.O. Kid does wait around to see what will happen, and he immediately hits Johnny with a flying headbutt before attempting to hit him over the head with a hefty branch. 

Once again Johnny moves quickly, rolling away from the blow, and then snapping the would-be weapon in half. Facing down his opponent, Johnny promises to teach him a lesson - with his bare hands. 

A lot of running here, and although I enjoyed the story I can't say I enjoyed the pacing of it. The opening lorry scene wasn't as gripping as it sounds, and neither was Johnny running mile after mile after the K.O. Kid. The final faceoff was much better, and righted the ship, leaving me feeling positive overall about the story. It wasn't perfect, but it was good, and I found I liked it better than last week. I'm curious to see how this will unfold, there are several strands running through the story, and it still remains to see how they will come together. I guess the only way to find out will be to pick up next week's issue. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Sucker! You should be ready to protect yourself at all times!" 

Football Family Robinson

We are edging closer to an actual football game in the Football Family Robinson, but first, we need to ratchet up the drama on the first page. On the beach, Fred tells Ma that his resort is flying in star players, which, as Ma rightly points out, is cheating. 

There is little they can do, and game day arrives with Mr Richafeller on the sidelines ready to give money to the winning resort. As the teams come on to the pitch we get our first look at the imported stars. They are an impressive bunch of international players, but Ma seems unfazed. 

Whispering some last-minute advice to Titch, she and Viv sit back to watch the game. It starts fast, but not well, with Titch's team conceding an early goal. However, Ma just smiles, while Viv wonders what the advice is that she offered to Titch. 

There are still a lot of unknowns here, foremost what is it that Ma knows and what tip did she offer Titch? Time will tell. This story continues to gently bubble along, and although there was no real action this week, there was still that keeping me turning the page and thinking. A gentle story, this is a balm after the opening few stories of this week's Tiger. Things should heat up next week, and as such this was a nice stepping stone. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "This is going to be more nerve-racking than a Wembley final!" 

A Horse Called Ugly

Joe and Ugly are on their way back to Britain, with the two crooks Luigi and Ferdi watching smugly on as the plane disappears on the horizon. 

Quite what they are so happy about we will find out soon enough as Joe and Ugly arrive home. Heading back to the stables, Joe is reunited with Mister Coker, and he quickly settles into the stables. While Joe unpacks his luggage, Luigi and Ferdi watch from the edge of Cokers farm, seemingly happy with how their plan is unfolding,

Pulling out Ugly's saddle, Joe notices that there is an unusual package underneath, Opening it up he finds an artwork, which he dismisses as messy. However, he nails it to the stable wall so that Ugly can appreciate some modern art. 

Carrying the saddle to the house, Joe has every intention of cleaning it up. It is now that the two crooks make their move, bursting into the house and demanding that Joe surrenders the saddle. They quickly discover that their package isn't there and we end the strip with Luigi pointing the gun at Joe and telling him he has five seconds to tell them where it is. 

A great strip, I enjoyed every panel here. It is on par with Martin's Marvellous Mini and has just as many memorable panels. We have finally discovered what the secret package is, and I couldn't help but laugh at Joe's ignorance of art and the way he simply nailed it to the wall. The panel of the crooks bursting into the house looked fantastic, and the story blew wide open at that point. I have long been a fan of A Horse Called Ugly, despite my slow start, and this issue demonstrates why with dynamic art and storyline coming together to elevate it above a mere horse story, 

Rating: 9/10

Best Line: "It's a painting, but it's a bit of a mess! It's probably from one of my fans, as a present."  

The Tigers

It's all fun and games in the nets this week as Chunky Clark's cricket adventure continues. 

After parking his bike at the club rooms, and the fun that comes from that, Chunky and Ron Burton are soon in the nets and crossing paths. With all his luck behind him, Chunky comes out on top, hitting Burton from behind with a stray throw, before upsetting him again with a ball that falls under Burton's feet. 

The next part of the story emerges from the club meeting, they have planned a cricket camping trip to the countryside in the hope of playing a few country teams. With the tents pitched beside a scenic stream, it's up to Chunky to set off on his bike to rustle up some opposition. 

Another issue of The Tigers where very little happens. The conflict in the nets was slight, and not particularly funny, while the cricket camping trip seems just bizarre to me. I can't fathom why a cricket team would go camping and then just think they would find other teams to play against. I understand its a comic, and I suspend reality for most things, but today I can't for The Tigers, and it takes me out of the story. If the rest of the story had been better, perhaps I wouldn't have thought twice about it, but as it is I can't get by this thought. Maybe next week will make better sense, but for now, I just can't get into it.

Rating: 4/10

Best line: "I'm good at organising. And my Mum's Uncle was born in the country."

Tallon Of The Track

Uncharacteristically, we saw Dave Trent causing an accident in the final part of last week's story. This week he faces the wrath of the crowd and the Hawks team as they survey the damage. 

While the Hawks team want to take their damaged bike to the pits, Jo intervenes - demanding that it be left where it is while the race continues. 

Out on the track, Dave Trent rides hard, and his efforts are rewarded with a one-two finish for maximum points. Jo is celebrating getting through to the next round, but the Hawks team have lodged a formal complaint against Dave Trent's riding.

This plays right into Jo's hands as she insists that if they do that they also need to check the fuel tank of the damaged bike. Her perseverance pays off, and this time the race official finds the special additive in the Hawks tank. They are duly disqualified, leaving Jo and the Ospreys to enjoy their victory and progression to the next round. 

This story was better than my bare-bones sketch above and although I didn't like it in previous issues, the last two saw it finish on a high. With Dave playing a string role, it was a well-rounded issue and although Jo was still obsessed with the fuel additive, there was plenty of action on the track to keep the speedway fan in me satisfied. A strong finish to one of the weaker Tallon Of The Track storylines, things can only get better as a new story arc begins next week.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "G-goodness me! Please restrain yourself, Miss Tallon!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 8/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line: "You can have it on the wall, Ugly...perhaps you appreciate modern art more than I do!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 27th July 1974

 It's been sunny all week, yet the weekend finally rolls around and it rains solidly for two days. Such is life. Still, I can't complain too much. I can take an hour to read my comics, guilt-free, and not have to worry about those outside chores that whisper my name. The sun always shines in Tiger comic, and that's where I intend to be for the next hour while the weather can do whatever it wants outside my window.  

Tiger

27th July 1974

Roy Of The Rovers 

The football game between Sao Palos and Camplona may be the key storyline in Roy Of The Rovers, but it is the girlfriends that catch my eye on the cover. Penny looks stunning in full colour as she revives Roy after his exhausting escape with a bucket of ice-cold water. 

Revived, Blackie and Roy quickly change into their football gear and take to the field, desperate to pull back the one-goal deficit. From here on in it is truly Roy Of The Rovers stuff as they bang in two quick goals, before the rest of the youthful team comes to the party and the opposition is annihilated. 

Blackie and Roy miss the final whistle, they have fallen asleep, but they awake later in the evening as the village party continues on long into the night. We finish with Roy and Blackie dancing the night away and looking forward to their return to Melchester. 

This has been a lot of fun, but I too look forward to their return to Melchester. I have enjoyed Roy's Spanish holiday, the story took plenty of twists and turns, and not all of them on the football field. In particular, I also enjoyed seeing their girlfriends take a stronger lead in the storyline, and Penny was very strong throughout. A lovely Spanish holiday, next week we will be back to Melchester and the endless grind of first-division football. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You can keep the champagne...we only want the iced water!" 

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton 

Johnny is down for the count, and he is off to a bad start this week as he fails to get to his feet in time, leaving Staff Sergeant Martin with a surprise victory. 

It's a surprise for all, and Staff Sergeant Martin apologises to Johhny, offering to fight him again in another match, once they have finished with their tag-team match. 

Meanwhile, the K.O. Kid has arrived in Dortmund, seeking revenge on Johnny for his previous loss. He looks like he may get his revenge sooner than expected as on the last page we see Johnny and Splash about to be run down by a driverless truck. 

I expected more from this story. We left Johnny last week down for the count, and the outcome of that was dealt with in the first panels of this story. The rest of the story showed the K.O. Kid arriving in town before we again got action in the final two panels. It felt like a lot of padding between the key events in a story that was already struggling to hold my attention. I have always enjoyed a good Johnny Cougar story, unfortunately, this doesn't feel like one. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Here comes Cougar and that beatnik idiot. They can both be part of my revenge!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

They're off in the London to Sydney race, and already I have a good feeling about this story. My positive mood is made even better on the first page with a humourous aspect arising from the story early on. 

Calton Cars are Martin and Tiny's primary rivals in the race, and one of their cars suffers an accident on the way to the start line, leaving only their reserve car, and their reserve drivers. These reserve drivers bring a grin to my face, they look a lot like Laurel and Hardy and are obviously incompetent from the start. 

With names like Peter Perch and Gary Grimble, we know we are in for a good time, and although they are asked to sabotage Martin and Tiny, they make it quite clear in the chat between the two of them that sabotage is something they are not very good at. 

They get their first chance to scupper Martin and Tiny soon after the channel crossing to France. In rainy conditions, they get ahead of our two pals, and pushing a hay cart into the centre of the road they intend to slow them down. 

Martin is too fast though, and swerving around the cart they continue to race into the night, only to find themselves racing headlong towards a large lorry on a narrow twisty road in the mountains. 

An excellent story, I could have easily read another dozen pages in the same vein. The humour was great, the characters warm and believable, and the final images of George in the mountains were heart-stopping. This race to Sydney promised a lot, and already it is delivering in the very first issue, and we're still only in France. A long way to go, but I have nothing but good things to say about this story so far. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "Hey Pete...what did old man Carlton mean by sabotage? That's sort of cheating! I'm no good at that stuff!" 

The Tigers

With Chunky Clark and Ron Burton both at the crease anything could happen in this issue of the Tigers. 

There is another wrinkle in the plot, with Ron's crony doing his best to distract Chunky by shining a mirror on his face. Despite this, Chunky still manages to come out on top, riding his luck throughout. This drives Ron to further heights trying to outdo Chunky, but all that he succeeds in doing is to push them both to score quick runs which eventually leads to Digby's eleven winning. 

We are promised more cricket next week from Chunky Clark, and that may not be a bad thing given how much I enjoyed this story. There was slapstick, but it remained lowkey, and the real action of Ron Burton trying to outplay Chunky was the highlight. There was plenty of cricket action, Burton's gang remained ineffectual, and at the end of the day, both Chunky and Ron came out on top. I can't imagine where we might go next with this cricket story, but I have enjoyed it thus far, and we have moved beyond the silliness of some of the earlier The Tiger's stories.   

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Anything Clark can do, I can do better!" 

Football Family Robinson

A dynamic start to this strip with two speedboats colliding while a capsized Ma and Viv look on. 

From this opening image, the story moves quickly on, and a lot happens in this issue. Viv and Ma are rescued, as are all the other bodies in the water, by a luxury boat. This luxury boat is owned by an investor who is looking at investing in one of the resorts, the very reason they are trying to outdo each other. The investor decides that whoever wins the football game will win his investment - perhaps a future idea that Lord Sugar might look at for The Apprentice?

Ma and Viv check on the team that Titch is assembling. They have five new players, but they all want to play striker. Ma once again comes with some firm decisions, dishing out the positions based on their body size.  

We have one final plot point as once again Fred appears on the shore, wanting to warn Ma about the other team. It seems that they are about to fly in five professional players to make up their numbers, leaving little chance of a victory for Ma's team. 

A strong issue, the very first panel was all the hook I needed to keep me rapidly turning the pages. Although the thought of the match doesn't enthuse me, I do like the context that surrounds it. It was nice to see the face of the investor, Julius Richafeller, and his name alone was enough to make me grin. The primary driver of the storyline, now he is named and on the page, and the story feels a lot more well-rounded. The stocks continue to rise for Football Family Robinson, let's hope the bubble doesn't burst anytime.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "If they go on at this rate, Ma, there'll be no-one left to play in the football match!

Tallon Of The Track

Ugh, the fuel-addictive storyline. Fingers crossed it will improve this week. 

The good news - it does improve as most of the action takes place on the track. Although Jo is still concerned about the Hunsford team using fuel additives, for most of the strip they don't and the racing is all about who is fastest on the track. In this case, it is the Ospreys, and they manage to close the gap to just a few points after several hard races. 

The fuel addictive comes to the fore again in the crucial race, and the Hunsford Hawks jump out to a fast start, obviously using the doctored fuel again. On the track, Dave senses what is happening and decides to take matters into his own hands. As they corner, Dave pushes his bike sideways, forcing the Hunsford rider towards the safety fence. The inevitable happens, and Jo can only watch on as Dave seemingly causes a nasty crash on purpose. 

This is more like it, and not just because of the dramatic crash on the final panel. The story moved a lot quicker than previously and stayed tightly focused. Jo was not as hysterical as previously, and seeing Dave getting a bigger part helped to balance out the story. This crash could be the first part of the story winding up, and for all the lows I have had with it, I am finally excited and curious to see what happens next. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You forget that I'm riding in this one, sweetheart! Just sit back and watch me go!" 

Skid Solo

A typical Skid Solo story this time out as he is given a new car to test drive. This one is extra safe, with every dial, switch and pedal in the car duplicated. Should one fail, there is a backup, and with Sparrow Smith seated beside him this should be a cakewalk for Skid. 

However, before they can put the car through its paces, a wheel needs replacing, so Skid and Sparrow take an hour to lie in the sun and relax.

Before he knows it, Skids is back in the car with Sparrow and they're off. The car runs like a dream, and soon enough they are at two hundred and fifty miles an hour. It is then that Skid's troubles start, with the brake pedal failing. As if that's not bad enough, the accelerator too fails. Skid has no option but to switch off the car, but the ignition key breaks, leaving them still travelling at one hundred and ninety miles an hour, and heading towards a cliff face. 

Skid tries to swerve, but the steering doesn't respond, and all they can do is brace themselves for the crash that will surely follow. It doesn't, as Skid suddenly awakes - it has all been a dream. 

Although a dream, Skid asks Sandy to check over the brakes, steering, and accelerator before they drive and also asks if he could be supplied with a spare car. It is an unusual request, but the team oblige. 

The team wonders what goes through drivers' heads sometimes as Skid drives off, and we are informed in one final line that the drive went without incident and Skid returned unharmed ten minutes later. 

All the action here occurred in Skid's dream, and although it looked impressive, at the end of the day nothing happened in this strip. I did think that it was rather odd for everything to fail so spectacularly in a car, but it all made sense with the reveal. Apart from the strange dream aspect of the story, most of it left me cold. We have seen Skid test drive countless cars over the years, and the final panels didn't give us a twist or different perspective on anything we've seen before. As always, lovely to look at, but for me, it lacked some originality and as much as I wanted to like it, I found it empty.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Ignition off...heck, no it's not! The darned key's broken in half!" 

A Horse Called Ugly

Joe and Ugly are riding well, and determined to beat the Italian rider, Ferrani. Things are looking good for Joe, but Ferrani takes matters into his own hands, popping some balloons in the crowd and startling Ugly into making a mistake. This forces Joe and Ferrani into a jump-off, but unknown to Joe much larger problems loom on the horizon as two villains watch on. 

In the final jump-off, Joe and Ugly ride well, and carry off the victory. Job done, they prepare to fly back to Britain, unwittingly carrying a mystery that will make the two villains of the piece millionaires. 

I have no idea what this mystery is that Joe and Ugly have upon them, but this makes the story even better. The first half of the story was straightforward with a typical horse jumping scene we have seen played out before. All the fish hooks of the story are in the final third as Joe and Ugly prepared to return, and the motives of mysterious villains about to be revealed. The showjumping portion was strong, the mystery portion stronger, and overall this is an adventure that is becoming more intriguing by the page. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Larcombe little realises that he is going to help us become millionaires!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line: "Martin! We're over the edge!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: