Tiger 7th September 1974

Next week's issue of Tiger is the twenty-anniversary issue. I am expecting something special and will read this week's issue carefully, looking for clues to what lies ahead.  My first impression is there doesn't seem to be anything big in the works, but I'm keeping an open mind and quietly hoping so. I know I should try to be in the movement as I read, but I can't help myself and find my thoughts drifting forward. Of course, I'm reading this almost fifty years later, so even thinking ahead, everything is behind me and has already happened. 

Tiger

7th September 1974

Roy Of The Rovers.

Roy's goalie troubles are still to the fore this week, with Charlie looking to leave the club and Tubby Morton still unproven after coming back from a broken leg.

There is an early test for Tubby on the front cover of the issue as Roy launches one of his rockets at him, but Tubby does well and makes the save. The follow-up strike by Roy, to the other corner of the goal, sees Tubby reacting quickly and pulling off an equally fine save.

Tubby is named in the team, but Roy still isn't sure he's ready for the next two games, first at Barnley and then the first game of their cup winners cup campaign against Dutch side Zeeden.

The team train in anticipation of a tough Zeeden defence, and once again Tubby Morton performs well on the training pitch. The team is happy enough, but yet again Roy harbours reservations. 

On the other side of the coin, Charlie Carter is in awe of the young fans clamouring to see him as he arrives at the team bus. Little does he know that these fans have been planted by his dodgy agent, Mister Sharp. 

On the coach Tubby and Charlie sit together, all is seemingly well in the world of goalkeepers, while just behind them Roy continues with his worries. 

Great to see the team training, we usually only see a glimpse and not a couple of pages like we have here. However very little happened to move the story forward. Tubby looks good with his saves, and Charlie is still in the same position as the previous issue. Roy is still worrying, so we are no closer to a resolution than we were a couple of weeks again. We really need this Barnely game to shake things up and a heavy dose of drama in the next issue wouldn't go astray right now. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "I was convinced that Tubby hadn't fully recovered from breaking his right leg, two seasons ago! But he seems to be bursting with confidence!"

Skid Solo

Skid Solo was the best story last week with the very best panel. It maintains that high standard and the very first panel of the story is just as good as anything we saw last week, if not better. 

Shot at by an escaped convict, Skid and his car plunge into a lake. 

Still a hostage to the convict, Sparrow slows down to see if Skid is OK, only to be told to continue driving or else. 

While Sparrow drives on, Skid is rescued from the lake by a passing boat. Taken to the shore, he is offered a car, an offer he quickly accepts and soon he is back on the road and chasing down the kidnapper. 

Unaware of this, Sparrow can see little way out of the situation. Still at gunpoint, he reaches the airport where he is told to drive straight through the fence. In a dramatic panel, he does so and is soon speeding across the runway towards a passenger aircraft. 

With a gun pointed at his head, Sparrow is marched onto the aircraft where the kidnapper tells the pilot and crew that this is hi-jack and they are to do as he says. 

Not far behind, Skid hears the breaking news on the radio, and a minute later he is driving through the smashed fence where Sparrow drove through. Seeing the plane still there, Skid drives quickly towards it and parks direct under the wheels. 

In the cabin, the convict angrily demands them to tell him to move out of the way. He is temporarily distracted, allowing Sparrow and the co-pilot to deliver a knockout punch and save the situation. 

We finish with Skid and Sparrow reunited and their talk quickly moving on from the kidnapping and hijacking and onto their favourite subject, next week's Italian Grand Prix.

Skid has a reputation for being fast, and this story matched his personality. It was non-stop from start to finish, and not a single panel was wasted. It was almost too fast for its own good, yet the conclusion was satisfying and I didn't feel the least bit cheated. Last week was an excellent setup, and this week was the payoff with the villain being caught and Skid cheating death. Again, I have several panels vying for the panel of the week, and although I'm a massive fan of Grand Prix action, it's hard to imagine that next week will be anywhere near as good as this visually. 

Rating 9/10

Best line: "Ahoy there...do you like swimming with your clothes on, m'sieur? Or are you in trouble?" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny have been sidetracked in their London to Sydney rally and now in Eastern Asia find themselves forced into competing against the local chieftain.  

They have little choice in the matter, a drawn sword convinces them that it's in their best interest to take part in the fifty-lap race. 

The odds are stacked against them, they are racing in George, while the local chieftain is driving a formula three racer. Even with their two-minute head start, by the tenth lap the formula three car has caught them. Martin does the right thing and lets him pass, but he regrets this decision as the formula three car swerves erratically in front of them, slowing down and making a nuisance of himself. 

Tired of the shenanigans, they decide it's best if they leave the race as soon as they can, and on the following lap, they take a sudden turn off the track and over the grassy bank. 

It is a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire, and they find themselves dropping down into a river. Worse yet, the logs they thought were on the surface are actually crocodiles.

A month ago Martin's Marvellous Mini was at its peak, and since then we have seen the story drop off in interest and intensity. Six months ago I would have lapped this up, but after the previous highs, it feels flat. With fresh eyes this would have been great, and I'm sure any new reader would get a lot of joy from the pages, but for me, the lingering memory of the July issues tarnishes these panels. Sometimes you are competing against your own history, and in this case, the story pales against what came just a few weeks previous.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "But not too deep...we're in a car...not a submarine! As long as we avoid those logs..."

The Tigers

Maybe I haven't been paying attention for the last few weeks, but I've just noticed that the village team that Chunky Clark and the Digby Cricket team playing against is called the Willowtree Wasps. I'm sure this is a new name that just dropped in now, it's hard to believe that I would miss something like that. 

After promising the team a century last week, Chunky Clark is almost out first ball against the Willowtree Wasps. I say almost as he is cleanly caught out, only for the umpire to call a no-ball.

With this reprieve, Chunky rides his luck for the rest of the story, as he manages to swot the ball through a variety of mishaps for the rest of the page, pulling his team from fourteen runs through to twenty-six runs, before he eventually runs out of partners. 

All this is hi-jinx on the page, yet predictable, and none of it feels essential. It brings a smile rather than a laugh, and we are ready to move on by the time the two Digby batters trudge back to the changing rooms. 

We end with Chunky once again facing the wrath of his own captain, having been given the responsibility of opening the bowling and told that he had better be good. 

A lot of Chunky using his luck while batting in this issue, and although it felt fun it didn't amount to much. I liked it but any thoughts of it vanished as I turned the page. Overall it was light, and the best panel of the whole strip was the final one as his captain threatens him. Nice, but instantly forgettable. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "It's cool-thinking and knack that helps me...I'll do better when I open my eyes."

Football Family Robinson 

Facing a flat tired and further bad luck from the cursed pagan head, the Football Family Robinson are standard beside the road when we first see them in this issue. 

The family still are unaware of Ma's guilty secret, she has the cursed head with them, still hidden in the van.

With the van out of action, Ma lays out a plan. Specky is sent in advance to let the referee know they will be late. Viv takes control of the hitchhiking situation, flagging down a driver, then when the door swings open telling the driver that it's not her that needs the ride, but rather it's Specky. Oh, the disappointment for the driver. Still, we have all fallen for this scam before, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise for anyone who has ever stopped for a pretty girl.

At the game, the team create several goal-scoring opportunities, only to miss out every time, once for a foul, and once when Titch pokes the ball wide. They should be two-nil up at half time and the team curses their luck as they walk off. 

Fred has injured his shoulder, and he goes back to the van for a bottle of embrocation. It is then that he discovers the head is still with them, and we finish the strip with Fred wondering how Ma is going to explain this.  

The football action looked great, but I wasn't so fussed by the pagan head that bookended the episode. It has potential, but constantly feels drawn out and my interest is waning. We are crawling towards a conclusion and I can't wait. I liked the concept at the beginning, but the execution hasn't lived up to my expectation and I'm ready to move on now. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "We should be two up. If I didn't know that Ma had got rid of old sour chops I'd say that head was still working against us"

Tallon Of The Track

It's time for the teen pop star Sven Jansson to show us what he's made off, and this week's episode centres on his trial for Jo at the track.

First impressions aren't great, with Sven's silver-plated bike and a retinue of assistants, including his dresser Luigi to help him into his leathers. 

Dressed and ready to go, Sven and Jo are finally on the track and about to race. Jo gets off to a fast start and holds the lead for most of the first lap, but then Sven shows us his talent as get catches her on the final bend.  

For the rest of the race, the two riders are neck and neck and the battle is fierce for control. Jo holds her nerve until the very last corner. She takes the corner a trifle wide and Sven strikes, changing direction and powering his bike through the inside of the corner. He continues to accelerate and the race finishes with Sven holding an eight-yard lead. 

Jo recognises that he has a natural talent on her hands, and instantly offers Sven a place on the team, an offer that he accepts without hesitation.

Sven's debut takes place against Latchford Lions, and a capacity crowd are on hand to see his first ride with the team. Things quickly go awry though as a large section of the crowd surge onto the track and Sven is surrounded by a crowd of teenage fans. It goes without saying that Jo is horrified and we finish the strip with her dismayed face summing up her feelings. 

After teasing us for several weeks, it was great to be back on the track and see the bikes in action. Sven's race against Jo was handled well and despite my reservations about the character I found I warmed to him quickly once he was riding. This story had been in a holding pattern for the last couple of weeks, and we finally have taken a great leap forward with this issue. Things are developing quickly and I am curious to see how Jo will face this invasion of teenyboppers. I want to see what will happen next week, a feeling I haven't had about this story in the last two weeks.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "No, I'm going to handle mister fancy-pants myself!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

Johnny's Cougar is still in a dazed state as his tag-team partner, Staff Sergeant Martin, takes a beating in the ring. 

Help is coming though, and we see Splash running back to the arena with an old Seminole concoction in his hand that promises to revive Johnny. 

Feeding Johnny the potion Splash waits expectantly. It doesn't take effect immediately, but soon enough Johnny's eyes light up and he is back to his abnormal self. 

Energised, he tags himself into the bout. This changes the completion of the fight dramatically as he throws his opponent across the ring. Not wishing to face the furious Johnny Cougar, the German tags in his Dutch partner, only for Johnny to hit the Dutchman with a two-footed drop kick. Raising his fallen opponent above his head, Johnny sees the K.O. Kid in the crowd and formulates a plan to get revenge right away.

That revenge we will have to wait until next week to see as this is the last panel of this week's strip. It did take half the pages for Johnny to get the cure into him, but once he did the story picked up considerably. I have enjoyed seeing Johnny struggle the last two weeks, but I enjoyed seeing him cured and getting back into the fight even more.  The art was superb in the way it showed the energy he was giving off, and he almost seemed to jump off the page once he had the cure. It looks like it will be more of the same next week, and I'm all for it. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "We change...I'm getting out of here before I get scalped!" 

A Horse Called Ugly

This is the issue where it all comes together in Joe's attempt to rescue Angela from her kidnappers. 

Waiting at the crossroads with painting in hand, it looks like Joe and Ugly will finally see Angela again. However, the crooks have other plans, and although Joe hands over the painting, there is no Angela in exchange, only an empty promise to release her once the villains are far away. 

Joe isn't buying it and he discreetly follows them back to their hideout. Joe gives Ugly a message to take back to Farmer Coker, and then he carefully climbs through the back entrance. 

He is just in time as Luigi and Ferdi have the tied-up Angela between them and are about to make their escape. Joe springs into action, knocking them off their feet as Angela's gag falls off.  Angela calls to Joe to be careful and then goes one better as she trips Ferdi, sending him tumbling into the darkness below. 

Joe lends over the edge and assesses that Ferdi is knocked unconscious, but he has little time to digest this as Luigi pulls out his pistol and threatens to end this right now.

If not for the excellent Skid Solo earlier in the comic this would be my favourite story. Lots of action, and some real drama baring its teeth near the end. Ugly shows that he is just as good as any wonder horse, carrying the message as instructed, and Joe showed some decisive leadership throughout. Not to be outdone, Angela was as feisty as ever and her cameo role near the end of the strip was enjoyable. We are reaching a climax here, and after a great last month, it looks like we will be going out with a bang. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "Come here, you crook...you're not going anywhere!"

 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Skid Solo 

Best Line: "You may borrow my car if you wish, m'sieur. But tell me...why do you like chasing convicts so much? It is dangerous, yes?"

Best Panel: 

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 31st August 1974

I'll admit it - winter isn't my favourite time of year. Sure, I love the football, but as for those cold mornings and miserable wet days, no thanks you can keep 'em. Luckily the sun always shines on the pages of Tiger where this week we have Martins Marvellous Mini speeding its way across temperate South East Asia, and Skid Solo taking some time out in the south of France. It warms the cockles of my heart, and for the next half hour I will be basking in the glow of some classic 1974 Tiger action.  

Tiger

31st August 1974

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

Johnny's drink has been drugged by his former opponent, the K.O. Kid, and it's apparent from the very first panel how the spiked drink is badly affecting Johnny Cougar. As he sits on the edge of the ring we can see how out of it he is as he tells Splash that his whole body is heavy and all he wants to do is sleep.

In the ring his partner, Martin, is doing the best he can despite being outmuscled by the other team. He is knocked down, but somehow manages to regain his feet, although it is made clear that he can't keep this up forever. 

Johnny manages to clear his thoughts and tells Splash that he thinks he has been poisoned. He also tells him that he remembers an ancient Indian medicine that might help. Reeling off a list of ingredients, Johnny sends Splash off on a mission to procure what he can. 

Splash finds the store he needs, and then realises that he may have a problem with the language barrier here in Germany. However, the German education system comes through, and the store owner can speak English. 

Back at the ring, Johnny's condition is deteriorating, while poor Martin continues to take a beating at the hands of their opponents. 

This wasn't all about the action and was well told, especially with respect to Johnny's condition. The panels where we see things from his perspective were evocative and captured my imagination. Splash brought a humourous element to the strip, but it wasn't overplayed and touched on in just a couple of panels. In the ring, one felt for Staff Sergeant Martin, and the artwork showing him fighting against the other wrestlers caught the scale of what he was up against. Lovely to look at and lovely to read, this is a fine start to this week's comic.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "G-gosh, sometimes this cat forgets he's in Germany. Er... sprechen sie English?"

Roy Of The Rovers

At the end of last week's issue, Tony Storme delivered an ultimatum to Charlie Carter - make a decision between being a pop star or continuing playing for Rovers. 

We dial back from this in the first panels this week as Roy talks Tony into giving Charlie forty-eight hours to make his decision. Charlie is appreciative of the extra time given and speaks to Roy privately about the decision he is facing. His agent is offering a tour of top-line nightclubs in the North. He could potentially make fifty thousand pounds over two years which, as Roy points out, could set him up for life.   

Roy, Tony Storme, and Ben Galloway hold a private conference about their position, with Ben deciding that Charlie will be rested until the matter is settled. This means that Tubby Morton will return to the first team, whether he's ready or not.

At training Tubby is confident, but Roy has doubts about his recovery from a broken leg. We finish the strip with Roy steaming in towards the ball, about to give Tubby a test. 

It had looked like Charlie was going to wrap up this pop star business, but that storyline looks like it still has some way to go. The appearance of Tubby Morton, and Roy's doubt about his leg, add an extra impetus to the story, and I must admit I am once again involved and curious to see what happens next. The most interesting part of the story for me was when Charlie tells Roy he could earn fifty thousand pounds over two years. In an era when plays earn four times that in a week, it does give a stark demonstration of how much football has changed over the last thirty years.  This story has been a little uneven recently, but this issue was consistently strong, and we are well set for what comes next. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I mean, how could I leave all this? How could I turn my back on the greatest club in the world..!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Sheltering in an old temple, Martin and Tiny were facing a glowing stone figure when we left them last week. This figure scares off the two other rally drivers, but Martin and Tiny are made of sterner stuff and move forward to investigate. 

They discover that the glow seems to be coming from behind the idol, and looking beyond it they discover a fire, and two other rally drivers taking shelter in the temple. 

All four sleep the night at the temple, although when Martin and Tiny awake at ten am, they discover the other drivers are long gone. They have, however,  left a note saying they didn't want to wake them up and they bet they won't be able to catch them now. 

Back on the road again, the boys make good time. We learn that other drivers are having their own troubles through a radio broadcast that tells us that ten cars have already pulled out. We also see a car crash, the occupants unharmed, but facing a long oxen road to the nearest help. 

We then take a jump through time, and the two pals arrive in South East Asia. A crowd of people point them in the right direction and eventually they are forced down a track that leads them to the start of a race day. They try to explain that they aren't here to race, but an officer on a horse appears, sword in hand, and tells them that his master, Kubah Kaln, has invited them to take part and now he is ordering them to. 

Fun to read, but nowhere near as good as the previous two weeks. I found the resolution to the glowing idol to be unsatisfying, and having two more drivers spending the night at the temple didn't add anything noteworthy to the story. We could have gotten one more issue out of our time in the desert, but I do like the start of our South East Asian adventure. It's nice to see some greenery on the page again. Not as exotic or thrilling as the previous two weeks, but there was enough here for me to come back for more. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "No garage here, Sahib! You ride my oxen...I take you to village...only three hours' ride!"  

Skid Solo

Skid takes a breather from motor racing this week, with a holiday in France. But, Skid being Skid, it isn't much of a break. 

Things turn bad early on in the strip as Skid swerves to avoid a dog and ends up damaging his car. Par for the course, it is poor old Sandy who is left in the village to fix it while Skid and Sparrow enjoy coffee and sandwiches at the Villa Hotel a mile down the road.

Returning later to collect Sandy and the car, Sparrow walks into an intense situation. An escaped convict is holding Sandy at gunpoint and demanding that Sparrow drive him to the border.

Sparrow drives the convict as he has little choice in the matter while Sandy, who has been left behind, calls Skid to inform him of the situation. Skid makes a quick decision and takes to the roads himself in an attempt to intercept them before Marseilles.  

Sparrow and the convict smash through a police barricade and the action intensifies as Skid catches up to them. 

The convict has no intention of being easily captured, and pointing his pistol back at Skid he takes a shot. 

With his windshield shot out, Skid crashes into a lake. Sparrow can only look on as the convict reiterates that he is to stop for nothing. 

A fantastic story and I was pleased to see that it is spilling over to the next issue. With the car chase given a chance to marinate across two pages, the tension is ratcheted up and this is only heightened by the artwork which captures the grizzled face of the convict. There are several intense panels that feel almost cinematic, and the overall feel throughout the strip is one of intense danger. Skid wasn't the focus of all that was happening, but even so, this is one of the best Skid Siolo stories since my blog began. We did see a similar story a year ago, but it didn't capture the imagination like this one, and that one failed to build tension in the way this issue did. Excellent, and the image of the convict about to take a shot at Skid is one that stays with me long after I have put the comic down. 

Rating: 10/10

Best line: "Escaped convict has just gone through our road block, heading for Marseilles. All units close in..."  

Tallon Of The Track

The world of pop music and sport collide for the second time in this week's Tiger as Jo Tallon scouts some talent in the form of Sven Jansson, a fifteen-year-old speedway prospect who also happens to be a very popular singer. 

Jo isn't very impressed by her first sighting of Sven, he seems all glitz and glamour, and she wonders if her old pal Greaseball is right about this rider. 

Speaking to Jansson, she tells him to be at the track at ten am the following day so she can see what he's made of.

Jo has a look of surprise the following day as not only does he arrive in a chauffeured limo, but also with a retinue of assistants. There is one more surprise for Jo and Dave, he also has his bike with him - plated in solid silver. 

It didn't feel like the story moved far this week. Jo met Jansson, told him to try out for the team, and he arrived at the track. That's about all that happened. We are clear where Jo stands in regard to him so far with her unimpressed face glaring out at us in every panel. He will undoubtedly win her over with his riding, but right now I can't see how that will be turned into a dramatic plot line. Once again the most impressive thing about this strip was its artwork, but it is a definite flat spot in the comic so far. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Y-you mean thats' Sven Jansson? The sequined screeched up on the stage?"  

Football Family Robinson 

The twisted pagan head of an ancient God continues to curse the family throughout this issue. 

Ma planned to get rid of it once and for all, but events conspire against her. Putting it in the dustbin, the dustman knocks on her door and returns it to her, concerned that it might damage the grinding machinery of the truck. 

Once again lumbered with the head, Ma hides it in the kitchen hoping that the family won't see it until she decides what to do next. She is almost rumbled as Fred fossicks around the kitchen but a few stern words sends him on his way. 

Later that evening Ma retrieves the head, deciding it might be safer to hide it in the van. It seems a sound idea, but on Saturday the family take the van to their next game. They have the misfortune to have a flat tire and then discover that the spare wheel is also soft.   

There is the comment that if they didn't know better, they would swear that the head was still cursing them despite being disposed of. It is then that Ma realises she's forgotten all about the head and it is still in the van. 

I had mentally checked out of this storyline when the family decided to throw away the head at the end of last week. I had to adjust my expectations for this week, and I found I was able to re-engage with the story, although not to the same level as previously. With the family on the road, we are once again in the wider world. The previous panels at the house were becoming claustrophobic and I found the wider spaces made the whole storyline feel more open. Pagan gods cursing people is never going to be my favourite subject for a story, but I am enjoying this well enough despite myself.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Did you put this in the bin, lady? It's as 'ard as rock. It should have been put separately! Putting stuff like that in your rubbish could damage the grinding machinery."

A Horse Called Ugly

Joe needs the stolen painting to save Angela, but he's on the back foot from the start as he finds that it is missing from the wall where he left it. 

Luckily Farmer Coker has an idea of who may have taken it - old Charlie the tramp who he let sleep in the stable earlier in the morning. From here on in the story will be about Joe's search for Charlie. 

He has some luck though - Ugly can smell an apple a mile away, and it is this greed for apples that inadvertently leads to them finding Charlie sheltering beside a hedge with a bag of apples. Joe asks if he has the painting, and he is delighted to find that Charlie does have it, although it is wrapped around his middle in an attempt to keep warm. 

Painting in hand, Joe charges back to the farmhouse where he finds a note telling him to come to the crossroads at Chipweir. This is where we leave the story for now, with Joe and Ugly approaching the crossroads while the crooks watch from a distance. 

No sign of Angela this week, but Joe's motivation to save her was very much the driving force of the storyline. The villains of the piece only appear on a few panels, and the bulk of the story was Joe and Charlie. Charlie was a curious addition. He didn't add anything of substance to the story and merely padded it out for an extra week. After starting well, it's beginning to feel as if this storyline has stalled. Next week will be make or break, and a strong finish will greatly colour my overall view of the story. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Is this the painting you're after? I took it to use as an extra vest. It gets cold sleeping out at nights!" 

The Tigers 

When we last left the cricketing action, Biff was batting and was just about to be caught in the field. In the first panel of this week's strip, Chunky's luck takes a hand as the bottle of pop in his hand blows its top, shooting the cork into the backside of the player about to make the catch. Needless to say, the catch is dropped and Biff survives at the crease. 

His relief is short-lived as the village bowlers deliver a ball that is more of a throw and leaves him scrambling for safety. He is bowled out, a decision he accepts rather than face any more of this rough play. 

As Desmond Digby, captain of the team, strides towards the crease he gives Chunky a stern warning - if they lose then Chunky will be out of the side. That looks highly likely as Chunky decides it might be best if he throws away his bottle of pop before he causes any more trouble, only for it to smash against a stone - startling Desmond Digby and leading him to offer a soft chance to the fielders. 

This brings an overly confident Chunkly to the crease as he tells the team to relax as he'll probably score a century. 

One expects Chunky to face the same obstacles as the rest of the team, however, it seems the locals have taken a shine to Chunky and on the sidelines there is a scheme discussed. The villagers send a message to the team on the park, telling them to take it easy on Chunky. They do so, giving him an easy delivery for his first face of the ball. Even this is too much for Chunky and like the previous issue, we end with the ball in the air and about to be caught. 

I have been up and down with my enjoyment of this story. This week is the middle of the road for me. Some parts I greatly enjoyed, while others fell completely flat for me. With Chunky batting at number seven, there can't be too much left in the tank for this story, and all that remains to be seen is how many more weeks that can stretch out this game. A betting man, I'm putting my money on two more weeks, but we shall see. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "He's dropped it! How corkingly lucky..." 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Skid Solo 

Best Line: "We will change direction. Head for the airport. I 'ave hi-jacked a car and a driver...I will hi-jack an aircraft, with you as hostage!"

Best Panel: 

Roy's Sports Quiz:

  

  

Tiger 24th August 1974

With the Premier League season behind us, I suddenly have a lot more free time on the weekends. My wife thinks that means that I have more time for her, but what it really means is I have a lot more time for comics. In the next three months, I hope to catch up with a lot of reading, and it starts right here now with Tiger from 24th August 1974. 

Tiger

24th August 1974

Skid Solo

Skid Solo takes a break from the Grand Prix season this week with a diversion to a seaside resort where he and Sparrow are to drive in a veteran car race. 

Unusually for a Skid Solo story some car action doesn't feature on the cover, but rather a winged figure leaping from a cliff top in an attempt to fly. It doesn't go well, and the figure ends up in a crumbled heap at the bottom of the cliff, where we learn about Sandy's school friend Andy McLoughan and his attempts to fly. 

The failed flight is not by Andy, but rather a dummy he used for his flight experiment. While Sandy and Andy examine the wreckage to see what went wrong, Skid and Sparrow head for the track for the day's racing. 

The veteran car race is exactly as you might expect, with the veteran cars delivering plenty of power, and Sparrow and Skid are soon out in front. 

Back with Sandy, Andy is showing him another one of his winged creations. Sandy is concerned that he should return to the track, but Andy convinces him to take a flight in his ungainly-looking machine.

The two threads of the story come together soon after this, with Skid and Sparrow suddenly seeing this flying contraption appear over the track. It drops down low, sending both drivers into evasive action and swerving off the track and into a hedge. Both drivers emerge unscathed, although never can believe what they have just seen. 

Later the two parties are reunited as Sandy and Andy arrive at the track, Sandy full of excitement for the flight he has just taken. He is particularly happy that they didn't crash and looks aghast when Skid tells him that he's had a better afternoon than them and that both Skid and Sparrow crashed. 

Sandy asks how it happened, but neither Skid nor Sparrow can quite bring themselves to tell him. 

The cover image for this story looked fantastic, and the story had a lot to live up to as I turned the page. I am pleased to report that the story inside not only explained that first image, but continued with this theme throughout the whole strip. I was pleased to see that it wasn't Skid who did the flying, that is something that happened too often with Skid taking a turn on every vehicle that appears, and that this time it is Sandy in an unusual vehicle. Of course, Skid wasn't in his usual car either, but he was racing on a track which gave us several memorable images of cars from years past still racing at their best. It looked realistic, and I could feel the rumble of their engines and the power of the cars as they raced through the panels. A strong Skid Solo story, and a strong start to this week's comic. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "Tell me, Sparrow...did you see what I saw?"

Roy Of The Rovers

The saga of Charlie Carter continues, with the variety agent Larry Sharp watching on in glee as Charlie makes several errors on the field. Sharp is hoping that Charlie will have a disastrous game and be forced to take up singing for a living.

It looks like Charlie is about to concede a goal, but Roy comes steaming back and manages to clear the ball at the back post out for a corner. 

Charlie is still jittery as the corner is taken, and Roy tells his players to do as much as they can to cover Charlie. However, an opposition player overhears this, and uses it to his advantage, getting into Charlie's ear as the corner kick is taken and distracting him. It is no surprise to see Charlie missing the ball when it comes across and the Castledene player poking the ball into the back of the net for the first goal. 

Charlie is visibly upset and asks Roy to take him off. Roy is having none of it and firmly tells him that he's paid to play for Rovers, and that's what all he should be focused on right now. 

Roy is at his angry best now and at the other end of the field, he thumps in a goal, tying the scores at one all. 

From here the game proceeds as normal, with Rovers pressing for another goal that never comes, while at the back Charlie makes the saves as required. 

It all wraps up with Tony Storme confronting Charlie in the dressing room telling him that he needs to make a decision right now between Melchester Rovers or Show business. 

The football action this week looked so good that the problems besetting Charlie became secondary in my thoughts. It was mentioned every couple of panels, but even so, I found myself lost in the football action. Roy's goal looked spectacular and easy the best part of the story. It looks like we have reached the climax of this arc with Tony Storme demanding a resolution, so I'll be back in seven days to see if Charlie remains at Rovers, or if he will be off to seek fame and fortune in the pop world. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Until you decide to accept Sharp's odder, you're still under contract to this club...so you'd better get your head down, and concentrate on this game!...or I'll personally see to it that you're fined a month's wages!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

This was easily my favourite story last week, and I can't wait to see what happens next as I turn the page from Roy Of The Rovers. 

With a wild bunch of horsemen descending on them, Martin and Tiny are left with only one option, flee the oasis as soon as they can. 

Speeding off in George, their desert escape becomes a pursuit, with the horsemen keeping up with them. Finding a bit of speed on the flat sand, they also find a bit of luck as the horsemen suddenly stop. 

After a short while, we see why they have stopped, with George becoming stuck in quicksand. Fast action is required, and Tiny and Martin rapidly attach a rope and pull George to safety before he can sink too far. 

From here on they proceed cautiously, with one walking ahead and finding solid ground while the other drives. 

Finally, they find a road of sorts and driving for an hour they come across an old temple just as darkness falls. They enter the temple and there they find two fellow competitors, Steve Birch and Wally Jones, who have also become lost. They too had been caught in the sandstorm and need up lost and seeking shelter in this temple. 

We learn this and in the very next panel, the temple doors slam shut. Feeling spooked, they look up to see that the old idol in the temple of beginning to glow. 

Just as good as last week, I loved every single panel of this story. It would have been easy for the horsemen to catch up with Tiny and Martin, but the choice to instead have our heroes escape into the desert was much more rewarding. I was surprised to see quicksand, but at the same time, it was satisfying to see the pals dragging George out of the sand. Quicksand was very popular in the pop culture of the 1970's so perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised, and it was a nice reminder of the era this was written in. On the art side, the Temple looked magnificent, and even in the small panels of a comic page, it looked impressive. The last two weeks of Martin's Marvellous Mini have been superb, and one can only hope that next week it completes the hat trick for the story of the week. 

Rating: 10/10

Best line: "Whatever's happening, I don't like it!"

The Tigers

With the Digby Cricket team about to take on a village team of six-foot giants, everyone except Chunky is visibly nervous. Chunky on the other hand is overly confident, even suggesting to his captain that he might score a century. 

Things go bad from the coin toss, with a yapping dog grabbing the coin. This leads to some chaos and Burton and Scully bang their heads together. 

It is Burton and Scully who open the batting, and once again an animal takes a hand, with Chunky's encouraging clapping of them startling a mule who then kicks a clod of dirt into the back of Burton's head, much to the delight of the local villagers. 

Burton is bowled out the first ball, bringing Biff to the crease. Biff hits out bravely, but offers an easy catch. The catch isn't yet taken as the strip ends, the ball still arching towards the fielder while not far away Chunky watches on, all the time shaking a bottle of pop in his hand. 

I think we can all see what's going to happen next here. It's taken a while for us to finally get on the pitch, and the opening pregame antics of the dog and mule did little to add to the story. Once on the field things improved considerably, and I quite liked what we saw. Some angry bowling and the village team looking dangerous were much more to my taste. Next week's story has been telegraphed somewhat, but I don't mind that too much and it was a nice hook to end the story with. Still not my favourite story, but it remains likeable. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Haw, haw! That ould Chunky boy be a real comic...we like 'im!"

Football Family Robinson

The pagan god of ill fortune is taking its toll on Thatchem United, with Bert coming off hurt in their opening game to be replaced by a reluctant Dave. 

This bad luck continues through the game - Titch scores a goal, only for it to be waved off as offside, and then a stray back pass leads to Nottborough scoring against the family. 

The flow of the game seems to go against Thatchem, but then there appears to be an obvious handball against Nottborough. The Thatchem players all stop to appeal to the ref, and while they do so the Nottborough players continue playing and score a simple goal. Just as we all learnt as children, you should always play to the whistle. 

At home later, anger is in the air and Viv points out that the idol head is the cause of their problems. Others disagree, and Ron points out that it is their own fault they lost, not the head. Others see it differently, with Fred appearing with a hammer in hand ready to smash the head. We finish with the thought that it might turn nasty if such a thing happened and they'd be even worse off than ever. 

A weird story, I can't decide if I like it or not. One thing I am sure about though is I love the range of characters we have in the family. These characters are far more interesting than the story they are in and really are the driving force of the story. The football action fell flat, the idol remained off the page until the final panels, and the connection between the football and the idol wasn't obvious. My enjoyment of the strip comes from the faces and lines of the characters, and that was enough for me this week in the absence of a gripping storyline. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Don't stand there appealing, the whistle hasn't gone"

A Horse Called Ugly

With Joe and Ugly off to save Angela, there is little time for an introduction this week. 

They quickly arrive at the meeting point with the crooks, only to find Luigi waiting for him with a pistol dawn and again demanding the treasure. 

Joe still doesn't know what he is talking about and Luigi tells him that he has no interest in his horse, only the painting. The penny finally drops for Joe and he tells Luigi that the painting is hanging on the wall of Ugly's stable. 

They race back to get it, but much to Joe's surprise it has gone missing from the wall. Spluttering with rage, Luigi rushes back to his car, telling Joe that he has until midnight to produce the painting. 

Back at their hideout,  Luigi tells Ferdi what has happened, and pointing at Angela tied up on the floor tells them that she is going to help them get out of the country, as their hostage. 

Joe has been busy, and speaking with Farmer Coker he tells him all that has happened so far. Upon hearing that the painting is missing from the barn, farmer Coker tells Joe that he can guess where it has gone, but it may take weeks to find. As we know, Joe only has until midnight and we are poised for a fast-moving next episode. 

We did have some panels of Ugly early in the story, and he looked magnificent riding at full speed in the dash for Angela. Elsewhere it was all about Joe and Luigi, and their panels together had their own sense of drama, while keeping the story moving forward. Not quite as good as last week's issue, but still fast-moving and with Angela in peril the story continues to keep me on edge. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "That 'rotten old thing' as you call it, is worth a fortune!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton 

The tag-team contest is delivering plenty of heavy blows, and not just in favour of Johhny and Staff Sergeant Martin. 

Johnny is competing against more than just his large opponents, and the spiked drink that the K.O. Kid gave him begins to take effect early on in this week's story. Johnny has one of his opponents in a full Nelson when suddenly he lets him go and begins to clutch his own head. With his head swimming and eyes beginning to lose focus, he can only see swirling images before his eyes. An attempted forearm smash misses completely, and Johnny finds himself in trouble. 

Johnny is thrown across the ring by the large Dutchman and finds himself taking a seven-count from the referee. He attempts to fight one, but in a daze, he walks the wrong way across the ring and straight into a savage forearm smash. 

Tagging out, Johnny is questioned by Splash, with Splash asking does he think he can carry on. Johnny isn't sure but behind him in the ring, his partner is in big trouble with the other team dishing out heavy punishment. 

Another strong outing for Johnny Cougar, and this story still has some way to go. I loved seeing the big bodies pounding into each other, and I thought the spiking of Johnny's drink was handled well. The effects of this drink are obvious, and as strong as Johnny is, the drink is all too much for him. He may not be back in the ring for next week by the looks of things, and that would be a shame as it really was the in-ring action this week that kept me hooked. I'm not sure where this story will go next, and that's a good thing. As long as it stays as solid as this issue, I'll keep on readying. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Cougar heap sick...must finish fight..quickly..."

Tallon Of The Track 

I almost forgot - it's a new Tallon Of The Track story this week. 

The Ospreys are out on the track, training hard under the intense instruction of Jo. All seems normal when a mysterious letter arrives for Jo - marked urgent. 

It is covered in oil and grease and Jo tells us that there's only one person in the country that would send a letter like that. The letter tells her that a good rider has been discovered for her, and is signed off by G.J., who she excitedly tells Dave in the next panel is Greaseball Jackson.

She is enthused no-end by this letter and tells Dave they must go immediately to see Greaseball Jackson, and to be ready in ten minutes. 

They come to Greaseball's place and it is, as you might expect from the letter, an incredibly messy-looking motor-engineers. 

Greaseball appears out of this mess and is reacquainted with Jo while telling her that he has found a Swedish fifteen-year-old who is a natural speedway rider. Jo would like to meet him, but Greaseball tells her to be prepared for a bit of a shock, as Speedway isn't the only interest in his life. 

An hour later they arrive in the middle of Exbury and enter The Swing High disco club. It is here that Greaseball points out the wunderkind, the singer on stage. Jo can't believe it and it does seem a million miles away from the dirt and grim of a speedway track.

We are in the early stages of this story, and as such it's hard to get a gauge on it. The introduction of two new characters was a pleasant surprise, although we haven't properly been introduced to the fifteen-year rider yet, and this kept my interest throughout the story. This is the second story in a row we have had a teenager appear, and it feels like we are moving away from the intensity of the early stories where it seemed Jo was constantly battling villains. This is a much gentler Tallon Of The Track. I am not sure I like the storyline direction we have been moving into the last couple of months, but the artwork remains one of the highlights of any Tiger comic.

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line:  "I'm not, Miss Jo! That's Jansson over there - the singer on the stage!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 8/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line: "You stay where you are, you muddle-headed chump!"

Best Panel: 

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

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: