Tiger 14th September 1974

14th September 1974 is Tiger's twentieth birthday, and exactly one week before my first birthday. Needless to say, I don't remember either event. Twenty is quite a milestone, and to celebrate Tiger has it's three biggest stars on the cover - Roy Race, Johnny Cougar, and Skid Solo. Inside I thought there may have been a special story or a nod to the past, but instead, we have the regular strips, and the only nod to its birthday is birthday messages following each story from various stars. We have Jackie Stewart, Dennis Amiss, Eric Morecambe, Bobby Charlton, Gordon Banks, Peter Oosterhuis, Joe Bugner, and Barry Briggs. Quite the lineup! There is also a sports supplement which would have been quite informative in the pre-internet age. Overall, it is a low-key celebration, but in hindsight one well worth celebrating. Plenty of British comics have come and gone over the years, and any sort of milestone deserves to be celebrated. There will be further birthdays for Tiger, and with a bit of luck we'll reach each of them in the blog over the coming years. 

Tiger

14th September 1974

Skid Solo

It is the Italian Grand Prix this week, and with only four points separating the top four drivers in the championship, there is tension in the air. 

The German driver Von Vargen starts well and holds the lead for most of the race's first half. However, he has a stroke of bad luck with the car beginning to break up. His bad luck is also Al Ledstock's bad luck, for as his exhaust pipe breaks off it strikes Ledstock and both drivers crash off the track. 

Just over halfway through the race and Italian driver Mareillia makes his move, taking the lead. His lead is shortlived as Solo accelerates past. Mareillia tries to keep up with Solo, but overdoes it and finds himself spinning out of the race. 

There is another change in the position and going into the final lap, we have the top four drivers separated by just four seconds, with Corbonne holding the lead. Solo still has something extra to give, and he manages to get by Corbonne with Sparrow Smith right behind him. 

It's a dash to the finish with Solo and Smith neck and neck, but as they cross the line it is Solo who has a slender lead. That gives him a six-point buffer at the top of the championship, with the Canada and US races remaining. 

The previous two weeks of Skid Solo have been brilliant. This week doesn't come close to those, but it is eminently enjoyable. The motor racing is fast, close and absorbing. I did have to suspend belief about the top four drivers of the championship being separated by four seconds in the final lap, but I did so willingly. Similarly, seeing Al Ledstock being hit in the face with an exhaust pipe and then emerging unharmed did take me out of the story, if only for a split second. Despite that, I enjoyed the whole scenario with Ledstock and Von Vargen and found the panel with the exhaust pipe unexpectedly thrilling. A lighter story than last week, but exactly the type of Grand Prix story I like. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Hey, Buddy...I think this is yours!"

The Tigers

After stretching the current cricket storyline on for several months, it all wraps up very quickly this week. 

Chunky is opening the bowling for his team, and it unfolds exactly as I expect. First, he slips, bowling a wild delivery that is unplayable and bowls the batter out. He is then stung on the elbow, and this accelerates the second half of the story as his painful elbow makes his bowling technique extremely effective and soon he has bowled out the team for twenty-five runs, giving Digby cricket team a one-run win. 

That's it, that's the whole story. Not a lot to read here and not a whole lot to say. Seeing Chunky bowling one wobbly delivery was fun, seeing him bowl a few was repetitive and a little boring. I thought that this part of the story may have gone on for a couple of weeks, but it is dealt with quickly, and I wonder what could be coming next. No clue at the end of the story for us, we shall have to return next week to see what sport Chunky turns his hand to.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Boggling bananas, that bewildered him. It fooled me a bit too!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Things look dangerous for Martin and Tiny as they find themselves in a crocodile-infested river in their attempt to escape a local chieftain. Martin is cracking jokes, but Tiny just wants to get out of the river as soon as they can. 

As the river gets deeper, Tiny climbs onto the roof of the car to better direct Martin. This works well for the two of them and soon the car is back on dry land.

While our pals evade the crocodiles, the local chieftain is displeased to find his race opponents have escaped him. He makes his anger known and dispatches his bodyguards to bring them back. 

Driving through long grass, Tiny is still on the roof of the car plotting the best route. Martin is making good time and fails to notice as Tiny hits a tree and falls off. 

Ten minutes later Martin realises that he's lost Martin. Before he has a chance to go back and find him he is forced to take cover and Kubah Kaln's bodyguard rides past him in search of him and Tiny. 

The danger passed, and he drives slowly back where he finds Tiny still in the long grass, waving his red shirt to catch his attention. Reunited, Martin tells Tiny what he has seen, and Martin doesn't like the sound of it at all. 

Better than last week, and we had several scenes that looked appealing on the page. The river action with the crocodiles jump-started this week's strip. Also eye-catching was driving through the long grass with Tiny on top of the vehicle. The final panels of the horsemen looking for them brought a new hint of danger and was more than enough to bring me back next week. A lot was packed into these two pages, and with a colourful backdrop to their adventures, this was very pleasing to the eye - especially the panel with Martin with his shirt off. Still not back to their best, but very good. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "He can't go faster than a bullet though! You did say they had rifles, didn't you? I don't like it, chum...I don't like it at all!" 

Roy Of The Rovers.

After meandering for a couple of weeks, the story picks up in this week's issue. Roy is unhappy to see Charlie's fans turn up to a training session, but he is beginning to smell a rat as he wonders why Charlie has fans when he has only just won a talent contest and made a trial record. The fact that it seems to be the same group of fans every time only heightens these suspicions. 

Luckily Roy's showbiz friend Marty Miller appears at the training session, and Roy asks if he could make some discreet enquiries on his behalf. 

The evening before the game the team is relaxed, yet Roy still harbours reservations about Tubby Morton in goal. Roy is right in his reservations, for as the game starts the Rovers give the ball away to Barnley and they immediately attack. Lofty Peak is put under pressure and makes a backpass. It should be easily taken by Morton, but he hesitates and stays on his line. The team call for him to come out and dive at the feet of the opposition player, but he moves slowly and Barnley score. 

It's a shambles and Roy suspects that Morton has lost his nerve and is frightened to risk any physical contact. 

Roy is connecting the dots and is the smartest man on these pages. I was happy to see him beginning to piece together the background manoeuvering with Charlie Carter, and I expect that we shall see this come to a head in the next couple of weeks. Likewise, Roy's assessment of Morton seems fair, and this will probably be front and foremost next week. Some nice-looking art complimented the story, with the panel of the Rover's player picking the ball out of the back of the net being one of my favourites. This is a story that is strong and getting stronger and expect next week's issue to be up the stakes again.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "The little chump's lost it! And the Barnley strikers are breaking fast!"

Football Family Robinson 

It's half-time and the family are bemoaning their lack of luck in the first half. It is then that the cause of their bad luck appears, with Fred appearing at the doorway with the pagan head under his arm. 

All eyes turn accusingly to Ma who had been charged with disposing of the head. She is visibly upset and explains that he put it in the dustbin but the dustman refused to take it. 

The team returns to the field with some players blaming Ma, while others call on the team to bring the smile back to Ma's face. 

Blackford strikes first, and it looks like a certain goal until Crash makes the save of his life. This swings the momentum of the match and the family begins a sweeping move that results in a goal that brings Ma to her feet cheering. 

Winning the match by a single goal, the family return home. Deciding to once again ditch the head, it is thrown from the family van and into a ditch. Unfortunately, a group of fans are following the van on their motorbikes and thinking that something has fallen from the van stop to pick up the head with the intention of returning it to the family. 

Last week I was strong in my dislike for this story, yet this week it has won me back over, Seeing the family overcoming the bad luck to win the match was a good start, as was seeing them throw the head from the van. We still have a final turn as the fans attempt to return the head, but it's hard to imagine this will go for too much longer. As usual, the best panels were the ones with Viv in them, and although she didn't get much page time, she did get a sharp line that made me happy. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "It's sour chops!"

A Horse Called Ugly

With a pistol pointed at his head and Anglea tied up nearby, Joe is up to his neck in trouble. Angela is smart and resourceful, and with a cry to look out, the gunman is temporarily distracted and affords Joe an opportunity to leap to safety over the edge. Joe falls through the opening where the other kidnapper is. 

Luigi begins to climb down the ladder to join both of them, but Angela isn't finished yet and she kicks the ladder over, leading to Luigi tumbling down to Ferdi and Joe. 

Outnumber by the two kidnappers, Joe puts up quite a struggle, tossing Ferdi Johnny-Cougar style across the room. His timing couldn't have been better for just at that moment the police burst in, having been alerted by the note that Joe planted under Ugly's saddle and sent to Farmer Coker. 

There are only tying up loose ends left, and Joe and Angela hand over the stolen painting to the authorities. The next day they are back at the horseshow where the organisers have decided that Joe and Ugly can ride the final high jump again, and this time Joe and Ugly are victorious. We finish with a wrap-up panel of Joe and Ugly receiving compliments as Joe asserts that a horse called Ugly will always be the greatest.

I feel deflated now this story has finished. Some of the action with Luigo and Ferdi was delicious, and to be honest I never wanted it to end. These were some great villains, and seeing Joe doing his best to rescue Angela from peril has propelled the last few issues. There were a couple of weaker issues in this overall story, but for the most part, it has been strong throughout, and this finish is a satisfying conclusion to all that has come before. It was a slow burn at the beginning but climaxed beautifully. The final panel was perhaps too much, Joe and Ugly getting a trophy and compliment, but the final panels where Joe beat the kidnappers was the true finish as far as my reading. Solid story, with some peaks throughout, I can only hope the next story plays as well as this one. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Oh no you don't! Johhny Cougar would be proud of this throw!"

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton 

Johnny Cougar has recovered from his poisoning, and with his Dutch opponent held above his head, Cougar is about to get some revenge on the KO Kid who he sees in the crowd. 

It plays out exactly as you'd expect. Johnny tosses the Dutchman out over the ropes and directly on the KO Kid, knocking them both out. With a vial of poison found on him, the KO Kid is arrested, while in the ring Johnny has won the tag-team match for his team. 

Tagteam match over, Staff Sergeant Martin reminds Johnny that they promised to fight each other once the match was over. Despite both taking a beating in the previous match, they face off and begin a match. 

Both deliver heavy blows and although Martin briefly has the upper hand, it is Cougar that triumphs. This concludes Johnny's time in Germany, and we finish with Splash asking which country will they visit next, a question that will remain unanswered until next week. 

This was a very fast wrap-up of a story that has been running for a couple of months now. We could see what Johnny was going to do once he saw the KO Kid at the end of the last issue, and once he was dealt with in the first half page, the story effectively ended. The rest was tidying up loose ends, with the fight against Staff Sergeant Martin only taking five panels to tell. I had been enjoying the story, and this concluding issue felt all too fast for what had come before. It was too easy, and the final bout against Martin wasn't the payoff I expected or deserved. Once again, we are looking at the story to reset next week, and a new location always enthuses me. I need it after this simplified finish and easy finish to a story that deserved perhaps just one more wrinkle in the plot. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "That's the third matman you've knocked out today, Johnny-baby...fantastic!" 

Tallon Of The Track 

We haven't seen a track invasion before, but that is where we start the story, with Sven Jannson fans swarming onto the track. His pop fans follow him everywhere and remain undaunted by a dirty speedway track. 

The Swedish singer doesn't seem to know what to do, and it's up to Jo to yell at him to get on his bike and ride off, which he obligingly does so. 

With Sven out of the way, police are able to clear the track and the match resumes. In the race Sven is well off the pace, finishing last by a long way. Jo asks him what happened, and he replies that the earlier invasion upset him, but Jo suspects there is more that he isn't telling here. 

It doesn't feel particularly dramatic, and I am disappointed in this story. Tallon Of The Track was excellent for a long time, but there has been a drop in quality in the last few weeks. The art remains strong, and I love looking at the panels, but when I read the story there's not much for me to enjoy. I'll be back next week, but only in the hope that it gets better soon. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Right, everyone, give me a hand! Help me get these idiots out of the stadium!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini  

Best Line: "Just look at all those teeth...now I know what it feels like to be a dentist!"

Best Panel: 

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

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: