Tiger 7th December 1974

I'm a day late this week. My birthday party on Saturday night knocked the stuffing out of me for a bit, and yesterday I could barely look at a comic, let alone a computer screen. Energy levels are a little better today, and with an enticing cover, this Tiger has me eager to digest its contents. 

Tiger
7th December 1974

Billy's Boots

A nice touch of everyday life on the cover as Billy Dane, unable to play due to injury, practices football in his yard, and accidentally heads the ball into his Grans clean washing still on the line. 

Suitability told off by his Gran, our young hero sets off to the Groundwood Town's stadium to see if he can further treatment from the trainer there.

This turns out rather well for Billy, and he receives treatment, and some time under the heat lamp. Told that he can do light training, Billy sets off hopeful that he will be cleared to play on Saturday.

Reading his book about Deadshot Keen, Billy has the idea to train on a bike, just like Dead-shot Keen used to. It is on the bike that he meets a man who has some old footage of Dead-shot Keen playing. Billy is overjoyed when he is offered a chance to watch it, and he becomes even more enthusiastic when he sees a move that Dead-shot Keen performs. Thinking that he could possibly learn the move himself we finish with a happy Billy excited for the future. 

Nice to see the lad smiling for a change. After several weeks of misery, Billy has finally found his mojo and things are looking up. Sure, it won't last, but let's enjoy it while we can. A soft read, I enjoyed the familiarity of it all, especially the cover of Billy playing at home. There wasn't a lot of drama, and the story moved slowly, yet this is exactly what I want from Billy's Boots. There is fast-paced action to come later in the comic, and with its fine artwork and relatable story, Billy's Boots gets us off to a perfect start.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Billy! What on earth do you think you are doing? Just look at that sheet! It was clean!"

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

It's Johnny Cougar versus the Cowboy as this week's wrestling story begins. The opening dialogue is all about Cowboys and Indians, and very much of its time, before the fight starts with a forearm smash from the Cowboy.

From here gloves are off, as the Johnny Cougar begins to inflict some pain of his own. This continues to the second round, but now the Cowboy gains the upper hand and wins the first pinfall after an elbow smash to the top of Johnny's head.

He has little time to recover, but Johnny bursts out of his corner, catching the Cowboy with a flying headbutt and pinning him in the corner. With one pinfall a piece, we are all set for a tense conclusion to the fight next week.  

Apart from the cringe-worthy start as the Cowboy tells Johnny that the cowboys always beat the Indians, this was a top-notch story. The artwork was true to a wrestling match and captured the spirit of the match well. Not all the dialogue was brilliant, but as the match progressed it got better, and by the final panel I was fully engaged. I was doubtful about this cast of characters wrestling and was pleased when this story proved me wrong with some wrestling action just as good as anywhere else in the Johnny Cougar canon.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "You see too many films...this Indian not ready to be beaten!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

The car circus is about to begin, with the promise of a series of stunts from Tiny and Martin. It isn't quite what I expected after last week's issue, but I shrug my shoulders and keep reading.

First up we have Martin driving a Ford Anglia through a blazing brick wall before the two boys try a bit of car jousting against each other. 

They both emerge unscathed and we are ready for the finale of Tiny driving George down a steep ramp for a flip into a bed of feathers.

We are all set when Martin suddenly finds out that the owner of the car circus has fled with all the takings. Climbing to the top of the ramp he tells Tiny and they have a quick chat about what to do. The decision is quickly made, there is only one way to catch him, and that is to drive down the ramp. This is where we end the strip, with the two pals hurtling down the ramp. 

What an exciting finish! The rest of the strip wasn't dramatic, but it was exciting with lots of car stunts and glorious views of the two friends doing unexpected things on the track. I didn't so much read it as devour the pictures, and there was something eye-catching in every panel. Glorious to look at, and even if the story didn't sweep me off my feet the artwork sure did. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Now Tiny Hill climbs into my mini car, in readiness to launch himself down the ski-jump...and out into space!"

Nipper

It's all happening at the big game this week. Nipper is suspended, the English under-23 selectors are there to watch him, and an extra edition of The Chronicle has come out - criticising Nipper for being suspended. 

Things come to a head early on as Nipper, hiding in the crowd, sees a copy of The Chronicle, its headline saying he shouldn't be anywhere near an England shirt.

This infuriates him and he storms down to the touchline, demanding that Andy Stewart play him. This causes a distraction on the field, and Blackport concedes a goal, much to Andy Stewart's chagrin. 

The strip ends with a furious Andy Stewart, and the England selectors preparing to leave given that it is unlikely that Nipper will play at all now. 

A fast-moving story, I enjoyed this week's instalment. Brian Crawford, author of the article, was watching from the crowd, and I have my suspicions that this is all part of his master plan. Time will tell. As usual, we had the fantastically angry face of Andy Stewart, only matched by the incandescent rage of Nipper. They are a match made in heaven, and I love watching the sparks fly when the two of them are together. There is still a wider story to be told, and I can't wait to see how this will play out over the coming weeks, 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Why, you stupid, hair-brained, little..!"  

Skid Solo 

We are back to Skid Solo testing new equipment for a company for this week's instalment. In this case, it's tyres, but the story isn't about the tyres themselves, but rather how the team will protect these expensive items from crooks.

Initially Sandy has a barrage of padlocks on the sheds, and after some chat it is decided that they need something more. Sandy wants a guard dog, but Skid and Sparrow persuade him that a night watchman might be a better idea. 

While Skid and Sparrow try out the new tyres, Sandy must decide which of the two applicants for the job he will choose, He has a choice between a young, long-haired chap, and an older, more conservatively dressed type. Both are appealing, and Sandy decides to go with the older gentleman. 

The following day he is shocked to find the sheds have been cleaned out and the night watchman is missing. The police are soon on to the case, and very quickly catch the nightwatchman and a trailer full of new tyres. There is a twist as they reveal his accomplice - the other applicant for the job. No matter who he chose, Sandy would have lost. 

It's back to getting a guard dog, and the strip closes with the new dog pulling on Sandy's leg, while Skid and Solo laugh at his lack of trust.

Too fast and too boring are my first thoughts about this strip. There was very little of Skid on the track, and the off-track drama was resolved all too easily. On a better day, I might have described it as a gentle read, sadly I am not in such a mood today. This story was instantly forgettable, and although the art was pleasant, it was never enough to raise it above the tepid storyline. 

Rating: 4/10

Best line: "I'm a canny judge o' character, even if I say so m'sel'! I'd prefer to employ the neat and tidy mon..."

Hot-Shot Hamish 

In his mismatched clothes, and with his boots falling apart, Hamish limps off the field and Princes Park goes two-nil down. Most of the crowd has seen enough, and the stadium empties as the fans give up on their team.

The rest of the story is told from a nearby cafe as the fans commiserate with each other while a nearby radio runs commentary from the ground. The fans perk up when they hear that Hamish has set up a goal for Princes Park, and then become visibly excited as he scores to equaliser. 

With two minutes left to play, Hamish heads home the winner as the fans celebrate around the radio. However, their joy is shortlived as the commentator informs them that Hamish has collapsed and that stretcher-bearers are running onto the field to collect him.

This is the best Hot-shot Hamish issue so far, and easily the best story in this week's comic. Telling the story through the radio commentary, with the fan's reaction and occasional panels showing Hamish while the commentator describes what he was doing, is most inventive, and was instantly familiar to anyone who grew up listening to football on the radio. I was totally sold on the idea, and although there wasn't too much artwork of the on-field action, the story was just as engrossing following along with the fans. Top work all around, the writer for the imaginative framing of the story and the artist for his brilliant work on capturing the emotion. There's a reason Hot-shot Hamish was my favourite growing up, and this is it.

Rating: 10/10

Best line: "...and it's there! A lovely goal...made by big Hamish Balfour. That puts Princes back in the game!"

Roy Of The Rovers

There are a lot of angry people in the first panels of Roy Of The Rovers, as Rovers dispute the penalty given at the end of last week's strip. Chief among them is Lofty Peak, although all his complaining manages to achieve is a booking from the referee.

As Carford City prepare to take the penalty their manager, Archie Miller, calls out that Don Watson must take it, and if he misses he will play for the reserves. Hardly the comment to inspire confidence and Roy senses it, telling Charlie Carter to dive for the corner as that will be where Don will aim for. 

Not only does Charlie manage to pull off the save, but his following kick ends up with Roy who sends it sailing down the field towards Mervyn, who obliges with a goal. With this, the game is as good as won, and Rovers are ecstatic.

In the aftermath of the game Archie Miller is sacked as manager of Carford City, and Tony explains to the Rovers why he kept cool despite being provoked by Miller The answer was in Miller's own book, where he wrote that his injuring of Tony Storme haunted him for the rest of his career. With this, it is decided that all his shouting and bullying was just a shield to hide his guilt.

An apology is in order, and Archie Miller arrives at just the right moment to receive it. There are two further surprises to come, first Archie has been appointed as the new chief scout, and secondly, he has found a youth who could be the most sensational player the club has ever seen. 

I'm pleased to see a happy resolution, unfortunately, most of this week's strip was too neat and all the loose threads tied up a little too well for my liking. Yes, Tony and Archie resolved their differences, which was good, but hiring Archie as the new chief scout was too much for me. Then, to have Archie claim he has already found a sensational player for Melchester Rovers, well that was a bridge too far. The first half of the strip was great and it was only the second half that I had trouble with, so overall it balanced out alright. Thinking back, I wasn't fussed with the way this strip started, with the out-of-control minibus if you can cast your mind back, and it has an equally weak ending. In between has been an uneven ride, and I am now pinning my hopes on this sensational new player who has appeared. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "That's for you to decide, lad! You're the chap who will have to face it!" 

Tallon Of The Track

Here's hoping that we are back on track this week, and things start well with the introduction of the Osprey's first opponent, the mighty Ukrainian Bears. We first meet their captain, a hulk of a man named Vladimir Debenko. 

Not only is big but also strong, and his friendly slap on the back to Dave Trent sends Dave crashing to the floor. Debennko has another display of strength for Jo, and she is displeased to find herself caught in a bear hug from him.

On the track, he is exactly the same and entertains the crowd before the race with a strongman act on his bike. However, once the racing starts the Ospreys are on a more equal footing, and the first race ends on split points.

The following race, and it's Dave Trent against Vladimir Debenko. A friendly handshake before the race goes awry for Dave, and his hand is injured by the Ukrainian strongman just as they are riding onto the track.

Much better than last week, and I am enjoying the story as it is laid out here. It does read differently through modern eyes, I must admit (the Ukrainian war is in the papers every day at the moment) but throwing myself back into 1974 this is a wonderful yarn. Vladimir is big and causing trouble, but he seems unaware of the chaos he is causing, and there is something very likeable about him. The art is back on a firmer footing on the track, and an improvement over the forest and wolf imagery we have seen for the last few weeks. It feels as though we have finally turned a corner with this strip, and once again I am falling in love with Jo Tallon. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You great brute, Debenko! That slap on the back nearly sent Dave head-first through the wall!" 

 Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Hot-shot Hamish  

Best Line: "Velcome to Leningrad, my friend! You are David Trentski, yes? Captain of daar Osprey Fliers?"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

  

 

Tiger 30th November 1974

I turn fifty years old in a few day's time, which means I have been reading this comic for forty-two years. That's a long time and a lot of comics. Yet, I still find surprises on the pages of Tiger comics, and I'm never short of something to say about it. After all these years it still gives me such joy, and I only hope that more people feel the same way about it. Here are my thoughts on the most recent comic I read, in the death throes of my forties. 

30th November 1974

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Finally, Johnny Cougar is back and in London, and in the first panel of the story we learn he is about to take part in a four-man contest. The characters are laid out for us right on the first page - The Cowboy, Big Jim Jackson, Stoneage Man, and Johnny Cougar. As the commentator rightly says - what a line-up.

We then have a training montage (insert Eye Of The Tiger music here) before the first match-up begins with the arrival of Johnny Cougar and The Cowboy. There are some shenanigans before the match, and a little banter, before the referee calms things for the start of the bout.

This story came and went pretty fast. It was all about laying out the four-man competition, and then some padding so we could end with the first fight about to begin. There wasn't a lot for me to sink my teeth into here, and I left the story feeling unsatisfied. I know we are setting up for what comes next and I'm already pleased to see that it is proper wrestling action after the previous story. This week didn't deliver what I wanted and it will be next week before this storyline really kicks into high gear. Cowboys and Indians, what more could a young man ask for.  

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Yahooo! Stand back, folks...the cowboy's in town...and that means trouble for someone!"

Roy Of The Rovers

The battle between Melchester Rovers and Carford City, and their respective managers, continues this week. 

Tony Storme refuses to be riled by the antics of Archie Miller, although the rest of the Rovers become distracted by the sideline conflict, and this directly leads to Rover's conceding a goal as Jimmy becomes overly involved and loses focus on the game at hand. 

The game becomes rougher and the crowd becomes involved, jeering and throwing stuff at the Carford manager. Tony Storme comes over and it looks like the confrontation is about to get worse, but instead, he concentrates his attention on the crowd and insists that everyone stays calm. 

Once again the Rovers manager has failed to be drawn into further conflict with Archie Miller. On the field, however, things are breaking down, and the strip ends with a penalty award to Carford City. 

Things aren't looking too good for Rovers, but they only have themselves to blame. A good story, and fine read, I found myself not frustrated by the comic, but rather by the antics of the Rovers. Professional footballers, and yet they are continually being drawn into the personal dramas between the two managers. I want to give each and every one of them a stern talking to. It feels like this is perhaps the climax of the story, it seems resolution may be near at hand, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see next week wrap up this storyline. Still, anything could happen, and this was another steady step in the right direction. A good Roy Of The Rovers storyline, it satisfies rather than excites. 

Rating: 6.5/10 

Best line: "That does it! If you blokes put the boot in just once more, it won't be the ref you'll have to worry about!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Our two pals have hundreds of letters in response to their request for work. Most are asking for money rather than job offers, but they do find one letter from a showman who will pay top money for two good drivers. 

They duly meet the showman, and he has several spectacular ideas up his sleeve. They reject his idea of jumping off a ramp and through a brick wall, as well as his car jousting idea. They are equally weary of his idea of doing a somersault off a ramp and landing in a pile of feathers painted to look like dirt, but after Tiny successfully tries it on a bike, they agree to go with it. A poster is printed to promote it, and we'll all be back next week to see what happens.

Similar to the Johnny Cougar story earlier in this issue, this was all about setting up for what comes next. The difference is that this story gave us several enjoyable panels of Tiny attempting the stunt on a bike, and this was all the hook I needed to enjoy what I read. Having it in colour certainly helped the cause, and even with no car action, there was enough on the page to make me want to come back next week. We are just getting warmed up here, but seeing Tiny take on the stunt already has whet my appetite to see more on a larger scale. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "It works, my fine friend! Look, take that bike up and have a go! There's nothing to worry about...you'll enjoy it! Go On, try..."

Tallon Of The Track

We drop straight into it, with Jo and Sven on the desperate run from a pack of wolves. It looks like all is lost when Sven falls, but Jo proves her mettle, fighting off the pack with a branch. 

The rest of the Ospreys are alerted by the noise, and it's Dave to the rescue on his bike. Broadsiding through the middle of the pack, he drives them off, leaving Jo and Sven to scramble to safety. 

From here it's a stroll in the park, as the team reunite and continues with their ride towards civilization. Coming across a road that runs east to Leningrad, they run into a lorry driver who rather luckily has an empty truck. Loading themselves and their bikes aboard, they drive towards Leningrad, while Jo tells the team that the Russian riders are world-class, and they will be facing some tough racing.

The threat of the wolves was overcome easily and the rest of this issue passed by all too quick. There was no hook to keep me reading, and once the wolves were dealt with the rest of the comic was dealing with the logistics of getting the team to Leningrad for the racing. Seeing them climbing into a lorry is hardly the dramatic twist we needed after the wolves episode, and it all fell flat after the first few panels. Seeing Dave riding into the wolf pack was thrilling, but that was only a panel, and nothing else in the story came near it as far as the drama of the story was concerned. Hoping for a vast improvement next week, but already this Russian adventure has failed to live up to my expectations.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Good morning Comrade...I don't suppose you speak English!"

Skid Solo

Back from their trip to America and Mexico, our trio are now driving through the Lake District with Skid behind the wheel. It's cold and misty, although the mist briefly clears and the team see a bunch of runners running across country.

Skid continues on to the track where they are supposed to be racing. The weather is still bad, and the track is too dangerous for Skid and Sparrow to practice.

By the afternoon the track has dried out and they do get some time in the cars on the track. However the weather closes in again, and the following day the weather is just as bad as ever. 

Skid and Sparrow decide to join the fell runners, and returning three hours later they tell Sandy they have entered a ten-mile race the following day. Sandy thinks it's a mad idea and tells them they'd be better off staying inside for the day. 

The following morning it's teeming with rain and Sandy reiterates that he thinks they're crazy. Skid and Sparrow leave the hotel, and Sandy enjoys a quiet lunch to himself, still thinking about how cold and wet Skid and Sparrow will be.

Finishing his lunch he ventures out to the finish line to see his two pals come in. He waits an hour in the rain, but they never appear. He decides to return to the hotel and slips over in the mud, eventually arriving back soaked and muddy himself. Here he finds another surprise, Skid and Sparrow are already at the hotel. They had taken his advice after all and taken in a movie instead. While it's Sandy who is wet and cold, Skid and Sparrow are quite dry and content. 

We finish the story the following day, as Skid and Sparrow are at the track and ready to race. Both are fit and healthy and all the better for staying dry, while the voice of reason Sandy has picked up a cold. 

Poor Sandy just can't catch a break, and week after week he seems to be plagued by bad luck while Skid always seems to come up smelling of roses. Strangely enough, this makes him more relatable to me, and I can't help but feel sympathy for his plight. Not the most thrilling of stories, nor the funniest, it nevertheless had a certain charm to it and despite its cold theme I warmed to it. We had some very tidy artwork of Sandy, and it was pleasing to see him hold centre stage in a strip that didn't concern racing. I normally come for the motor action, but sometimes these soft heartwarming stories are just what I need and this was the perfect read for a quiet Sunday morning. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Where have you been? You look a bit damp!"

Nipper

Nipper has disappeared, and the young kids who follow him lay the blame firmly at the feet of the Chronicle. We start the story with these hooligans throwing stones through the windows of the newspaper office.

They receive a strong telling-off from Mike Bateson, and Mike remains at the centre of the story as he confronts Brian Crawford. Crawford also receives a strong telling-off, but he remains adamant that Nipper's disappearance is unrelated to any of his doing.

Deep in the woods, Nipper is camping out in a disused water tank. He intends to stay away a week, but the following day he decides to sneak in to watch Blackport play.

He's not the only one coming to see the team, the English selectors have turned up especially to see Nipper play. Disappointed to see that Nipper won't be on the field one of them goes down to the touch line to speak with Andy Stewart. He's not the only one wishing to speak to Andy, and in the final panels, a club official runs up to Andy to show him the latest issue of the Chronicle. Taking one look at the sports page, Andy exclaims that if Nipper reads it he will never play for England. 

An intriguing end to the story, I am most curious to know what has been written that has caused Andy Stewart distress. Not much football here, but several attention-grabbing panels. I enjoyed the opening with the hooligans throwing rocks and the appearance of Mike Bateson in his wonderful-looking car. Nipper alone was also handled well and added more depth to the story as he soliloquies. Plenty of story left in the tank, and this should keep delivering for some time yet. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "oo-'eck! It's Nipper's pal, Mike Bateson and his girlfriend! We'd better get out of here, lads..!"

Billy's Boots

Injured in a midweek game for his school team, Billy Dane now faces playing for the Groundwood Town Youth team carrying an injury. 

As expected, it does not go well, and Billy puts in a poor performance. The Groundwood Town manager is less than impressed, especially once he notices that Billy is limping. Billy is subbed off, and as he receives treatment in the massage room the manager comes in and lets him know what a fool he has been. 

Billy has blown his chance with the Groundwood Town team, and it gets worse on Monday as he reports to practice with his school team. Telling the sports master he has been injured, he is attended to and told that he is definitely out for the cup reply. With Billy now out of every team, he realises that he may not get his place back in any of them.

Well, that's your own silly fault, Billy. Not for getting injured, but for trying to play on with an injury. Seriously, I do feel sorry for him. He was only trying to do his best for every team, and it all blew up horribly in his face. Another typical Billy tale, I never tire of these. His magic boots weren't to the fore this week, but there were plenty of other Billy's Boots tropes at play, with some typical complaining, poor play, bad luck, and a generally miserable atmosphere. Gloomier than the rest of the stories in Tiger, this is still the most relatable, and although I didn't always like Billy, I always relate to his situation.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "The new boy's limping! I haven't seen him get a knock!"

Hot-shot Hamish 

We last left Hamish scrambling over the gates of Princes Park in an attempt to make it to a vital game in time. This week that plays out as the gates eventually collapse under the strain, and the fans welcome a dazed Hamish into the stadium. 

The players are already on the field, and in the changing room, Hamish realises that he doesn't have any football gear with him. The team is struggling on without him, and under siege from the opposing players when Hamish makes a timely entrance wearing assorted ill-fitting kit. 

This poor kit directly leads to the first goal, as the Princes Park goalkeeper can't see the ball coming for Hamish's large shorts. 

This stings Hamish into action, and he leads his team onto the attack. Striking the ball for his hot-shot, Hamish's boots burst into pieces, seemingly too small to stand the strain. With fans streaming out of the stadium in the face of a potential decimation on the pitch, Mr McWhacker is worried that this could spell the end of the club. 

Lots of things couldn't stand the strain this week, and the club is falling to pieces around the team. I would have found it amusing if it wasn't so serious. The gate collapsing made me smile, as did Hamish's boot exploding, but with so much on the line I left the strip feeling blue. The highlight aside from these humourous moments, was the looks on the faces of those involved, and we had some splendid art throughout the strip that made my heart sing. I may not like the situation they are in, but it has provided the artist with a chance to display a range of emotions on the faces, and this stands heads and shoulders above everything else in the strip. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line:  "It's Hamish! What a sight! He canna play football looking like that!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story: Hot-shot Hamish  

Best Line: "Just you listen to me, laddie...you said you were fit to play this afternoon...and you weren't! Never report fit when you're not! Not only can you do harm to yourself...you let the whole team down!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 23rd November 1974

The first day of spring has arrived and I feel like a new man. A warm breeze, longer evenings, it won't be long until I'm sitting outside with a cider as I read these comics. On the pages of Tiger, it is quite the opposite as we head into the depths of winter of 1974. Football is at the forefront of everyone's mind, while some of the other summer-based stories are taking in adventures in warmer climates. The obvious exception is Tallon Of The Track, where Jo and her team are facing a frozen joinery across the snowy forests of Russia. Thank goodness I'm reading this in the early spring warmth, otherwise, I might have resorted to putting on an extra jumper.  

23rd November 1974

Skid Solo

Finally, we have some on-track racing again for Skid Solo. After a couple of weeks of trying to get to El Marco for an invitational race, Skid, Saprrow, and Sandy have arrived, although Sandy is far from happy with the cars they have been loaned to race with.

Sacking the Mexican mechanic, Sandy takes it upon himself to fine-tune the cars himself. They aren't perfect by the time the race starts, but they are a lot better than they were. 

News of the mechanics sacking has reached the crowd, and Skid and Sparrow are booed from the start. There is a Mexican driver leading the race, but after he crashes the booing intensifies for Skid and Sparrow as the crowd blame them for the crash.

Skid doesn't wait around after the race, forgoing the victory lap and slipping out the back in a rush to catch his plane. On the race track the angry crowd is pacified by the Mexican driver who tells them that the crash was his own fault and Skid had nothing to do with it. He also explains that Skid has donated his winnings to the town for repairs after the tornado struck and that the sacked mechanic has been rehired.

All ends well with Skid receiving a thank you message at the airport that has been dictated by a staff member from a phone call he has received. There is one final smile as he shows Skid the long list of names that it came from, and he explains it took him hours to write it all down.  

Excellent track racing for this story. The images of Skid and Sparrow duelling with the leader are the highlight of the strip for me. I am less happy with the final punchline, or some of the earlier events that set up the plot. It seemed a little too harsh for Sandy to sack the other mechanic, and in real life a better option would have been to have him help. Of course, this isn't real life, and we wouldn't have got the story we did if this happened. The angry mob was good, and I enjoyed seeing Skid being the bad guy for once, even though it was slight and due to an understanding. The cars on the track got an A+ for me, but everything else fell a little flat and the ending was disappointing given how long this race in El Marco was built up.

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Booooooooo! Go home, Solo and Smith!"

Billy's Boots

Billy Dane has a game for the Groundwood Town youth team on Saturday, but first, he must negotiate a midweek cup game for his school team.

He starts poorly for the school team. The opposing team, Featherdale School, have a tall lanky centre-back, and the player effectively neutralizes everything Billy throws at him. 

In the second half, Billy is moved to the wing, and away from the player. Despite jeers from the opposing fans, this works rather well, especially when Billy intercepts a back pass and scores an equaliser. 

With three minutes of the match left, Billy cuts in from the wing. Other players wonder what he's up to, but he continues dribbling across the field before finally backheeling to a teammate who is denied a goal by a fabulous save. Poor Billy sees none of this as he has been clattered by his opposing man. Now injured, the game ends with Billy seriously in doubt for the game on Saturday. 

Nothing too surprising here. Given how predictable it was, it was surprisingly enjoyable. I liked the seriousness bestowed upon a school match, and the jeering and heckles on the sideline added to the intensity of what was being played out on the field. I expected the winning goal to come from Billy's final play, and I was quite pleased to see it saved. This extends the life of the cup draw and shows that Billy isn't Superman. He is still a worrier, however, and he has plenty to worry about before Saturday's game. The artwork feels cleaner, and paired with some familiar storytelling this is a strong entry for Billy's Boots. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "He's got legs like pieces of elastic! He always manages to get a toe to the ball!"

 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny are belting towards the finish line of the Ranchers race, hopeful that they are still in with a chance. There is one final drama left for them, a wrecked bridge over a ravine. What follows is an amazing piece of driving as Martin drives them across the bridge on two wheels, safely making it to the other side. 

With this behind them, the finish line is in sight, and they are overjoyed when they find that they are first over the line. They are less happy when they are told they haven't won and the race has been cancelled due to the other competitors being trapped on the other side of the bushfire. 

Once again broke, they are forced to advise, putting out an advertisement for two rally drivers for hire. This exceeds all expectations and we finish the strip with Martin and Tiny facing three mailbags full of opportunities. 

Not the glorious finish I expected. All that hard work and we are back where we started. The most exciting part of the strip, and the part that dominated most of the panels, was the drive across the broken bridge. This was every bit as dramatic as you might imagine and worthy of any stunt by evil Knievel. Even on the newsprint page, it feels dangerous and exciting, and it is the most memorable thing we have seen for a while. A couple of flat spots, but overall this was a cracking instalment, and next week promises a whole new adventure.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I'm not even looking!"

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

Johnny has freed Splash from his wooden cage in the forest where he was held by Robin Good and now has a plan of his own in mind to get payback.

Good and his merry men return to find Splash gone and Johnny missing, Before they can make a move, Splash stampedes some wild horses that he and Johnny previously rounded up, and this stampede leaves Good and his men scrambling for safety inside the wooden cage.

It is now that Johnny springs the second part of his plan, and he shuts the door on the cage, trapping Good and all his men inside their own prison. This is the end of the storyline, and the final panel has Johnny Cougar again enthusiastic to get back into some wrestling action.

Me too, Johnny, me too. Thank goodness this is over. Wonderful artwork and some great-looking characters were not quite enough for me to buy this storyline about a modern-day Robin Hood. I wanted to like it, I really did, but it was all too much for me, and this story was doomed as far as my opinion of it went, from the very first issue. I love to see Johnny wrestling, and although he dabbles with bad guys many times over the years, he will always primarily be a wrestler in my eyes. We had snatches of wrestling here and there through this story, but never enough for my liking. Next week should see Johnny return to his roots, and with that my love if the character should return. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "No more holidays! Cougar need to get back to wrestling ring heap fast! Time for grip-and-grapple action!

Roy Of The Rovers

Tony Storme is still feuding with Carford manager Archie Miller as we begin this week's strip. Penny thinks she has found a solution to their problem and shows Roy a book with a relevant paragraph for the two managers. Roy thinks she is right, but when he attempts to show it to Tony Storme, Tony is having none of it.

There is a midweek game, and Tony still hasn't looked at the book Roy gave him. His mood is as foul as ever, and he takes it out on the players. Roy is coming back from injury but subbed off late in the game. Both he and Tony are snappy with each other, but it never develops into anything more. 

Saturday rolls around, and now it's time for the showdown between Melchester Rovers and Carford. The two managers approach each other and it seems trouble is brewing. Archie Miller pointedly tells Tony Storme to make sure the players know it is not a grudge match, but Storme fails to be goaded by him. The stadium is electric as the game kicks off, and it seems anything might happen. 

After a frustrating day at work, I'm not sure I want to see two men sniping and getting angry at each other. I've just had that for nine hours, and I don't need it anymore. My own personal circumstances aside, this is an increase in intensity and a great read. Not much football to speak of, but each panel ramped up the pressure for the game that was to come. Angry Tony Storme was a believable character and fits with some similar people I have known in my time. I was wary of him on the page, and I'd certainly be wary of him in real life. Realism is the name of the game, and I'm totally sold on the story and what will come next. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "All this aggro is even getting to me now! By the time we get to Carford, the strain is going to be unbearable!"

Nipper

Nipper has been suspended for the next six games and fined two hundred pounds for his part in the scuffle at the newspaper office a couple of weeks ago. The disappointed look on his face as he reports this to his teammates speaks volumes and even a serious talk from his pal Mike Beatson fails to lift his spirits. 

A despondent Nipper leaves the ground and goes in search of former player Bill Hammond, who he hopes will be able to shed some light on the club's goals in a season record holder, Manny Hopwood.  Hammond tells Nipper that Manny died a couple of years ago after a troubled life once his career finished. 

Nipper is at a loss at what to do in light of this information and slopes off to think alone. Meanwhile, Andy Stewart has been notified that the England Under 23s selectors are coming to watch Nipper play. With this news, Stewart is forced to select Nipper for the next game, although nobody knows where to find Nipper to pass on the news. Mike Beatson tries the usual places, but Nipper isn't to be found as the strip ends. 

This rounded off some of the things we saw last week and planted new seeds with the arrival of the English selectors and the possibility of Nipper being selected for the under-23 side. It was a bridging episode in which not a lot happened, yet the story hinges on the small amount of information given. For those hoping for drama, this isn't the issue for you, nevertheless, this is crucial for what comes next and a must-read for those following the long story arch.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "But the whole affair sort of...broke his heart! He became ill, soon afterwards...and never recovered!"

Hot-shot Hamish 

Hamish has rushed back to his island home with his Daddy in order to defend it from the oil men. Trouble awaits them, it's not the oil men, but rather an angry phone call from Mr McWhacker telling Hamish he must be back at Princes Park the following day for the first game of the season. 

Hamish promises he'll be back, and soon enough he and Daddy are on the boat heading for the island. With night upon them, they grab some weapons from their home, a sword in particular catches the eye, and make for the tents where the oil men are asleep. Waking them from their slumber, Daddy threatens them with his weapon raised, and soon enough the outsiders are on the run back to the mainland. 

With the island once again safe, Hamish catches the boat back to the mainland. He is exhausted from the night's exertions and sleeps all the way. It is then onto a plane and a train, before a desperate sprint to the stadium. 

Arriving he finds it is a sellout crowd. There are only minutes to spare, and the guards at the gate fail to recognise him and refuse him entry.  We end the story with Hamish scrambling over the gates while the two guards do their best to stop him. 

 A curious story, I expected much more from the conflict with the oil men. I thought that it would last at least a couple of issues, but instead, the story is about the journey there and back rather than the conflict itself. Although the stay on the island was brief, it did give us some wonderful lines and accompanying artwork. It was the high point of this week's story, and again I feel it was a lost opportunity. A few more weeks of this would have been truly great. Still, Hamish is finally back and almost playing for Princes Park - all is right in the world. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Well, ye've seen them off, Daddy! They couldna' stand the awe-inspiring sight o' a Scotsman on the war-path!" 

Tallon Of The Track 

I would like to say they've saved the best for last, but...hmmm...

With their plane crashing somewhere west of Leningrad, Jo Tallon shows her resourceful side. In order to get to safety she decides they will ride their bikes across the snowy ground. It's pointed out that they have no fuel, some of the passengers can't ride bikes, and the snow is too slushy. Jo has answers for all of this: they can use fuel from the plane, they'll tow a sledge made from an aircraft door for the other passengers, and they'll ride at night when the ground freezes hard. 

With the bikes lined up and towing the makeshift sledge, they head off into the night. Progress is slow as they stop frequently to refuel. The moon fades as they enter the forest and matters take a turn as they hear a howl in the night. Sven and Jo investigate, and we end the story as a pack of wolves appear and make to attack.

This was far from my favourite story last week, and this week is more of the same. I didn't feel the danger from the wolves at the end, and elsewhere it felt like Jo always had everything under control. It was a little too neat for my liking and never paid off with dynamic visuals. A plane crash in the snowy forest of Soviet Russia should scream peril, instead it felt more like a boy scout adventure. I usually like to end on a positive note, but I'm just not sure about next week.   

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "You've got to hand it to the girl, Dave...she thinks of everything! 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line: "Come on oot, ye great lump o' Haggis! We've got to get to the plane, the noo!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 16th November 1974

The cast of Tiger is spread all over the place this week. Johnny Cougar is still living in the forest with Robin Good, Tallon Of the Track is heading to Russia, and the boys in Martin's Marvellous Mini are caught in an Australian bushfire. For all that though, this is a tepid issue with only a couple of stand-out moments. We seem to have hit a flat spot with several of the stories becalmed by the lack of dramatic winds. All I can do is read on, I know there is exciting tales on the shores ahead of us, we just have to get there.

16th November 1974

Roy Of The Rovers

Melchester Rover's Tony Storme and Archie Miller, the opposing manager of Carford, are about to come to blows on the cover of this week's issue. It is a quick-thinking Roy who saves the day, although he is injured, with a sharply kicked ball into the side of Tony's head, distracting both managers from their fight.

Roy comes off injured as the referee regains control of the previously wild match. Carford centre back, Coggin, is still determined to do some damage to the Rovers side. He pushes his luck one too many times and gets sent off after earning a second yellow card.

With Carford down to ten men, the game is Melchester's. It is the ever-reliable Blackie Grey who scores a second goal that secures the victory. 

Off the field, things aren't so happy. Storme and Miller clash again in a verbal exchange, before Rover's chairman, Ben Galloway, hauls Storme off for another tongue-lashing. This does little for Tony Storme's mood and he takes it out on the team, demanding they have a training session the following morning, in what traditionally is their day off.

Roy is watching from the sidelines, his injury preventing him from taking part, as he ponders a solution to the conflict between the two managers. It is Penny who offers hope as she appears in the final panel, telling Roy she has found one sentence in a book that could sort the whole thing out. 

That must be a powerful sentence because midway through this story it seems nothing could bring Tony Storme and Archie Miller together. There was anger and tension all through this strip, across a variety of people, and it was this tension that pinned the story together. Football was secondary to the verbal exchanges and we had a variety of angles brought up by various characters. I'm always happy to see Blackie score a goal, but elsewhere there wasn't a lot of joy in the comic full of conflict.    

Rating: 6/10

Best Line: "This is fantastic! The two managers are going for each other!"

Skid Solo 

After taking a disastrous detour last week, Skid Solo has finally made it to Mexico. He may have made it to Mexico, but he still must find the town of El Marco where the race is taking place. 

It's a race against time, and Skid seeks the advice of a local as to the shortest route. The route is pointed out, but as Skid drives off the local muses that although it is the shortest route, it is not the fastest route. 

A wild ride through the mountains ensues for the team as they desperately try to make up time, They are further hampered by a puncture, with a large thorn spiking their hopes. 

One rapid wheel change later and the three amigos arrive at El Marco. There is one more challenge for them to face as a tornado descends upon the town at the very moment. With the rest of the townsfolk, they seek shelter in a basement and can only watch on as their car is buried beneath a falling wall. Emerging from safety, they find the car still driveable, and they quickly make for the track. 

The race organiser is pleased to see them, but Skid wonders why no one else is around. The race organiser then explains that he has been trying to contact Skid - he made a mistake with his dates when he wrote to Skid - the race is not today, but tomorrow. We finish with an apology and the race organiser hoping that Skid didn't have too much trouble getting there.

A similar story to last week, with the team struggling to get to where they are going, this did little to excite me. It felt like a retread and unnecessary. The art was great and it was only the plot that I had trouble with. This is par for the course for Skid Solo in the off-season, and without the framework of the Grand Prix Championship some of these smaller stories pale in comparison to the high-octane action of Skid on the track. Next week should be better with the promise of some track action, and I shall put this story behind me.

Rating: 4/10

Best line: "Great jumping Haggis! It's a tornado!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

With a bush fire rapidly approaching a lone ranch house, Tiny and Martin have little time to find out if anyone is at home. Speeding towards the front door they find a boy emerging, unaware of the fire raging nearby. It turns out that his father is also in the house, although he has a broken leg, while the mother is in town with their car. 

Grabbing the cash, their pets, and whatever else they can, the boy, the father, Tiny and Martin, squeeze into George for an escape. It looks like they may have left it too late as the fire has now encircled the house, but Tiny drives them at high speed into the flames. It's a gamble that pays off and although George emerges with some fire damage, they drive directly into a river where they can extinguish any flames and take stock. 

They have emerged unscathed, and driving to the nearest township they encounter the man's wife. He quickly tells her of all that has happened, and how they have lost everything, This tugs at the heartstrings of Tiny and Martin, and after a quick chat they decide to donate the rest of their winnings from their previous race to the couple.

Once again broke, all they can do is continue on with the ranchers' race. Realising that they are only twenty miles away, they head off towards the finish line to see what happens.

A simple story, there was one panel in particular that elevated it. The panel where the rancher tells his wife that they have lost everything as they hold each other on the street is magnificent and adds a wonderfully human moment to the story. This moment could have been told in a number of ways, and this was the most realistic and emotional. The rest of the story is car action as we have come to expect, and very fine action at that, but it didn't come close to this panel at the heart of the story. An unexpected joy, I left the strip with a completely different feeling from what I entered with. I love that this comic can still surprise me, and this was one of the best surprises of recent months. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Helen...our home's gone...everything destroyed! These men saved us..."

Nipper

Nipper has found a vital clue in Crawford's office about why Crawford has it in for him, but it seems it is too late as behind him the long arm of the law has entered the room. 

Nipper reacts instinctively, charging at the newcomer, little realising that he is a policeman. As they pick themselves up, Nipper realises what he has done and he now faces a great deal of trouble.

It is Andy Stewart who has to come down to the police station to bail him out, and as you might imagine he is not pleased at all. One can feel the heat of his red cheeks radiating off the page as he points his finger at Nipper and tells him what he thinks.

Suitably chastised, Nipper returns home where he pulls out the photo he found in Crawford's office. It's a photo of the legendary "Manny" Hopwood, holder of the club's scoring record. Nipper is convinced that there must be a link between Crawford and Hopwood, and is determined to find out what it is.  

The story ends on a down note as after a strong training run Nipper is called into Andy Stewart's office. There he is informed that the editor of the Chronicle has agreed to settle out of court, but only on the condition that Blackport punish Nipper. To this end Nipper is fined two hundred pounds and suspended for the next six games, effectively ending his quest of breaking the goal-scoring record. 

Apart from the incident with the policeman in the first panels, most of this story was dominated by talking heads. Not a bad thing, especially when one of those heads is the always-on-the-verge-of-fury Andy Stewart. Faces have always been the strong point of the Nipper comic, more so than the on-field action, and this week's story once again accentuates this. Angry, surprised, and determined, we see it all here in the most expressive form. The story didn't progress much, but that doesn't bother me too much when we have delightful artwork such as this. Solid rather than spectacular, this is another good instalment for Nipper. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Right, lad! I don't care if you're the greatest footballer in the land - you're flaming well in for it now..!"

Tallon Of The Track

With the 1974 season officially over, the Ospreys are off to Russia to take part in a series of invitational meetings. There is one small delay at the airport as the pop star of the team, Sven Jansson, has to see off his fans, but soon enough they are in the air and bound for Russia. 

Things are fine for the first several hours of the flight until they hit a bad storm. A flash of lightning and the plane is hit, sending it diving out of the sky. The captain mages to pull off a miraculous landing, but as they stumble out of the wreckage they realise that they are two hundred miles from Leningrad. With no food or radio, Jo suggests they unpack their bikes from the cargo hold and ride them the rest of the way to Leningrad. 

I already know that I am going to enjoy next week's strip much more than this one. The prospect of seeing Jo and her team racing across two hundred miles towards Leningrad is a mouth-water prospect indeed. Meanwhile, in the present, I found this story rather plodding. It was all about setting up next week, and the first half of the story was heavily padded, ensuring that Jo's idea for riding to Leningrad occurs on the last panel. On the first page, we have six panels devoted to Sven farewelling his fans, and although it wasn't offensive, it did slow the rest of the story down. I did have flashbacks to Football Family Robinson and their plane crash six months ago, and I certainly hope this story doesn't become as plodding as that one.  It's hard not to look ahead to next week's issue and, much like Skid Solo in this issue, I can't wait to put this issue behind us.

Rating: 4/10

Best line: "A flash of lightning! The 'plane's been hit!"

Hot-shot Hamish 

Playing for a local Spanish team in a derby game, Hamish has found himself fouled, knocked down, and stamped upon. Now one nil down, his Hebridean temper has been aroused, and soon after the restart, he unleashes the hot-shot on the hapless opposition. 

Not only does it restore his dignity, but it also reveals his location to the passing McBrain who is looking for him. McBrain rushes to talk to him, and Hamish promises to return, once he finishes this game of course.

The rest of the game is rough and tumble, and McBrain frets that Hamish will injure himself before his game for Princes Park on Saturday. However, Hamish is made of sturdy stuff and gives as good as he gets, finishing the game uninjured and with a one-one draw. 

Back in Glasgow Hamish returns to his lodgings, only to find his Daddy waiting for him. There's trouble back on the island with oil-men, and Daddy insists that Hamish come back with him to defend the family's pride. Hamish is torn, with the football game the following day, but his Daddy is adamant as we finish the story with Daddy's impassioned plea.

Not as good as the previous weeks, but having Hamish's Daddy adds a new dimension and sharpness to the strip. He is the opposite of the relaxed Hamish, and after a relaxing time in Spain, it seems we are in for a far more intense adventure back on the island. Hamish's time in Spain finished rather abruptly, but it feels like the right time to bring the curtain down on that story. Meanwhile, the appearance of Daddy has injected a new life into the strip, and there is little time to dwell on Spain as we are thrust into the next storyline. Battle lines are being drawn, and it will be interesting to see how Hamish will go over the next few issues. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Football? Ye Canna think about footba' when yer heritage is being taken from ye! Ye're a disgrace to the name o' Balfour! Ye'll come back wi. me...or I'll shake the stuffing oot o' ye, ye Jelly-baby!" 

Johnny Cougar and Splash Gorton

While Robin Good and his men are intent on robbing an armoured van, Johnny Cougar sees his chance to strike back. Stealing through the forest he sneaks up on the cage where his pal Splash is being held. Splash sees him, and calls to the guard causing a distraction.

This distraction is all that Johnny needs, and he surprises the guard from behind. The next page is devoted to them scuffling before Johnny delivers a knockout blow and frees Splash.

We finish with Cougar striding off to give the evil ones "heap good reception" and a surprise they won't forget.

Two and a half pages and almost all of it devoted to Splash in his cage and Johnny working on freeing him. I love wrestling action as much as the next man, perhaps more, but the fight between Johnny and the guard was too long, and and a poor substitute for proper in-ring action. I have never warmed to this story. Last week I thought I had cracked it, but this week is a step down from that and I am back to my negative feelings about it. The sooner Johnny and Splash deal to Robin Good the better and we can move on to something more substantial.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Great action, Johnny-baby! The U.S. Cavalry couldn't have done it better!"

Billy's Boots

Billy has beaten the opposing centre-half twice and made him look foolish in a trial for Groundwood town. Now Thomson has revenge on his mind and Billy is warned to look out. 

A rough challenge lays Billy out, but once on his feet his old boots work their magic and he scores a goal. This pleases managers and Billy is invited to turn out of the youth team next Saturday. 

The following day at school Billy finds he has been named for the school team for the cup game on Wednesday, The rest of the day Billy dreams of what might happen with a game on both Wednesday and Saturday and then rushes home to read his book on Dead-shot Keen to see if he faced a similar situation. 

He did face a similar situation, and throughout his midweek game he was distracted by thoughts of the weekend game, as well as picking up an injury. In the Saturday game, Dead-shot Keen was never his best, his injury causing him to miss an easy goal. This revelation has Billy in two minds about what he should do in regard to pulling out of one of the matches, and if so which one.

A solid story, there is nothing too taxing here. The football action was good and we saw some of Billy's better play on the field. Off-field we see some of the self-doubt that seems to plague the poor chap, and this is just as revealing and important to the strip as anything else. Billy is never one to know his own mind and spends a great deal of the comic worrying about things. Add his whinyness to the mix and he can be rather unlikable. However I do find him sympathetic rather than annoying, and in this issue that is the side of the fence I come down on. I do hope it goes well for him next week, although it will be a lot more interesting if it doesn't. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Well, there's one thing about this football...it keeps you off the streets! Now eat this up..."

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story: Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Best Line: "Oh, John...what are we going to do? We've no home...nothing!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: