Tiger 20th September 1975

It's all Messi's fault. 

I thought I had plenty of time to finish today's post before I headed down to the pub to discuss fantasy football with some friends. However, seeing Billy Dane scoring a Messi-esque goal with a backheel sent me into the wilds of the internet to find a comparable picture. Several hours later, and about a hundred YouTube clips, I made it back here only to realise my time was rapidly running out. I'm not complaining too much, anytime spent in the company of genius is worth it, but after watching peak Messi it was a comedown to read about Billy Dane and his friends. Billy may have scored a beautiful goal, but he still has a long way to go to reach the heights of Messi. Still, it does have those magical boots.... 

Tiger

20th September 1975

Johnny Cougar

The mystery of Johnny Cougar continues this week the story opens with Splash watching him ride off on a horse. Splash is still in the dark about Johnny's strange mood and disappearance, and secretly following Cougar on a bike, he is hoping to get some answers.

It's a rough ride, and after following the trail of hoof marks through the woods, Splash comes across a teepee and a horse grazing nearby. Cougar is camping out Indian style, and Splash decides to sneak a little closer to see what it's all about. 

However, Johnny is one step ahead and has set up an early warning system, which of course Splash unwittingly stumbles into. 

Johnny is on him in a flash, but after realising it's only Splash he lowers his fists. The situation isn't entirely defused, and Johnny angrily tells Splash that he just wants to be left alone. He was tired of everyone, tired of wrestling, and tired of wrestlers cheating. He is done with the whole scene and just wants to be left in peace. 

Splash rides away, but is still determined to get Johnny back into the ring. A seed of an idea is germinated as he rides off - he will attempt to organise a match against Hardy Steele, a wrestler who beat Johnny unfairly many years ago and a wrestler that Johnny has always wanted to meet in a rematch. 

If a wrestler doesn't wrestle, is he a wrestler? That thought danced in the back of my mind for the majority of this week's strip. The story remains intriguing, and in the final panels, we see wrestling on the horizon. However, my interest always falters when Cougar is away from the ring, and as curious as I was about his whereabouts, it wasn't quite enough to compensate for the lack of wrestling. Obviously, that will change soon enough, but first, we need to set up this back story to motivate Cougar to get back to what he does best. I did enjoy seeing Johnny Cougar on the front cover, and he always looks bigger and stronger in colour. His horse also seemed particularly muscular, although its legs were foreshortened in the first panel, and it did look like Cougar was riding a miniature pony, albeit a very strong one. The story is beginning to emerge from the mists of the last couple of weeks, and next week should see things leap forward as Splash hopefully signs both Cougar and Steele to a fight. I look forward to some clarity and hopefully some heavy-handed in-ring action. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Cougar heap sick of the world! Sick of meeting matmen who do not fight fair. Sick of tensions and trouble! No longer wish to be a wrestler! Cougar live here in peace"

Tornado Jones

How exciting, a new story this week. Tornado Jones is an Australian stunt rider, and a British boy reading of his exploits in the newspaper is our first introduction to him. He is in the paper having failed to jump the Sydney Harbour Bridge, hardly an auspicious start.

A few panels on, we meet Tornado Jones proper as he is pulled from Sydney Harbour. With his latest stunt a disaster, he decides that everything in Australia is just too big, and he is considering trying his luck in Britain, where everything is smaller. 

In a nod to the times in which this story is written, he sails to Britain aboard an ocean liner, and we pick up the story with him just about to arrive in Southhampton. He decides to impress the local crowd with a display of his prowess on the bike and arranges with the Captain to jump his bike from the deck to the dock thirty feet away. 

Tornado Jones looks confident, but as soon as he takes off the ramp it becomes clear that he won't make it. In the final panel of the story, he crashes hard into the side of the dock, where one onlooker has the gall to say he might even be dead. 

I highly doubt he will be dead, son, this is his first appearance in the comic, and it wouldn't be much of a story if he dies in the first issue. Oh dear, what would the readers think? What this reader thinks is that this story is covering a lot of similar ground to Tallon Of The Track, the story that it is replacing in the comic. Fast bikes, a smattering of stunts, the same artist, there were panels here that felt like they could have existed in either story. This familiarity helps give the story a jumpstart, and I already have a good feel for the story being told. Tornado Jones isn't the same type of compelling character as Jo Tallon, but he does have his own charm that holds the story together, at least so far. This story drew heavily from the period in which it was written, and it was a time warp to see people travelling between Briain and Australia by liner, along with the talk of everything being bigger in Australia. It once again highlighted the love affair that Britain seemed to have with Australia at the time, and as a proud New Zealander, I can only watch on bitterly as Australia is portrayed as the land of plenty. I shall carry my grudge onto the rugby field. I am reluctant to read too much into the first issue of a new story, and I do have some reservations about the potential silliness that could unfold with a stuntman for whom everything goes wrong. I love humour in my comics just as much as the next man (I refer you to my love of Hot Shot Hamish), but I wouldn't want to see this become a series of failed stunts. Only time will tell how they play this, and I have faith that it will be a well-balanced story with plenty of laughs along the way. The Tiger writers have never let me down before, and I will read on confidently. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "He's hit the edge of the dock! He could be killed!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

It's been a long time since I have seen a 24-hour race, so I look forward to seeing how Tiny and Martin will go with their exploits this week. 

Tiny is still nervous about having to drive part of the race, but Martin reassures him, explaining the schedule they will drive to. There is a clever bit of exposition at this stage with the race organiser explaining the rules to the pair, and educating any reader who might not be familiar with how a 24-hour race works. 

The race starts with the competitors running to their cars. Martin wins the footrace and is away first. It doesn't count for much, as there are various classes of cars on the track, and soon most of the fast sporty cars have gone by. Martin isn't too concerned, they only need to win the Mini class they are in. 

After six hours, Martin comes into the pits to swap drivers. He has built a handy lead and tells the nervous Tiny just to do his best to maintain the lead. Tiny takes this advice and roars out onto the track, while Martin looks at the table and sees that he has entirely forgotten his orange juice, coffee, chewing gum and gloves! He can only hope that does better on the track. 

There was a lot to like here, and several moments of pure joy. As the boys are preparing the car, Tiny shows Martin that he has installed a device to hold their coffee cups and juice while they are driving. Tiny is ahead of the times and wasted on the pages here, he should be working for a car manufacturer. A cup holder in a car, who could imagine such a thing - it's bound to catch on. The dialogue between Martin and Tiny before the race was outstanding, with Tiny all nerves and Martin trying to reassure him. It had a natural flow to to it, and in a world full of bravado it harked back to a simpler time when men were men and Tiny was a nervous wreck. These softer moments between the two friends mean much more to me after accumulating fifty years of life experience, I find I am reading the comic differently from when I was a boy. I used to jump from action to action, always craving some excitement on the page, whereas now I like these quiet moments and taking pleasure in the two friends just spending time together. It mirrors my own life and the good friends I have, and it is always a treat to see it appear on these pages. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "It's no good Martin...I'm not up to driving in a big race like this! I'm not good enough! I'll only let you down!"

Billy's Boots

Billy is playing a trial game for one of the school's lower teams, and with most of the team being useless (I believe that's the correct technical term) he isn't given much chance to shine. That changes when he receives the ball and finds himself in space. With a mazy dribble (or amazing dribble if you like) he beats several players before rounding the keeper. To add salt to the wounds, Billy then turns his back to the goal and backheels it in. 

It's a great goal, but Mister Renton isn't impressed and perceives it as showing off. The opposing team isn't impressed either, with the goalkeeper threatening Billy. Revenge is dealt out the next time Billy receives the ball and he is smashed between two heavy defenders (I want to say fat, but it's 2024. No doubt they'll get participation medals after).

Billy scores again in the game, but it isn't enough, and he doesn't make the school team. Mister Renton doesn't want a showoff on the team, and that is the label he has given Billy. 

At home, Billy sits with his Grans and reads Dead-Shot Keen's book to see if anything similar ever happened to him. The same thing had happened, and Billy reads that Dead-Shot was dropped after upsetting some of the older players with his style of play. 

Billy is comforted by this, and on Saturday he is at the ground to support the team. One of the substitutes has to leave early, and he asks Billy to take his place on the bench. Billy is reluctant, but there is nothing in the rules about it, so he agrees. As luck would have it, the substitute has no sooner left than there's an injury on the field,. Mister Renton is surprised to see Billy is the sub, and Billy quickly explains the situation. There is nothing Renton can do, and he sends Billy on, but not before sternly warning him that if he larks about he will be finished with the school team for good. 

It was only a trial game for a school team, but the first page saw Billy drawing on his inner Messi and destroying the opposing team with his dribble. It temporarily derailed me, and I did waste quite some time watching YouTube videos of Messi after reading this story, ostensibly to find the below photo, but also because I can't help but marvel at his pure skill. Billy was wrong to humiliate the keeper as he did with the backheel, but honestly, with a haircut like that, the keeper deserves all he gets. Next time Billy should chip him and then hold him down and shave his head. Bad hair head cuts aside, Mister Renton's attitude is one of many coaches I have met, and one I find myself agreeing with more often as I get older. It is all about the team, especially at that age and skill level. Looking back at when I used to play, and that's a long way to look back now, it isn't the goals or flashes of brilliance that I remember (although I'm sure there must have been some) but the laughs I had with my team on and off the field and our now legendary trips away. I remember Brad Clarke puking after drinking too much at the hostel far more than I remember any of the goals he scored (Sorry Brad!). Billy may not agree with Mister Renton now, but in fifty years he will look back and remember the laughs with Jimmy Dawson far more than he remembers this backheel goal. Although, who knows, maybe this goal will be the greatest thing to ever happen to Billy. I certainly hope not.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "That is not the sort of thing I like to see! It's just showing off!"

Who did it better - Billy or Messi? 

Skid Solo 

Skid must win the Canadian Grand Prix to have any chance of winning the title of World Motor-Racing Champion. The crowd is behind him, the car is in good shape, and as the race begins Skid gets off to a solid start in fifth place.

Smith and Von Vargen are the early front runners and after the first quarter of the race Skid begins to make his move, sliding by  Jean Corbonne and moving into fourth place. 

The drama comes shortly after as the rain begins to fall. It's heavy, and soon the track is awash with water and crashed cars. Most of the other cars come in for rain tyres, but Skid stays out on the track alone and he is soon building himself a lead. 

With the return of the other drivers, the race is on, and Skid is pleased when Sandy finally shows him the board where he sits with a twenty-five-second lead and ten laps remaining. The final ten laps see some close racing, but Skid clings onto his rapidly dwindling lead, eventually crossing the line to snatch the race by a mere half-a-car length. 

Congratulations are offered in the pits, and several drivers commend Skid for a fine drive without the aid of rain tyres. Skid then reveals that he was actually driving on rain tyres from the start having earlier checked the weather forecast. The strip ends with a final look at the driver's table, where Skid now sits just two points behind the leaders and the season rapidly coming to a close. 

It seems Skid is the only one who checks the weather forecast before a race. This isn't the first time this has happened, and surely one of the other drivers learnt their lesson from the last time. Skid is a great driver, and in the world of Tiger comics, he is also the smartest. That makes him hard to beat, and it's surprising he hasn't led the driver's table all season. This story worked well to get Skid into a position to challenge the championship, and the tension is ratcheted up at just the right moment. Most of the season has drifted by, but finally, we have something to play for and Skid is peaking at just the right moment. Although I was disappointed with aspects of the story, and obviously the angle where Skid was the only one to check the weather, overall I was very happy with what was achieved and the race itself. The racing in the wet looked great, and we had one very memorable panel of two cars crashing out of the race. I would have enjoyed it even more if I hadn't watched the 2024 Belgium Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago, and reading this all I could do was think about the difference between Formula One racing in 1975 and 2024. I laughed at Martin and Tiny's coffee cup holders earlier on the strip, but the difference between F1 then and now is even greater, and almost an entirely different sport. I'm not sure how Skid would go nowadays driving as part of a team, but I have no doubt that Sandy would have loved to be in his ear the entire race with instructions and advice. 

Rating:7/10

Best line: "Not so good! No-one's going to like this! But...maybe they'll all like it less than I do!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Duncan McKay is officially a Rover, and the story starts this week with Duncan introducing himself to the team at training. The team take to him straight away, and although he is aggressive, they all admire his spirit. However, this aggression causes problems at the end of the season as Duncan asks if he can continue to train with Portdean until he gets himself a place in Melchester. Roy refuses, pointing out that they only have three training sessions before the next leg of the league cup. The two exchange angry words before Duncan storms off, furious with Roy's attitude. 

Roy is equally unhappy with Duncan's attitude and is worried about what the future might hold. We find out soon enough as next Wednesday rolls around and Duncan McKay takes the field for the first time in Rovers colours. The crowd are anxious for him to do well, and Roy has even written a letter in the program welcoming him to the club (although I did notice he spelt his surname incorrectly).

The team is desperate to do well, and all the players are running around like a bunch of amateurs. Roy can see that they need to slow it down, and taking the ball himself he runs into some space. He can see Mervyn Wallace is free to his left, but when he fires the pass, Duncan McKay intercepts it, determined to prove his worth to the team.

Mervyn is in a good position to shoot, Duncan McKay is not, and he dribbles the ball into the box where he is confronted by a wave of defenders. However, he unleashes a shot, much to the delight of the crowd, although it flies easily over the bar. McKay is encouraged by this, but in the final panel, we can see Roy is concerned that McKay is playing for himself rather than the team. 

 I want to rate this higher, but Duncan McKay is letting me down in his first game. He is also letting down the players in the team, and clashing with Roy. It makes for good reading, although at the same time, I also feel uncomfortable. As someone who was always taught that the team is everything, it is uncomfortable for me to see a team misfiring in the field, with one player ineffectually dominating the play. We are also seeing something similar playing our In Billy's Boots, although I feel for poor Billy more than Duncan McKay. He was likeable enough in the first panels, but that quickly wore off when he crossed Roy. Roy was in the right in this case, McKay should be coming to the training, after all, he is a professional being paid by Rovers. A good goal may change my opinion of the man, but until then I will be team Roy all the way. It is to the credit of the writer that they have created a believable story and character that makes me uncomfortable - I will read with interest to see how they redeem him and make him the integral part of the team he will become. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Er, sorry Duncan...I do mind!"

Duncan will not be happy when he sees Roy has spelt his name wrong!

Nipper

Danny Marvin looks to have stolen Nipper's place in the team, and at the end of the last issue, he was driving recklessly by Nipper when he lost control of his sports car as it raced towards a milk float. In the first panel of this week's issue, we see the outcome of that, with Marvin managing to pull out of the skid and hitting the milk float with a glancing blow. 

Marvin doesn't wait around to see the outcome of his actions, but Nipper does and he pulls alongside on his bike to check on the milky. The milky is unharmed, however his vehicle isn't so lucky and not only are most often milk bottles smashed, but the axles are bent. Nipper takes time to drive the milky back to the depot, as well as stopping by to report the incident to the police. 

All this makes Nipper late, and he arrives at Blackport stadium fifteen minutes after training has started. He has his excuse at the ready, but holds his tongue, thinking about the consequences for Marvin if he was to be suspended so early in his career. Nipper decides it would be best if Marvin explained what happened, although Marvin remains silent while Andy Stewart demands an explanation. 

Andy Stewart isn't shy about expressing his displeasure, and not only does Nipper get bawled out, but he is also dropped for the next game and put in the reserves team. Nipper stews on this for a whole thirty seconds before he decides that it is not worth all this trouble to protect a teammate and the strip ends with Nipper storming the pitch, yelling that he wants a word with Marvin. 

This storyline with Marvin and his rivalry with Nipper is a good hand, but it is the artwork that holds all the aces. Each panel is a story within itself, and I find more to enjoy week after week. It started strong with the artwork and all it brought to the table with the backstreet herbalist, and each week it has built on that solid foundation to where we are now. The first panel would be an obvious highlight, as was the entire first page. The second page continued in a similar vein, and although the scene of the action changed, the intensity and fluidity of the art style did not. Previous issues of Nipper have almost been heavy-handed, but of late it has become both brighter and lighter, and paired with a story mining a similar style, this feels a lot faster, and dare I say it, better. Nipper has a lot of problems at the moment, but his artwork and plot aren't one of them.    

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Nipper's going for you Danny as if he hates him!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

Hamish has found a promising young player at the local recreational ground. He offers him a chance to try out for Princes Park, but little does Hamish realise that he's inviting a heap of trouble. 

Alfie, the young player in question arrives at the ground, and while he gets himself ready his mate Tommy appears at the changing room window, asking to be let in so he can steal everything within. 

Alfie doesn't want to get involved, but Tommy comes in anyway while Alfie takes to the field. Out on the field, Alfie performs well, although some of the Princes Park players take umbridge to his flashy style and he finds himself heavily tackled as the game progresses. Hamish isn't one to stand by while an injustice takes place, and he steps in to protect Alfie, delivering a verbal barrage that is backed by his size.  

The game ends and Mister McWhacker tells Hamish that he will take Alfie on for a month's trial, at fifteen pounds a week. Again Hamish steps in to protect his man, telling Mister McWhacker that it is not fair and he should be giving Alfie twenty pounds a week, to which Mister McWhacker agrees. 

Alfie can see that Hamish is doing a lot to help him out, which makes it all the more shocking when the strip ends with Tommy calling to Alfie to hurry up as he has swiped all the wallets of the players out of the changing rooms, including Hamish's. 

Top stuff, with not much humour but plenty of pathos dripping from the pages. I'm not sure who I feel more sorry for, Alfie for his poor choices of friends that is blowing up on his face, or Hamish for naively picking a player up from the local recreational ground. Both have their hearts in the right places, and it's just circumstance that has landed us in these awkward outcomes. We all know that Hamish has a volcanic temper, and already I can see sparks flying come the next issue. Like Nipper before it, Hot Shot Hamish also contained some of the best artwork of the issue. It was the little details that added to the feel of the story, as you can see in the panel below. Look at the position of Hamish's hand, one can sense exactly what he saying to Mister McWhacker, and how he is saying it. It's all in this single detail, and one knows in a flash that it is an intimate conversation taking place. Hamish has the biggest heart of anyone in the Tiger comic, and little moments of genius like this from the artist mean that this strip also carries the largest heart in the comic. There is more feeling on these pages than anywhere else in the comic (although sometimes Martin's Marvellous Mini gives it a run for its money) which is why Hot Shot Hamish is, and always be, my favourite story.   

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Yere pretty, pretty stuff will get ye nowhere, mon!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Hot Shot Hamish  

Best Line: "Ye cut that oot...or ye'll find ma fist stuffed in yere throat! The wee laddie's only trying to win a place in the team!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 13th September 1975

 "In Football,  everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team" 
 - Jean-Paul Satre 

After this week's issue, I am sure Roy Race would agree with the above quote. Despite his player Gary Fane playing out of his skin, it is all undone by the opposite team and their outstanding goalkeeper. It is a scene we have seen play out countless times in the world of football comics and in the real world. Mbappé scored a hat trick and a World Cup final and still walked away a loser. Gary Fane surely earned his place in the Rovers team with a great, although ultimately goalless performance. Billy Dane played without his magic boots and....oh well, not every football story plays to type. The football stories in this week's issue were all of a high level, but again it is another performance in the comic that relegates them all to the second tier. Tallon Of The Track bids us farewell this week, and her final performance shades all the football stories and sees her ride off into the sunset on a high. We have had quite a run together, and I shall miss her feisty countenance glaring out of the page at me. Just like football, she too is facing complications from the opposing team, and this week we will see it all put to bed in a satisfying conclusion. Opposition team or not, Tallon Of The Track must finish, and this week it does. 

Tiger

13th September 1975

Billy's Boots

Billy is rubbish without his boots, and we get a good example of that on this week's cover as he blasts a shot over the top of the goal. Not an auspicious start to a trial for Darnbury Rovers and things don't improve for Billy as the trial goes on. 

After the match, Billy is politely told he is no longer required, while his new friend Dave is offered a contract. 

Back to the reality of the school trial, Billy meets the 'D' team he is trying out with. It is a motley group of boys, and many have attitudes as poor as their playing abilities. Mister Renton, the sports master, is unhappy with what he sees and tells Jimmy that it's all kick-and-rush football and there isn't a footballer amongst them. Just at that moment, Billy gets the ball, and Jimmy tells Mister Renton to wait a minute. In the final panel, we see Billy with the ball at his feet and the thought on his mind that it has to go alone as it's now or never.

The final panel of the story was Bily's best moment, but as far as artwork and plot, the real gems all appeared earlier. The subplot of Dave and his trial was dealt with quickly and efficiently and we had a tidy finish to that part of the story. Billy's trial for the school team gave us a few more interesting characters and the sight of the boys Billy has to trail with gave us a fabulous insight into the uphill battle he will be facing. It added a touch of humour, and a moment of despair from Biilly, before finally giving us the moment we had been waiting for as Billy began to dribble the ball. Several ups and downs throughout the story kept things spicy, and the final hook made this one to watch for next week. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Awful! I made a right idiot of myself! I wish I hadn't gone...but I had to take Dave. How did the school trials go?"   

Roy Of The Rovers

The Melchester Rover's board is determined to sign Duncan McKay, but Roy thinks that young wing Gary Fane might be the solution to their problem. 

Gary Fane plays a great game against Burndean, but the Burndean keeper has an equally good game. Despite Rover's best efforts they just cannot score, and to make matters worse they concede an unlucky goal right at the end of the match. 

Coming off the field with a 1-0 loss, Roy meets Sam Barlow, chairman of the Rovers board, who tells him that he is happy to see Gary Fane had a great game, but they still have their heart set on signing Duncan McKay. With that, the die is cast, and the strip finishes with Duncan McKay signing for Rovers a couple of days later.

Duncan McKay is now officially a Rover. The next step will be getting him on the team sheet and out on the field. There will surely be more drama wrung out of this, and this is merely the first stepping stone to a wider story. McKay's appearance was only fleeting, and the story this week mostly concerned Gary Fane. This delivered some strong football action, and I must admit I was just as frustrated about Rover's inability to score as the board of directors were. Fane is still young, and as we all know you don't win anything with kids. I think this may be the last we see of young Gary, and with the arrival of Duncan McKay, he will soon be forgotten. I liked that the opposing team played well, all held together by their goalkeeper. Such is football, and I'm sure we can all recount times when one team clearly outplayed the other, only to be undone by a great keeper and an unlucky goal at the other end. Jean-Paul Satre would understand, as would any other football fan around the world. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "There was! You did the right thing to have a go, Gary! It's not your fault that Dawson has picked today to play the game of his life!"   

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The boys have entered a 24-hour race to win a trip to Honolulu, but first, they must qualify in a twenty-lap race. Martin tells Tiny that they'll have to share the driving in the twenty-lap race, as that's what they will expected to do in the much longer 24-hour race. Tiny is petrified by this thought, and they both know that Tiny isn't a very good driver. 

Martin takes to the track, determined to build a large lead before Tiny takes the wheel. The changeover comes halfway through the race, and Martin has built a solid twelve-second lead, almost half a lap, as he hands over to Tiny. 

He tells Tiny to drive with his foot to the floor, but despite Tiny's best efforts, the lead has dwindled to a mere two seconds as they approach the final lap. One car manages to edge by him, but Tiny knows that it's the top two cars that qualify, and he determinedly drives his foot flat to the floor for the final stretch, coming in second, but only just, and earning a place in the next race.

Good action in the second half of this story and the race had some of my favourite artwork in this week's strip. However, it was trumped, in my opinion, by the wonderful sight of Tiny and Martin doing laundry in the opening panels. There was a naturalness to this, and although these panels were mere exposition to explain that Tiny would have to drive, it was presented in a realistic domestic scene that made it believable to me. It also placed the story firmly in the real world and once again showed the domesticity that lies at the heart of Tiny and Martin's friendship. One could easily imagine them sharing a flat together, and living a simple life far from the race track. As far as the racing is concerned, it is all going to plan so far, and it looks like we are on course for that trip to Honolulu. Tiny's driving should again provide an opportunity for drama in the longer race, and this should be unmissable action. A great racing story, but my heart is stolen by the sight of two boys in a caravan hanging out their washing. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Ooops! I'd rather stay a mechanic than be a driver!" 

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar is in a brutal fight against the American champion, Kolchak. Last week was heavy-hitting, and this week continues in that vein with both wrestlers unleashing heavy blows. However, it is Johnny who suffers the worst of it, and he loses by knock out. 

Splash comes to him after the match, and Johnny tells him that now he remembers. Splash asks more, but Cougar tells him no more questions, now he has provided his loyalty he must leave immediately. 

This is all very suspicious, and as Johnny leaves Splash decides to follow him Keeping a safe distance he follows Johnny through town, and then only a train. Johnny gets off a Windmarsh, whereupon he climbs onto a horse and rides off. 

It's a strange situation, and Splash needs to solve the mystery as soon as he can. 

It is quite a mystery at the moment. Johnny is only playing a bit part in his own story, and just like in previous weeks, it is Splash who is carrying the storytelling. It feels like we watching Johnny from afar, which is essentially true, as the story is told from Splash's perspective. Despite the cold feel of the story, I am intrigued, and with solid art throughout, one feels drawn to the story. The final sight of Johnny riding off on a horse was compelling and only served to raise more questions -questions that can only be answered by reading next week's issue. I guess in that case, I'll be back next week for more.  

Rating: 7.5/10 

Best line: "Right, driver...as they say in all the best dramas...follow that car!" 

Skid Solo 

The Canadian Grand Prix is on the horizon, but first Skid takes part in a small race meeting in America. 

After the race, Professor Miller, an electronics professor, tells Skid that he can design an electronic driver and eliminate all human error from racing. 

A few days later this self-driving car has been built and the Professor shows Skid and Sandy the innards of the car where all the electronics control the speed and the lines the car will take. 

The Professor wants to race against Skid to test his car, but before they do this he gives a quick demonstration. The self-driving car speeds along the straight, directly toward two cars parked across the track. Just as it looks like a crash is inevitable, the Professor yells "Stop" and the car comes to a halt in front of the parked cars. 

The two race to see just what this new car is capable of in a race situation, and it exceeds all expectations. It drives consistently at the limit, and nothing Skid does can get him past it. This continues for lap after lap and after ten laps Skid is still behind. 

However on the final lap, Sandy exclaims that Skid is in front, and as he crosses the line the electronic car is nowhere in sight. The Professor wonders how this is possible, but Skid offers a sly explanation. On the back straight he managed to get alongside the electronic car and yelled "Stop" With that the car dutifully stopped, and the rest of the race was easily Skid's. 

This story is forty-five years ahead of its time. Self-driving cars are now available, and I can only assume that Professor Miller was snapped up to work for Google or Tesla. The self-driving car aspect of this story was entirely believable, and the only break with reality that I suffered was when the Professor built the car in only a few days. He must have also built a time machine while he was at it. The rest of the story was a little too simplistic for my liking. I enjoyed seeing Skid behind the wheel and battling against the electronic car, but there were no real stakes to it and at the end of the day it was all just a bit of fluff. The real positive in the story was the artwork and the imagination to come up with such a concept. I may not have brought into it entirely but it looked great and had a unique appeal. Futuristic at the time, it has now found the right time and place, and in 2024 it was a believable and enjoyable read. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Do you think he really can build an automatic car, Skid?"

Hot Shot Hamish

Princes Park is two-nil up at halftime and playing with a lot of young reserves. The opposition team knows this and as the second half begins they decide that they will run these young reserves into the ground.

The Parcross players turn up the heat, and soon enough the Princes Park youngsters begin to wilt. Their inexperience shows, and they have failed to pace themselves. Parcross scores, and with ten minutes to go they are only a goal behind. However, Mister McWhacker brings on some reserves and instructs the team to give it the big boot. This Hamish does with authority, and Prince Park holds on for a narrow victory, their first of the season. 

In the dressing room, the team management can see that they have too many young players and too many old players. There is no balance to the team, and it is decided they need to ging a new player to link up between the defence and the attack. 

Wandering home that night, Hamish comes across an amateur game. One player stands out, and Hamish enquires after him. An older gentleman tells Hamish that the player might be available, and after the game we see this man talking to the player, telling him that he has a chance to make an honest living for once.

Good action, and a nice set-up for the future. I wasn't fussed by the final panels, and the introduction of the new character failed to excite me. That will change next week when we get to know him better, but for now, the real joy was in the football match that dominated the first half of the strip. The sight of the Princes Park players struggling with their fitness was captured well and remained just on the right side of humourous. It never became too far over the top (that was reserved for Hamish's big boot) and added to the story rather than detracted from it. There was also a warm and natural moment between Hamish and Mister McWhacker as Hamish left after the game, and this smallest of touches felt so natural that I instantly recognised the moment from my own experiences, At that point, I was no longer reading dialogue on the page, but experiencing something that naturally occurs in everyday life. A fantastic little detail, and once again it beautifully offsets the more extreme moments of the strip.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Ye've got to thank Hamish, Boss...he seemed to be playing in every position!" 

Nipper

Danny Marvin is dazzling the fans with his footwork, while Nipper sits on the sidelines wondering if he has lost his position in the team. 

However, it is clear to Nipper and Mike Beatson that Danny Marvin isn't a team player. It looks as though Andy Stewart sees things the same way, and Nipper is quietly pleased to see Andy Stewart speaking sternly to Danny Marvin after the game. 

Back in the real world, Mrs Brodie has asked Nipper to view her paintings in his role as a general dealer. He has forgotten his appointment, and to make amends he sets off immediately to go have a look. 

Danny Marvin is driving his car and sees Nipper on his bike. Marvin decides to give Nipper a scare and speeds by him. He is still laughing about it as he finds himself in the path of a lorry. Swerving to avoid a crash, Marvin's car gets out of control and is heading directly towards a milk cart as the story ends on a cliffhanger. 

A nice mix of football action, and action off the field. Nipper didn't feature in the football side of the strip, but he made up for it as we saw him riding his motorbike. The villainous Marvin is not to be outdone, and he tops the sight of Nipper on his bike with a fantastic image of Marvin in his sportscar. It's a scene stealer, and just as essential as the final image of him crashing towards a milk cart. I am surprised by how much I am enjoying this, and I think in large part it is because of the artwork. It shows us different aspects of Nipper's life, and with a lighter touch, the story suddenly seems to move much faster. Previously it had been muddy and murky, but in this week's issue, the panels of the car and bike on the road are crisp and clear, making the story move just as quick as the vehicles. It's not the first time we have seen some interesting-looking cars on the page, and once again we have returned to an old-fashioned-looking sports car. It has the right feel for the strip, and along with the evil face of Marvin, makes the story all the more appealing. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Well, if it isn't Blackport's wonder-boy! Let's give that old outfit of his bit of a roasting!"

Tallon Of The Track

Jo Tallon is desperately trying to prove that Billy Bolton is on the payroll of the Ruxford Ravens while trying to sabotage Osprey's team from within. Her photographic evidence isn't what she thought it was, and Dave Trent is far from believing any part of her story.

Her journalist friend Pete has an idea. Bolton probably has his bribe money at the tack, so while Jo forceable bundles Dave Trent into the dressing room, Pete pulls the bribe money from Bolton's locker. 

They rush back to the track, with Jo hoping that Dave will see Bolton's sabotage play out on the track. A clean start gives no indication of what is about to unfold, but soon the story explodes as we see Boltons discreetly pulling on his own teammate's jacket. It is enough to cause a crash, and Dave sees every second of it, convincing him that Bolton is guilty as charged. 

Bolton is found guilty by the speedway authorities and banned for life. Jo receives an apology from the Ospreys board and is offered her job back. All is well that ends well, and in the final panel of the story, we see Jo where she rightfully belongs, on her bike roaring down the track past her assembled teammates. 

Goodbye Jo Tallon, and thank you for two years of great memories. It's hard to write about this single issue with so many memories crowding my mind. My thoughts drift to the previous plot lines and scraps that Jo has found herself in, and she lived a full life across the last two years. This was a solid finish for the story, and although it wrapped up quickly we still managed to tick all the boxes and give Jo a happy ending. It didn't reach its previous fights in terms of art or plot, and only a couple of images truly stuck in my mind. The villains lost, Jo won, and Dave and the team are again united behind her. All is right in the world. Next week sees the arrival of a new story in the form of Tornado Jones. He has large boots to fill and had better get off to a fast start. No matter what happens next, Tallon Of The Track will always have a small piece of my heart and in particular, Jo was outstanding as a female lead in a male-dominated comic.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Gentlemen, speedway isn't just a job to me...it's my whole life! I'll be at the stadium first thing in the morning!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Tallon Of The Track 

Best Line: "This thing in front is a real marvel. It takes up a perfect line for every bend...and goes around as if it was on train lines..." 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 6th September 1975

Duncan McKay is in the building. After being teased for a few weeks, this is the issue where we first see him in action, and he doesn't disappoint at all across the pages of Roy Of The Rovers. The joy of his appearance is bolstered by the quality of the artwork in this issue, and after a careful read, I am convinced that this is one of the strongest issues we have had in terms of art. Each story severed a platter of interesting and arresting art, and the choice of my favourite artwork was a tough one. I could have selected any number as a favourite, a testament to the quality of the work in this week's comic. There is not a single disappointment, and although not every story runs on all cylinders plot-wise, the art is reaching new heights and continuing to impress. I don't remember much about 1975 (I was two years old) but I am sure that I will remember this comic for some time. Welcome Duncan McKay to your new home. 

Tiger

6th September 1975

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar is on the front page of this week's Tiger, and we are into the action straight away. After it looked like Splash would have to fight Kolchak by himself, Cougar appeared at the arena without a word and entered the ring to do battle himself. 

The fight against Kolchak is a brutal affair, with Johnny electing to use aggression over finesse. Fighting on raw anger, his first-round performance is poor, and in the corner, Splash tells him so. 

Cougar treats his words with indifference, and as the second round begins Johnny fights in the same style as before. The only words spoken to Splash were to tell him that Cougar was fighting to prove his friendship, using deeds, not words. 

Johnny gets the worst of it in the second round, and with his aggression misplaced, Kolchak gains the upper hand, the strip ending with a fearsome forearm connecting with Johnny's head.  

With Johnny remaining unresponsive, and fighting with an aggression we haven't seen before, he is barely recognizable as the character we have journeyed with over the years. This makes it difficult for me to warm to the story, and although I appreciated the fighting action in the ring, I remained detached from Cougar, and the story itself. That said, the in-ring action is superb, and we had plenty of hard-hitting moments for those who enjoy such things. The brutal edge elevated the action, and once again the artist brought plenty to the story as he made this action leap off the page. A little more humanity in the story would be welcome, at the moment it is poor old Splash who is carrying the load on that front, but despite my reservations about the characters in this story, there is no denying that I am anxious to see how this fits into the context of the wider story. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "What gives? Johnny-baby storms in here, without a word to anyone, then starts fighting as if he's a baddy instead of a goody!"

Billy's Boots

Billy's seaside holiday is over and he is on the train home. Sitting opposite Billy and his Gran is Colin Burns, manager of Darnbury Rovers. Billy isn't shy about speaking to Colin Burns, and he asks for a trial for his new friend Dave who plays goalkeeper.

Oddly enough, Colin Burns accepts Billy's assessment of his friend, and a trial for Dave is arranged. Billy writes to Dave immediately and a date is set for that Thursday. 

Back at school, the sports master is preparing for the football season. The school has entered the Southern School league, and Mister Renton tells the boys that it will be a tough competition. Even so, plenty of boys sign up to play, and they have enough players for four teams. A school trial is set for Thursday, which unfortunately for Billy also clashes with his friend Dave's trial with Darnbury. 

Billy tells Mister Renton of his problem, and Renton tells him he can trial with the D team, although he will have to play well as they are all useless. Billy readily agrees, happy that he can still make his appointment with Dave. 

Dave and Billy arrive at Darnbury for the trial, and Dave encourages Billy to get his kit on and play too. Billy again shows that he has some confidence for a young fella, and he quickly gets changed. On the field, he starts well, despite not having his boots. However, after doing a great run, Billy passes the ball off so he doesn't have to shoot at goal, only for the pass to come straight back to him and the strip ending with Billy having to take a shot in unfamiliar boots. 

The most striking part of this story is the opening panels when the manager of Darnbury readily accepts Billy's recommendation with a " "If he's as good as he says you are, then I'm interested...". Although it's a comic, I can't bring myself to accept this as believable (oddly enough I can accept Superman flying) and I inwardly cringed at this line. I also cringed when Billy had the front to even ask in the first place, although that says more about me than Billy. I would never have the confidence to ask such a thing from an adult, and I don't even think I would speak to an adult when I was Billy's age. Billy is obviously a better man than me, and we see his confidence resurface later in the comic as he takes the field to try out. I was surprised to see this, given that he didn't have his boots with him. This confidence is misplaced as we saw in the final panels as he falters with a chance to shoot. Once again I am cringing, which bookends this week's issue nicely, and I will read the next instalment with trepidation as Billy continues without his boots. It's all in the title, surely he should know better. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "If he's as good as he says you are, then I'm interested..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

After drifting out to an island underneath a caravan that acts as a balloon (don't ask) Tiny and Martin now find that the tide is coming in and the Mini and caravan risk being flooded. 

Once again the balloons in the caravan save the day, and the two friends inflate them beneath the car and caravan to act like a raft. 

This works better than expected (and much better than I expected) and they float away from an island and reach the safety of the mainland. Here the fairground owner approaches them and asks them if they would like to do more stunt work, a question they respond to with a resounding "No". 

The boys hit the road, looking for money and adventure, and as is often the way they see a poster beside the road advertising a twenty-four-hour race. They make some inquiries and find that the race organises already have too many Minis. To get around this, there will be a Mini race to decide who can take part in the main race, a race worth entering as the first prize is a trip to Honolulu. Tiny and Martin are greatly enthused by this, and judging by their faces, they are already dreaming of the sun and surf. 

The balloon story wrapped up quickly, and although I loved last week's issue, I think that was the right call before we became overwhelmed with silliness. This week we returned to solid ground, as the boys made it back to the mainland and their next adventure. Apart from sailing off the island, there wasn't a lot of action this week, and what there was all occurred in the first part of the story. However, the art amply made up for this, and there were some fantastic panels of the lads' face and their reactions. This lifted the story in my eyes, and although we didn't see a lot of the Mini, we were treated to plenty of interaction between Tiny and Martin. That is no bad thing, and judging by their reactions in the final panel, I think we can safely assume that they will win their upcoming races and earn a trip to Honolulu. Good times ahead if they do, and I think some time in Honolulu will do all of us some good.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Nothing doing!"

Roy Of The Rovers

In the first part of this week's story, we see the fallout from last week's disastrous first match, with Ralph Derry laid up in hospital with a cast on. Speaking among themselves, the team realise that he will be out for most of the season. Roy tells them that he would like to give an extended run to Gary Fane, although the directors have aspirations to sign the Scottish international Duncan McKay from Portdean. 

Roy drives with Ben Galloway to see Portdean's next match and check out Duncan McKay in the flesh. They aren't the only ones taking an interest, and there is an array of managers at the game to see his performance. Duncan McKay delivers, and we see him controlling the defence with confidence, leading from the front, and scoring a goal in the second half. All are impressed, although Roy has reservations about his three hundred thousand pound price tag. 

At the board meeting, Roy insists on giving Gary Fane another chance. He explains that he has concerns about Duncan McKay's dominating attitude, and tells them that he may not be good for the dressing room. 

With the chance to save three hundred thousand pounds, the board agrees to give Gary Fane another chance before they make any signings. Come Saturday, things look promising as Roy puts a perfect through ball to Fane, and the strip ends with Roy hoping he can prove himself or they face taking on the unpredictable Duncan McKay. 

 Another historic day to mark in your calendars - the first proper appearance of Duncan McKay. It had been mentioned in earlier comics, but this is the first time we get to see what he looks like and what he can do on the pitch. I wasn't disappointed by any of it, and after this single issue, we can already see what a good footballer he is and have an insight into what sort of person he is. I can understand Roy's reservations, and we had a good balance in the story of the positives and negatives of Duncan McKay. I'm pleased we finally have him appearing on the page, and after a couple of weeks, I was beginning to wonder exactly when he would arrive. Just in time, as I'm not known for my patience, and I could feel the storyline gain momentum with him on the page. I'm unsure how long Roy will persist with Gary Fane, and the sooner he gets Duncan to sign on the dotted line the better, as far as I'm concerned. It's not the greatest of issues, but one well worth noting and I'll long remember the first time we saw Duncan McKay play.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "I think I will auction my plaster when it comes off, lads! It should be worth a small fortune with all your autographs on it!"  

Skid Solo

It's the day of the Monza Grand Prix and all the talk is of the battle at the top of the table between Sparrow Smith and Von Vargen. With Skid only taking one point from his last three races and only three races left in the season, many are writing him off. 

However, Skid is determined and as the race starts he shoots out to the lead. Some aggressive driving keeps him there, although, with two laps left, Von Vargen is making his move. Skid still has the lead, and Von Vargen misjudges the corner as he goes to pass Skid, crashing off the track and out of the race. 

Skid stops to check on Von Vargen, and as he does Sparrow Smith drives up. Skid waves Sparrow on, telling him the Von Vargen is OK. 

This costs Skid the race, and although he pushes Sparrow Smith hard to the line, Smith just edges him. This gives Smith a ten-point lead on the driver's table, although all three drivers know that if Skid hadn't stopped he would have won the race. Skid is the on-form driver and things could be a lot tighter at the top of the table. 

The Monza Grand Prix didn't break any new ground and there isn't anything here that we haven't seen before. The action was good, and the Grand Prix delivered what we expected, which is part of my problem - it delivered what we expected. There were no surprises, no plot twists, and nothing out of the ordinary here. Skid drives well, is true to his character in checking on Van Vargen, and still has a slim chance of winning the championship. This strip could have been from  1969, 1973,  or 1979 and I wouldn't have known any different. That said, it looked great, and the sight of the cars racing around Monza delivered all the action panels we have come to expect from a Grand Prix race. With a chance that Skid could still steal the championship we should be for a tense last two races, and I expect the drama to be cranked right up by the time we reach that final race. No surprises there either, but I'll buy what they're selling.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "He's okay, Sparrow. Just a busted car! Keep going!"

Tallon Of The Track

While Jo rushes to the track where Billy Bolton is about to sabotage his own team, her reporter friend Pete heads off to develop the photos they took of Bolton accepting a bribe from the manager of Ruxford Ravens.

Jo arrives and watches on as the Ospreys win their first races. Things change in the third heat as Bolton rides for Ospreys, partnered with Debenko. Bolton is in the lead when he suddenly slows. The crowd thinks his engine has stalled, and things get worse as he fights to control his bike. It comes to a head when he crashes on the track, taking Debenko with him. 

Jo is sure it's part of his scheme, and when Pete arrives she can't wait to show the evidence to the team. Ignoring Pete's call to wait, she storms into the pits and pulls the photo from the envelope. It is then that Pete catches up with her and says this is why he was trying to tell her - the photo was taken as they fell from their hiding place, and shows only the ceiling of the room where the money was changing hands. 

The final photo that Jo produces may not be good, but the images through this strip sure are. The first panel is a doozy, and the rest of the story continues in this vein, delivering a variety of eye-catching images. The artist James Bleach does a stupendous job of capturing all the action while giving the characters real emotion, making this far more than a story about bikes. Bikes I can take or leave, but I care about what happens to these characters on the page and that is the magic of this story. It looked as if Jo was finally going to triumph over her nemesis Billy Bolton this week, only for her haste to prove her undoing as she finds she doesn't have the evidence she thought she had. This gave us more artistic delights as we went from the early harried drama to the sight of bikes on the track, before finally resting on the faces of the lead characters in the final panels. Beautifully paced across two pages, this still is accelerating as we hit the final straight, and with a couple of deft manoeuvres we should soon be over the line.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Bad luck, my eye! Billy Bolton is simply earning his bribe money - he's succeeded very nicely in giving the Ravens that heat!"

Nipper

Nipper is in trouble with Andy Stewart after seeing a back-street herbalist to fix his injured leg. Stewart has subbed Nipper off at halftime, and Nipper isn't backwards in letting Steward know how feels about this. 

Angry words are exchanged, and Nipper backs down as he understands Andy Stewart's thinking. Wishing luck to Danny Marvin, Nipper's replacement, Nipper takes his place on the bench next to Stewart.

Danny Marvin is a confident player and is soon showing his flashy skills on the pitch. After a silky run, he ignores his teammates, and elects to have a shot himself. It should never be a goal, but it takes a deflection off an opposition player and goes into the goal. 

This only pushes Marvin to greater heights, and he showboats on the field. Watching on, Nipper is worried that this flashy play will him his place in the team, and Nipper might never get back on the field.

The smug look of Marvin speaks volumes about what sort of character he is. Like Tallon Of The Track before it, this story hinges on the characters as much as the action on the page. Nipper was absent for the last page, yet Marvin carried the plot forward, playing well while becoming villainous in the process. This gives the story a double edge, with the drama between Nipper and Andy Stewart still to be played out, along with the repercussions of his injury. We are off to a fast start to the football season, and already the cricketing storylines feel like distant memories. I've been waiting all summer for a cracking Nipper storyline, and now we are rewarded with just that. Brilliant artwork, a great villain, and dramatic football action - just the way I like. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "They should give the goal to Marvin! It was his solo run that made it!

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish is being tapped up by two men from Marborough United. There are no Panorama cameras to catch the moment, but Hamish is well aware of the illegality of the situation and sends them on their way with a bee in their ear. 

Meanwhile, in Mister McWhacker's offer, McWhacker is listening to the director of Marborough tell him that he's poaching Hamish. McWhacker points out that that is illegal, and his words are backed up by the appearance of the two men who were sent around to speak to Hamish, both looking flustered and dishevelled after being run off. 

Mister McWhacker calls on Hamish, and although Hamish isn't home his neighbours are, and they tell him of Hamish's hard training and subsequent damage caused. Mister McWhacker leaves a message for Hamish that he's in the team, and must be at the park on Saturday to play. 

Hamish is overjoyed, and even more so when he learns that four of the youngsters from the reserve team have also been named. On Saturday, Princes Park starts brightly and they are soon two goals up. The only dark cloud on the horizon comes from the opposing team's team talk at halftime, as the manager tells them that Princes Park is playing youngsters who will run out of steam, and it's time to show them what real football is about. 

I have just noticed that the angrier Hamish gets, the stronger his accent gets. We have a fine example here as he turns down the two men visiting him about signing with another club. His Scottish accent goes up several notches, and although you may not understand what he said, you definitely understand his meaning. The opening panels were sublime, with the very first image taking the perspective of looking up. This made the men visiting Hamish seem more forceful and stronger than they perhaps were, but also gave us a sense of how Hamish felt when he was confronted by them. These first panels were also interesting from a historical perspective and a reminder of how prevalent tapping up was long before the scandal of 2006 (which in itself is almost 20 years ago. Unbelievable). The more things change the more they stay the same. The strong opening panels gave way to consistency throughout the strip, and  Julio Schiaffino's work looks just as good on the last page as it did on the first. With the strip turning towards football, we saw Hamish in full flight, along with some contrasting characters, all of which gave the strip a sense of movement, and a chance for Julio Schiaffino's work to shine just as much as the characters on the page. This is another strip with several contenders for my favourite art, only pipped at the post by earlier strips that had already caught my eye. Lovely to look at, and a strong ending to a mighty issue.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "It's no'legal to speak to a player about playing for another team...wi'oot permission! I'm staying with Princes Park...get oot o' here!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Tallon Of The Track 

Best Line: "And I don't think it'll be easy! McKay isn't popular with the other players, and he's a born individualist! His dominating style might be good for Melchester" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: