Tiger 18th October 1975

 I'm a day late with the blog this week. Unfortunately, I got caught up in the excitement of the arrival of Spring and spent the weekend in the garden rather than with my comics. It's true what they say, a man does need balance in his life. It's now Sunday evening, and with a sore back, and the dread of the approaching Monday morning, I have a couple of hours of solitary time to catch up with all my friends on the pages of Tiger. A lovely way to cap off a busy weekend, and one last chance to lose myself in the fantasy world before I return to work tomorrow. 

18th October 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

Duncan McKay is having a tough time playing against his old club Portdean, and not only is he receiving a hostile reception from his former teammates, but he is also facing a barrage of abuse from thirty-thousand Portdean supporters. Roy is worried about his temper, and rightly so, as McKay gives away a penalty and Portdean goes one-nil up. 

Roy shows some sympathy for McKay, and the rest of the team rallies around him, giving him plenty of support on the field. However, McKay shrugs this off, and as Roy scores an equaliser McKay tells him that he should have looked to pass to him. 

As Melchester are coming off at halftime, Portdean supporters spill onto the field, forcing Rovers to surround McKay in a protective ring as they walk off. In the dressing room, McKay is ungrateful, telling the team he doesn't need babysitting. This angry mood carries over the second half as McKay's footballing becomes as wild as his mood, leading to him giving away another goal that gives Portdean a two-one advantage. 

This story is beginning to blossom, and I am finding this conflict with Duncan McKay and the rest of the world quite entertaining. He seems to have trouble with everyone and it is going to take a lot of diplomacy from Roy to get him back into the fold. The football action was standard for Roy Of The Rovers, with Roy scoring with the inevitable Roy's Rocket (not yet Race's Rocket I notice). The rest of the action mainly consisted of Duncan McKay's angry face or numerous players coming at him from various angles. The panel of him giving away a penalty is a firm favourite, but the colour cover of the story got us off to a great start and laid out a lot of the groundwork for what was to follow.  The very first image captured the speed of the opposing players, and the trouble McKay was about to face with several signs of "Traitor" in the crowd clearly visible. This story is improving week by week and with plenty of conflict, it remains one of the dramatic stories in the comic. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "The ungrateful perisher! Doesn't he realise that we're trying to help him?"

Skid Solo

After an argument with a Hollywood stuntman, Skid now finds himself challenged to a race through a deserted film set (and NOT a desert film set as I first read).

The cars are old-fashioned but fast and soon the pair are off with the stuntman, Karl Hartz, taking an early lead. A broken fire hydrant sees Skid sliding off the track and towards a building. However, it's only part of the film set and Skid smashes easily through and back into the race. 

Skid catches up and takes the lead, only for Hartz to take a shortcut and regain first place. The rest of the race continues like this until Hartz attempts a jump that doesn't come off and he crashes into the water.  Skid stops to offer a lift, but Hartz is a poor loser and tells him to beat it. The story ends with the friends all smiling, and Tommy telling Skid they won't be seeing Hartz again. 

The story wasn't much, but the cars and the racing looked fantastic. Two old cars smashing their way around a film set with jumps and cars bursting through buildings appealed just as much to my middle-aged eyes as it would have when I was ten years old. I quietly parked the storyline and just indulged myself in this fun romp, and I was rewarded with dynamic art and a story that flew by in a flash. I previously hoped that this would go longer, but I'm satisfied with what we have here. The story was exactly what it should have been. We had a few laughs and some fantastic art, and we are a week closer to the new Grand Prix season. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "This is going to be rough! At this speed...hitting that wall...this car is going to disintegrate!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Tiny and Martin are preparing to go to Haiwaii, but first, they have the small problem of some squatters taking over their caravan. The squatters are adamant that they won't move on, leaving the boys to hit upon an ingenious solution. Hooking the caravan behind their car, they tow the squatters away and take them for a ride. The ride is high speed and rough before they eventually park outside a smelly glue factory. This is all too much for the squatters, and they abandon the caravan. 

Taking the caravan back home, Martin tells his Dad that they are off to Hawaii next week, but first they have to raise some money. Once again the good people of Buxton Street rally around the two lads, and with some fundraising initiatives, Martin and Tiny find they have money in their pockets as they wave farewell to their friends and family. As they drive away they have dreams in their heads of what might await them in Haiwaii, although we will have to wait until next week to see if their expectations meet reality. 

The squatters issue took a page and a half to resolve, which I found commendable. All too often the issues of the previous week are dealt with in the first panel or two, so to see it spun out into something more substantial was satisfying and gave the story an extra heft. The final part of the story was lightweight in comparison, yet heartwarming as the lads were once again welcomed into the bosom of their local community. Buxton Street and the community there help root the story, and no matter where they go or what they do, Tiny and Martin will always have a home to return to. The panel showing the fund-raising pushed the story along swiftly in a single image and propelled us to the trip to Hawaii. Tiny and Martin look very pleased in the final panel as they dream of what awaits them, and I can only hope it lives up to their expectations. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "You can't beat the Buxton Street folk! They really try to help us!"

Nipper 

Andy Stewart has ordered Nipper to leave his caravan and move into one of the club lodging houses. Nipper is unhappy with this situation, and as he talks to Mike he becomes angrier and angrier, eventually deciding that he won't go to the lodging house and will not report to his new landlady, Amy Felcher, as required.

It doesn't matter what Nipper thinks about the situation, for just after six pm Amy Felcher arrives at his caravan and drags him out by the ear. She's one tough lady, and a minute later she has Nipper in the car with a small kit bag and is driving off. Nipper is concerned about his dog Stumpy, but Amy tells him that dogs aren't allowed and that Stumpy can look after himself. Nipper yells at Stumpy to follow that car, but as they drive away he has the thought that it might be better that Stumpy find a new master as life isn't going to be worth living now, not even for a dog. 

Amy Felcher was everything I expected and more. What a wonderful character and I anticipate plenty of good interaction between here and Nipper. This adds another layer to Nipper's ongoing saga with Danny Marvin, and although we are moving away from the football pitch, the drama remains high and just as interesting. I wouldn't mind if we didn't return to the field for several weeks, as right now all I want to see is more of Nipper and his new situation. This is an opening salvo as the story moves in a new direction, and the barrage that follows should be worth every penny as Nipper prepares for war with Amy Felcher. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "What are you doing skulking in this horrible caravan? You were supposed to report to my residence at six o'clock sharp!"

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar has come out of his self-imposed retirement to fight the dirty wrester, Hardy Steele. So far Steele has steered away from his dirty tactics, but as the bout becomes fiercer he comes dangerously close to returning to his former ways. A tough call from the referee sees Steele eventually snap, and he once again resorts to dirty tactics with the strip ending with Steele catching Cougar in a headlock and about to deliver a sneaky punch. 

I was hoping that we would get to this point, and although it took most of the strip we got there in the end. Steele did his best to fight fair, and it was only through unfortunate circumstances that he was pushed to become his former self. The fight is on now, and after a month of set-up, we have finally got Johnny Cougar fighting Steele as he encountered in the past. This extra work in the build-up is paying off as we are far more invested in this fight than if Cougar had just fought Steele as his next opponent. We have a solid backstory, the drama of Cougar retiring, and the manipulation of Splash to get them here, all adding a new dimension to what is essentially a fight between good and bad. A common story, but one elevated by all the hard work that went in before. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Listen people, I'm fighting this contest fair...and what thanks do I get...none at all! It's Cougar who's forgetting the rules!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish has got young Alfie McPhee into the Princes' team, but Alfie's pal Tommy is causing trouble and roping Alfie into robbing the club's safe. Hamish catches Tommy in the act, but Tommy quickly fingers Alfie, telling Hamish that he helped get him in. 

Hamish ignores Tommy's accusations and picking him up by the neck, he hands him over to the police in a very public display. 

With the troublesome Tommy dealt with, Alfie resumes the game, this time playing freely without any worries on his mind. The result is obvious and after some fine play on the field, he sets Hamish up for the hot shot, before scoring the match-winning goal.

Although carried from the field on the shoulders of his team, Alfie still has worries, telling Hamish that he lives with Tommy and there's bound to be trouble when he returns. Hamish is never one to back away from trouble and he offers to walk Alfie back to collect his things. However, in the final panel, we see that Alfie wasn't exaggerating, and there is quite a crowd of toughs ready to sort out the Princes Park players. 

I am relieved for Alfie and equally pleased to see that we still have trouble brewing at the end of the strip. The complications of being implicated in stealing from the safe were quickly dealt with and with a sense of fairness and humanity. We didn't linger too long on the ins and outs of the situation, and Hamish moved quickly to dispense justice. This was a highlight, and the moment he dragged Tommy out onto the pitch while calling for the police was a striking image that focused the story and neatly wrapped up the halftime theft. The drama of the story is restored in the final panels, and the tense situation that Hamish and Alfie are now facing is captured well in the intensity of the faces of the thugs watching them. The artist has done a superb job of adding an air of menace to the situation, and with this final image, the story becomes a must-read for next week. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "It's a rough area, Hamish. The people won't like Tommy being taken by the police because o' me!"

Billy's Boots

Mr Harris has arrived at Groundwood school and is making an early statement by dropping all the boys who played in the first eleven who lost the previous game. This puts Billy in an awkward position, as he wasn't selected for that game, but he did end up playing as a sub. He tries to explain this to Mr Harris, but he comes across as trying to be smart. However, Mr Harris throws a ball at him, offering him a chance to win a place in the team, only for Billy to miskick the ball and have ricochet back into his head. 

Arriving home later, Billy is shocked to see an ambulance outside his house, and he fears the worst for his Gran. Approaching, he finds that she's OK, but his Aunt Kate is being rushed to hospital. This has repercussions for Billy and his Gran, as the house they live in belongs to his Aunt and she wants to sell it. Billy goes with his Gran as they search for a house to buy, and after finding one good prospect Billy runs into some local boys practicing for a game against the local council estate. As they look around the house, Billy thinks that he might play for the local boys if he doesn't make the school team, although this idea is put on the back burner when he returns to school and finds himself surprisingly picked for the school team.

A great issue with further insight to Billy's home life. Although it is a story about a schoolboy playing football with magical boots, it is these home dramas that keep me turning up week after week. They are often more interesting than the football, and a nice break from seeing Billy losing his boots in a variety of ways. I never thought a comic showing a boy and his Gran shopping for a house could be so good, but we are in an era of wall-to-wall real estate shows, so perhaps I have become conditioned to such things. I wouldn't have batted an eye if Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer suddenly appeared and asked Billy's Gran what she thought of the place. All good, humble, down-to-earth stuff, and surprisingly enjoyable. We have also had some seeds sown for a game against the local council estate, although my only thoughts were I hoped Billy lived in a better part of town than I did. If he lived near the estate I did when I lived in the UK he would more likely get shanked than score a goal. Plenty to look forward to here on several levels, and I am continually surprised by which parts of the story excite me. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "This is a nice house. Five bedrooms... twenty-five thousand pounds! And this...a bargain at twenty thousand..." 

Tornado Jones 

Tornado Jones is about to be shot from a cannon and over Wembley Stadium as we join the action this week. 

After the obligatory countdown, the cannon is fired, and Tornado Jones is shot over the stadium. The flight goes well, although his landing is rough. Hitting the safety net on the other side, Jones finds it collapsing under him and he falls onto the roof of a car below before bouncing off and crashing to the ground. He's unconscious but alive, and the next day the newspapers are full of his exploits. Propped up in his hospital bed, Jones takes it all in and considers what he might do next. 

A big stunt that didn't come across on the page as thrilling as it might have. The first page was all countdown and the safe firing of the cannon, and it was only on the second page that things became interesting. The fact that Tornado Jones only has three lines of dialogue, in the first panel and in the last couple, gives you some idea of how much the story relied on the thrill of the shot to carry the plot rather than the characters themselves. Hopefully, this introduction to Tornado will be expanded on in future issues and he becomes more interesting. As things stand now this is all a bit bland and not even the thought of a man being fired out of a cannon and over Wembley Stadium wasn't enough for me to invest more than a couple of minutes reading it.     

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Wish me luck folks...I'm gonna need it!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Billy's Boots 

Best Line: "Melchester's welcome to him! He's rubbish!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 11th October 1975

Looking at the images I have selected from each story here, I can see that this is an extremely strong issue on the art side of things.  I have long had my favourites, but in this issue, every one is a favourite.  I read the comic twice, the second time ignoring the dialogue and just eating up the artwork, a joyful experience in itself and one I recommend doing from time to time. I don't remember 1975, but I will long remember this issue, the artwork and the memorable characters.  

11th October 1975

Billy's Boots

The drama of Billy being banned from football makes the front page this week, with a group of boys surrounding the headmaster and appealing on Billy's behalf. 

Billy is called into the headmaster's office to explain himself, and Billy fears that he may be expelled. However, after explaining his side of the story Billy is reinstated into the football team 

There is further big news when the boys are told that Mister Renton, the sports master, has been promoted to headmaster at another school. Billy and his friends want to give him a suitable sendoff with a victory on the field, but unfortunately, they lose four- nil. 

Come Monday morning they are introduced to the new sportsmaster, Mister Harris. It's not a good introduction, with Mister Harris disappointed to learn that Groundwood suffered a heavy loss on the weekend. His solution - drop the entire first eleven for the next match and play with a completely new team. 

All the drama of last week was undone in just a few panels as Billy explained his way out of trouble with the headmaster. This was a disappointing start to this week's strip although I did enjoy seeing the first appearance of Mr Harris, the sports master I remember from my time reading Tiger the first time around.  The exit of Mr Renton was handled well and had a realism about it that drew me back to my own school days. The comings and goings of teachers were quite common, and to see it happen on the pages of Tiger gave Billy's Boots a real feel. This is something Billy's Boots has always done well, be it with the friendship between Billy and his pal Jimmy, or Billy and his gran, and we now see the same thing with his teachers. Placing it in the real world like this made the characters more sympathetic, and I put myself in Billy's place as I read the strip. The same could be said with the arrival of Mr Harris, and like most new teachers there is apprehension from the pupils as he arrives - especially as he is drawing a line in the sand so early on. Things will improve for the lads and Mr Harris will become a mainstay of the comic. The best part of this week's comic was the departure of Mr Renton and the arrival of Mr Harris, while the trials and tribulations of Billy took a back seat. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "I am pleased...I've been offered a place at Rexborough Technical School...as head-master!"

Skid Solo

Grand Prix season is over and Skid Solo is taking some time out in Hollywood. Skid and his pals are driving to visit old-time film actor Henry Blane when Skid is challenged to a race by another driver. Skid shrugs off the challenge, explaining to the others in the car that it's something that comes with being champion, everyone wants to beat you. 

At Henry Blane's, Skid and Sandy enjoy the hospitality while Tommy takes one of Blane's cars out to practice his driving. While on this drive he is hit by a reckless driver. There is a confrontation with the other driver aggressively yelling at Tommy. Tommy tells him that it wasn't his fault and that he has been well-trained by Skid Solo, World Champion. 

That evening the same angry driver appears at the restaurant Skid is at. Again there is another confrontation, this time with the driver challenging Skid to a race, a challenge that Skid accepts. Once the driver leaves, Skid asks Henry Blane who he is, and Henry tells him that he is Karl Hartz, a well-known stunt driver. Later Henry Blane shows Skid some films of Karl Hartz in action, and it is apparent that he can handle a car well and isn't afraid of driving in dangerous situations.

A familiar story for Skid Solo, and I'm sure we have seen him cross paths with stunt drivers several times in the past. Skid seems to have a string of wealthy friends around the US, and their hospitality is a constant theme in the pages of Skid Solo. It is a perk of his fame, and Skid is always quick to enjoy the generosity of his wealthy benefactors. With these two factors in play, we have yet to see anything attention-grabbing on the page, and although we have seen Tommy driving, and some footage of Karl Hartz, there weren't any panels featuring cars that particularly stood out. What did stand out was the cool way Skid accepted the challenge from Karl Hartz. Skid remained unflappable, accepting the challenge coldly while putting Karl Hartz in his place. We have several months to fill before the next Grand Prix season rolls around, and my hope here is that this story will be spun out for several issues and squeeze every drop of drama it can out of the friction between Skid and Hartz. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Okay, I accept...you need teaching a lesson!"

Martins Marvellous Mini

Half a lap to go in the twenty-four race, and out in front Martin has suddenly come to a halt. In the pits, Tiny is concerned, although Martin does have a large lead. 

On the track, Martin has pulled over, and looking under the car he can see that the sump is cracked. Deciding he can push on, he is soon back on track, billowing smoke. Getting to the top of the hill the car finally quits, but Martin is able to roll down the hill and push the car over the finish line for victory. 

Looking at the damage to the mini, the boys are worried but take comfort in the fact that they will be able to fix the car with their winnings. On the podium, they receive a shock when they find that although they have won a free trip to Hawaii, including entry to a race and free accommodation, there is no cash and everything is paid in vouchers. 

Once again needing money, they decide to rent out the caravan. Heading into town to find other jobs to supplement their income, they are soon offered a job doing deliveries for a local store. Their first delivery is to a field, and arriving they find that the field is the one where their caravan is. Confused, they begin to drive away but are shocked when they suddenly see a group of squatters in the caravan. 

I think we all knew that the lads would win this race and the trip to Hawaii, which meant there wasn't any drama on the first page as they battled to the finish line. The fun of the comic came on the second page as they were once again broke and looking to earn fast money. Driving for the local store provided a nice snapshot of everyday life, and the panel of Martin talking to the owner of the shop was a glimpse of small-town life in the 1970s. A little before my time, but it did look like my hazy first memories of the outside world. The final image of the squatters in the caravan also reeked of the 1970s, and I look forward to seeing more of these characters next week. It is very reminiscent of the group of hitchhikers the boys picked up a year ago and I can see they are drawn from the same stereotypes. It looks like Hawaii may still be a couple of weeks away, but I am enjoying this small diversion, and even if it doesn't have a big payoff it is still a nice period piece.    

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "No cash...just vouchers!" 

Nipper

Nipper is playing for the reserves with an anger born of his frustration with Danny Marvin who has stolen his place in the first team and put him in this predicament. This frustration is boiling over in the game, and the Kelburn players are taking advantage of it, falling to the ground whenever Nipper plays for the ball and faking fouls. 

This climaxes with a scuffle on the field - which results in Nipper and one of the Kelbrn players being sent off. Things go from bad to worse as the team eventually loses while Nipper can only watch on from the sidelines. Later, Nipper makes his way home where he hears that the first team has also lost. He tells his dog Stumpy that the manager Andy Stewart will be furious, and he isn't looking forward to facing the music the next day. 

Nipper is right, although Andy Stewart tells him that he won't take any action until he has seen the referee's report and has had a chat with the other players and officials. However, in the meantime, he wants to keep a close eye on Nipper and tells him that he wants him out of the caravan. Picking up the phone, Andy calls Amy Fletcher, telling her that one of his problem players, Nipper, is coming to stay with her. We may not be able to see Amy Fletcher, but we can hear her, and the last words we hear from the phone are her roughly promising to straighten Nipper out, even if she's got to chain him up

A strong issue of Nipper, with good football action, a wide range of conflict, and a nice little hook to draw me back next week. The opening scuffle was unexpected, especially as it was a Kelburn player who started it, and I felt the outcome was both good for the story and believable. Angry is Andy Stewart's default mode, although here it was tempered by him giving Nipper the benefit of the doubt until he has spoken with the appropriate people. The clean artwork gave us a good taste of Andy's facial expressions and also heightened the enjoyment of the football action. Sometimes the heavy lines leaden the action, but in this case it remained light and helped the story feel faster than it perhaps was. No sign of Danny Marvin this week, but his character triggered all this drama, and no matter what happens in the next few weeks I know that we will eventually return to that character who remains the crux of this whole story. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "What a whistle-man! He couldn't referee a pillow-fight!" 

Johnny Cougar

An interesting opening to this week's Johnny Cougar as we see begin in the studio of a television sports programme where the presenter is reading the football results. He is handed a piece of breaking news and goes on to announce that Johnny Cougar is coming out of retirement to take on his old rival Hardy Steele. 

From here it's a jump as we are whisked forward into the future where Hardy Steele is in the dressing room preparing himself for the fight. He is interrupted by Splash Gorton, who tells him that he's had another idea which will increase his publicity even more - he should fight fairly and beat Johnny Cougar within the rules. 

At first, Steele is angry with this suggestion but soon cools down as he realises its merits. Out in the ring he gentlemanly shakes Cougar's hand. Seconds later the fight has begun as Steele immediately hits Cougar with a drop kick. Cougar shows that he has lost none of his skills, and recovers with a strike of his own, hitting Steele in the head and sending him to the floor. The strip ends with Steele getting to his feet, his face twisted in fury, and Splash worried that he is just about to lose his cool and will fight dirty. 

An inventive start to this week's comic, and it was refreshing to see the part Johnny Cougar plays in the much wider sporting world. It would have been easy to have the TV presenter reading football results for Melchester Rovers or talk about Skid Solo, to instead see him speak of United winning a game with a goal by their Welsh International gave the story a realistic edge that helped carry the wrestling action later in the story. It was all the more believable to see Johnny take a kick to the head after knowing that he's fighting in the same world as United. I am also happy to know that it wasn't Manchester United that he's talking about, a quick bit of research tells me there were no Welsh internationals in the 1975 squad, so whatever United team won by a goal from a corner, it certainly wasn't Manchester United. Getting Johnny into the ring to fight Steele has taken a month, and we were rewarded with the impactful images of both fighters hitting each other with dropkicks. The artist has done a fine job of expressing the physicality of the fight already, but for me, the greatest achievement is capturing Steele's inner feelings with his facial expressions. The final panel of him getting to his feet spoke volumes and said much more than Gorton's internal monologue. It's taken a long time to get to this issue, but it was worth it, from its inventive start, right through to its intense finish.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Listen, hairy face, if you're suggesting I throw this fight, just to please your friend Cougar..." 

Tornado Jones

Last week we saw Aussie stuntman Tornado Jones fired out of a cannon. Although he landed well, his clothes were on fire, and that is where we pick up the action this week. 

The surrounding reports act quickly, dropping Jones to the ground and distinguishing the flames before he is sped away in an ambulance.

At the hospital, Jones recounts what happened, and how the barrel got too hot. However, he isn't deterred and tells those around his bed that he still intends to be shot over Wembley Stadium by cannon, wearing flame-proof clothing.

The day of the event arrives and all is in place. Tornado Jones tells a reporter that he would happily swap places, but once he gets into the cannon he will be fine, all he needs is a lot of luck.

A case of steady as she goes for Tornado Jones this week. The outcome of his flaming clothes was dealt with quickly, although it did take us a page for us to get the flames out and get him to the hospital. The second part of the story concerned itself with his preparations for the jump, and we did get a couple of panels that laid out his scheme nicely. It was a good piece of storytelling, and even though Tornado wasn't in the panels, I still found them essential and a key part of what was happening. Without a companion, a lot of the storytelling and exposition is between Tornado and the surrounding reporters, and they are present in every part of the story. It was reporters who saved him on the opening page, reporters at his bedside, and finally it was reporters at Wembley who all carried the story on Tornado's behalf. This could prove limiting in future, and I can't help but think that he would be better served by a companion. I don't know if this will come in future issues as for now the story is working, but there may be a time when it becomes necessary. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Right now, I wish we could swop jobs..."  

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy's celebrations of last week are completely ignored this week as we begin with Roy speaking to his team about their previous game in which Duncan McKay scored the match-winning goal.

McKay has failed to turn up at the following training session, and Roy is none too pleased about it. Roy phones McKay, and McKay tells him that since the next game is against his old club Portdean, he intends on staying local until game day. 

Roy is angry, as is Ben Galloway, who tells him that his he takes disciplinary action they will support him all the way. Roy has concerns that the media will make a meal of it, and decides to handle it his own way. 

In other news, Roy has been selected for England to play against Brazil the next month. Roy is pleased about this until he realises that it clashes with an important Melchester Rovers match, and even when he is out on a date with the lovely Penny, his thoughts linger on football. 

Penny tells him that he is turning every problem into a crisis, and Roy decides on the team bus to the next game that she is right. They arrive at the game, and instead of being angry at Duncan McKay, Roy greets him with open arms. McKay is surprised about this, and Roy tells him he has plenty more to worry about that afternoon, and we soon see what he means as Duncan runs onto the field to a chorus of boos and abuse. Things get worse as the Portdean players make sure he knows he's in for a rough afternoon, while Roy thinks this might just be the chance to persuade McKay to play for the team rather than himself.

My word, what a fine-looking girl Penny is - Roy is a fool to be out with her and thinking about football. Penny, if you ever need a man to give you the attention you deserve, hit me up, I'm always available. Penny looked gorgeous, but so too did the rest of the artwork throughout the story. It looks like David Sque has arrived on the scene and already he is making the comic his own. His style is unmistakable throughout, and there is no doubt who the genius is behind it all. The story looked great, and it read equally well as we continued with the Duncan McKay storyline. Last week's celebration was instantly forgotten, and rightly so in my opinion, as we delved deeper into the world of McKay. I liked that although he is doing his own thing, he is suffering consequences beyond both his and Roy's control. Roy has dialled it back, but still McKay is finding it difficult, and the story is well-balanced as we look ahead to the next week. The best images weren't on the field, but the more sedate panels that showed Roy in Ben Galloway's office and McKay at home on the phone. In particular, the chair that Duncan McKay is resting in looks suspiciously like one that my parents owned in the mid-70s, and I felt right at home as I read this fifty-year-old comic. Onwards and upwards, it feels like we have turned a corner here, and the future looks bright. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Oh, forget it, and let's have a dance! You're becoming a proper misery!"  

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish has introduced youngster Alfie to the team, and after a good game for the reserves he has been named in the first team. 

Despite this, Alfie still has problems, specifically his pal Tommy who insists that Alfie opens the rear window so he can slip in and steal the gate taklings on Saturday.

Alfie is torn, and on game day his mind isn't on the game at all. He has a terrible first half, and as the team make their way to the dressing room Alfie slips off to open the window for Tommy. 

Tommy gleefully makes his way to the manager's office and is soon pulling money from the safe. Hamish catches him in the act, and Tommy is angry that Alfie has grassed him up, telling Alfie in the final panel that he is going to tell Hamish everything about him, and that his football career will be over.

We didn't learn anything new about the characters, but the story continued on the trajectory set out a couple of weeks ago. With Hamish catching Tommy in the act it looks like things may be resolved one way or another next week unless Tommy talks his way out of it and extends the drama for another few weeks. I don't love this story, but I do like the artwork and it's the character of character of Tommy that jumps off the page at me. He looks bad news right away and has a weasel look about him that suits the sort of person he is. I hope this isn't the end of this storyline, he is too good a character to waste, and every panel he is in deserves a second look. While the story doesn't appeal, characters like this do, and we need more good villains on the pages of Hot Shot Hamish as it is often Hamish himself who carries the storyline. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "If ye dinna help me, Alfie....I'll tell Princes how ye've helped me in one of two shady deals before, yere football career will be over!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Billy's Boots 

Best Line: "Gosh, now I'm for it! I...I might be expelled!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 4th October 1975

 Happy twenty-first anniversary Roy Race! Today's issue, dated 4th October 1975, marks the twenty-first anniversary of Roy Of The Rovers, while this year, 2024 marks the the seventieth anniversary. A better man would have synced his blog to the date and month of the comic, but anyone who reads regularly knows that this is done for the love of the comic, and is mostly done for my own pleasure. That said, I'll take on any new readers who happen to stop by, and all are welcome to share in my love of the Tiger comic. Roy's celebration is of its era, and we have some of the sporting stars of 1975 dropping by to wish him all the best. Here in 2024, I'm wondering who will make an effort to celebrate his seventieth -  you can guarantee I will be! 

4th October 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

The cover of this week's issue celebrates a very important anniversary - twenty-one years since Roy Of The Rovers first appeared in Tiger comic. Given that this year is the seventieth anniversary of the same event, it resonates nicely with how I feel about the comic and the stories within today. 

Running onto the field Roy finds a surprise waiting for him. Dickie Davies from ITV is present to host a reel of Roy's finest moments. These highlights are projected onto a screen set up on the field and we are treated to a replay of Roy's first goal for the 'A' team back in 1954, followed by his goal in the cup final in 1974. 

Cricketer Tony Greig delivers a personal message congratulating Roy before we see another highlight - Roy winning the F.A. Cup in 1966, an auspicious year in English football. 

The story follows on in this vein, with messages from Malcolm McDonald and England team manager Don Revie, before the Tiger editor himself appears to thank Roy for his services to football. 

After all this bonhomie, the strip ends with a panel dedicated to Roy's anniversary game, with Roy heading the winning goal. 

This was a pleasant enough story, and while I greatly appreciated the celebration of Roy's twenty-one years,  it did divert us away from the recent story of his conflict with Duncan McKay. The highlights were presented innovatively, and I smiled at the way Roy has changed over the years. The best part of the story for me was the simple line when he commented on the way his hairstyle had changed, and I was reminded of the way my own hairstyle has changed over the years (and is now non-existent). Here in 2024, we are still a month away from Roy's 70th anniversary, and perhaps I shall revisit this comic to celebrate the moment. Roy's first twenty-one years were a low-key celebration, and I'm sure we can do better for his 70 years.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "I sure do, Dickie! I'd been injured for a lot of the match! That was before we had substitutes! And dig my crazy haircut!" 

Tornado Jones

Aussie stuntman Tornado Jones is on his way to Wembley Stadium, where he intends to be fired from a cannon and over the stadium. 

Calling a press conference at the stadium, he announces his plan, and that he will test the cannon the next day. 

The following day, with a group of reports in tow, Tornado Jones climbs into the cannon and prepares himself to be fired across a field and into a net This test goes well, and Jones lands in the middle of the net, although we end with a dramatic moment as it is pointed out that his clothes are on fire.

Roy of the Rovers didn't give me much to sink my teeth into, and neither does Tornado Jones. An announcement to the press, and being fired from the cannon didn't match the drama of our previous encounters with Tornado, and even with his clothes on fire this didn't become the page-turner it should have been. The final panel didn't emphasize the fact he was on fire, and the flames looked small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Obviously, we can't show people fully aflame in a comic aimed at young boys, and perhaps another fate could have befallen poor Tornado to provide some jeopardy. I find myself enjoying the character Tornado Jones, and I hope the story will ramp up in the coming weeks and provide a strong story to serve the character. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Joe, you know that and I know that...let's just hope the cannon knows that!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny are racing in a twenty-four race, with Tiny about to take his turn at driving, although he's almost out on his feet already after having a terrible sleep. 

His second stint starts badly with him driving the wrong way, but he recovers quickly and is soon pointing in the right direction. A relieved Martin can do nothing more and heads off to get some sleep himself. 

Returning to the race several hours later, Martin learns that Tiny has done well, and they still have a handy lead. He isn't so happy when he sees Tiny drive by with damaged panels on the car, but it is explained to him that there was a bad accident with a pole falling onto the track. Many cars crashed out of the race, but Tiny managed to drive through some trees and back onto the track with only a few dented panels to show for it. 

Martin congratulates him as he takes the wheel, and with a good lead the boys are already dreaming of victory and a trip to Hawaii. Tiny can already see the hula girls in his head when there is an announcement at the track that Martin has stopped with half a lap still to go. 

No real surprises here and the very best panels were saved for last when we saw Tiny's facial expression change. The race looked good, and the story told of Tiny's drive was nicely laid out. The only downside for me is it went as expected, and even Tiny's drive through the trees had a predictable outcome. This is unusual for Martin's Marvellous Mini as they usually throw in a few surprises to wrong-foot me. The very final panel had this, but by then I had already condemned this to average. Average for Martin's Marvellous Mini is above average compared to most stips in the comic, and I have given it a seven out of ten, although I know it can be a lot better than this. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Stone me! What's happened to George...he's bashed about a bit!" 

Nipper

Nipper is playing for the reserves after Danny Marvin caused him to be late for training and refused to own up to it. Nipper is furious, and before the game, he makes it clear that he will make the opposition suffer. 

This is heard by some of the opposing players who take it as Nipper thinking he is too good for them. They decide that they will take Nipper down a peg or two, and as the game begins there is bad feeling all around. 

Nipper is lined up for a heavy tackle, but he evades his man with some silky footwork, before neatly chipping the keeper for a goal. This leads to angry words between the players involved, and Nipper finds himself a marked man for the rest of the match. 

The referee becomes involved and warns all the players, especially Nipper. This plays into the hands of the opposition, and the next time there is an incident, one of the players feigns Nipper pushing him and Nipper earns a yellow card. 

A few minutes later Nipper leaps for a header, and the opposing player crumples to the ground clutching his ribs - insinuating that Nipper has kicked him. With the referee approaching it seems Nipper might be about to earn his second yellow card, but we will have to wait until next week to find out. 

I have always said that angry Nipper is the best Nipper, and we had that in spades this week as Nipper was glaring and yelling in almost every other panel. Seeing this backfiring on him, and the opposition playing to his weakness was clever. Normally I find myself sympathising with Nipper, but surprisingly not in this case. The fifty-year-old me is thinking "Yeah, the referee is right, cool it, Nipper". I am sure he will learn his lesson, and play with a level head, but for now, the other team are playing smarter. This story is the opposite of Martin's Marvellous Mini, and I have rated it lower although I enjoyed it more. Martin's Marvellous Mini always has the advantage of being in colour, and it is only in this comparison that Nipper suffers. The artwork again looks great on my big screen, and I can only wish that comics could have been even bigger in the seventies and eighties. Perhaps that is again the fifty-year-old me speaking... 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Stone Me! This must be 'clobber Nipper Lawrence' week!"

Skid Solo

It's the final race of the season, at Watkins Glen, USA, and Skid needs to win the Grand Prix to win the driver's championship. 

A determined Skid stakes to the track, and after avoiding an early pile-up, he is soon pushing the other two drivers at the top of the driver's table out in front. 

With five laps to go, all three are still inseparable, and with three laps left, Sandy lets Skid know that there are three seconds between them and it's now or never. Skid makes his move and pushing his car to the absolute limit he makes his way past the other two drivers,. It looks as though he might have overdone it, and there is a hairy moment as he goes into the corner, but manages to keep control of his car and stay on the track. 

The drama doesn't end there, and halfway around the last lap, his engine begins to blow smoke. It looks as though he has cooked it, yet he manages to hold onto this to his, and in a three-way finish he takes the victory and the driver's championship. 

A simple handshake with Sandy and the comment that he couldn't have done it without him is how the story ends, and the 1975 season comes to a close with Skid Solo once again champion. 

A soft end to a dramatic and fitting finale to the season. A handshake and a thanks? Come on Skid, you've just won the big one, show some emotion! Still, this is 1975 when men were men, and I was two years old. This race had everything you could have asked for. Close racing, a crash early on, engine failure, and Skid winning by a whisker. It has been an odd racing season, and it's only been in the last four races that Skid made his run for the championship. A lot of this season was dominated by the arrival of young Tommy, and surprisingly he doesn't appear in this issue at all. After all he has been through with Skid and Sandy this year, I thought he may have made even a brief appearance, but instead, he is nowhere to be found. With the season over, thoughts are already turning to the next season. Before all that though we will have a string of one-off races, experimental cars, and Skid driving around the world to fill the months between. I can't say I'm excited, although I do love Skid Solo, as for me this strip will always be about the race season. Still, I'm sure there will be an odd gem or two hidden in there, and the only way to find out is to read on. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "No hanging around today, Sandy. If I'm going to be World Champion...I've got to drive like one!"

Billy's Boots

Billy was dropped from his school team for showing off. Given a second chance, he was picked for an away game, only to miss the coach and have to cycle through the rain to make it. Again, his luck took a turn as the match was cancelled, although Mister Renton is furious that Billy missed the coach. 

Mister Renton has already gone, and Billy is told to put his bike on the roof of the coach and to get onboard for the ride home. As they drive home the weather clears, and the boys ask the driver to stop so they can have a kick around at the park. A five-a-side game ensues and soon the boys are splashing around on the soaked pitch. 

Things come to a muddy end as Billy kicks the ball and accidentally hits the park keeper who has suddenly appeared on the sideline. The park-keeper recognises Billy immediately and tells him that the park is closed and a notice is up. Despite Billy's claims of not seeing the notice the groundskeeper remains adamant and tells them that Groundwood School will pay to clean his suit. 

Sure enough, on Monday morning Billy is called into Mister Rentons office and held accountable for missing the coach, playing in the closed park, and kicking the ball at the park keeper. The end result is that he must pay to have the parkkeeper's suit cleaned, and worse yet, he is banned from the school team for the rest of the year. 

Billy's pals rally around him, telling him it's not fair and that they'll support him. A chant of "Strike, strike strike!" goes up, only for the headmaster to appear at the window and once again the boys find themselves in trouble. 

On the back of last week's fantastic episode, this week ramped things up and we saw Billy take the fall for all the things that had been building up. While it didn't offer the same dramatic panels as we saw last week, there was still plenty here to enjoy, and once again it was the pained expressions of Billy that caught my attention. I have often complained that Billy appears as the whiny annoying type, and while that may certainly be true, this week it was the expressions of the boy that carried this thought rather than his words. This worked better for me and I found the character more sympathetic as the story showed rather told. We have plenty more drama in store, and this season is proving to be a cracker as far as storylines go, I am well and truly hooked. With a furious headmaster in the final panel, Billy's troubles are just starting and right now it seems all the world is against him. All except his band of friends that is, and I hope the story leans into this comradeship in the coming weeks 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I know you...you're Billy Dane. I've seen you before! And you shouldn't be in here...none of you should! The recreation ground's closed...there's a notice up!"

Johnny Cougar

Splash Gorton needs to recruit the service of Hardy Steele in an attempt to lure Johnny Cougar back to the ring. However, not only is Steele a dirty fighter, but he also wants nothing to do with Splash's scheme. 

Splash's second encounter with Steele seems equally futile until Spalsh mentions the publicity Steele would gain from such an event. This draws some interest from Steele and he agrees to Splash's plan. 

Over the page, and the old pair of Splash and Steele approach Cougar's Indian camp where he has secluded himself. While Steele remains out of sight, Splash approaches Cougar, and once again he gets a frosty reception. However, Splash pulls out a movie he has brought with him, and setting up a projector he shows Cougar the previous encounter between Steele and Cougar. 

Cougar remembers the fight well, and angrily throws the film aside, telling Splash that he has tried to get revenge for many years, but Steele is too cowardly to face him. At this moment Steele appears and tells Cougar that he is ready to wrestle him, just name a time and place.

Finally, we have arrived at a moment where it seems Cougar may finally step back into the ring. It has taken some time to get here, and even this issue didn't provide a lot of drama. It was a low-key journey from A to B, and the only drama was in the opening panels as Splash met with Steele. once this meeting was initiated, everything else went as smoothly as it could, with Steele readily agreeing once Splash explained himself. Splash seems to have manipulated Cougar nicely, and I have no doubt that next week Cougar will take up the challenge of a fight. The artwork is always one of the best things about this strip, and it feels like the last few weeks have been a waste of such talent as there was only one wrestling match, sands Johnny, and everything else was devoted to following Cougar around the countryside and his campsite. Give me impactful images of big men throwing each other around the ring and I shall be very happy. Cougar talking to Splash at a campsite, not so much.   

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Publicity! That's something I'd do anything for! Maybe you're right..."

Hot Shot Hamish 

Hamish has caused a scuffle at the market, and now with a gang of toughs arriving it looks like he is in a sticky situation. However, this is defused quickly in the first panel as Hamish leaves the market and walks home. As he departs, young Alfie promises Hamish that he will recover the items stolen from the Princes Park changing room and get them back to the team.

Alfies pal Tommy thinks he's a mug for making such a promise, but Alfie tells him that he will no longer help him with his dirty work. The next day Alfie turns up early with all the stolen items and starts working hard - whitening the lines of the pitch and playing in a practice match in the afternoon. 

Things are looking up, but Tommy appears, asking Tommy where the gate takings are kept and telling him there's a lot of money to be made if there's a big crowd. Alfie reiterates that he will not help Tommy in any capacity, and continues with his work for Princes Park. 

In the practice game that afternoon, Hamish and Alfie combine well, with each scoring a goal assisted by the other, Mister McWhacker is suitably impressed and tells Hamis that they will play Alfie in the next game. Since he and Hamish have a good relationship Hamish is the one to tell Alfie. Alfie is happy with the prospect of making it to the big league, although in his head he has concerns that Tommy may ruin things for him with his thieving ways. 

A step down from the previous week, I was most disappointed that the potential fight between Hamish and Big Jackie and his brothers came to nothing. It looked like a certain thing on the last panel of last week's issue,l and to see Hamsh just walk away from it with no repercussions this week was a letdown. The story with Alfie is progressing nicely, and we have a good villain in the devious Tommy. Seeing a young lad misled by wayward friends is a familiar story for most, and I can well relate to Alfie's plight, although most of my friends now are too old to be wayward. This was a case of steady as she goes, and despite my earlier disappointments, it was still a solid episode that built on what came before and led us into a wider story that will continue next week. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Och, ye're a fool, Alfie Fancy promising to return the stuff I nicked "

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6.5/10

Best Story:  Roy Of The Rovers 

Best Line: "But I'm sure many of the grown-ups still find time to read your footballing adventures. All over the world, the name Roy Of The Rovers means something really special!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:   

Tiger 27th September 1975

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover" - My Mum.

Well, sorry Mum, you were wrong. I judged this week's issue of Tiger by the cover and was well rewarded as the dramatic opening image was matched by several more within. Even the more gentle stories still contained magic about them in the artwork work, and I was again enthralled by the craft that goes into these comics. The Premier League kicks off this weekend, and I have just enough time before the first game kicks off to lose myself in these pages and some artwork that is just as thrilling as anything I'll see on the field. 

27th September 1975

Skid Solo

The Skid Solo is on the front cover, and it's a case of another week, another experimental car to test. We are a week out from the deciding Grand Prix and Skid is called upon to test an experimental car, starting by crashing it over the side of a cliff and into the river below.

Two small wings help stabilise the fall, and after sinking to the bottom of the river the car is still drivable. This first test is a success, and Skid is called upon to replicate the test in the sea for the army.

He repeats the routine the next day, driving along the seabed and into the deeper seas. He drives past a sunken Spanish galleon, noting the name Neuvo Campeon. 

Ejecting to the surface, Skid reports what he has seen, and all involved are satisfied. However, Sandy is unhappy that Skid is taking such risks and lets his feelings be known. Skid shrugs it off, telling Sandy that he sees it as a good omen - after all, did he not pay attention to the name of the sunken ship? It was Neuvo Campeon, which translates to "New Champion" 

A great opening story and some interesting vehicles initially piqued my interest in this story. It was a shame then that there was no other great dramatic hook within, and I walked away from it feeling fairly ambivalent. We saw Skid test driving an experimental car just three weeks ago as he raced a driverless car, and although this case was quite different, the story still had the same feel. There was no high-stakes sporting drama, and it all felt like a gentle ride. I was taken by the car that Skid was driving, and could not help but notice the comparison to the underwater car driven in the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Interesting that this predated that film by two years, and although Skid Solo is no Bond, it was still a cool moment to see him driving under the sea. Although the story alluded to the season finale next week, it distracts from the championship, and I would have preferred something around the track to hype up the final race of the season. I guess it's down to personal taste, and as enjoyable as this looked on the page, it never rose above mid-level in my eyes.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Ye're crazy to do this a few days before the most important race o' yere life! What if something goes wrong?"

Roy Of The Rovers

Duncan McKay is off to a stormy start with Melchester Rovers. He's trying to do too much and on the first page, we see him caught out of position, leading to yet another angry exchange with Roy as they come off for halftime. 

The two continue to have cross words, and when Melchester is awarded a corner kick, an exasperated Roy finally loses control. He tells McKay that the keeper will probably punch it clear, and to wait at the edge of the box. This he does, and as the ball comes toward him, Roy makes a left-handed run, calling for the ball as he goes. 

Duncan McKay ignores Roy's calls, and he instead tries a shot himself. He miskicks it, although fortuitously it lands at the feet of Blackiehe scores. Rovers have edged out a win over their lowly-ranked rival, although Roy is annoyed to see the fans crediting Duncan McKay for the victory. Now he will be even harder to handle, and Roy has his work cut out for him in the next few issues.

A lot of panels of an angry-faced Duncan Mckay and Roy Race made this story tense, without strong football action to back it up. It was all about the conflict between these two men, and the story lacked nuance as we hurtled toward the concluding panels. A subplot could have cushioned the blow and I can't help but feel that this week's story was one-dimensional in comparison with some of the other multilayered stories we have previously indulged in. It looks like there is no break in the weather on the horizon, and I fear the next few issues may be more of the same with the strip dominated by Roy and Duncan glaring at each other. I was happy to see the appearance of Duncan McKay in the story, but now I just want to see him bed into the team and become the best player he can be.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "They should be eating these second division sides for breakfast! Sort 'em out, Roy!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

After six hours of the twenty-four-hour race, Martin has handed driving duties over to a nervous Tiny. There is nothing more Martin can do but hope that Tiny maintains the lead and he heads off to sleep.

Out on the track, Tiny finds driving at night quite an experience. First, he has trouble with the glare of car lights in his mirrors, and then he comes across a car that has slipped off the track. Towards the end of his shift, he even falls asleep at the wheel, but luckily he recovers just in time.

Tiny hands the car back over to Martin, telling him that he has lost the lead but they are only ten seconds behind. Martin is happy with this and sets out to restore the lead as best he can.

Meanwhile, Tiny struggles to fall asleep. When he finally does, he has a nightmare about driving and finds himself waking up on the floor next to his bed. He gets up and makes his way trackside for his second drive, only to be told he is an hour early. The crew beside the track observe that he is still half asleep, and wonder aloud if he's fit to drive.   

David Sque has done an outstanding job with the art in this week's issue, and I especially commend him for the facial expressions of Tiny. The image of him during his nightmare was evocative, and only matched by the final image of him practically falling asleep on his feet. It gave the strip a lively dimension unmatched anywhere else in the comic, and although it's not my favourite strip this week, it's close.  The car racing wasn't as dramatic as one might expect but it was more than made up for by the drama carried in Tiny's face as he battled his demons and wrestled with his fear of driving. This has laid a solid foundation for next week, and I expect it shall be the same high standard as we storm into October. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Well, there's nothing you could do, if he started to go round in reverse, chum! You'd better go get some sleep...you'll soon be back behind the wheel!"

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar has told Splash that he is finished with wrestling. Splash is worried about his pal, and has a plan to get him back in the ring. If Splash could just get Hardy Steele to agree to a rematch against Johnny, he is sure that the Indian matman would come out of his self-imposed exile. 

Splash goes to one of Steele's bouts, and over the next couple of pages, we get to see the dirty tricks he gets up to. Not only is he a dirty fighter, but he is mean with it, and this is emphasised again and again in the fight before he is finally disqualified.

In the locker room, Splash approaches Steele and tells him of his plan to get Cougar back into the ring. Steele isn't having a bar of it, telling Splash that he doesn't do favours for anyone. 

Johnny Cougar is again absent in his own comic as the action focuses on Splash and his manoeuvrings. This week was building up the character of Steele, and this was done efficiently through the bout we were shown. We saw that he is a strong character, a dirty fighter, and he has a mean streak that bodes well for any challenge against Johnny. Apart from this introduction, the story didn't progress much as the foundation was laid for the story to be built upon in the coming weeks.  We still have a least one more episode, and possibly more, before Splash wins over Steele, and then Johnny Cougar, from where we stand now it looks like this story may run for quite some time. I wouldn't be surprised if this current storyline wraps up at Christmas, just in time for Johnny to wish everyone a happy new year. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Fighting back, eh? That's naughty..." 

Billy's Boots

Billy has been dropped from the first eleven for showing off, but he has a chance to redeem himself as he comes on as a substitute.

Billy's usual position as centre-forward is taken by Grant, so he takes up a position in midfield. He is stable in this position, getting an interception and a couple of nice passes which begin to win over the sports master. His best moment comes near the end of the game as he gathers a loose ball, and with a long pass up the field, he picks out Jimmy Dawson. Dawson knows what to do and feeds the ball through to Grant who scores the winning goal in the dying moments of the game. 

Mister Renton still has doubts, but Billy is redeemed in the eyes of several near Mister Renton, and he reluctantly agrees to play Billy again in the next game. 

Game day rolls around, and a coach has been laid on to get the Groundwood players to the game. Billy is just setting off to meet the rest of the team when his Gran calls to him. She's sick, and as it's pouring with rain she wants Billy to go get some medicine for her. Billy is desperate to make the coach, but he is unable to say no to his poor old Gran so he dutifully heads off to the chemist. The rain and a long line at the chemist see him missing the coach and Billy is forced to bike to the ground, getting soaked in the process.

It's all for nothing, for when he arrives at the ground he learns that the game has been cancelled. Jimmy Dawson also tells him that he is in big trouble for missing the coach and that he has never seen Mister Renton so angry.

This deserves a higher rating than I gave it, and I think the only thing missing was some on-field action. Billy's magical boots played no part in the story and we instead stayed firmly in the realm of the angsty school boy and his ever-loving Gran. This was executed well on the page, and we had several panels that displayed the full dismay of Billy as the situation was spinning out of his control. Billy riding his bike through the pouring rain was a highlight, but so too were the moments he was with his Gran and being a dutiful Grandson. I think most could relate as Billy did the right thing by his Gran and went to get the medicine, which meant that when he missed the coach there was an element of sympathy for the lad. This draws the reader deeper into the story, and even though it is quite some time since I was a schoolboy, I still felt every ounce of Billy's pain and his situation. It was a highly believable scenario, and one step removed from the magic boots gave it a grounding that it doesn't normally have, making for a top-notch story buried mid-comic. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I suppose I will have to go myself then. I didn't want to go out in this weather...not with my cough."

Tornado Jones

Arriving in Britain, Australian stunt rider Tornado Jones miss-timed his jump off the ship and crashed his bike into the side of the dock. 

He sinks beneath the waves, and reaching the seabed he finds his foot is caught in the bike. The frog men looking for him can't find him, and it is left to Tornado Jones to save himself, eventually freeing himself and swimming to the surface.

He immediately calls for his second bike, and speaking with the captain he tells him that he will try again. This second attempt is far more successful, and the crowd are suitably impressed when he sticks his landing. 

After a brief line about never giving up, the strip ends with Jones asking to be taken to Wembley Stadium, where he intends to be fired from a cannon. 

Tornado Jones unfolded as expected, and although it didn't offer up any surprises, it did bring the twitch of a smile to my face. There is nothing too serious here, and nothing that grabbed my attention and demanded that I read further. In the simple story of a man jumping his bike, we learn more about the character of Tornado Jones as he insists on completing his stunt. Visually it looked great, and it was the artwork that carried us along more than the plot. I would be happy to look at this art all day, and although the story stayed firmly in second gear I was quite happy with all I saw. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Except for feeling like I've been walked on by a herd of elephants, I'm fine, mate. Now stand back!"

Hot Shot Hamish

On the back of Hamish's recommendation, youngster Alfie McPhee has been offered a month's trial. However, while Alfie was on the pitch, his pal Tommy was nicking everyone's wallets out of the dressing room. And it's not just wallets, he has stolen their clothes and anything not tied down - a whole lorry load.

While Alfie and Tommy drive off, the Princes Park team discover they have been ripped off. While most of the team are worried about what items they have lost, Hamish also has a moment to worry about Alfie and his situation.

He is still concerned about Alfie and later that day he wanders the market with some money he plans to donate to Alfie. However, he stumbles across a stall selling his kilt, bag and jacket, along with a host of other items taken from Princes Park changing room. Hamish is enraged and in a furious moment, he overturns the stall and smashes up the market. 

His rage finishes and suddenly as it starts, and surveying what's left of the market he appears contrite. However, the trouble isn't yet over for the big man, as Big Jackie and his brothers appear, demanding to know what the fuss is about and threatening to thump Hamish.   

We saw the full range of Hamish in this week's strip, and I am reminded why I like this character so much. His heart is always in the right place, and even when he is angrily smashing things it is always for the right reasons. The panels of Hamish smashing up the market dominated this week's comic, but it was a quiet panel near the end of the story that caught my attention. Big Jackie and his approaching brothers had a quiet menace about it, and Hamish naively has no idea what is about to unfold. It said a lot, and although it's not my favourite panel in the story, it was the most essential. As always with Hot Shot Hamish, the plot is secondary to the interaction of the characters, and this was a fine example of that as Hamish the gentle giant, looked after the less able in his team. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "When I find the mon responsible for this, McBrain...he'll pay dearly. It's a cowardly trick to play on our footballers."

Nipper 

Nipper is furious with his teammate Danny Marvin for not owning up to the accident that made Nipper late for training, and things are about to come to a head as Nipper storms onto the training pitch to confront Marvin. 

Nipper is left fuming as Marvin denies any accident, telling the other players that Nipper is just angry because Marvin has taken his place in the team. There is nothing that Nipper can do, and he resigns himself to his fate, returning to Andy Stewart's office just as he puts up the team sheet, with Nipper destined to play for the reserves. 

The one good thing in Nipper's life is his girlfriend Kerry, and it is her that he turns to now for comfort. Kerry listens patiently to Nipper's problems, before telling him to persevere, after all, class will show through in the end. 

Later Nipper arrives at the reserves game, where all the team give him a hard time about what has happened. Nipper is steaming at this and by the time they take the field, he is at boiling point and about to erupt. 

A little peep behind the curtain here. Normally I write this blog on my battered old laptop, but because of the way things panned out this week, I ended up using my desktop for the final story, Nipper. On a larger screen, the art looked sensational, and after being lowkey about the art in Nipper previously, this was a revelation. The detail jumped out at me, and the scenes of Nipper and Kerry made it all the more intimate. The milk bar panel was a highlight, but it was only the first of three excellent panels which were the highlight for me. The following panel of the couple walking down the street was equally affecting, and it was all capped off by the close-up of Kerry's face as she encouraged Nipper to keep going. It would have been my panel of the comic, had my heart not already been swayed by the image of Billy riding his bike in the rain in Billy's Boots. My love affair with this art (and Kerry!) greatly influenced my feelings about Nipper this week, and although I don't care much about the shenanigans of Danny Marvin, I loved digesting every panel. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "There's nothing to own up about! Lawrence is just narked because I've pinched his place in the first team!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Billy's Boots 

Best Line: "GRRRRRR! I'm fed up! I've had my clothes pinched... and I'm no' standing for ye lot throwing things at me!" 

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: