Tiger 29th November 1975

Tiger is reaching a peak at the moment, and I feel it is much better now than it was a couple of years ago. Some of the weaker stories have disappeared, and all the stories we have now are well embedded. The artwork continues to delight, and each week feels better than the week before. We have had some interesting plot twists of late, and several stories are coming to a peak just in time for Christmas next month. Sometimes, this blog can feel like a chore, but this week, I flew through it, happy to be reading stories that were all delivered in a variety of different ways.    

Tiger

29th November 1975

Johnny Cougar

It's a pinfall each between Johnny Cougar and Ossie Ostrich as this week's action begins on the front cover. Johnny offers Ossie a box as a gift for his efforts so far, but it's all a practical joke, and Ossie gets a surprise as a large inflatable snake springs out of the box.

From here, it's straight into intense wrestling action; all jokes are put aside as Cougar begins tossing Ossie around the ring. Ossie responds strongly, hammering Johnny with a series of head butts and kicks. It seems only a matter of time before Johnny falls, bad he outfoxes his opponent, and as Ossie comes in for the kill, Johnny throws him over and onto his head, ending the bout with a knockout.

This was silly from start to finish. From Johnny's first surprise gift to the look and style of Ossie's fighting, there was a lot here that I shouldn't have liked. Only, I liked all of it. The cover was colorful, and despite being silly, I wanted to see what it was all about. In the ring, Ossie looked all sinewy and stringy, yet he gave Johnny a worthy fight, and Johnny had to dig deep to overcome it all. It looked great, and I loved it despite myself. It's time I dropped my snobbishness and just enjoyed it for what it is: a boys' comic about an Indian wrestler. This week, I laughed at the right places and ate a huge slice of humble pie as I finished the strip with a grin from ear to ear. Top stuff, and I'm on board for wherever we go next. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Okay, man, quit with the clowning...you've got a fight on your hands...and it's gonna be a tough one to win!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy's dance card is full, with a vital league game coming on the same day as an England game. Roy is wrestling with what he should do as he arrives for the fourth round league cup match against third division giant killers Tarbury. 

These worries are clearly showing on his face as he arrives in the team room, and Duncan McKay growls that he needs to focus as there will be no glory in beating the team they're about to face, but if they lose, the fans will turn on them

On the field, McKay's anger is still on the rise as they see the Tarbury fans have hung their mascot in the goal mouth. Roy quickly deals with this mascot, but further trouble follows as the Tarbury fans throw a streamer. The streamer misses Roy, yet still causes damage as Roy injures himself trying to avoid it.

Despite this injury, Roy takes the field. Initially, he performs well; however, after one weaving run, Roy crocks himself as he shoots at goal. 

Roy's injury sees him leave the field, and it is Duncay McKay who steps forward to rally the troops. McKay gives a rousing speech, yet the story ends with Tarbury breaking away towards the goal and Roy watching from the sideline wishing he'd never come off.

From where I sit, Roy's injury doesn't look too bad, and I'm sure if Taffy had some magic spray, Roy would be able to continue. Interesting to see Duncan McKay showing good on-field leadership here. He's only been at the club for six weeks, yet already he is a player that the team looks up to and responds to. I can't say I was overly enthused by this story, although the art held me enthralled. Roty looks good, even when the story slows. There is a lot of internal dialogue going on as Roy sorts out his feelings about which game he should play, and this is slowing the strip down. There is still good football action, but it is tempered by Roy's thought process and the thought of what's to come. Not a good lesson on mindfulness, and I just want Roy to focus on the here and now rather than what's to come. Still, that's 2024 thinking, and I'm sure mindfulness is the last thing on the mind of any Melchester player in 1975. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Let's show him that we might just be able to do without him for one game...by thrashing the daylights out of Tarbury!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The great New York to Moscow rally has started, and we are dropped straight into the action with the lads speeding down the motorway.  

There is some discussion about whether this is the right direction, and Tiny reassures Martinb, telling him to drive and he'll handle the navigation. Tiny's confidence turns out to be misplaced, and they are soon back where they started and now half an hour behind the rest of the field. 

Once again heading off, they make good time, and after stopping for a look at Niagara Falls, they cross into Canada. Entering Canada, they find the weather changing, and they are caught in a snowstorm. The snowstorm makes driving treacherous, and the inevitable happens with Martin driving off the road and into a ditch. 

Leaving the car in the ditch, Tiny and Martin find the nearest house. The house is guarded by an unfriendly dog, which sets the scene when an equally unfriendly farmer opens the door holding a shotgun. 

Quickly explaining to the farmer what has happened defuses the situation, and the two boys ask if he could use the tractor to pull them out. The farmer refuses to go out in the weather but tells them that they are welcome to use his tractor themselves. The tractor is in the barn, and as the pair prepare to back it out, they suddenly find the entrance blocked by the appearance of a large brown bear. 

1975, long before Google Maps or Apple Maps. How different this strip would be if Tiny had a smartphone and good coverage. Mind you, the drama of taking a wrong turn wasn't the only dramatic moment on these pages, and quite a bit happened this week. I did question whether the boys would take time to take in Niagara Falls, but I guess this may be their only opportunity to see them up close before they eventually return to Blighty. We did get the stereotypical snowy Canada in this strip, with snow appearing almost as soon they crossed the border into Canada. This was merely the start of their problems, and I wasn't surprised to see them run into a ditch. Neither was I surprised as they approached the farmhouse for help. I'm sure we have seen a similar scenario at least a couple of times in the last few years, although the final twist with the bear was new to me. This was another strip that dialled up the fun. I couldn't take any of it seriously, but I seriously enjoyed it and found the balance is just right as we head into next week's adventure. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Just let me do the navigation...you watch the road. It's tricky enough with all these road signs..."

Nipper

Nipper has lost his place in the team to Danny Marvin but has finally made his way back to the first team and is on the bench as they take on the Swiss team Zalmo. Danny Marvin is still cocky and trying to do too much, a fact that is obvious to the Blackport fans who are chanting for Nipper to come on. 

Andy Stewart finally makes the call, but just as Nipper is about to be substituted in place of Danny Marvin, John Breakspeare suffers a bad injury and comes off instead of Marvin. 

Nipper comes on and delivers Andy Stewart's instructions to Marvin. Marvin listens to Nipper and then ignores the advice. Once again, he tries too much fancy stuff on his own and loses the ball. With Zalmo in possession, things look threatening, but Nipper is covering for Marvin and wins the ball back. With the ball at his feet, he breaks down the wing toward the goal, much to the delight of the fans. Still on the ground after losing the ball, Marvin watches on, vowing to make more trouble for Nipper than the whole team put together. 

Finally, Nipper and Danny Marvin are thrown together into a game situation, and the sparks are flying just as we expected. We haven't reached the peak yet but things are escalating and I'm rubbing my hands with excitement with what might come next. The thing that grabbed my attention most in this story was the name of the injured player - John Breaskspeare. At first, I thought it must have been a mistake and that he had broken his leg, but no, he was actually John Breakspeare. Curious; I don't remember seeing this player before, and I would definitely remember a name like that. Strange, but I liked it, and it did make me pause before plunging deeper into the Nipper and Marvin storyline. Next week promises much, and I hope the seeds planted here bloom into a great storyline next week.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "He's finding out that the European Cup is a lot different to the league football, boss!"

Skid Solo

Skid, Sandy, and Tommy are on their way back to Britain after their overseas adventure. The trio are flying from Rome and enjoying an inflight movie about racing cars. The movie they are watching shows a race car driver becoming ill while driving and pulling into the pits. In the points, the older mechanic takes control of the situation, taking the driver's seat and driving the car to victory. 

Sandy scoffs at the film, telling the others that it's totally unbelievable. The others nod in agreement, but soon after, the air hostess comes down the aisle to speak to the older gentleman next to Skid. This gentleman is identified as Squadron-leader Ellison, and the air hostess has picked his name out of the passenger list. She quickly explained the situation to the squadron leader, telling him that the flight crew had been taken ill, seemingly from food poisoning, and they required his assistance on the flight deck. 

The squadron leader agrees to go, and he asks Skid to come and assist him. On the flight deck, the pair find the flight crew unconscious and are greeted with the news that they need to land the plane. The next half page is full of drama as Skid and the squadron leader guide the plane down through the fog. It all ends well with a safe landing before a final panel of Sandy quipping that he doesn't believe it, it is just like the film, and Tommy replies that maybe one day he'll have to take over a Grand Prix car for Skid. 

I'm with Sandy; this was totally unbelievable. Totally unbelievable and totally great. Another story where all the signs pointed to me hating it, yet I walk away satisfied with all I have read. A large part of this can be attributed to the outstanding art. The look of the old squadron leader was spot on, as were the concerned faces as they attempted to land the aircraft. I could have picked any number of these images as a favourite, and this strip was worth reading twice to catch all the nuance in the expressions. I was looking forward to seeing some Grand Prix action this week, but I'm more than happy with this story.  It was just as dramatic as any racing story, and the artist did a fine job of capturing the excitement on the page. In place of racing cars, we had intense expressions and close-ups inside the aircraft. all of which helped ramp up the intensity of the situation. It was a well-told story and one that lifted Skid Solo above his previous couple of issues. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I--I flew bombers years ago during the war...but this thing is three times as big and twenty times as complicated!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

After little Alec McCloud missed an easy chance, the crowd was about to riot. However, Hamish is at hand, berating the would-be pitch invaders and waving his fist at them. This works, and they retreat back into the stands, allowing the game to continue. 

Hamish decides he needs to do something to take the fans' minds off McCloud, and he drives towards the goal before delivering the hot-shot to put his team one-nil up.

This wins the crowd over, and coming off at half-time, the mood is lifted within the team. Hamish delivers a rousing speech to McCloud, filling him with confidence as the second half begins. 

This confidence is misplaced, and as McCloud dribbles towards the goal, he is hit with a heavy tackle. This tackle only makes him more determined to show his worth, and after doggedly winning the ball back, he again dribbles towards the goal. This results in an even tougher tackle on him, one that earns him a penalty. Hamish pulls him up and tells him that this is his chance to prove himself. The strip ends with McCloud about to take the penalty, but feeling the pressure of all eyes on him. 

What a great man Hamish is. Seeing off rioters, inspiring teammates, and protecting the weak, he really does have a heart of gold. In this week's strip, he looked every inch a gentle giant, with his size emphasised as he bent down to support the much smaller McCloud. In an issue stuffed with great artwork, this was another story that delivered visually. A different art style from many of the other stories, it is nevertheless perfect for the story being spun, and it's hard to imagine Hamish looking any other way. Hamish's troubles with Alfie McPhee were forgotten, but the problems McCloud is facing are far more interesting to me, and I like the direction the story has taken. Another solid issue like this next week would be perfect, and I hope we get to see the underdog come good.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Aye, there's nothing like a little straight-talking...backed up with a big fist!"

Billy's Boots

Billy is playing for the Merrydowners, a team composed of players who live on Merrydowners Terrace. They find they are short on players, and Billy asks Jimmy Dawson if he can play for the team on Saturday morning.

Jimmy agrees to this, and at school the next day, they find that they have both also been picked for the school team to play that Saturday afternoon. They both are now playing two games on Saturday, a thought that excites them but also has them slightly worried. 

The school team prepares during the week, with Mr Harris bringing some new tactical ideas to the team, especially in regards to taking corners. 

Billy and Jimmy decide to try out these ideas during their earlier game with the Merrydowners but find the team isn't quite good enough to pull it off. It's a tough game against larger lads, and Billy and Jimmy find themselves carrying the load in defence for most of the game. Things are getting desperate in the last panel. The goalkeeper tells Billy to run upfield, and the keeper will boot it as far as he can, all in the hope of scoring a breakaway goal. 

So, Mr Harris fancies himself as bit of a Pep Guardiola, does he? He certainly looked like it as he laid out the team's tactical plan using a table and model footballers. Whether this will work on the field remains to be seen, but we certainly had quite a few panels laying out the plan. Nice to see that even the school football team is taking the tactical side of the game seriously, and once again, I can only reiterate how much I have enjoyed Mr Harris's arrival and the extras he has brought to the school. Last week, it was boxing skills learned in the army; this week, it is his tactical football brain. Truly a man for all seasons. Although I'm not fussed by the Merrrydowners, I am really enjoying this strip at the moment. The characters are evolving and being thrown into new situations. We haven't seen Billy's Boots work too much magic of late, and when they have it remains a lowkey part of the story, Right now the story is all about the relationships between Billy and the various people in his life, making it far more relatable than a boy he can score at the will of a magic pair of boots. Nicely grounded, Billy is a far more sympathetic character than earlier, and with Mr Harris providing a strong male figure to offset his Gran, the story is well balanced. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "It's like being in a professional football team...with a manager telling you what to do!"

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones is in search of a new stunt to bring him fame and fortune. With his finances bleak, he leaves London in his van and drives across Britain to the Welsh coast. Reaching the coast, he thinks that a motorbike ride across the beach might be just the thing to clear his head. Riding towards the beach, he weaves his way down the cliffs before gunning into action along the beach. 

On the beach, he finds that the tide has quickly come in and cut him off from the path. He attempts to drive through the rising tide but is thrown from his bike and pulled out to sea by a rip. Luckily, a passing boat sees him, and he is pulled onboard and taken back. Coming around the headland, he can see why the two men were quick to rescue him; there is a massive wave caused by the tide that is a killer. While the men warn him of the danger he is in, Tornado Jones is already scheming on how he could turn this into his greatest stunt ever. 

A pleasant story, and with Tornado Jones not trying as hard for the spectacular, it felt much more natural and lighter. That will change next week as he takes on this killer wave, the Giant Whispering Wall, but for now, I am going to enjoy what we have here. The story was littered with great panels, Jones driving down the cliff, being rescued by the boat, or even the first panel of him driving the van out of London, all spring to mind and kept the pace up before the final reveal of the next week's plot. This was a good palate cleanser after the last few weeks, and I am once again happy to be reading the adventures of Tornado Jones, made all the better by the rugged Welsh coastline and the art of Jim Bleach.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "A giant moving mountain of water! A deadly tidal wave that's a killer!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Skid Solo 

Best Line: "Flight two-eight-two from Rome has an emergency, sir. Regular crew unconscious. Ex-R.A.F. man at the control's...asking for landing instructions."

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 22nd November 1975

An eye-catching cover has me optimistic that we are in for a good issue this week. I'm fifty years old, yet I still give my heart to the simplest things in life. A colourful cover, a pretty girl, a cold beer - it doesn't take much to satisfy me. Today, I have two out of three (and the quiet hope that my wife never reads this blog), and before I have even turned the page, I am content. Skid Solo may have troubles, but from where I am sitting, all is right in the world, and I can't wait to read this week's adventures. 

Tiger

22nd November 1975

Skid Solo

Skid Solo is our cover star this week. His colourful story begins with Skid in trouble as he reverses a race car he is borrowing into a beat-up car belonging to two fair dinkum Aussies.

They are big lads, and Skid is concerned that things might get rough. However, they recognise a world champion when they see one, and they tell Skid there are no hard feelings. They even go so far as to wish him all the best for his race.

Skid is relieved, and arriving at the track, he finds his first car is damaged, forcing him to use a second. The race start is delayed half an hour for this to happen, and when it does begin, Skid starts from last place.

The racing is as expected, with Skid overcoming several mechanical issues and aggressive driving to win the race on the line. Covered in oil, he accepts the trophy and the cheque before the team quickly packs their bags and heads for the airport. 

Skids tells the others he will meet them at the airport, and later, Sandy and Tommy wonder what has become of him as the final call to board the plane is made. Just then, Skid appears, claiming he had to buy a newspaper. However, in the final panels, we see one of the Australians from the front cover, with the trophy, telling two others that Skid Solo gave the trophy to him as they are buddies. In fact, he had just bumped into them that morning.

The Australians that Skid encountered on the very first panel stole the show and were the highlight of this strip. It's a shame they didn't appear more than they did, and the story popped off the page with their appearance. While I enjoyed the race and the associated drama, it didn't feel all that important. It's not part of the Grand Prix circuit, and despite the multitude of problems that Skid faced, none of them felt important enough to keep me interested. I would have liked to see more of Australia while Skid is here (and more Australians), just to demonstrate that we are in a different environment. Skid has left Australia, already jet-bound for another location, and it feels like a missed opportunity to showcase the country he is in. He has clocked up a lot of air miles of late, and I hazard to guess where he might be jetting off to next. Wherever it is, I hope he spends a good amount of time there, and the drama has longer to percolate. I leave this story with the thoughts of the two Australian characters Skid met. They both looked interesting, and I could have easily spent more time with them. Even though they made a brief appearance, I loved every pane,l and I'm perhaps rating this story higher than I should based on my affection for them.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "He took that well, Skid...that lad was big enough to cause a lot of trouble!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy has now scored on every division one ground in the country, and as the team comes out for their next game against Oldfield, Roy is celebrated by the fans in attendance.

It's not much of a game, and Roy's head isn't really in it. He tries to do too much himself. As the teams trudge off after drawing nil-nil, some players are happy to have bagged a point, but Roy is already thinking about the next game.

Their next game is against Milboro, and the pundits are already calling it one of the greatest derbies in history. Milboro is in fine form, and Roy tells Blackie that the game clashes with an England match he has been selected for against Mulvania.

Roy chats to Ben Galloway about it, and Ben tells him not to worry; he still has ten days to decide. In the meantime, there is still a cup game against Tarbury, the third-division killers.

Roy comes out of the meeting as confused as ever, with even more worries on his mind. His teammates understand all his worries and have concerns themselves about Roy's state. Worried as he is, he is no use to anyone. 

Roy may be worried about everything, but I'm not. I love the artwork throughout this story (especially Roy's eyebrows - sterling stuff), and even if I don't feel involved in all of Roy's troubles, I always find the artwork easy on the eye. Not a lot is happening this week; it's all about the build-up to the local derby. Curious that the media are calling it the biggest derby in history, especially considering the bad form of Rovers of late. The way the Milboro are playing, they should demolish Rovers, something the commentator alluded to in his own speech before proclaiming it the derby of the century. He's certainly a lot more excited about it than I am.  Aside from that, I like the way the game is being built up, and the panels with the TV pundit were among my favourites. Roy's match against England does feel shoehorned in, yet I look forward to seeing him wearing an England shirt. A case of steady as she goes this week, and we have all the building blocks now in place for an intense next couple of weeks.  

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "And if mighty Melchester Rovers are watching from across the river, let me tell Roy Race and his players that they're in for the fight of their lives when the Rovers face Milboro in what is already being hailed as one of the greatest local derby games of all time!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

We last saw the mini, George, sinking in quicksand as the two lads gave Mr Twastle a ride around the island. This issue they abandon the car and go to fetch a nearby bulldozer. Using the dozer, they push George to safety but lose the dozer to the quicksand. Mr Twastle doesn't mind too much; he's more concerned with saving the car and the publicity he will gain in the New York to Moscow rally.

The rest of the strip shows Tiny and Martin gathering a variety of supplies for the rally. Then, as they line up to begin the race, Mr Twastle reminds them that it's all about publicity. They should do some crazy things, such as get arrested or drive over a cliff, anything to keep their names in the paper. 

Tiny and Martin are taken aback but agree, and the strip ends with them being called to the line by the race officials and told to hurry up. 

The quicksand trouble was quickly dealt with, as is the way of these comics, although I could have done with seeing it as a larger problem. Last week, it looked like the car was already deep in it, and seeing the lads climb out and wade to the edge of the sand felt a little too easy. Even the effort of bringing on a bulldozer was underplayed and seemed like a cheat code. Interesting to see the bulldozer sinking into the sand while the mini was pushed free. Quite how it was able to get traction while sinking, I'm not sure, but these are questions one should not be asking of a boy's comic. The second part of the story was gentler, yet just as enjoyable. I take a certain amount of pleasure in seeing the boys preparing for the rally, and some of the items and dialogue pointed to where future storylines might take us. Mr Twastle telling them to get arrested or drive off the cliff sows the seeds, as does the snow shoes the boys brought. Chekhov's snowshoes, I'm sure, watch this space. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Snow shoes? What do we want them for?...We're not going to walk to Moscow!" 

Johnny Cougar

In his match against Ossie Ostrich, Johnny Cougar is playing the fool and scoring cheap laughs by mocking his opponent's appearance. 

This mocking attitude carries into the action as Johnny pretends to run away before catching Ossie with a surprise move. With Ossie laid out on the canvas, Johnny scores the first pinfall. However, he's not done yet, and he pulls out an out-of-order sign and places it over Ossie. 

Ossie is incensed, smashing the sign before going on to the offence. A series of explosive moves put him on the front foot, and Johnny is knocked out as Ossie scores the next pinfall, tying the match and setting the scene for next week.

Disappointing to see Johnny Cougar persisting with the same nonsense as last week, especially early in the episode. Things improved considerably in the second half of the story as Ossie fought back, and seeing Johnny on the receiving end was a nice change. Often, Cougar finds a way to fight his way out of these situations, but not in this case, as Ossie followed up his first blows to affect a knockout. I don't recall the last time we saw Johnny knocked out, and this gave the story some real drama after the shenanigans of the first page. Ossie may look cartoony, but he is bringing a menace to the comic that we have not seen from some of Johnny's larger opponents. For all their size and angry faces, not one has delivered a knockout like the one we have just seen, and the outcome of this story remains unknown. Hopefully, this has knocked some sense into Johnny Cougar. I certainly hope so, and the strip is ending on a high with this blow. Coupled with the incredible-looking faces throughout, the story is punching above its weight, although it has yet to deliver a knockout blow

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Cougar, you're making me look stupid! Squawwwk! You're gonna pay for that!"

Billy's Boots

There's trouble on the field as Billy is jeered by a bully named Dixon from the sideline. Billy has lost his temper and yelled back, and now Mister Harris has intervened, telling Dixon to clear off as he's not welcome. 

The game resumes, and the Groundwood thrash the opposing team, with Billy setting up Jimmy Dawson for the final goal. After the game, they get the news that the first team has lost five- nil, and hopes are high in the dressing room that they'll all be back in the first team next week. 

On the way home, Billy finds that Dixon is waiting for him. The two don boxing gloves to settle their differences, but this time, Billy remembers what Mr. Harris taught him, and he spends the first half of the fight bobbing and weaving. Dixon can't lay a glove on him and eventually tires himself out. It is then that Billy strikes, knocking Dixon to the ground.

It seems that Billy's troubles are over, but later, the Merrydowners come to his door, asking for him to play for them. Dixon has left, taking a couple of other players with him, and now they're desperate for players for their next cup game against Drayford. 

The drama of last week quickly evaporated as in the opening panel, we saw Mr. Harris send Dixon on his way with a bee in his ear. Previously, we saw Mr. Harris telling Billy that he would speak to him after the referee threatened to send Billy off, and I was surprised this week that never happened, and Mr. Harris instead dealt with Dixon. As for the referee, we never heard from him again, and the focus of the comic turned fully on Billy and Dixon. The boxing between the two of them looked good on the page and added another interesting angle. We haven't seen any boxing on the pages of Tiger, aside from Johnny Cougar and the Golden Boy earlier this year. The panels featuring the boxing were dynamic and caught the eye in the face of all the football strips in the comic, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed seeing two young lads donning gloves. It is always good to see the underdog win, as we saw with Billy here, and it was especially pleasing after he took Mister Harris's advice on board. The art captured this drama superbly, and although we return to pure football action next week, I shall be along for the ride in the hope of one more physical confrontation between Billy and Dixon. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Remember what Hardnut Harris taught you, Billy, dodge him..."

Nipper

Last week, Nipper decided that he would continue to live with Amy Flecher, a decision he probably regrets this week as the very first panel she throws him out of bed. There is no time for Nipper to relax, and she lets him know that with an important European fixture coming up, against the Swiss team Zalmo, he needs to be on his toes. Amy knows a thing or two about football, and she tells Nipper that the Swiss will defend hard, and it will be like trying to penetrate a brick wall. 

At training, Andy Stewart reiterates this, telling the team that the Swiss will effectively park the bus. Nipper still hasn't fully regained his spot in the team. He will start on the bench, with his replacement Danny Marvin taking the field. At training, Nipper catches Danny with a tough tackle as Marvin holds the ball too long. It looks like trouble, but Andy agrees that it is the type of training they need for the forthcoming match.

On game day, the Swiss play as expected, working the off-side trap to perfection. Danny Marvin is caught twice, and then again as he tries to do too much with the ball. The fans are chanting for Nipper to come on, and Nipper begins to worry that if they don't shut up, he will be in even deeper trouble. 

I have a lot of love for Amy Felcher, and the first image of her shaking Nipper from his bed is one of the best in the comic. The expressions on both her and Nipper's faces are evocative and set the tone for what is to follow. The rest of the story doesn't reach these heights, although I am happy with everything throughout. We have a nice pivot back to Danny Marvin, and seeing Nipper catch him with a tough tackle made my heart sing. Finally, Nipper is getting a measure of revenge, and the storyline with Danny Marvin is gaining some traction. We have taken a winding road to get here, but this week, we are back on the straight and narrow, all under the watchful gaze of Andy Stewart. I hope that Amy won't be relegated to the sidelines of the story; she has much to offer as both a character and a football expert. She's too good to waste, and I can only hope that both she and Nipper have a chance to shine in the next issue. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "That's what old Amy said! They ought to sign her on as team coach!"

Tornado Jones

During a second test flight, Tornado Jones once again crashed Harvey Halliwell's flying machine, this time in front of a crowd of journalists. 

Naturally, it's all over the TV and newspapers, and Tornado's reputation has once again taken a dent. Halliwell enters, and before Tornado can stammer a sentence, Halliwell tells him he's already found another challenge and is ready to move on to something entirely different. As a final parting gift, he leaves Tornado with the flying machine before abruptly leaving the story. 

Tornado manages to rebuild it and, without an audience, he takes it for a successful flight. However, the flight doesn't end well, with the machine falling apart and Tornado parachuting to safety. 

Upon landing, he decides that this part of his adventure is over, and he needs to move into a bigger stunt. 

Halliway checked out of this story early, and so did I. I'm not sure why the plug is so quickly pulled on this particular storyline; it feels like it has only just begun, but I am glad to be moving on to the next thing. Perhaps the writers had the same thought as me: this was an uninteresting cul-de-sac, and apart from a couple of arresting images of Tornado in the air, it was hard to become invested in the objective. It has all been very pretty to look at, but never once did I care. Hitting the reset button was the correct move here, and we can start afresh next week with a new, hopefully better, Tornado Jones adventure.  

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Sorry, dear boy, no time to try again...I'm leaving! They're offering a prize for the first person to grow a striped rose! I'm off to my laboratories!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

Alfie McPhee is continuing to frustrate the rest of the Princes Park team with his primadonna attitude, and things escalate this week as he demands double the wages and brings his agent into the picture. This agent is everything you might expect, taking over every aspect of McPhee's career- negotiating wages, looking after his well-being, and handling his publicity. 

This means that at the next training, the agent is there, and while the team warms up, McPhee poses for the cameras and speaks to the reporters. This is all too much for Hamish, who gives the ball a mighty kick, catching McPhee full in the face. By now, even Mister McWhacker agrees that McPhee is a problem, and he tells Hamish he wished he had nipped it in the bud earlier.  

While Mister McWhacker puts McPhee on the transfer list, Hamish grabs the agent by the scruff of the neck and marches him out. 

The next game, McPhee has been benched, and another youngster takes his place. The crowd is chanting for McPhee not to be sold, and these calls become even louder when the lad taking his place misses an easy goal. The strip ends with the crowd riotous and a pitch invasion imminent. 

The appearance of McPhee's agent in the story was pitch-perfect and everything we have come to expect of a modern agent. He was smooth-talking, smooth-looking, and definitely an obstacle between the player and the management. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The meat and potatoes of the story were the panels with the agent and the training session, and I was delighted with everything I read there. Not only did we have the slick agent but also a furious Hamish, and the panel when he kicked the ball at McPhee had me quietly chuckling to myself. I have often felt the same frustrations, although I am far more restrained than Hamish. The other week, I wished that this storyline would wrap up, but now I find myself hoping it goes for longer. More time with the agent would be good, and there is still the hope that Hamish's Daddy will show up, both of which I would love to see.       

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I've dropped Alfie from today's side, Hamish...so ye and the lads can show everyone how ye can get on withoot the little show-off!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Billy's Boots 

Best Line: "Okay...but don't you get onto me again, Dixon! I might look soft...but I'm not!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 15th November 1975

"What are you doing in there?"

-My Mum, when I was fourteen. 

Well, it certainly wasn't what she thought. I have always enjoyed the solitude and the quiet moments alone when I could shut the door on the world and spend quality time with my comics. Things haven't changed much in the last forty years; I still shut myself away in the bedroom with my comics after a stressful day at work. The only difference now is that it's usually my wife banging on the door demanding to know what I'm doing. For some reason, she doesn't believe me when I tell her I've been reading comics from fifty years ago. This week, those old comics offer the usual diverse array of stories in a somewhat mixed bag. All the stories ended well, but along the way, we had a few twists and turns, as well as some moments that didn't really work. Still, it's not how you start; it's how you finish, and each story had a hook to bring me back. So I'll be back in my room again next week soaking up the newsprint while those women in my life wonder what the hell I'm doing in here.

Tiger

15th November 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy has never scored against Eastgate at their home ground, Eastgate Stadium. Last week he didn't seem particularly concerned about breaking his duck and instead concentrated on helping Rovers gain a two-goal lead. 

This lead looks threatened in the second half as Eastgate attacks strongly, and only some great work from Charlie Carter prevents a goal. Thinking quickly, Charlie creates a break that leads to a third goal, and this goal is soon matched by a fourth set up by Roy. 

With only seconds remaining, Roy still hasn't scored. However, the Eastgate players are visibly tired, and Roy runs hard at them in the final minutes, earning himself a well-deserved goal as the referee blows full-time. 

As they come off the field,  the team is happy with their win and delighted that Roy got a goal. They surmise that he was only playing it coy so Eastgate would do all the worrying, but Roy lets them know that it was quite the opposite- he was worried stiff throughout the match. Furthermore, he is still worried, this time about the next match, and as he sits back in the dressing room, the team worry that he's on the verge of complete collapse. 

This story scores a five for me, but the artwork is a ten out of ten. David Sques' work is crisp, clean, and uncluttered, presenting the story in the most efficient way possible. The front cover was a showstopper, and despite the story never reaching the highs I hoped, it was good enough for me to devour at a feverish pace. Roy's final expression says just as much as anything else in the story, and again, we can see the responsibility of being the manager weighing upon him. I am pleased to see some of the other players featured in the story. It feels like a long time since we heard the names Vernon Elliot or Geoff Giles, and here they are combining for the third goal. Sometimes the story leans too much into Roy and Blackie, yet here it was well balanced with the rest of the team giving their own moments - no doubt helped by the fact that Roy didn't score all the goals himself. These few issues were a nice diversion, well-rounded, and gave the comic a firm base as we go forward. Now that the Rovers have beaten West Ham Eastgate they are off the bottom of the table, and the season feels like it has finally started for the team. I expect another short story arc to follow this one, undoubtedly concluding just in time for *gulp* Christmas.  

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Eastgate are all over Melchester...they're doing everything but score!"

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar continues with his new attitude, embracing life with good humour and lightheartedness at every turn. 

In his match against Ossie Ostrich, he tweaks the man's nose, making fun of its beak-like appearance, before throwing a net over him. Ossie is not impressed, and neither is the referee, who tells Johnny to stop fooling about and to start the bout.

Once the match starts, Johnny continues fooling about and playing for laughs. Even after taking a heavy fall, Johnny continues to entertain, picking up a stethoscope and listening to his own heartbeat. The crowd lap it up, and there is talk in the crowd that if Johnny keeps this up, all his fights will be sensational. 

Plenty of laughs here, although the story didn't greatly progress. Last week, I was uncertain of this new direction for Johny Cougar, and there is nothing in this week's issue to reassure me. I laughed at the right places and enjoyed it well enough, but it never once felt like a Johnny Cougar story. I know that he's got a new attitude, however, the change is too sudden and too great for me to wrap my head around. Johnny Cougar already had a good sense of humour; pushing it to the extreme in this story isn't adding anything to the character and is, in fact, detracting from the familiarity and goodwill I have from my years with Johnny Cougar. To repeat what I said last week, a cracking next issue and all my complaints will be forgotten. For now though, I remain unconvinced that this story will win me over. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Cougar help Ostrich to fly!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Albert Twastle, owner of a holiday island, has offered Tiny and Martin a job to help publicise his island. After testing several of the amusements, the two pals now find themselves in a thrill-car racing towards a blind bend. Around the bend, they find the track widens out, although there are several brightly coloured obstacles on the track. 

They soon find out what these are as they bang into them, and they light up. At the bottom of the slope, they find a giant scoreboard and a score of 50,000 points for them, and they realise that they have been driving down a large pinball game. 

Mr Twastle is delighted and tells them that he has a further surprise for them around the corner. There they find that their trusty mini, George, has been repaired and that Mr Twastle has entered them into the New York to Moscow rally. With a million dollars for first place on offer, the boys are thrilled.

Albert Twastle asks that they give him a ride, and they oblige him, giving him a fast lap of the island. However, things end badly when they drive down an unfinished road and find themselves in quicksand, quicksand that has already claimed two bulldozers.

A weird issue and things have really taken a turn since the boys arrived in Hawaii. Already we are moving towards a New York to Moscow race, and all the build-up towards Hawaii has quickly been swept aside. I expected a lot more surf and sunshine in Hawaii, but alas, it wasn't to be. I can't say I was overly fussed by the pinball scene as the boys raced down the slope. The colours looked great, but it all felt a bit silly. Still, this episode has set us up for the next long-distance rally, and that has me daydreaming of all sorts of possibilities. If it's anything like the London to Sydney race last year, we should be in for a real treat. Let's hope it delivers. Back in the here and now, we have that old '70s favourite- quicksand. As a child in the '70s, I seem to recall quicksand appearing in many TV shows and movies, a fad that has since died out. I can't say why it became so trendy in the 70s, but it was a nice reminder of the times in which this comic was written to see the car sinking in the sand. It's a great way to round out this odd issue, and with the prospect of a long-distance rally on the horizon, there are plenty of reasons to return next week  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I've entered you a great rally....New York to Moscow! Five hundred thousand pounds if you're in the first three! One million if you win! Is it a deal?"

Hot Shot Hamish

Alfie McPhee has just scored for Princes Park, but only after he tackled his own player, Hamish, to get the ball. Hamish is furious and storming up the pitch as this week's issue opens, and it looks as though Alfie might be about to get thumped. 

Surprisingly, Hamish controls his anger, and through gritted teeth, he congratulates Alfie before telling him that he just wants to get on with the game. Alfie sees things differently and thinks Hamish is jealous of the attention he is getting, and he's not shy to tell Hamish so. 

Things are frosty between  Alfie and the rest of the Princes Park players as the game continues. Hamish is wide open, yet Alfie continues to hold the ball himself, despite being surrounded by defenders. This doesn't discourage Alfie, and he takes a dive - earning himself a penalty, which he duly converts. 

After the match, Hamish returns to his lodgings, arriving to find Alfie in the process of moving out. Alfie thinks he's too good for Hamish, and as he is driven off, he calls Hamish a lump of bone-headed beef. Hamish is upset and writes to his father for advice. The strip ends with Hamish's Daddy dictating a response to the postman, telling Hamish to boot Alfie out of Princes Park and that if he won't do it, then Daddy will come down and do it for him.

The best part of this strip was on the second page, especially the images of Hamish and his Daddy corresponding.  These were superb and had an intimacy not usually captured in the story, especially as most of the action usually takes place on the football field. The look on Hamish's face as he concentrated brought the character to life, and in a story that is over-the-top cartooony, this was a moment of realism that brought me closer to the characters. I am tired of the Alfie McPhee storyline, but it looks as though things are coming to a head, and the promise of Hamish's Daddy becoming involved next week should step things up a notch. This was a footballing story that greatly improved once the players got off the pitch, and with other non-footballing characters becoming involved, we should move further in this direction in future issues.

Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "Shove off, Hamish...I'm taking my bow! The crowd are clapping me...not you! Don't try to get in on the act!"

Skid Solo

After their adventures in Mexico and South America, Skid Solo and his team arrive in Sydney, Australia. It's all part of being a famous racing car driver, as Skid appears in a variety of race meetings around the world. 

The first surprise for the reader comes as Sandy tells Skid that he wants to go watch some cricket at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Skid tells him that they will meet him later in the day after he and Tommy go to the track to test the car they will be racing the next day. 

Skid and Tommy have a good practice session, with Tommy taking a spin in the second car, and when they have finished, they decide to treat themselves to a picnic in the countryside.

Out of town, and the weather quickly changes, leaving Skid and Tommy scrambling as a heavy downpour hits. Skid realises he has made a mistake; they are in a dry riverbed, and with the rain pouring down, the streams are rapidly rising. 

They have a touch-and-go moment trying to escape the flooding, with Skid finally managing to get the car up the side of a bank and to safety. Relieved to be safe, they drive back to the city to collect Sandy from the cricket. 

Skid is recognised at the ground and pointed towards a despondent Sandy. Not a single ball has been bowled, and Sandy is disappointed. Tommy laughingly tells Skid that Sandy should have come with them; at least, he would have had some excitement.

It seems that Tommy's driving is coming along in leaps and bounds, and in this issue, we see him giving Skid a run for his money on the track. This bodes well for future episodes, and we should see Tommy step up several notches in the coming years. The character has been given plenty to do since he first arrived, and looking back over the last year, I can see just how much he has been integrated into the story.  Aside from the Tommy moments, the rest of the story contained several exciting moments, although it was let down by the final reveal. I loved the thought that Sandy was a fan of cricket, and considering this, I thought I would like the end far more than I did. The neat way he pricked the stereotype earlier on appealed to me, although this wasn't revisited until the final panel in a flat finale. The real action was Skid getting caught in the flood, and although it looked great on the page, I do feel we have seen Skid in similar situations previously. It did serve up several good images of Skid's face, and seeing him admit he made a mistake was a good moment that gave our hero feet of clay. A likable story, but hardly essential, and I left it feeling good and ready to move on to Skid's next adventure. I wonder where in the world he might go next.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Can Tommy use the other car? He hasn't got a licence to drive on public roads yet...but he's pretty useful behind the wheel! He can pace me round the track..."  

Tornado Jones

After a disastrous first flight, Tornado Jones is ready to quit Harvey Halliwell and his attempt at human-powered flight. 

However, Halliwell knows just how to manipulate Tornado. Calling him a coward, Halliwell angers Tornado, who furiously tells him he'll show him who's scared and to prepare the pedo-plane again. 

However, a couple of days later, it is Halliwell who is angry when he finds news of his plane splashed across the front pages of the paper. Tornado has leaked the story to the press himself, hungry for publicity as a stuntman,

Halliwell tells him that this means that hundreds of sightseers will swarm over their work, while Tornado tells him to relax, as it will give them more encouragement. 

The next flight takes place in front of a crowd of onlookers and cameramen. Initially, the flight went well, with the take-off being much smoother than previously. The second part of the flight isn't so good, with Tornado crashing into a tree, much to the amusement of the mocking onlookers. 

Despite a flight and a crash, in front of numerous onlookers no less, this story fell flat I couldn't get excited about the Aussie stuntman. The panels in which Halliwell goaded Tornado into staying with the program were the best of the strip, and these two panels towered above anything else we saw on the page. We are heading in the right direction, and I feel the story is just about to turn the corner, yet I was once again let down by this issue. The artwork remains a joy, and the characters look great on the page; it's just that I can't find it in myself to care about the pedo-plane. The next issue will be make or break for me. I'm willing to like it, but I need something to grasp onto.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "A coward, Mister Jones. A snivelling spineless jelly-bag!"

Billy's Boots

Billy has been invited to play for the Merrydowners, but one boy, Dixon, has taken a dislike to him and challenged him to a boxing match. They both don gloves and start swinging but Billy is no match for the bigger lad, and it all ends as one might expect.

Billy quietly leaves, and the next day at school, he is cheered by the news from Jimmy Dawson that they have been picked to play for the second eleven against a school they handily thrashed last year. 

While training in the gym, Billy asks his teacher, Mr Harris, if he has any boxing tips. Being a regimental boxing champion while in the army, Mr Harris shows Billy his skills, evading Billy's blows with ease as they spar. The lesson is learned; it's more important to learn to dodge the blows than anything else. 

Come game day, and Billy and Jimmy start well, concocting a goal between them. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, trouble is brewing with the appearance of Dixon. He berates Billy, and eventually, Billy responds by telling Dixon to shut up. The two boys square up to fight, while Mr Harris tells Billy that he'll be seeing him after, as the referee threatens to send Billy off. 

So, Mister Harris was in the army. I can't say I'm surprised, and this certainly explains a lot about him and his attitude. I liked this small nugget of background information a lot, and I am far more interested in "Hardnut" Harris after learning this about him. Although Billy didn't fare well in the first fight, I enjoyed seeing him stand up to the bully, and the final panels in the story were full of intensity as Billy refused to be cowered by the bully and gave as good as he got. There is drama coming from three sides now, Dixon, the referee, and Mister Harris, with Billy at the centre of it all. This is excellent, and each one will have to be resolved in the next couple of weeks, making the strip compulsive reading. Sadly, Billy's Gran didn't make an appearance in this issue, but she did get a mention, and it was a relatable moment for any boy growing up. Despite all these fantastic panels and interwoven stories, my favourite panel was the one where Billy talks to his friends as they pull their bikes from the bike stands. It was an instantly recognizable moment for me, and I had a flashback to my own school years at the sight of it. Amazing how a single image can evoke such memories. This familiarity made this story my favourite this week, and with all that is happening, it should be in good health for the next few weeks. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You left yourself wide open! Go home to your Granny! Ask her to give you some knitting lessons! That's about your mark!"

Nipper

Nipper is horrified that his landlady Amy Felcher has taken it upon herself to kit him out in new clothes. He looks smart in a suit, but he has a face of thunder as he looks at himself in the mirror. Nipper is adamant that he won't wear these new clothes, but Amy Felcher surprises him when she says he can earn a few hundred extra pounds if he takes part in the modelling session she has arranged. 

Nipper agrees, but throughout the catwalk, he worries what his friends might think of him. His worst fears are realised when his picture appears in the papers, and he takes a ribbing upon arriving at the training ground. 

However, it's not all bad. Andy Stewart is pleased with Nipper's smart new look and tells him he looks respectable. Not only does he put Nipper back in the first team, but he also removes Nipper's obligation to stay with Amy Felcher. 

Nipper is delighted, but after thinking about the situation, he realises that it's Amy's efforts that have restored his position at Blackport. The strip ends with Nipper telling Amy he would like to continue living with her; after all, her bark is worse than her bite, and the grub is pretty good.

The sight of Nipper in the suit was transformative and gave us something we had never seen before. The grubby urchin cleaning up was the tipping point for both Nipper and the general story itself. Finally, he realized what Amy meant to him, and we saw this side story conclude in a satisfying manner. Now that Nipper is back in the team, we should see a showdown with him and Marvin, a character we haven't seen for some weeks. The issue with Nipper living with Amy may have been resolved, but the story still has legs and will offer more in the coming issues. With memorable images and a sentimental ending (I'm not crying, you're crying), this was a strong issue, only lacking in football to raise it a notch higher. My only problem with it was that it all happened too fast, and I would have liked to see this fashion angle stretched across two issues. Even as it is, it was a well-rounded read and a solid end to this week's comic. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "This...this is worse than missing a penalty. I've never been so embarrassed in my life!"  

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6.5/10

Best Story:  Billy's Boots 

Best Line: "Och, awa', mon...just because we live north o' the border...we're no' all fans o' caber-tossing and sword-dancing!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 8th November 1975

Toothache and blogging are not a good match. Expect me to rate some of these stories lowly this week, purely down to the discomfort I am experiencing as I write this. I always try to be positive, so on the good news front, my wife is plying me with whisky as a painkiller. Expect plenty of typos and mistakes further down the blog. I will have to come back later in the week and correct them all!

Tiger

8th November 1975

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar is back from retirement and embracing life with a new attitude. Now, he is full of jokes and energy, and in the first panels, we see his new attitude as he throws a bucket of water over Splash to liven him up. 

At breakfast, he leapfrogs over a waiter, disturbing the other diners, and although he pays for the damage with a bundle of notes and a smile, Splash is unhappy with Johnny's approach. 

That night, he is scheduled to fight Ossie the Ostrich, and Splash warns Johnny to avoid Ostrich's nose as he's very sensitive about it. Johnny agrees and then surprises the crowd by walking over the tops of their chairs towards the ring before leaping through the ropes. Without pause, he tweaks Ostrich's nose, ostensibly to get things moving, while a horrified Splash looks on. 

I don't think I like this new attitude from Cougar. I have always found his humour to be a little cringy, and now it is turned right up, dominating the story throughout. I found it to be more silly than funny, although surprisingly, I found myself reaching the end of the story and thinking I quite liked it. The artwork certainly readdressed the balance, and although Ossie Ostrich could have looked silly on the page, he looked quite believable. The sight of Johnny walking across the seats again set the alarm bells ringing, but once again, in the artwork depicting it, it looked fantastic and helped sell the concept to me. A curious issue, one that I shouldn't have liked, yet I found myself enjoying it far more than I'll ever admit.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Cougar disagree! Cougar been too serious in past...now make up for it!"

Billy's Boots

Billy is facing a vote from the lads in the Merrydowners to see if he can play for the team. The meeting is scheduled for that night, and coming home, Billy finds a note from his friend Jimmy, telling him that he's organised for them both to play for another team that afternoon. 

Billy arrives to find that the team Jimmy has got them into is called the Crusaders, and they are mostly older than them. The Crusaders aren't too fussed about a couple of schoolboys playing from them, and Billy and Jimmy are cast out to the wings where they barely see the ball. 

The boys decide to take matters into their own hands, and finding some action, Jimmy sets Billy up to score his first goal. This dynamic partnership continues, and by full-time time, Billy has a hat trick, and the Crusader players congratulate them on their performance;

Billy returns home triumphant but still faces his problems with the Merrydowners. At the meeting, one of the boys tells the rest of the team that Boilly deserves to play as he scored three goals for the Crusaders that afternoon. The other boys are swayed, but the threat of being punched by the bully Dixon scares them all into voting against Billy. The meeting ends with  Billy out of the team, and a laughing Dixon tells him he can still try out for the boxing team. Tossing him some gloves, Dixon threatens Billy with a test to see if he can survive. 

An uneven episode this week. I am yet to truly get a handle on the Merrydowners, and the diversion to the Crusaders game was a distraction that didn't add to the story to any great extent. The conflict between Billy and Dixon is shaping up nicely, and I was surprised that the story wasn't more tightly focused on that this week. The ending restored this focus, and a solid episode next week will have me feeling a lot better about the whole thing. Dixon is a good character and captures well the traits of many a young bully. Seeing Billy dealing with such a character should give the story a nicely grounded aesthetic and make Billy a sympathetic character. There was of course, a cameo appearance by Billy's Gran this week. She didn't add a whole lot to the story, but I always appreciate her appearances. I should also note that immediately following this week's story was a new feature - Billy's Sports School. I have fond memories of this feature from my youth, and it was interesting to see its humble beginnings here, with Billy requesting tips for future issues. I won't be covering this feature in future blog posts, but it was an integral part of the comic when I was reading as a boy, and I would be amiss if I didn't mention it here.   

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "He didn't play for the Crusaders...they're all men!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

Martin is leading the mini class of the twenty-four-hour race when disaster strikes. A puncture sees him crashing off the track, and although he escapes unharmed, the mini George is badly dented and covered in the firemen's foam. 

Abandoned by the fans, the two are downhearted about their situation. However, Albert Twastle appears with a job for them, a job that involves visiting the Fun In The Sun island to help him with publicity. 

The island lives up to its name as the approach by helicopter. Upon landing, Tiny and Martin are quite taken by the world's biggest helter-skelter. Venturing to the top, they find a two-man car, and without waiting, they take a ride down. Coming around the final bend, they find that the building hasn't been finished yet, and the slide ends abruptly. They shoot off the end of the ramp, luckily landing unscathed in the water below. 

Next is the biggest thrill-car race in the world, with a high-speed dodgem car. As they climb aboard, Albert tells them that they've never been used before and they might be dangerous. The warning comes too late, and Martin has already pushed the start button, the strip ending with the car speeding towards the first corner and the boys having no idea what lies ahead. 

A surprisingly fast change of pace as the boys crash out of the race. Last week, I assumed that they would be OK to rejoin the race, so I was surprised here to see, after all the build-up, that they are out of the race in an event that covers only the first few panels of the story. The second half of the story had a different tone to it, and although it's set on an island, it feels removed from the Hawaii story. The Helter Skelter seems to be very English and slightly out of place here, although it did cast up some fun images of the lads impulsively riding down it. The final image of the two lads in the high-speed car was the highlight of the strip, and this story offers some potential. I'm not sure how far this storyline could be ridden, although I am secretly hoping we get several weeks of this before we move on to the next thing. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Martin's my best pal...I've got to get out there to help!"

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones has accepted a challenge from Harvey Halliway to fly his specially designed, man-powered flying machine. It's not going well, and the strip begins with Jones crashing through a fence on a cliff top. He is saved from going over by a stretch of barbed wire snagging his tailplane, and soon Havey is running to help him out. 

Halliway's intentions aren't what they seem; he tells Tornado Jones that the angle he is poised is perfect for takeoff. Despite Tornado's protestations, Halliway snips the barbed wire, sending him over the cliff and into the air. 

Although he manages to get the machine flying, Tornado's only thoughts are on landing. He manages a crash landing in a haystack, emerging as Halliway appears on a push bike. Halliway is overjoyed with the flight, telling Tornado that after a few adjustments, they will be ready for an official flight. Tornado is irritated to hear this, telling him that the machine is a death trap and that he is quitting immediately. 

I expected the panels showing Tornado Jones in flight would be the best parts of the strip, offering an interesting sight we hadn't seen before. However, the best panels of the strip were the ones focused on the characters, and in particular, their faces as they interacted. Tornado Jones stabbing his finger into Halliway's chest and telling him he was quitting was the pick of them, although the groundwork had been laid long before this. The first panels showing Jones caught in the fence didn't deliver all they should have, and it was only once Halliway arrived that we had some conflict that the strip took off. It was an uneven flight; Jones piloting the machine was no match for the drama on the faces of the two men, and the flying scenes failed to rise above the human drama of the story. I thought I would have liked this more than I did, and once again, I am drawn to the conclusion that the best stories concentrate on the characters rather than their actions and the circumstances they are in.    

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "So for the official flight, you can find yourself another idiot - because I'm quitting - right now!"

Skid Solo

Skid has found his way to an unnamed South American country for an invitation race at Stevenstown. travelling by boat, they arrive at Tevenstown, where they are greeted by Lancelot Crumway, their wealthy host and organiser of the Stevenstown Gold Cup for Sports Cars.

Crumway is providing the three race cars for the race, as well as owning the road repair company that is fixing the holes on the road before the race. His wealth is obvious as he offers Skid a selection of his own sports cars for the race before telling them that he also owns the track. 

Later, Skid and Sandy admire the large gold cup on offer, and Skid comments that he may be making a lot of money out of the race, but if he loses that cup tomorrow, he will lose a lot of cash, as it's made from solid gold. 

The race is as expected. It's tight, but after pushing the other two drivers hard, Skid is victorious. After the race, all are happy- Crumway has gained a lot of publicity, while Sandy is eager to get his hands on the gold cup. It is then that Skid explains that they don't actually win the large cup they saw the previous day, which stays at the race track, and instead, he has been presented with a much smaller replica. 

I didn't find the ending of this story very satisfying, and despite some nice little moments earlier, it didn't offer anything of interest anywhere along the line. It was all very pleasant and, dare I say it, a little dull. The race could have been better, and even with two car crashes, it remained sedate. The outcome was never in doubt, and the humour and drama of the gold cup didn't raise any expectations for anything better than what we got.  The most interesting panel of the entire strip was the very first one as they travelled down the river towards Stevenstown. This unusual situation and mode of transport had me curious about what was to come, although I didn't know at the time that what was to come was disappointing. Skid Solo has slowed of late; what we need is a fresh idea to supercharge the strip and get us back on track where Skid belongs. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Farewell, Mister Solo. You are a great driver...and a great man!"

Nipper

Nipper's tough landlady, Amy Felcher, is at his game and yelling advice to him through a megaphone. 

Although Nipper doesn't like the delivery, he does remember what Amy told him about the goalkeeper's weakness. The opposing players try to shield their keeper, but they only make matters worse, unsighting the keeper that gifts Nipper his first goal. Nipper again reaps the rewards of Amy's advice as he bangs home his second, and as he comes off the field, Amy tells him that she'll soon have him back in the first team. 

Amy may have helped him at the game, but Nipper is determined not to go back to her house. Making his excuses to the team, he slips away quietly and starts to make his own way home. A car pulls over to offer a lift, an offer Nipper accepts before realising that it's Amy. She is angry that he's tried to trick her, and as Nipper gets in the car, she tells him that first thing on Monday, she's going to sort him out, starting with a decent set of clothes. 

Oops. I think I may have been calling Amy Felcher "Amy Fletcher" in previous blog posts. Let's hope that she doesn't find out and come for me. That aside, this is all very entertaining but not enough to have me fall in love with it. Just like last week, the panels with Amy were the best, and without her on the page, the story became a whole lot less interesting. Two great Amy moments bookended this week's strip, with her first appearance yelling through the megaphone setting the scene for all that was to come. Her final appearance in the end panels was equally important as she chastised Nipper and prepared us for next week's issue. In between, we had football, and for the first time in my life, I found myself thinking that what was happening off the field was more important than what was happening on it. Nipper's battle to get back in the first team is nowhere near as interesting as his battles with Amy, and with that battle taking centre stage next week, we should see some sparks fly.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Just look at the state of you...scruffy little wretch! First thing on Monday we're going to change all that! 

Roy Of The Rovers

Melchestrer Rovers are playing Eastgate at Eastgate Stadium, the only first-division ground on which Roy has never scored. Roy has taken a casual approach to the game in the build-up, and as the game begins, he continues with this attitude. 

Making an early run, Roy tries his luck from long range, only to see it easily saved. The Eastgate manager tells his players that Roy is desperate to score, and they begin to put pressure on him all over the park. The next time Roy receives the ball, two defenders rush him, only for Roy to slip a long ball through that opens up the defence and leads to Blackie Grey scoring the first goal. 

Later, Roy saunters up the field with the ball, and once again, as the defenders come at him, he slips the ball forward for Geoff Giles to run into for another east goal. Coming off at half time, the Eastgate fans tell Roy that it's just two lucky breakaway goals, to which he responds that's football. In the dressing room, the Rover players ask what they should do in the second half, and reclining on the bench with a bottle of fizz, Roy tells them just to play their natural game and not to worry. 

Roy's relaxed attitude is reflected well in the artwork and seems to have rubbed off on me. I read this quite casually and found it a relaxing read, despite two goals being scored and all eyes turning to Roy. Roy's plan is fairly obvious to the reader, and for me, the greatest surprise was seeing Roy drinking a bottle of fizzy pop at halftime - hardly the behaviour of a professional such as Roy. This is a likeable story, although we are never going to be best friends. I like the little things we see here, such as Eastgate Stadium in London and the way that Duncan Mckay is now integrated into the team. The larger story is warm without being essential, and the pleasantness of the entire strip is what keeps me reading. Roy is currently drifting into Martin's marvellous Mini territory where the plot of the story matters less than just being in the company of the characters for a couple of pages.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "No I'm not...I was just waiting for Geoff Giles to run through!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Alfie McPhee is stealing the headlines and has the wages to match, yet his behaviour is beginning to annoy the rest of the Princes Park players. 

On the field, the players freeze Alfie out, ignoring his calls for a pass and instead constructing a goal without him. It's Hamish who scores the goal, and afterwards, Alfie approaches him and says he's barely touched the ball. Hamish tells him to relax, but Alfie gets angry, telling Hamish that he's the best player in the team and the other players don't like him because he's getting more wages. 

At half-time, there is further conflict when Alfie has no tea and biscuits and the other players tell him that a rich man like himself can bring his own, or even champagne and caviar. The appearance of Mister McWhacker does nothing to calm the situation as the players turn on him too, complaining about Alfie's high wages. 

Back in the field, Alfie is determined to get the ball, tackling his teammate Hamish from behind and dribbling towards the goal. He scores, much to the delight of the crowd, although we can see Hamish turning red and being restrained by a fellow teammate. 

Seeing Hamish being tackled by his own teammate was one of the best moments of this week's entire comic. Alfie McPhee really has gone from zero to a hundred in the last few months, and he is currently driving the storyline in a way we haven't seen from any other character in the last two years. Hamish is a bit player in his own comic, although the final panel of Hamish in a rage suggests he will have a lot more to say next week. Strange to think that Alfie has only been with us a short time, yet we see him given this angle in the story already. It feels tacked on to the story of him arriving at the club, and it's curious that another player wasn't cast in this role rather than have McPhee star in two storylines back to back. Hardly a complaint as this is the best story this week, and with Hamish about to explode, next week could be even better.   

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "We didn't think a rich mon like ye would bother with such stuff. We thought you'd brought yere own champagne and caviar! Haw, haw!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6.5/10

Best Story:  Hot Shot Hamish 

Best Line: "Cool it, Hamish...not the red rage of the Balfours...not now! Ye canna thump a mon who's just scored a goal for yere side!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: