Tiger 10th May 1975

This could be my last blog post for a few weeks. I'll be flying to Tokyo in a few days and while I have plans to keep the blog updated, circumstances may determine otherwise. I often credit Tokyo with reigniting my love of these old comics. Several years ago I was in Tokyo and with TV incomprehensible to me I filled in my evenings reading my old Tiger comics. It was a joy to become reacquainted with old friends, and now seven years later (and more than forty years since first reading Tiger)  I am still reading the comics almost every day. The best things in life are the simplest, no matter where you are.   

Tiger

10th May 1975

Skid Solo

Skid Solo is back on the front page of Tiger, and we have drama from the start. A young spectator is watching the Monaco Grand Prix from a balcony while listening to a radio, and in his excitement knocks a flower pot from the balcony and onto the track below. 

The flower pot doesn't hit Skid, but it does distract him and his car spins and scrapes along the barrier. Skid is OK and pushes his car back on the track, while the young boy appears trackside to apologise. Along with the apology he gives Skid a lucky stuffed bear, which Skid gratefully stuffs into his overalls for the rest of the race. 

The bear works its luck for the rest of the race, and after a race of accidents and fast manoeuvring, Skid finds himself behind the leader, Sparrow Smith. Pushing his luck one more time, Skid manages to squeeze by and he takes the chequered flag for victory. 

After the race Sparrow comments that he doesn't know how Skid squeezed past him, and Skid tells him he had a bit of luck on the track. Later he shows Sandy and Tommy the lucky bear, and when they ask him where his trophy is he points to the balcony where he has given it to the young fan in exchange for the lucky bear.

I'm not normally a fan of stories that contain such a heavy dose of luck. This story was an exception, helped in no small part by the magnificent art throughout. The cover page, with three panels setting up the story, had me completely hooked from the start. The panel showing the flower pot on the track was an unconventional-looking scene, and not what we expect to see at a Grant Prix. This gave the story a fresh look from the start and looked especially good in colour. The rest of the story is steady as she goes, and although we never reached the heights of the front cover, I found it eminently enjoyable. Some fine-looking on-track action, a victory for Skid, and a sweet ending, made for a pleasant read and a nicely rounded introduction to this week's Tiger comic. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Well, you need a bit of luck in this game..."

Roy Of The Rovers

Rovers have taken a two-nil lead over German side Durmstadt, when Roy suddenly runs into the crowd after seeing the mystery man he suspects has been leaving notes of advice for the team.

However, Roy is mobbed by his own fans and never catches up to the man he seeks. Roy runs back onto the field and is about to be booked by the referee when a quick-thinking Blackie Grey congratulates Roy on preventing a hooligan from throwing something onto the field. He goes on to further explain to the referee that that's the only reason Roy left the field, and the referee reluctantly decides that no booking is required. 

Roy thanks Blackie, telling him there was no reason to lie, Roy was chasing the mystery man. Blackie laughs this off, telling Roy that he had no idea and there really was someone about to throw something. 

The game resumes, and Roy punishes the opposition, setting up one goal and scoring another to hand the Rovers a four-nil victory in the first leg. 

Leaving the field, the team look for Roy, but he has already left in a hurry. The team is confused by this, and things become more mysterious when a couple of hours later it is reported that Roy hasn't returned to his house, and his car hasn't been spotted anywhere - Roy has completely disappeared. 

With a good mixture of gameplay and intrigue, this story is moving along at a good pace. The image of Roy driving off in his car was the best of the strip and took us straight from the game and into the next phase of the story, setting us up for the cliffhanger into the next week. Roy's on-field play was once again head and shoulders above the rest of the team, although Blackie Grey did get some shine with his quick thinking to save Roy from the wrath of the referee. Although it's not back to its best, this week's Roy Of The Rovers felt like a step forward, and we are delicately poised for the next few weeks as we inch closer to unmasking the mystery man. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "And no-one advised me how to do it, either! That was all my own work, Melchester!"  

Martin's Marvellous Mini

We also have a mystery man in Martin's Marvellous Mini, as Tiny and Martin give passage to a mysterious man travelling to a Scandinavian rally with them. 

This man has a lot of luggage, and a very large dog, which makes their comfortable little car not quite so comfortable, despite what the stranger tells them. After travelling by ferry to Scandinavia, the boys make up time by driving fearlessly down a dirt track, which the stranger advises them is a shortcut. As they take this wild route, the man peppers them with questions about their experience, all of which adds to their distrust of him. 

The stranger's true identity is revealed when they reach a border control and all the guards recognise him as Mister Vedgic, manager of the Ravnia Rally team. The boys were right, he was a spy, just not the type that they first envisioned. 

Mister Vedgic tells them that he is impressed with their driving and car, but it won't be enough to beat his team in the rally. Furiously Martin and Tiny throw him and his luggage from their car, while he threatens to have them banned from the rally before it even starts. 

Not what I expected, which is exactly what I want from my comics. I suspected this strange gentleman might be a jewel thief or some other villainous type, and I felt my eyebrows rising when he was revealed to be a team manager of a rival rally team. This was handled well on the page and the story still retained plenty of car action as they took the shortcut through the forest. It was of the high standard we have come to expect from Martin's Marvellous Mini, and each panel looked splendid in its colour.  There's more trouble ahead for the boys, and next week carries much promise. More surprises I hope, and I can't wait.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "I wish I was comfortable...your hound's trying to get at the steering wheel!" 

Hot-Shot Hamish 

Princes Park are down three-nil in the Scottish Cup final as they trudge off at half-time. In the dressing room, Mister McWhacker isn't sure what he can say to motivate them. If they lose the game Princes Park is doomed with no money to pay for the new stand and no prospect of football in Europe the next year. 

Luckily Hamish's Daddie is there, and he unleashes his temper and a torrent of fighting words on the team. He is still yelling as they take the field for the second half and the team responds with a beautifully worked goal.

Princes Park set up wave after wave of attacks, and a hot-shot from Hamish pulls them to three- two, and a chance to steal the game. It's all on the line when in the final minute Princes Park wins a penalty. The team implore Hamish to take the penalty with his hot shot. Hamish is feeling the pressure, and although he agrees to take the penalty he misses his shot. 

Time is up, and Princes Park has lost. Hamish feels he has let the team down and as the crowd rushes onto the field, Hamish slips on a fallen raincoat and climbs over the barrier, thinking to himself that he can't face the lads and that no one will ever want to see him again. 

Poor Hamish, I really feel for the big fella. His reaction to missing the penalty is relatable, and one can understand his reluctance to face his team. Up until this point the story had been all fire and brimstone, and I thought his Daddies' speech was a highlight. I can only imagine how much fun it is to write Daddies' dialogue, and week after week he steals the scene with his speech. Another highlight was the on-field action, and while the first goal was a thing of beauty, it was the second that I will remember most with the sight of Hamish bulldozing his way through the opposing players. This story of the grandstand, money shortage, and the need to win the cup has been running for some time now, and it looks as though we still have a way to go. Well worked, and played out across several months, I have enjoyed the ride that got us here, and now we face the second half of the story as Hamish deals with the consequences of their failure. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Och, it's an awfu' responsibility for a mon..."

Billy's Boots

Billy's Gran is the most relatable character in Tiger comic. Listening to her tell Billy that she can't afford white trousers, and he'll have to wear an old pair of white corduroy trousers she has upstairs sounded just like something my gran would say. I was instantly transported to sitting in the kitchen with Billy as he polished his cricket boots at the sound of this, and it was a great way to start this week's strip.

Billy and Jimmy attend the cricket trials, with Billy wondering what help he may gain from Dead-shot's boots, whether he be a super batsman or a decent bowler.  We soon find out that Billy is a poor batsman before attention turns to fielding. 

Several players show themselves to be handy in the field, and as play continues Billy is handed the ball by Mister Renton and asked to show us what he can do. It's now that the boots take a hand, and Billy paces out a long run up despite himself. Steaming in, he delivers a fiery bouncer at Mister Renton. Five balls later he bowls Mister Renton was another fast delivery, and it is confirmed that Billy is a good fast bowler. 

The strip ends with Mister Renton telling them that the team will be named the following day and that their first game is against a Moreton school, a school well known for cricketing, and a tough game lies ahead. 

Nice to see the cricket side of Billy's Boots unfolding, and Billy easing naturally into a bowling role. The first ball to Mister Renton was a cracker, and over the page, I was surprised more wasn't said of it. The team is well balanced with the lads from the football team, and it was an easy fit as they worked out their various strengths. I don't remember Billy's cricketing stories well from when I was young, no doubt there will be lost and broken boots along the way, but I'm quietly looking forward to seeing more of this over the next few weeks. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "He takes a long run! I bet he fancies himself as a fast bowler!"

Nipper

Nipper has scored the opening goal against Carford City and is calling for two more. His nemesis, Blackport director Clive Norton, sees this as part of Nipper's quest for glory and breaking the club record for goals in a season.

However, a few panels on and we see a similar move to Nipper's first goal, this time with a Blackport player taking the ball from Nipper's feet to score the second goal of the game. They celebrate, and it becomes apparent that stealing the ball from each other is a move they have worked out at practice. 

It is now that Andy Stewart puts Norton in his place and tells him that the three goals that Nipper is calling for aren't so that Nipper can break the record, but because three clear goals would see Blackport win the league on goal average. 

It is Mike Bateson who scores the third goal, and as the team comes in for halftime they have a three-nil lead, and all they have to do is hold on for the victory and the title,. 

Things take a turn at halftime, and Mike tells Nipper that once the season ends he looks forward to a civilised game of cricket. Nipper mocks him for this and calls cricket soft. This leads to an argument in the dressing room, and before long it has escalated into Nipper and Mike in the car park with a bat and some wickets. Mike yells that if he can't bowl Nipper out in six balls he will give him a fiver. It's complete madness, with the second half of their deciding football match still to be played and Blackport's two-star players arguing and playing cricket in the car park. 

It all sounds pretty wild, but you won't be surprised to know I loved all of it. The football was excellent, with the goals looking spectacular, and the conflict with Norton and Stewart ratcheted up on the sideline. The cricket was a surprising diversion, but like Billy's Boots I'm looking forward to seeing where it will lead. Hard to imagine nowadays a football player playing professional cricket in the off-season, but I like the idea of it. It's not a totally foreign idea, Jeff Wilson played for both the All Blacks and New Zealand cricket teams when he first started (although it's said that basketball was actually his best sport) and I remember him performing well for both teams. It remains to be seen if Mike Beatson excels in the same manner as Jeff Wilson, but it should be a fun ride, especially if Nipper is roped in. Still, halfway through a crucial match isn't the ideal time for this, especially after seeing Mike drink a pint of milk at the break. Again, many loose threads here, and as some are being sown up others are hanging for future issues, and we still have an entertaining second half ahead of us before the cricket storyline fully develops from its beginnings here. 

Rating: 8/10

Best Line: "By heck, it's all go! I'll be right glad when the footer season ends, and I can get down to a civilised game of cricket!" 

Johnny Cougar 

Johnny Cougar has taken an early battering from The Highwayman and is taking a standing count. The match continues, and soon Johnny is down again after taking an elbow smash to the head. He gets up, and as the Highwayman man comes at him again, Johnny decides he needs to fight smarter. 

He hits the Highwayman with a drop kick, knocking him out. However the Highwayman is saved by the bell, and the fight continues in round two.

Round two is more of the same with Johnny gaining the upper hand through strength and speed. Johnny is driving the Highwayman toward the corner post for a knockout when the Highwayman man hits him with a closed-fist punch. Johnny appeals to the referee, but the referee sees nothing. Johnny swears vengeance, although, in the last panel of the story, we return to the wider story with Scarface Baxter, the escaped convict, appearing at the tournament, with the school teacher Mister Mitchell foremost in his mind for revenge, 

Great wrestling action had me temporarily forgetting this larger story of the escaped convict seeking revenge on Mister Mitchell. The Highwayman is proving to be a fine match against Johnny Cougar. He may have cheated in the final panel, but until then he had matched him for strength, and knocking Johnny down twice in the first round gives us some idea of what a tough opponent he is. The art capturing all this action was crisp and clean, with the facial expressions working in tandem with the hard-hitting bodies crashing into each other. A delightful balance, and we can always count on Johnny Cougar for some of the best art of the comic.  Next week we should see the two stories integrated and I shall be interested to see what unfolds at this wrestling tournament with action inside and outside of the ring. It will be a balancing act and with Johnny Cougar's track record I know it will deliver on both fronts. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Miserable dog...you speak with forked tongue! Now Cougar on war-path! You pay dearly!"  

Tallon Of The Track 

Jo Tallon is about to race American millionaire Miles Guthrie in a tree-top obstacle course as they compete for control of the Ospreys stadium. 

The race starts just as fast and furious as you might expect, with a twenty-foot power jump as the first obstacle. Leaping the gap in spectacular fashion, they speed straight into the second obstacle, a hairpin bend, before we are once more presented with a spectacular image of the pair racing through a firey tunnel. 

The loop-the-loop that dominates the following page is attention-grabbing, yet easily dealt to. The final obstacle of the barrel weave is where it is won or lost, and putting in one final effort, Jo manages to squeeze past Guthrie as he goes wide on the final barrel. 

Victory is Jo's, and the race series is now tied at one each as we eye up next week's issue and the final event - a fifty-mile, two-day across country. 

As much as I enjoyed this week's strip, the obstacles were never as dangerous as I expected. The loop-the-loop looked great on the page, but Jo drove straight around it with no problem. It was the same with the firey tunnel -it looked fantastic, but we only saw two panels as Jo easily drove through it. The whole obstacle course felt all too easy, and although it looked great, I never felt the danger of the event. However, these criticisms are small, and overall I enjoyed everything I read, with James Bleach's superb artwork again foremost in my thoughts  

Rating: 6.5/10

Best Line: "Good old Jo! You've beaten the yank by a good ten yards! What a ride!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Nipper 

Best Line: "I've got something to say to ye! Ye're a bunch o' bine-headed layabouts! Ye're no' trying! Ye've no fighting spirit...and as for ma boy, Hamish...he's useless!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 3rd May 1975

Last week's issue was outstanding, yet this week is even better. All the football stories are reaching the end of the season and all the drama that comes with that, while Skid Solo and Tallon Of The Track are facing highspeed life or death situations. It is a thrilling read, and with only one story not reaching its previous highs, this is a very strong issue indeed. A shame it had to end, and I'll make sure I'll read it a couple more times before I pick up the next issue. 

Tiger

3rd May 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

The saga of the mystery man continues in this week's issue, and as Rovers take the field against German side Durmstadt, Roy finds a note on the ball telling him Charlie Carter is the secret to beating the Germans.

And so it comes to pass. The Germans attack strongly and earn a free kick. Roy correctly predicts that Franz Heller will be taking the kick and only a magnificent save from Charlie Carter saves the day. 

Charlie continues to shine, and his up-and-under kick down the field leaves the smaller Durmstadt midfield dithering, allowing Roy to get his head to it and setting up Blackie Grey for the first goal of the match.

This tactic continues, and soon Roy scores a second from one of Charlie Carter's kicks, this time volleying it into the back of the net. 

Turning to salute his fans, Roy spies the mystery man with a scarf over his face watching from the crowd, and the strip ends with Roy scrambling over the barrier to try and catch up with him. 

The football action was the lynchpin of this week's story, and although the mystery man storyline took a huge step forward it was still the onfield action that captivated. The image of Charlie making the save was fantastic, and I felt every sinew of his body stretching to pull it off. Equally compelling was Roy bursting through the Germans to get his head to the ball to set up Blackie, along with his own goal with the volley. All fizzed with excitement and gave the strip an extra energy that had been missing of late. The mystery man storyline is coming to an end, and after a slow start, it is going out on a high as it comes wrapped in some of the best football action in months.

Rating: 8/10

Best line:  "Don't let all that jostling and shouting fool you, lads! They have already decided that Heller is going to take it!"

Skid Solo

Skid Solo is off the track this week, and visiting one of his rich Spanish friends with a villa on the coast. 

The speed element of the story comes early and Skid's friend, Jose Miralles, shows Skid the new hydro-foil boat he has built. It is fast, but at high speeds it shakes like a leaf. 

Sandy and Tommy spend an hour going over the engine, and everything seems fine. It is then that Skid decides that they should take it out on the water and see what is the problem.

On the water, Skid has it at full speed and up on the hydrofoils when disaster strikes. The hydrofoils snap, and Skid and Sandy are thrown from the boat. Tommy is also thrown off the boat, but he manages to grab a rope and finds himself towed by the still-running boat. 

While Skid and Sandy are saved by Jose Miralles and the boat trailing them, Tommy struggles on behind the hydrofoil boat. He manages to pull himself on board the hydrofoil and cuts the engines, but still faces danger as the boat runs into the swift seas around the headlights. 

Tommy keeps his head, and soon they have attached a rope between the two boats and Tommy is towed back to shore. Jose Miralles comments that Tommy is a very brave lad, and we finish the strip with a grinning Tommy telling him that he had to hold onto the rope and save the boat because he can't swim.

We had a similar boating story several months ago and of the two I enjoyed this one more. Tommy in action gave the story a different flavour and we saw a fearless streak emerge in the character. This bodes well for future storylines and the day when we eventually see him in a racing car. I'm not normally a fan of Skid Solo away from the track, but this was a warm story, and I was quite content with all I read here. Like Roy Of The Rovers before it, it had several notable panels, and the expressions of Skid and Tommy were well worth a second look. A surprising story, yet a most enjoyable one, and another key element to this week's comic. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "He's still clinging to the rope..and the hydro-foil's heading for the headland. He must let go..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini

On the edge of a steeply banked track, Tiny and Martin are rapidly running out of room as the novelty race reaches its climax. 

At that moment Tiny remembers seeing bicycle racing at a velodrome where the bikes suddenly swoop down to the inside of the track, gaining speed and an added advantage. Martin does as instructed and it works a treat, giving them the lead and eventually the win. 

With the prize money of one thousand pounds in their pockets, thoughts turn to their next challenge. Martin has received an entry form to enter in a Scandinavian rally of one thousand miles. Although they don't have enough money to fly there, Tiny has the idea of driving there. Not only that, but they could also take a fare-paying passenger with them to help cover costs. 

The boys place a newspaper ad, and the following day they are visited by a chap in dark glasses and overcoat, saying he will pay twice the price if they take him and his luggage. 

Martin and Tiny agree, although later they have thoughts that the man may be a spy or a crook, based on the way he is dressed. However, they pick him up at the town hall as organised and are surprised to find he has a large array of luggage and a dog, all of which he expects to go with him. As Tiny says, he may be paying double, but he's going to get his money's worth. 

The novelty race ended quickly, and I felt a little cheated after what we had seen from it in the past couple of weeks. The ending was fine, and I liked the idea, but with the execution taking a couple of panels it was over in a flash. The new storyline is shaping up nicely, and the look and feel of this new direction are appealing. It's looking as though it will be quite a caper and with a thousand-mile rally at the end of it we shall be in for an interesting ride in the coming months. The mystery man fits the stereotype of a spy or villain, and I will be curious to see exactly what type of character he will be in the coming weeks. However, the most interesting panel in this week's strip was the panel showing Tiny and Martin's ad. It contained a real photo (with the caption "Essex man wins the..") of a man looking out at us. A part of me wants to know who this is, and why they chose to use a real photo in the strip when they could have drawn a face in the newspaper. I don't know if this is part of the story or a stylistic choice, but whatever it is, it made me look twice and left me wondering. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You've been reading too many adventure books! He looks too much like a spy to be one..."

Tallon Of The Track

Jo Tallon has lost control of her streamlined machine in the first race against American millionaire Miles Guthrie and is hurtling towards a brick wall.

She has only one hope, to point the fibre-glass missile through an open gateway to safety. Needless to say, this she does and as Dave and Miles run to find what has become of her she emerges angrily from the lake into which she has crashed. 

There is some testy back and forth between Jo and Miles before he leads her to the next challenge. The next challenge looks like it will suit Jo's talents, as Miles shows her a pair of scramble bikes. However, things aren't always straightforward, and after passing Miles's test of riding up on a ramp and jumping through a drain pipe, he tells her the next race is through an aerial stunt course he has built in the woods - twenty feet above the ground. 

The first page was spectacular. The sight of Jo speeding towards the wall caught all the drama of the moment, and the following panels of her speeding through the gap were just as gripping. While the first page carried all the best artwork and drama, it was the second page that contained all the story and sets us up for what comes next. The conflict between Jo and Miles continues to escalate and we are rewarded with some fiery dialogue between the two which was just fine by me. The character of Miles is so irritating, especially in the way he speaks to Jo, that the reader becomes engaged in the story and wants to see Jo best him in every way. This week the cards fell in Miles's favour, next week we start from zero, and I want nothing more than to see Jo beat this cad at his own game.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You really messed that little contest up, didn't you, Sugar?"

Nipper

Nipper is on the field and ready to play for Blackport. A surprising turn of events after Nipper has been on strike for being unjustly disciplined by Clive Norton.

What has brought this change we don't know as Nipper warms up, but all is revealed in the next panel as Andy Stewart emerges from the tunnel. Walking with a cane, and still bandaged after his car accident, he briefly converses with Clive Norton, telling him Nipper is the most loyal player they've got. Pointing out that Nipper is only three goals away from the club record in a season, he tells Norton that they'll soon find out if Nipper is selfish, or if he truly cares about his team. 

The game kicks off, and Nipper is immediately in the thick of the action. Blackport swings onto the attack, and Nipper suddenly whips the ball right off his own teammate before running into some bustling defence. Nipper remains strong in the face of this, keeping his feet and squeezing the ball through from a tight angle for the first goal of the game. 

This confirms to Norton that Nipper only cares about his own glory, and he tells Andy Stewart so in the final panel. 

The moment when Andy Stweart emerged from the tunnel was fantastic, and the artwork did it justice. It would have been a great movie moment, and in the context of the story, it felt like a pivot point. The story delivered a lot this week, with the reappearance of Andy Stweaart, the conflict with Clive Norton, the goal-scoring record on the line, and Nipper delivering a terrific goal. So much to digest across two pages and it was a twisting turning road that brought us to the final panel. The final lines hint that next week may be full of surprises, and it is shaping up to put a capstone on this story. I had completely forgotten about the goal-scoring record, and it was a clever move to have it play a crucial role in this late stage of the story. A story of many moving parts, it has all cleverly come together in the last two weeks, and I hope we are rewarded with a suitable conclusion in the following issues. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Best line: "Look...it's Andy Stewart! He's back!" 

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar can only look on as Mister Mitchell, the victim of several unexplained accidents, lies unconscious on the floor after a set of wall bars collapsed with him under them. The three boys who asked Johnny to come and help are rounded up by the headmaster, and having seen them watching through the window the headmaster is convinced that they are behind the accidents.

Mister Mitchell decides that the time is right to come clean about these accidents, and he explains to all those present that before he became a teacher he was a witness to a bank raid His evidence helped convict a gang of criminals and the crooks were given a twenty-year sentence. One of the criminals, Scarface Baxter, swore that he would have his revenge. Baxter escaped from prison a few months ago, and it looks like he hasn't wasted any time in carrying out his threats. 

Johnny Cougar pledges to protect Mister Mitchell, while the headmaster apologises to the three boys. Johnny goes a step further, giving the boys and Mister Mitchell free tickets to a wrestling tournament taking place the next day, with Johnny wrestling in the main event. 

All are ringside the following evening as Johnny begins to wrestle The Highwayman. The fight doesn't start well, and soon Johnny is on the back foot, taking a heavy kick to the head. From ringside, Mister Mitchell comments that Johnny is more concerned with protecting him than he is about wrestling, and he could be in big trouble.

Yes, heap big trouble. Although the Highwayman is a silly concept for a wrestler, he looks fantastic in the ring, and he is given the chance to tell Johnny to stand and deliver. It made me smile despite the seriousness of the other storyline and helped give the story some balance. The main storyline was laid bare in this issue, with the mysterious accidents no longer a mystery. We now have a villain and backstory, and with these pieces in place, the story should quickly advance. I was pleased to see Mister Mitchell's history pulled into the light, a mystery can be intriguing or it can stifle a story from flowing naturally, and I think now we have all the facts there is much more potential for the story. I was wondering how the story would be with Splash Gorton no longer part of Johnny's world, and to be honest I haven't missed him a bit thus far. The pages are cleaner, and Splash's asides to the reader no longer take me out of the story. We're on the up and up, and with wrestling and danger coming in equal measure in the comic, the next few weeks should be a splendid ride. 

Rating: 8/10 

Best line: "From now on, you have Cougar to look after you! Together, we beat this evil one!"

Billy's Boots

Billy and his team are a goal down in the cup final against Rivery School. Billy played terribly in the first half, but he started the second half brightly and after a superb run and beating several opposing players, he fired off a shot. 

The shot hits the crossbar and Billy, who has been following up, dives on the ricochet and heads it home to level the scores one each. 

From the kick-off, Groundwood swarms forward in search of a second goal, and they are rewarded when Billy and Jimmy Dawson connect well and Billy scores his second with a thunderous strike. 

It remains two-one to Groundwood, and as the referee blows fall time they celebrate their cup victory. A lap of the field with the cup in hand the crowd cheering is just reward and the boys enjoy their moment. 

In the dressing room a melancholy sets in, with two of the boys commenting that the football season is now over and they have nothing to look forward to. Mr. Renton, the sportsmaster, tells them he wants them to do for the cricket team what they've done for the football team and he wants them all to turn up for practice next week. 

Billy hasn't played much cricket and is worried about the upcoming season. Dropping in on the older man who used to play with Dead-shot Keen, Billy asks if Dead-shot ever played cricket, The old man isn't sure, but rummaging in his garden shed he finds a pair of cricket boots that used to belong to Dead-shot and gifts them to Billy. He's unsure if Dead-shot was a batter or a bowler and Billy tells him he'll wear the boots at the next practice and if he scores a hundred he'll let him know. 

Lovely artwork early on at the football game. Billy's goals looked smashing, and it felt well deserved after the season he has had. I loved the panels showing both of Billy's goals, and the panels of the boys parading the cup was another notable highlight. The transition to the cricket season was interesting, and it looks like Dead-shot's boots will be again playing a part. I remember well reading Billy's cricketing exploits when I was a lad, and part of me is secretly looking forward to this part of what really is a football story. It helps that the New Zealand winter is approaching here, and seeing Billy playing cricket in warmer climates will help lift my mood in the next few months. It's also an interesting diversion and will help stimulate interest in a story that can become repetitive across a football season. For now, this was a cracking end to the football season and a lovely way to round out all the dramas Billy has been facing. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "To think I was going to take Dane off at half-time. He's made a great come-back!" 

Hot Shot Hamish 

Princes Park is through to the final of the Scottish Cup, although Hamish Balfour has been injured getting them there and now his manager and Daddie are waiting for news on his injury.

It is all smiles as Hamish emerges unhurt from the trainer's room, the trainer telling them that Hamish has a head of iron and there's nothing wrong with him. The smiles don't last long as Hamish's Daddie gives Hamish a slap across the head for upsetting everyone and making them worried. 

Princes Park is taken to the seaside for some special training before the final. After Hamish hits several players with his hot shot it is decided that it might be prudent to abandon practice and perhaps play golf instead. Unfortunately, Hamish is just as strong on the golf course, and his first shot strikes a tree before cannoning back and striking a Princes Park player in the head. With this, it is decided to return to their own ground for final training. 

The payers are reading the newspaper on game day, and the papers report that Princes Park has no chance. In the stands sits Hamish's Daddie, and the mood there is the same. All the crowd are predicting a heavy defeat for Princes Park. Hamish's Daddie is alone in his unwavering support of Princes Park, although this seems misguided as we finish the strip with Princes Park down three-nil and still plenty of time on the clock. 

This was enjoyable, but hardly essential Hot Shot Hamish. Light humour made up the bulk of the story and although it made the corners of my mouth twitch, I never broke into a broad smile. The football is almost an aside, and although the game is the highlight of the season, we saw none of the Princes Park players on the field, only the opposing side scoring their three goals. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with this week's strip, it just wasn't as strong as it usually is, with both the humour and drama turned down several notches. However, it remains a favourite, and I anticipate a return to its high standard soon. As it is often said say, form is temporary, class is permanent. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Och, ye great daft lump o' Haggis. I'll give it to ye...upsetting everyone, pretending to be hurt!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story: Billy's Boots 

Best Line: "I'll get even with you one day, Mister Clever Mitchell...it may take a long time...but I'll get even!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 26th April 1975

Last week was a transition week for many of the stories with new stories starting and several other older storylines evolving. This week we get the payoff with one of the best issues of Tiger I have read since this blog started almost two years ago. The artwork throughout was stupendous and I had a tough choice selecting a favourite panel. This was a joy to read, and I liked the direction most of the stories were going. It feels like we have hit a fertile patch in the storytelling, and this is a timely reminder of why I first started reading Tiger all those years ago. There is something for everyone, and all of it is of excellent quality.  

Tiger

26th April 1975

Billy's Boots

Groundwood School has reached the Schools' Cup final for the second year in succession. There are nerves aplenty as the team lines up to run out on the first-division pitch, heightened by the fact that they are about to meet the Duke of Molechester. 

With the ceremony over the game begins. Billy's boots are performing as expected and Billy has a torrid first half. Coming off the field at halftime, they are down one-nil, although they have had chances. The sportsmaster is encouraging, and despite his mistakes, Billy receives no criticism.

The second half begins with Billy immediately passing the ball to an opposing player. There are calls of rubbish from the crowd, but this time Billy makes amends. Chasing the opposing player, he wins the ball back before launching into a mazing dribble through the other team. With four players beaten, there are more calls for him to pass it, although it seems that Billy will be holding onto the ball and heading for goal in next week's issue.

The front cover was deceiving and I thought that more of the story was going to be taken up with meeting the Duke. This didn't happen and we swiftly moved on to the football action. On this front, the story didn't disappoint, and I lapped up every miskick and poor pass that Billy made. In front of the big crowd, you could feel his nervousness, and the artist did a fine job of capturing his angst every time the ball went astray. Surprisingly, my favourite part of the story was when his boots took control, and Billy began dribbling through the opposition. It looked great on the page and was beautifully captured in a single panel. For ten seconds Billy looked like Messi in his prime, and for the first time in a long while I felt genuinely excited about his magical boots. The strength of Billy's Boots is in his friendships and the camaraderie among the boys, but this was one instance when the football looked sublime, and I felt I was watching something spectacular unfold. Full credit to the artist on this, it is one panel that will be going into my virtual hall of fame. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "Tighten up your passing, Dane...and good luck!"

Skid Solo

It is the Spanish Grand Prix this week, and it looks like it's going to be fiercely competitive. The scene is set from the first panel, with a fiery encounter between Sparrow Smith and Gino Renga taking place on the grid, picking up their rivalry from where we left off last week. 

Skid is in fifth place as the race begins, the perfect place to see Renga's scheme of blocking Sparrow out. There is little Skid can do about it, apart from taking advantage of Renga's negative tactics and driving past both of them in a single manoeuvre. 

While Skid chases the leaders. Renga is intent on blocking Sparrow, much to the displeasure of his team manager watching from the pits. The manager put out a backboard to call him in. Renga sees the sign but decides to ignore it. However, as he is distracted by this, Sparrow seizes the moment and speeds by. 

This infuriates Renga, who drives madly on the track to try and recapture his position. Skid is having engine trouble, and soon Sparrow and Renga are right behind them. Sparrow passes him smoothly, but Renga is a little too aggressive in trying to pass at the same time, and the wheels of his car touch Skid's. 

Both run off the track and although Skid can rejoin the race, Renga is out for the day. The rest of the race passes by quickly and ends with Mareilla taking the checkered flag, followed by Vargan, Sparrow Smith and in fourth place, Skid Solo.  

After the race Skid is furious with Renga's reckless driving and wants to put in a report. However, he is pacified when he learns that Renga has been sacked from this team. Just at this moment Tommy Carter wakes up from his sleep, excited to see his first race and not wanting to miss a thing, little realizing that the race has come and gone. 

The drama with Renga that was built up the last couple of weeks came to a head in this issue and it was worth the wait. The racing was everything we had come to expect from Skid Solo with some hard driving and the obligatory crash. In this case, no one was hurt and it was nice to see the villain of the piece get his comeuppance. Renga has been cast well in the role of the villain, and we had plenty of contorted expressions and angry words before we reached this point, all of which helped put him firmly in the role of the heel. It was by the book, yet nevertheless, I enjoyed every moment of his conflict with Sparrow and Skid and I wouldn't be too surprised if we saw him again. I felt a little disappointed for Tommy Carter to miss all of this, it was a great race and I enjoyed it immensely on his behalf. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "If Renga carries on like that...he'll wrap his car round a lamp-post! Good luck to him...so long as he doesn't pile me up at the same time..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini

We open the story with a spectacular image of the mini emerging from a tunnel. We are still in the middle of the novelty race, and Martin and Tiny are giving it their all. Currently in third, they are right behind the leaders and rapidly approaching the jump across the river. 

Approaching the ramp, they watch on as the first car fails to make the jump and crashes into the water. the second car makes it cleanly across and now it is their turn. 

They make the jump, but only just as they bounce off the submerged car in the river and fortuitously land on the ramp on the opposite bank. With only one car ahead of them the race is on, and both are soon in the next obstacle, the sandpit. 

The front windshield becomes covered with dust, leading to Tiny kicking it out as they race on. The next obstacle is a sloping corner turn. Making their move to the outside, they are side by side with the lead car, but dangerously close to toppling over the edge.

That is where we leave our heroes this week, with the wheels all almost off the track and a potential crash awaiting us. I'm going to put my money down now and say it won't happen, but in the world of Tiger you just never know.  This issue offered plenty of thrills with the novelty race as we expected, and although none of it felt high-stakes it did have some of the best artwork we have seen in this week's comic. The first image of the car emerging from the pipe was fabulous, but at the bottom of that same page, it was pipped by an even better image of  George bouncing across the river. Along with the memorable panels we have already seen in Billy's Boots and Skid Solo, this has been one of the best Tiger comics in the last couple of years for artwork, and the bar is set extremely high for the remaining stories in this week's issue. I thought the novelty race would be fun, but I never expected to be indulged with such wonderful artwork, and any thoughts of the lightness of the story were dispelled with the colourful images before my eye. Excellent work, and there's plenty more to come next week. 

Rating: 9/10

Best line: "The leader hasn't made it! He's in the water!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Rovers are playing their last league match of the season, and struggling to score against Barnford who have packed eight men in the penalty area. Blackie thinks they should play the ball square and try to draw them out. Roy isn't having any of that and yells at the team to keep attacking and shooting. 

With his authority stamped on the game, the rest of the team follows Roy's instructions. Lofty dribbles into a sea of players in the box, leading to confusion and two Barnford players crashing into each other. Amidst this chaos, Roy is on hand to poke the ball into the net for a one-nil lead right on full time. 

The season is over and the team happily retire to the dressing room. It is then that Ben Galloway bursts in, telling Roy to turn on the television. Roy does, and they all watch an interview with Tony Storme, recorded in Majorca four days ago - just at the same time as Rovers were taking on Dynamo Zarnov. There is no way that Tony Storme could be the mystery man passing the notes, despite what Roy previously thought. 

The season may be over, but there is still the semi-final of the Cup Winners Cup to be played against Durmstadt. It is here that this week's strip ends with one final surprise for Roy and his team. A message has been pasted onto one of the footballs in the dressing room, and it's another message from the mystery man telling Roy that their secret weapon against Durmstard is going to be Charlie Carter. 

Seeing the pure football action against Barnford reminded me of how much more I enjoyed Roy Of The Rovers before this mystery man storyline began. I haven't looked back to see how long it's been running, but it feels like many months now and I am more than ready to move on. The football action against Barnford was entertaining, although a last-minute goal from Roy to win the match was, well, Roy Of The Rovers stuff. Surely we could have had someone else on hand to score this one instead of Roy for once. Small gripe and I remind myself that it's Roy's story, and he is the one we all come to read about. Obviously, I wasn't so enamoured by the next clue in the mystery man story and although I look forward to seeing the team take on their German opponents, I hope that the mystery man plays only a small role in the on-field action. We will see in the coming weeks, and I shall approach what comes next with an open mind.

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "So our mysterious helper couldn't have been Tony...not unless he's found a way of being in two places at once!

Hot Shot Hamish

Last week it was titled "Hot-shot Hamish" and this week "Hot shot Hamish." What's a poor boy to do, it's messing with my format. Despite the inconsistency of the title, the story remains as reliable as ever with a story that is humourous and exciting in equal measure. 

With Mister McWhacker disguised as Hamish's Daddie on the sideline, Hamish is reinvigorated and wins the ball from the opposition player. However, he doesn't get far before he is tripped from behind and earns a free kick. From the stand, Hamish's Daddie appears, calling the referee to punish the player for the foul. On the other side of the field Mister McWhacker, looking just like Hamish's Daddie, yells for Hamish to take the the kick. 

The appearance of two Daddies confuses Hamish, although he puts this aside as he tries his hot-shot. The shot cannons off the crossbar, and as the teams go to half time it still locked at nil all. 

Hamish's Daddie is unhappy with what he has seen and barges into the dressing room, where Mister McWhacker is standing. Seeing him dressed as himself. Hamish's Daddie knocks him down with a single punch, revealing McWhacker's true identity to Hamish and the rest of the team. 

A quick apology and explanation soon put things right, and the game resumes with Hamish determined to put in a good performance for his Daddie. A goal from a hot shot followed by a headed goal seals the game for the team, and they are through to the final. However, it has taken its toll on Hamish, and Mister McWhacker's and Hamish's Daddie's celebration is cut short as Hamish is carried by on a stretcher, having hit his head on the post after scoring. 

Plenty of good humour here, despite the downbeat finish. The shenanigans with two Daddies wasn't as silly as it sounds here, and it was quite enjoyable to see it play out in the strip. I also appreciated the way it was wrapped up relatively quickly, with no long-term fallout. A single panel with Mister McWhacker was sufficient, and it kept the story moving smoothly. Apart from the hotshot panels, we also had several other moments of explosive art, the pick being when Hamish headed the ball home for a goal. It looked fierce on the page, and once again the artist has done a fine job of capturing the size of Hamish along with his strength and forceful movement. If not for the strength of the art that has come before, this would be my favourite, but as it is it only adds to the lustre of the comic.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Daddie here...an' Daddie there! What's going on? I havena got two Daddies!"

Nipper

With Nipper on the transfer list and Gatesfield making an approach, Nipper has decided that he should go look at their set-up. 

Leaving his dog with Kerry, he travels with Harry Roper, manager of Gatesfield, although Harry is a little distraught that Nipper has mentioned this to Kerry as the negotiations are supposed to be kept quiet. Nipper assures him that Kerry will keep quiet, but as they reach the outskirts of Blackport they find the papers are full of the news of Nipper being on strike.

This changes the situation drastically, and Harry Roper tells Nipper the deal is off. He had no idea that Nipper was on strike, and there was no way that they could sign him under such circumstances. Nipper is dropped off immediately and trudges his way back to the caravan. 

He is surprised to find the newspaper reporter Brian Crawford waiting for him, and his anger begins to rise at the sight of him. Crawford has little time to explain why he is there and hands Nipper a letter that sees Nipper's mood change immediately. It seems that someone important to Nipper knows about his troubles and Nipper has a shocked look on his face as he reads. 

Back at the club Clive Norton, Chairman of the board, is besieged in his office by angry fans. Although rocks are being thrown through his window, he refuses to yield and tells the others with him that the club cannot be dictated to by one player. 

The following evening Blackport are playing at home. As the team take the field, it is observed that only ten players are on the side. It is then that Nipper emerges from the tunnel, dressed and ready to play.  

Another twisting and turning episode, and although devoid of football I nevertheless found it gripping from start to finish. I'm quietly pleased to see Nipper hasn't changed clubs. Nipper is Blackport through and through, and to see him in another strip just wouldn't feel right. We still have unanswered questions, and although the story gave a lot this week at a rapid pace, this story has extra depths and it looks like we still have some way to go. Overall, I am very satisfied with what unfolded, and the final image of Nipper emerging from the tunnel was just fantastic and left me hungry for more. Great characters, an interesting story, and some emotive artwork again make this another strong story, and this issue is proving to be a bumper crop of great stories.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I..I didn't realise that you were on strike! Nothing personal, lad, but my directors would have my ears for book-ends if I signed on a player with a reputation for making trouble." 

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar has gained victory in an international wrestling contest and now has three visitors in the shape of three school boys seeking help with a particular problem. 

They lay out their tale of woe quickly - their P.T. teacher keeps getting involved in accidents at school, but they're convinced they're not accidents and there is a larger plot at hand. 

Johnny rightly points out that they should approach the police, but they ask if he could come to the school and meet Mister Mitchell and just see what is going on. 

Johnny Cougar agrees and the following day it is announced that he will be visiting the school and taking in the sports activities as well as some of the classrooms. 

The three boys are delighted when Johnny appears at their maths class, and soon after arrives at the gymnasium. Johnny is duly introduced to Mister Mithcell, and soon the pair of them are trying the sports equipment, with Johnny keeping a careful eye out for anything untoward. 

A first all appears well, but soon Mister Mitchell scrambles up the wall bars, only for them to come away from the wall and collapse, leaving him laid out on the floor badly hurt. Johnny is shocked, and more trouble waist as the three boys who asked for Johnny's help are caught by the headmaster peering through the gymnasium window. The headmaster jumps to the wrong conclusion and the three are accused of being responsible for these accidents. 

This week's story accelerated quickly after last week's set-up, and already we are up to our necks in it. Interesting to see Splash Gorton's name is no longer in the title. I surmised that he might be disappearing for a while, and it seems that this has come to pass. It's been a long time since I read these stories, and I'm not sure if he ever makes it back into the title, although I do recall he will be back in the story. Only time will tell, and in the meantime, I will cross my fingers for Splash. Elsewhere, the artwork is just as good as last week and again the faces are what really sell the story to me. Not just Johnny Cougar and the three boys, but also the face of the headmaster who looks just as stern and old-fashioned as you might imagine. We have advanced from last week, but it is still early stages of the story. Splash has gone, we have been introduced to new troubles for Johnny and next week we shall see what this story is made of. I can't wait 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "By Manitou, mystery saboteur strikes again...and this time teacher look badly hurt!"

Tallon Of The Track

Jo has been invited to compete in a series of speed events against American Millionaire Miles Gutherie, in an attempt to save the Osprey's stadium being turned into a factory. The first event is a speed trial over one kilometre on air-streamed two-wheelers.

They may look like two pencils, but they are still essentially motorbikes, and Jo is confident she can handle it, With the race starting immediately, soon she is belting along at one hundred and seventy-five miles an hour, and still Gutherie holds a small lead. Jo goes to squeeze a little more out of her bike, but in adjusting the throttle she accidentally launches her drag chute designed to slow down and stop the bike. It snarls up behind her, causing the bike to go out of control and we finish with Jo hurtling towards a brick wall at one hundred and seventy miles an hour. 

A great showcase for the bikes here, and they look just as fast as they claim to be. All sleek lines and powerful engines, they look as fast and dangerous as they prove to be. This story has accelerated quickly from last week, and the stakes are high with Jo already facing a life-or-death situation. All is forgiven for the previous months in Russia, this is the Tallon Of The Track story I want to read, and I'm getting a heavy dose of all I wished for. I hope this story doesn't rush to a speedy conclusion, I want to see a lot more like this, and until next week I will be reading this a couple more times and celebrate the great artwork and exciting storyline. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I'm sitting on so much power, it feels like a moon rocket!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 8/10

Best Story: Billy's Boots

Best Line: "What's this, then? Who do you think ye are...dressing up in the Balfour tartan? Ye look a right sight, mon! I'll no have disgrace brought on the Balfours! And ye've got a pet sheep, just like Hamish's!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 19th April 1975

Several stories are off to a fresh start, and in particular I look forward to seeing where Tallon Of The Track will go next. Johnny Cougar also has a new adventure awaiting, and this week is laying down the groundwork for that. All in all, a transition week for many of the stories, while a couple of others are reaching their climax. A good mix, and with a couple of firm favourites chugging along nicely, this week should be an interesting read.

Tiger

19th April 1975

Johnny Cougar with Splash Gorton

A new adventure for Johnny Cougar this week and I look forward to seeing what situation our hero will be thrown into this time. 

The set-up is brief and to the point. Mister Mitchell is a P.E. teacher in the Midlands who seems to suffer mysterious accidents in the gymnasium. We learn this from three of his pupils, who discuss this after seeing the legs of the pommel horse collapse under him, seemingly sawn through.

Coincidently, Johnny Cougar is wrestling a Chinaman that very night in the town (Also, Dude, "Chinaman" is not the preferred nomenclature). The three boys, Tom Dailey, Danny Barlow, and Bobby Jackson approach Johnny Cougar after the fight and ask him for help. 

A basic set-up, and with the story still in embryonic form it is the artwork that carries the day. The faces of the three boys tell a story, and every time all three of them are in a panel the story leaps forward. Not a lot of Johnny Cougar in the story yet, although we did see him briefly wrestling a Chinese opponent. That fight is kept simple, with a headbutt and a sidestep, and with little fanfare it is just a chance to see Johnny do something in the ring. Splash is off at a swimming event, and didn't appear on the page with Johnny this week. Instead, we saw him making a phone call to tell Johnny how it was going. What this means for the future, I'm not sure, but potentially he may not be appearing in this story. That's understandable, with the three boys already to draw Johnny into the mystery, having Splash on the scene would clutter up the panels with extra bodies. We should learn more about the story to come next week, but for now, this has been a firm beginning. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Johnny Cougar! He's wrestling in our local town hall tonight! He'll know what to do...he always does, the Tiger and Scorcher!"  

Tallon Of The Track

The Ospreys are back in Britain, and Jo is angry at Basil Oldfield, the club chairman, yes - all is once again right in the world. 

The cause of Jo's anger is the possibility that the stadium will be closed down. Sir Basil only leases the stadium for the local property company, and it has now been sold to a new owner who wants to build a factory on the site. 

Jo is determined that this won't be happening under her watch, and learning that the new owner is a wealthy American millionaire called Miles Guthrie, she sets off to confront him. 

Miles Guthrie lives at Barnaby Grange, a country estate befitting a man of his wealth. Jo arrives with Dave and comments that it looks like he has built a private runway in the grounds, no doubt for his private jet. 

This assumption is dispelled in the next few panels as we see a drag racing bike howling down the asphalt towards them. Jo and Dave and forced to dive aside as the bike roars past them and after admiring the speed of the machine they are soon talking to the rider who is, unsurprisingly, Miles Guthrie.  

Miles confirms that yes, he does want to build a factory where the stadium now stands, a factory to build new dragster engines. This riles up Jo, who puts her case forward. The end result is Miles Guthrie challenges Jo to a series of different speed events and should she win he'll let them keep the stadium. We finish with the first look at what the first event will be with a pair of sleek aerodynamic bikes shown in the garage. 

Much better than the Russian storylines, we are back to the Tallon Of The Track that I know and love. This series of speed events holds great potential, and as much as I wanted to see speedway action, this is just as good. The bikes lined up for next week looked fantastic on the page, and the artist has imbued them with a sense of speed, even sitting still in the garage as they are. Miles Guthrie is shaping up to be a good character and a worthy opponent to Jo. Again, the panels with him on his bike were full of speed and energy and I could feel the pace at which they were moving just looking at the page. Next week can't come fast enough, and I look forward to seeing this story speed forward. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Sweetie-pie, this is a private pad...and I'm the kinda guy who does what he likes on his own property!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny take the easy route, across a bridge, after seeing another car sink in the river on the novelty race course. 

After this soft start, we see the Mini take on a steep muddy slope before making their way back onto the surfaced track. Shortly after they are back at the starting point and speaking to a track marshal in the pits. He offers them some advice - get into the lead as soon as you can and stay there, Most of the crashes in the race will be caused by cars behind banging into the cars getting in trouble ahead of them. 

It is sound advice, advice that Martin and Tiny readily take on board. As the race begins Martin steps on it, and as they reach the first obstacle, the pipe tunnel, they are in third place. Martin is going too fast, and they find the car driving towards the roof of the pipe as they round the bend, leaving them no option but to drive faster and hope they go right over and down the other side. 

A slow start after seeing the river jump at the end of last week, I was sure we would begin with seeing the Mini taking on the ramp. Driving over the bridge was the correct option, and although it didn't thrill me it was still correct for the characters. Now that the race has started I am far more engaged, and this drama of the pipe and driving on the roof of it, not only looks spectacular but has me dying to see what happens next. The race is filled with obstacles such as this, and if we have such drama at each one we shall be in for a long and exciting run. The motor racing panels are the best in this strip this week, and there are plenty of them for me to admire. It would be hard to select a favourite, and the quantity of them is thrilling in itself. Each one is a burst of joy, and next week we should be in for more of the same with the Mini taking on this fascinating track. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Too fast! I warned you...we're on the roof!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Rovers are amid their quarter-final against Dynamo Zarnov, and not only facing a hostile crowd but also intimated officials. 

The referee has left the field after being hit by a shot from Roy, and another linesman has taken over. Awarding a free-kick to Rovers he is facing a barrage of abuse, especially as he paces out the distance from the ball the Zarnov players must retreat to. Telling them that he will give them all yellow cards if they don't do as instructed, the new referee earns the respect of the Rovers players. It's Roy who points out that is Hans Kutz, a German referee who once handled a World Cup final. 

Buoyed by 'the Iron Ref" taking charge, Lofty takes his place in his opponent's wall, holding his ground as they gouge, kick, and elbow. As Roy runs in for the kick, Lofty breaks from the wall, leaving space for Roy to shoot home the equalizing goal. 

Determined to strike back, the Dynamo Zarnov players hammer Rovers, scoring at the other end shortly after. However, this goal is waved off as at least three Melchester players were being fouled when the goal was scored. 

From the resulting free-kick, the ball is quickly kicked downfield, and after some fast interplay Roy scores with a diving header to clinch the quarter-finals on aggregate 3-2

Speeding to the airport the players ask about the advice given by the mysterious expert and his note in the bottle. They also question his deliberate kick of the ball at the referee. Roy explains that kicking the ball at the referee was indeed an accident, and the advice in the note was to try a banana shot at the opposition keeper. Roy laughs that he bent it too much, and it clobbered the referee. 

With this game behind them, Roy looks towards the next game, and we see him in the final panel thinking that it is time he stood on his own two feet, and he needs to discover the identity of the mysterious note writer. 

The on-field action was all I could ever want, and l was delighted to see Lofty mixing it up in the opposition wall. It was always going to be Roy scoring from the free kick, so I didn't feel a thrill when that went in. However, his second goal with a diving header was spectacular and I was far more excited to see that. It felt like a proper exciting, air-punching, football moment. The mysterious note writer was kept lowkey for this issue, and the story flowed much better when it was restricted to on-field action., This gave a chance for the artwork to shine, and we had several memorable panels. A steadily improving story, with Roy's final thoughts it looks like the mysterious note writer may be revealed in the next few weeks. I certainly hope so. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Gouge, kick and elbow all you like, chummies! I'm not budging an inch..!"

Billy's Boots 

Billy has a cold, which is unfortunate as this is the week of the final for the Schools Cup. 

Billy tries to go to school during the week but is restricted to bed rest on the orders of his Gran. His pal Jimmy visits, asking if he'll be right for cup day, and telling him that they practised with Granger in his place but Granger was rubbish. 

Billy turns to the pages of Dead-Shot Keen's biography to see what the future might hold for him. Dead-Shot faced the same situation, coming back from a cold to appear in a cup final. For most of that game, he achieved very little, until two minutes from time when he scored a spectacular solo goal to win the match. 

Billy is heartened by this, although he has concerns about being out of form come the match today. He is feeling better and tells his Gran that he is ready to return to school. Good old Gran errs on the side of caution and tells Billy he must stay in bed another day. Billy is desperate to get some practice in before the big game, and to that end, he begins to kick a ball around in his bedroom. The inevitable happens, and Billy sends the ball smashing through a window. This seals the deal in his Gran's eyes, and Billy is soon back to school. 

At school, Billy and the team are told that the bus leaves at eleven-thirty on Saturday to London, and to make sure that they aren't late. Furthermore, they have new shirts for the final. Billy is impressed with the new shirts, and excitement is high within the team. 

The final stepping stone before the final and we see Billy overcoming one last hurdle. His cold has come and gone, he's got a clean bill of health from his Gran, and the bus to London beckons.  Already a couple of different scenarios are playing out in my mind, but we'll have to wait until next week to see what comes to fruition. This wasn't the most exciting issue. A cold isn't the most thrilling thing to happen in a sports comic, and neither is seeing Billy reading his book. However, it is all part of building the story which will climax next week in London. We have marinated in this cup competition long enough, next week it is time for the payoff with a worthy game and a fitting climax to the story. Well, that's what I hope, anyway! 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "So did that football, didn't it? All right...you go to school tomorrow, young man - before you break anything else!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

It's a big day for Hamish Balfour. Not only has he been picked for Scotland, but Mister McWhacker also has an offer of four hundred thousand pounds for his transfer.

This is all dealt with in the following panel as Hamish tells them that he'll never leave Princes Park. The management team is overjoyed, as is Hamish's Daddie who is currently reading the news that Hamish has made the Scottish team. 

Two days later Hamish is awakened by a noise out on the street. It is his father, with both his bagpipes and Hamish's pet sheep, McMutton, who has come to watch him play for his country. Hamish explains to his Daddie that the game is still a month away, and he's too early.

This conversation is interrupted by Hamish's landlady who has arrived to kick Hamish's father out. She'll not have extra people lodging under her roof. Hamish's Daddie is cast out, and although he assures Hamish that he can survive in the big town, Hamish is unconvinced. 

In the following days, nothing more is heard from Hamish's Daddie. Hamish just isn't himself as he is consumed with worry and his form drops off sharply. Watching him put in a feeble effort against Duneaton, Mister McWhacker resorts to desperate measures, disguising himself as Hamish's Daddie in the hope that it will lift Hamish's game. 

I loved the look of Mister McWhacker dressed as Hamish's Daddie, and for everything that came before, this is the final image I will walk away with. A solid story this week and although the drama of the previous week was rapidly undone in the first panels, it was all worthwhile for Hamish's speech declaring his loyalty to Princes Park. Couple with the panel of Mister McWhacker dressed up, this was all I needed from the story and everything else was superfluous. Not quite the top shelf for Hot Shot Hamish, but still a stonking story and anytime Hamish's Daddie arrives we know we are in for chaos and drama.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "But the international match is no' being played until next month, Daddie. Ye're too early" 

Skid Solo

The story of Tommy Carter joining Skid and Sandy continues this week, with all three preparing for a big race. Skid reminds Tommy that Sparrow Smith got his start as working as a mechanic for Skid like Tommy is now.

Watching Sparrow on the track, they see that he is being crowded by another driver, and by the end of the page Sparrow has been run off the track. Skid and his crew run to his aid, Skid being the first there and asking if he's alright. He is, but he is angry that Gino Renga has driven him off the track and not bothered to see if he is all right. 

Gino Renga was the number one driver for Martine cars before Sparrow took over, and the two have some history in this respect. 

Later that afternoon, Skid takes to the track for a fast run. He starts quick enough, but out on the track one of his wheels comes loose and the next moment it's off and so is Skid. Luckily Skid is unharmed, although poor Sandy is facing an all-night job to repair the car.

With the aid of Tommy Carter, Sandy has the car ready for action at 9.30am the following day. Skid is most impressed and asks Sandy if Tommy was much help to him. Sandy assures Skid that Tommy was a great help and worked himself to a standstill. In fact, at that moment Tommy is sleeping at the back of the workshop and not even some teasing from Skid and Sandy can wake him from his slumbers.

We end the story with Sandy telling Skid that he's sure Tommy will be awake for his first Grand Prix as he's just beginning to realise what it's all about. It's a warm moment and a nice way to wrap up this week's episode.

With Renga tangling with Sparrow, there was little room for Skid to become involved in the build-up to the next race. The wheel coming loose and falling off felt shoehorned in and was merely a device to give Skid some danger on the track and prove Tommy's worth in the workshop. This it achieved admirably and the story felt relatively seamless. The stage is now set for the story to heat up next week with Skid, Sparrow, and Renga all taking to the track for some tough racing, and this will be where Tommy really learns what it is all about. It should tick plenty of the boxes for what I look for in a Skid Solo comic, and I can't wait. That doesn't detract from this week's story, and everything here was necessary for what comes next. It was delicately arranged, and we squeezed a lot in, but now we are ready for future episodes and some proper racing drama. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The wee lad's worked himself to a standstill, Skid. In fact, I dinna think I'd have the car ready if it hadna been for his help. He's back there the noo...sleeping!" 

Nipper 

Nipper is roughing it up with an amateur team at the park, while his future at Blackport remains cloudy. At first Nipper struggles, but gritting his teeth he shows his mettle and standing up to the stronger opponents he wins the ball before his class shines through as he drifts through the defence to score. 

A well-dressed man yells encouragement from the sideline and Nipper initially wonders who this new fan could be. He finds out soon enough as the stranger approaches at halftime. It's Harry Roper, the manager of Gatesfield. He lets Nipper know that he's interested in signing him, but Nipper confirms his loyalty to Blackport, before reminding Mr. Roper that he's not allowed to make an approach to Nipper without the manager's permission,.

Mister Roper then drops a bombshell, informing Nipper that his manager has indeed given him permission to make an approach, and made it in writing. 

Nipper feels betrayed by his manager, and as the game resumes his thoughts towards Blackport darken. The Gatesfield offer is appealing, and even more so when Nipper asks how much he'll be paid (yelling from the field, no less) and gets the response that it will be more than what he is currently getting.

It's beginning to look a lot like Nipper will be leaving Blackport. I like the trail of breadcrumbs that has got us to this point, and Gatesfield's approach seems inevitable. With Nipper's girlfriend on hand confirming that it looks like Nipper may be leaving, it's all delicately placed for next week. This week's issue had a fine blend of on-field action and sideline drama, and I appreciated that all this was achieved in two pages. The first page of football was a mix of Nipper's toughness, followed by some finesse, and showed that he is a player for all seasons. Over the page, the transfer drama ramped up, and by the bottom of the page, I was thirsting for more. A great end to this week's issue, and hopefully the Nipper story will appear early in next week's comic so I can find out what happens next. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Think it over, lad! I'll run you up to Gatesfield right after this game, if you like! Let you see our set-up!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Tallon Of The Track

Best Line: "There's no' enough money in the world to make me leave Princes, Sir. I'm a Scotsman...an' I play fer a Scottish club! Princes is my club...and I'll no' leave 'em...never!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: