Tiger 6th December 1975

Just when I think I know which my favourite stories are, and which disappoint, we get an issue like this. Old favourites fail to deliver, while stories I never care for suddenly become compulsive reading. The ups and downs of the comic world follow the ups and downs of my football team. Unexpected players score match-winning goals, while the dependable favourite gains a red card, or season-ending injuries. Nothing as dramatic as a season-ending injury here, but an unexpected turn of events that has me excited about every aspect of Tiger. Anything could happen, and this week it did. 

6th December 1975

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy have committed themselves to two games in a day, playing for Billy's street team The Merrydowners in the morning, and the Groundswood's first eleven in the afternoon. They start well for the Merrydowners, and after showing some deft teamwork, Billy and Jimmy engineer the first goal. After taking this slender lead, the Merrydowners park the bus, and Billy and Jimmy spend the rest of the game helping out in defence.

Trouble is brewing on the sidelines as two schoolmasters watch the game. They both recognise Billy and Jimmy, and one of them slips away to report to Mr Harris that the boys are playing two games. 

Billy and Jimmy arrive at the school and receive a message to report immediately to Mr Harris. They fear the worst, but Mr Harris accepts that they are fit enough to play the second game and they are allowed to take the field. 

They start strongly, and Billy demonstrates he is fit enough by chasing down an opposition player and winning the ball back. However, as he takes the ball towards the opposition goal and prepares to shoot, he suddenly falls to the ground with a cramp. 

Highly relatable, although to be honest I mostly get cramps when I'm sleeping. The appearance of some teachers watching the Merrydowners play was surprising, yet I enjoyed seeing the teachers on the sideline and thinking about what they do outside of school. This story was low on action but remained highly enjoyable with the characters interacting. The scenario that played out was believable, and I could easily see myself facing the same situation when I was a boy. The best was saved for last and the final panel of Billy crumpling to the ground with cramp was the right note to end the strip. Everything here is beautifully balanced, with a fine mix of sport, relationships, and nostalgia, all making for another strong entry for Billy's Boots. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Yes, Mister Carr...but the boys gave me their word they were fit...and that's good enough for me!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

Alec McCloud is playing in his first big game, and despite all the jeers and boos he has been receiving, he is preparing to take a penalty kick. 

McCloud is nervous, but Hamish insists he takes the kick. The shot is a poor one, but McCloud follows up and scores, ending the game with a two-nil win to Princes Park.

In the dressing room, Hamish receives a telegram telling him to come home as there is sickness in the house. Hamish fears the worst and makes the trip back to his little island only to find that it's not his Daddie who is sick, but rather his pet sheep McMutton.

Hamish nurses McMutton back to health with some good Scottish broth, and after a week is readying himself to return to Princes Park. As he climbs onboard the boat to take him home, there is a splash and we see McMutton jumping off the pier with Hamish's Daddies still holding the lead. Both are soaked, and Daddie tells Hamish that McMutton wants to go with him, leaving Hamish no choice but to take McMutton back to Princes Park.

It's great to see Hamish's Daddie back in the mix, and although he only plays a cameo role here, the strip lit up with his appearance. The opening panels with the football were well done, with the pressure on McCloud reflected in the claustrophobic nature of the artwork. The tight nature of the game was dispelled when Hamish returned to his island, yet the story remained darkened by the landscape and the subsequent story. Sometimes I find McMutton to be annoying and silly, but I enjoyed what we had here, especially as it exposed the caring nature of Hamish. There are shenanigans on the horizon with the return to Princes Park, but that is a week away, and what we had here was just the right amount of fun. Next week may well be a step down, so until then, I shall celebrate what we have on the page here. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The stupid animal's getting better food than I am!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The New York to Moscow rally has started fast, and Martin and Tiny are already driving across Canada. After crashing into a ditch they found a farmer to loan them a tractor, but now face a bear coming at them as they drive the tractor out of the barn.

Luckily it's only a stuffed bear, and the man carrying it to the barn introduces himself as a local taxidermist who uses the barn for storage. He agrees to help the lads pull the car out of the ditch, and a few panels later the job is done with the help of the man and the tractor.

Tiny and Martin arrive at the next checkpoint where their sponsor Mister Twastle is waiting for them. They explain why they are late, and he is delighted, thinking only of the publicity. Sure enough, the next morning the papers are full of headlines about the boys being attacked by a bear, while underneath is an advertisement for Mister Twastle's holiday island, proudly proclaiming it's free of bears.

The rally continues with the cars loaded onto a ship for the voyage to Europe. Mister Twastle is still eager for publicity and suggests that perhaps they could have a race on the ship. He puts his plan into action, and a go-kart is wheeled out with the offer of five hundred pounds for whoever can do the fastest lap. Tiny and Martin point out that they tried this once before and they ended up in the sea, but Mr Twastle is non-plussed and tells them all they have to do is win. 

Deeply disappointed to see the bear wasn't the threat I thought it was going to be. However, I did enjoy the subplot and the weird way a taxidermist was shoehorned into the story. Bonkers, yet brilliant. The voyage offers potential, although Martin is right to point out that they already did something similar in the past (on the voyage back from Australia, from memory). It's not as long ago as you might think and is still quite fresh in my mind. If we can find a way to inject fresh life into the idea, all shall be well and good, if not then we may have a flat couple of issues as we cover the same ground. This issue itself was neither here nor there, and we are stuck in no man's land until something better comes along. The Canadian story quickly closed, and the voyage storyline yet to burst into life, we look to the horizon for what comes next.   

Rating: 5.5/10

Best line: "You're on the front page! Listen to this..."Martin and Tiny attached by Grizzly Bear, rally aces in peril!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy is off the field injured, but still doing his best to manage his team to victory over Tarbury in the league cup. 

It looks like Tarbury may score and it's only the quick instincts of Charlie Carter in goal that saves the moment. From the sidelines, Roy is beside himself, and he can't help but become more involved when he sees how much attention Mervyn Wallace is receiving from the Tarbury defence. With time running out, Roy offers some quick advice to Wallace, and the next time he gets the ball he runs infield, drawing the Tarbuy defence with him. 

 A nice cross-field pass opens up the field, and Noel Baxter's cross is greeted by Lofty Peak's head to set up Blackie for a match-winning goal in the final minute. Roy is satisfied that the team can win without him, and two hours later is off to join the England team. However, as he drives away Mervyn Wallace tells the others that it was Roy who advised him to pull the defence out of position, and it was Roy who won the game for them even though he wasn't on the pitch. He then suggests they can't do without Roy, on or off the pitch. 

A solid story that is again elevated by the artwork. Thinking about what I had just read, there was nothing here that demanded I read the next issue immediately. However, the art gave the story a sheen that made it read better than perhaps it really was. The football scenes looked dynamic, and I loved seeing Charlie Carter in action. The final panels with the team talking were crucial to the plot, and these looked just as good as the football imagery, even if I wasn't as involved. It was deceptively simple, and the plot was bolstered by this art, making for a story that I enjoyed more than I should have. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Sorry, Taffy! But I'm...still the manager of this outfit! I can't help getting involved!"

Skid Solo

A typical Skid Solo story from the start finds Skid and Sandy driving up to Scotland to test a new invention by one of Sandy's friends. 

They arrive to find Sandy's friend, Angus, in a rage and chasing some kids off his property. Sandy quietly tells Skid that Angus has a temper, so it's best not to upset him.

Angus greets them and then shows them his new invention. This invention is a tyre that is filled with water rather than air. This gives good stability and grip in all conditions. 

Skid takes a car out equipped with these new tyres for a test run. The first part of the test goes very well, as Skid takes the car over some rough terrain,. The next part of the test is some track driving, and for the first few laps, Skid makes good time. However,  after the tenth lap, he fails to appear and Sandy and Angus begin to wonder what has happened to him.

We soon find out as Skid appears over the crest on foot. Walking back to the car he explains what has happened. As the tyres have heated up the water has turned to steam, eventually bursting all the tyres. At this Sandy and Angus are greeted with the sight of the car, all its tyres leaking and steaming. At this Angus flies into a rage, striking the car with a stick and yelling, leading Skid to comment when anything gets overheated it needs to let off steam.

While I related to Angus's fiery temper, I didn't much care for water-filled tyres. The scenes of Skid driving the car were tired and pedestrian (sorry on both counts, couldn't help myself) and were surprisingly the weakest parts of the story. The best parts were Angus and the moments when he lost his temper. The moment he was hitting the car with a stick and cursing was the most relatable panel in the comic and could have been lifted straight out of my life. It also reminded me of John Cleese doing something similar in Fawlty Towers. A quick Google search tells me that that particular episode of Falwty Towers aired in October 1975, so it may well have been a direct influence. We have seen many of these stories before of Skid testing various vehicles, and while this one was par for the course, it was elevated by Angus and his fierce temper. He had more personality than some of the other characters in Skid's world, and it was nice to see someone expressing themselves on the page. Surprisingly, there was no appearance by Tommy this week, but he wasn't needed with Angus amply filling the quiet spots of the story. A Skid Solo story where Skid Solo wasn't the standout, and one that made an impression while I read it, but I daresay it will be forgotten once the Grand Prix season is upon us. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Aye...an' he's got a keen temper, Skid...so dinna upset him!"

Nipper

Nipper and his rival Danny Marvin are playing together for Blackport, although so far Marvin has concentrated more on making Nipper look bad than beating their Swiss opposition. Marvin manages to break through the defence and cross a ball to Nipper and Nipper is horrified to find that Marvin has put a powerful spin on it, making it impossible to kick straight.  

A half time Nipper and Mike talk about the troubles, and Nipper tells Mike that he is going to do the opposite of what Danny Marvin expects. 

From a throw-in, Nipper guesses what the opposing team is about to do and yells at Marvin just in time for Marvin to intercept the ball. Marvin then runs hard at the goal, scoring the first goal from a long-range shot. 

Nipper is the first to congratulate Marvin, and this confuses his rival, especially as Nipper covers him again in the field. With his confidence high, Marvin attempts another shot at distance. It hits the post but Nipper is on hand to head it home and give Blackport a two-nil lead. 

Watching from the sideline, Andy Stewart is happy with what he sees, although it gives him a big problem for the second leg. John Brakespeare should be fit for the next leg, which means he will play either Nipper or Marvin, but how to choose between them?

I have rated this highly, although I should have enjoyed it more than I did. The story is progressing nicely, and it looks like Nipper has found a way to work with Danny Marvin. However, it didn't feel right on the page, and I did question the ease at which it unfolded. Andy Stewart is more shrewd than we saw here, and I don't think he would be so easily swayed by what happened on the field., There are more legs left in the story, and Andy Stewart's selection dilemma may yet add more fuel to the fire between Nipper and Marvin. The football action on the page here wasn't up to its usual high standard. We did see some goals, and some very fine pay, but it didn't catch my imagination in the way that it has in the past. The sight of Nipper scoring from the rebound was the pick of the football panels, and the stand-out panel of the strip, although it was the only one that caught the eye. I would like to see this story wrap up soon, it does feel like it's been several months so far, but it remains to be seen, and judging by the look on Andy Stewart's face, there could be plenty more to come. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Their winger slipped me...but Lawrence was covering! He...he's got me out of trouble again!"

Johnny Cougar

This week's new wrestling story starts with a grotesque lineup of wrestlers, all competing in a Mister Nasty competition. The winner of this contest gets automatic entry into next week's international wrestling tournament, and after seeing a couple of ugly runner-ups we find the winner is a wrestler simply known as "Ugly"

He certainly lives up to his name but there is a surprise at the bottom of the page as this wrestler pulls a mask from his face and reveals himself to be none other than Johnny Cougar himself. More tomfoolery and fun and games from the Indian wrestler and he continues his clowning as the presenter speaks with him and the audience.

They agree that although it was a mask, Johnny can compete in the tournament. With a week until the tournament, Johnny turns his hand to ten-pin bowling. He is interrupted by some photographers who want some publicity shots. Cougar agrees, setting up some cardboard cutouts of the other wrestlers to bowl it. It's great for publicity, but the other wrestlers are watching from the other side of the bowling alley, and they're none too happy that Cougar is making them look stupid.

I was fooled by the opening, and then disappointed to see it was Johnny Cougar playing his pranks., The grotesque lineup would have made for an awesome wrestling match, and I really wanted the Alien Freak to be part of the forthcoming action. We moved away from the wrestling ring in the second part of the story, although I enjoyed these pages much better. The sight of Johnny Cougar bowling brought a smile to my face, a smile that broke into a grin as he bowled at the cardboard cutouts. Having seen plenty of the Roy Race cutout on these pages over the years, it's great to see that such things also exist in the world of Johnny Cougar, and he certainly put them to good use here. There is no wrestling yet, but already we have a cast of villains for Johnny Cougar to take on, and there now exists plenty of tension between the two parties. Next week the story should bloom into some proper wrestling - it's just a shame he won't be wrestling the  Alien Freak.

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Haga! The Cougar strikes!"

Tornado Jones 

While on the Welsh Coast, Tornado Jones found a freak tidal wave and has an idea for his next stunt.

Arriving back at shore, he starts spreading the news that he intends to race this giant wave on a specially adapted surfboard. The locals all think he's crazy, but oblige him by lending him a workshop and the materials he needs to build his surfboard.

Jones cuts his surfboard out of a piece of fibreglass and then mounts one of his old motorcycle motors on it. He takes it to sea for a test ride, but hits a submerged rock, damaging his vehicle. He again makes his way to shore, only to be greeted by a policeman with a restraining order from the local court. His stunt has been deemed too dangerous, and permission will be refused. Furthermore, he will be arrested immediately if he attempts to race the giant wave. 

With "Boyo," "Dai," and "Bach" appearing literally in the text, you know Tornado Jones is definitely in Wales. This could have detracted from my enjoyment of the strip, but instead, I found myself lapping it up. The story has grown with the appearance of local characters, and they provide a new context for the character of Tornado Jones. He is a much more sympathetic character with these local interactions, and I am beginning to empathise with his situation. The strip didn't have a stunt, only a test ride that went wrong, but it didn't need to be filled with drama to be an entertaining and warm read. After several weeks of complaining about Tornado Jones, I have come across a story I like, and one that is worthy of the art bestowed upon it. I didn't see this coming, but I love it and can't wait to see more. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "A sheet of fibre-glass? I can let you have that one, boyo...plus the use of this place for a week! What do you hope to make?"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Tornado Jones 

Best Line: "They might be there...but they won't be fit! They can't play two games in one day! It's a disgrace! I'll phone their sports master..."

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

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 all delivered in a variety of different ways.    

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 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 a 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 on 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 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 Squadroin-leader Ellison, and the air hostess has picked his name out of the passenger list. She quickly explains the situation to the squadron leader, telling him that the flight crew have been taking ill, seemingly from food poisoning, and they require 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 fan's 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 toward 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 viusllly. 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 troubles with Alfie McPhee were forgotten this issue, 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 n 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 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 welchs 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. Lucjky 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. 

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 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 panel 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 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 them 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. Chekov'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 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 bobby 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 Mister Harris telling Billy that he would speak to him after as the referee threatened to send Billy off, and I was surprised this week that never happened and Mister 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 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 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 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, 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.

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 10/10. David Sques' work is crisp, clean, and uncluttered, presenting the story in the most efficient way possible. The front cover was a show stopper, 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 name 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 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 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 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 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 70's 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. Great way to round out this odd, issue, and with the prospect of a long distant 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 river bed 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 we 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 spare. 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: