Tiger 3rd January 1976

1976 has arrived. I was only three at the time, but people tell me that it was a very good year, at least on the pages of Tiger. 1976 was the year that Roy Race got his own comic, and although he will remain on the pages of Tiger for a while yet, it will irreversibly change things. That's still to come, and as they say, a journey of a thousand miles starts not with the first mile, but with the first page. Or something like that. Anyhow, 3rd January 1976 presents us with a bold issue pointing to new beginnings and mysterious storylines, all of which bode well for the next few months. Like all the best things in life, I always feel like I was born too late, and although I was three when this issue came out, I know ten-year-old me would have loved it, just as fifty-year-old me has.    

3rd January 1976

Billy's Boots

A Jumbo Jet in full flight is the attention-catching image that opens Billy's Boots. Splashed across the cover of the comic, it demands I look at it and is a spectacular start to the story.

It may seem surprising to catch a Jumbo from Heathrow to Munich, but Billy quickly explains that it was just making a stop on the way, and he was lucky to get a ride for the last leg. There are further surprises as he lands, with some media on hand to ask questions about his arrival in Germany. 

Over the page, we get to the football as Billy arrives at the Olympic stadium. A quick training run with the lads settles Billy's nerves and his boots seem ready for the big game. However, the manager doesn't like the look of Billy's old boots and come game day he is issued a new pair of boots. 

Without his old boots, Billy struggles. His warm-up is terrible, and although the coach offers to get his old boots, Billy finds himself starting the game without them.

His first shot at goal is wayward, and just as things are looking grim, his old boots arrive. Quickly putting them on, Billy is soon dribbling his way through the German team. However, just as he enters the box and is about to shoot, he trips over his own lace and is fortuitously awarded a penalty. 

I'm sure we had a similar situation, not so long ago, with Billy falling over in the box. I would have to go back and check, but I swear it was only a couple of months ago. Billy had best be careful, lest he get a reputation as a diver. This was a lot of fun, and although some things felt shoehorned in, it was still enjoyable. I did wonder why a Jumbo Jet would be flying Billy to Germany, but the quick explanation put me at ease. The sight of journalists waiting for Billy also stretched my belief, but being full of goodwill and cheer, this too I enjoyed for the fun aspect. The front cover was commendable, and it made me want to pick up the comic and read on. The rest of the story is a Billy's Boot story by numbers, with all the usual tropes in place. Billy not having his old boots for the game, and then gets them just as the team go down a goal before the final scene of Billy dribbling through the team. We have seen it all before, but that doesn't lessen my enjoyment of it, nor does it feel stale in this case. The image of Billy shooting at goal and missing was memorable, shown from the pitchside rather than Billy's point of view, and the sight of the two cameramen beside the pitch taking evasive action was a delightful touch. This was a typical Billy's Boots story done well, and although it didn't mine any new material it still remained an integral part of the comic. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "You're not going out there with those old things on, Dane. You'll look ridiculous..."

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy has been advised by a doctor to take a medical, but instead, we find him running stairs at the Melchester ground as the story opens. 

Roy is ignoring the doctor's advice, and later he angrily tells a television reporter that he's sick and tired of being reminded what a tough job he has taken on as player-manager. 

The following Saturday Melchester are playing Kingsbay and we learn that Roy has had to apologize to the TV people and that he still hasn't taken a medical. 

Roy appears to be a little slow in the field, but when Charlie Carter is taken off injured, Roy volunteers to take his place in goal, telling the team that everyone wants him to take a rest, so that's exactly what he will do between the sticks. 

Seeing Roy in goal is always a treat, and I would have given this an 8/10 if not for the fact that he hasn't actually taken his place in goal yet. The rest of the story did a good job of getting us to this point, and this wasn't the twist I expected when I started reading today. I was surprised to see Roy avoiding going to the doctor, this doesn't seem very professional for a footballer such as Roy, but it was just the tension we needed to keep the reader interested and the story moving forward. I expected to see a medical emergency, so this new plot line of Roy in goal is a good diversion and a timely way to keep me involved for a few more issues. The strip continued with strong artwork, and although we didn't see a lot of Roy in action we did get the spectacular image of Carlie Carter getting injured. I'm not an ambulance chaser, but this was the best panel in this week's story, and despite the story being about Roy, the one time another player made an impression. Next week we get to see Roy in goal, and I expect to read the comic with a huge smile on my face as Roy once again demonstrates his all-round footballing ability. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "You did it - you reached the top of the Granite Hill Terraces in thirty-two seconds!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Leading the rally out of Paris and towards Berlin, Tiny and Martin make good time despite the change in weather and the prospect of the rain turning into snow. 

They reach a washed-out bridge near the border with Germany, forcing them to change their route and cross a small wooden bridge further upstream. Later they find a fork in the road, and unsure which to choose, they go to the right. This turns out to be a mistake as they find it's a private road leading them to a large chateau. 

The chateau appears to be empty, and glancing out the window they catch the sight of someone stealing their car. Quickly following the tracks they find two men about to push it in the lake.

A story of intrigue and mystery this week, and although it was like Billy's Boots in that there was a feeling that I had seen it all before, it was still captivating. The final page held all the treasures, with the jewel of the story being the moment Tiny and Martin saw the car being stolen. Not only did this get the pulse racing, but coming on the same page as some intriguing panels of the empty chateau had me asking a lot of questions that can only be answered in the next few issues. The chateau itself looked wonderful on the page, and the entrance hall with the suit of armour was a particular favourite of mine. We have seen the boys in castles and similar buildings before, and it never fails to delight. Although the final panel saw Tiny exclaiming that the rally would be lost if the car went into the lake, any thoughts of the rally had already been banished from my mind as I just wanted to see more of this country house and the mystery surrounding it. 

Rating: 8/10 

Best line: "It...it's a bit spooky in here..."

Nipper

Nipper and his team are playing the first round of the European Cup against Zalmo of Switzerland. After the first leg, Blackport is three-nil up, and in the second left Zalmo is fighting for survival. 

With home-ground advantage, Zalmo is attacking strongly, with Nipper in the thick of the action defending wherever he can. Needing to ease the pressure with a goal, Nipper outsmarts the Zalmo team when they have an attacking corner - stealing the ball and after a series of plays scoring at the other end. 

With a one-nil victory, Blackport is through to the next round, and the flight home is a relaxed one. On the flight, Nipper's landlady tells him he has had a lot of offers for his business and it looks like he will be very busy when they return home. 

Nipper's first job is at an empty house on Blenheinm Avenue. Entering the house, Nipper walks into a trap as four masked men appear and quickly overpower him. 

This was a good ending to an otherwise ho-hum story,. The return leg against Zalmo wasn't particularly interesting and there was a feeling that this was just tying up some loose ends before we got into the serious business of the last half page. The last half page was another beast entirely, and the entertainment factor was high as we had some action and a mystery appear all at once. The final panel of Nipper on the ground with four masked men pouncing was the highlight of the strip, and the anguish on his face was matched in intensity by the dynamic leap of his assailants. It was a satisfying conclusion, and like Martin's Marvellous Mini, it raised a lot of questions that can only be answered in future issues. This is proving to be a strong issue of Tiger comic, and with many stories having cliffhanger endings, there is a lot to lure me back next week. Nipper has bounced back after a slow start this week, and the final panel alone was enough to redeem it in my eyes and make it another favourite. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "He's walked right into the trap!"

Skid Solo 

Skid, Tommy and Sandy are watching bobsledding when Sandy tells his pals that he once won the two-man bob about fifteen years ago,. 

Skid thinks he's kidding, but back at the hotel, there is a photo of Sandy and Sir Thomas Mainly to prove it. Sandy then regales Skid with the story of how it came to be. 

Sandy was working for Sir Thomas at an engineering firm and Sir Thomas talked him into racing with him. All Sandy had to do was work the brake while Sir Thomas did the steering. 

Their first training run was very slow, with Sandy being scared and braking all the way down. On race day Sit Thomas chastises him and tells him they will have to be much faster to win. 

Their race goes well, with Sandy resisting the urge to brake, and the pair winning the race by a mere two seconds. Sir Thomas asks Sandy what happened, as the day before he had been much too scared. Sandy confesses that the reason he didn't brake was because he fainted with fright halfway down the run and was unconscious for most of the run. 

Back in the present, Sandy tells Skid that he made a resolution never to race a bob-sleigh again, and Tommy chips in that it's probably the only New Year resolution that Sandy has ever kept.

I love it when Sandy gets some time in the spotlight, and with Skid taking a background role in this story it was an exciting read that had a freshness to it. Sandy was the everyman character in this story, and his plight of being stuck being brakeman for Sir Thomas had an air of authenticity about it that I liked. Having been talked into one too many uncomfortable situations by my boss, I felt for poor old Sandy sitting in the back of the bob. The artwork that came with the story was outstanding, and instead of having two or three outstanding panels, we have a couple of pages of them. Every panel showing the bob racing, or Sandy and Sir Thomas was top-notch, and there were any number of moments here that I could have picked as a favourite,. This was one story that I wanted to read twice, the art was a delight to the eyes, and even without the strong storyline it still would have remained an essential read. No Skid this week, but the story was as strong as ever and one can only hope that the next time Skid gets on the track he can deliver a story as good as this one. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I dinna think I can, sir...my legs are like jelly!"

Tornado Jones 

Tornado Jones is riding the Wall of Death at a fairground, hoping to make some good money with a 50/50 share of the profits. Unfortunately, the Wall of Death is rather old-fashioned, and despite his riding abilities, no one is interested in watching except one older gentleman.

Coming down off the ride, Tornado Jones is approached by this man who it turns out has an interesting proposition for him. This man is Sir Gerald Fitzroy-Parker and he owns the old mansion up on the hill. Many years ago his father rode the two-hundred and fifty-mile trek across the Pennines on an old Starlight Special. This took place in winter and despite the conditions, he completed it in two days four hours and ten minutes. 

He was so proud of his achievement that he offered a prize of ten thousand pounds to anyone who could beat his time. Tornado Jones is immediately interested, although Sir Gerald warns him that he has made the same offer to three other riders in the past month, and all of them have vanished on the moors without a trace. 

This was a lot better than last week, with a clear plot line and the groundwork laid for another intriguing storyline. Vanishing riders on the moors sounds like just the ticket, and finally, there is the feeling that Tornado Jones has a solid storyline to embrace. He has been uneven since his arrival, and it was only the storyline about the giant wave in Wales that provided any substance to the character. This moor ride should prove all the more challenging, and with mystery in the air, there is more than pure action to drive the story. This week's story started slowly and we had a whole page dedicated to the Wall of Death before the real story emerged on the second page. With little action, it was the facial expressions of the characters that carried the drama, and as we have commented many times before Jim Bleach is a master of this, this issue being a fine example of his craft. A slow issue, but a most necessary one, and next week we should see some reward for this plot that has been put in place.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You'll never make a fortune that way, Mister Jones! You'll have to try something more original...like the ride of Moorland madness!" 

Johnny Cougar 

Finally, all the Christmas nonsense is behind us and Johnny Cougar is starting his bout against the Footballer. 

The Footballer proves to be a worthy opponent, and early on gains the advantage with some strong kicks. Johnny comes back later in the round, and the Footballer is flung from the ring.

There is some playful silliness from Johnny, but the fight soon regains its intensity, with both wrestlers having moments of strength. However, it is the Footballer who finishes the stronger, and after it looks as though Johnny has him in a pinfall, the Footballer grabs him in a submission hold.

Great, after weeks of mucking about we finally have an episode dedicated to wrestling. As much as I have enjoyed the issues leading up to this, with last week being the notable exception, I am pleased to see us getting back to basics with Johnny in the ring. The entire story was dedicated to wrestling, with only one panel showing Johnny playing a practical joke. Every other panel was physical combat between the two men with a series of holds, kicks and throws appearing throughout the comic. I enjoy the periphery action that surrounds Johnny Cougar as this gives an interesting context for these fights to occur, but nothing beats seeing the big man in the ring doing what he was born to do. Not the most exciting of episodes but for wrestling purists it was was delight, and there's nothing like getting back to basics to reignite my enthusiasm for the story. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "What's wrong, Cougar? I don't see any smile now? Try joking your way out of this situation!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

After celebrating Christmas on Hamish's island, the Princes Park team is now doing a training run to work off the party. 

Hamish is falling behind, and as Mister McPodger goes past in a cart Hamish asks him was his secret was to being a fast runner when he was younger. 

Mister McPodger tells him he needs to run over the hills, and giving him a heavy parcel he asks him to deliver it to McHackle's place. He also tells him that once he reaches McHackle's to ask if he can take a run with Rufus, that will increase his speed. 

This Hamish does, although he is surprised to find that Rufus is a ferocious dog, and his run consists of him trying not to be bitten by Rufus. 

Come game day and it all pays off. A long kick has Hamish racing down the field, and with his newfound speed, it reaches the ball and smashes it into the net with his hotshot. The comic ends with Hamish telling us that 1976 is going to be their year and they are out for promotion.

A gentle end to this week's Tiger comic with some light comedy taking us into 1976. Unlike other strips in this week's comic, the story didn't end with a cliffhanger and some outstanding action, but rather it put a bow on what had come earlier in the pages. The vein of comedy mid-story was the essence of this week's strip, and it gave us some more great artwork with the sight of Hamish trying to outrun the dog. It was funny without being hilarious and was the best moment of the strip. The buildup to this was pleasant without being essential, as was the game that followed. It seems next week will be where the real story starts, and although this was pleasant I can't wait to see something more substantial appear as we embrace 1976. 

Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Ye're a traitor, McPodger! Ye tricked me!"    

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Skid Solo 

Best Line: "This is the slowest time ever recorded, McGrath! You'll have to do better than that tomorrow or we'll be a laughing stock. Now, get up, man..."

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 27th December 1975

The annual Christmas issue is never my favourite issue of Tiger. Christmas stories are shoehorned in, disrupting the natural flow of the stories with only the odd one managing to weave Christmas day naturally into the plot. This year, Billy's Boots is the most successful to do this, while all the other Christmas storylines feel jarring in the wider context of each story. It's hard to believe that the next issue will be from 1976, this year has gone by so fast, and this Christmas issue isn't quite the exclamation point I would like to put on the year. It does what it has to do, but 1976 will be a whole lot better and I can't wait to pick up all the threads next week.  

27th December 1975

Billy's Boots

You know it's going to be a good issue when the first thing you see is Billy at home with Gran. In a warm scene, Billy's Gran decorates the Christmas tree while the two talk of Billy's forthcoming trip to Germany. Billy's Gran is worried about the prospect of spending Christmas alone, but Billy assures her that he won't be leaving until the day after Christmas day.

Raiding his piggy bank, Billy goes Christmas shopping with Jimmy. It's a fruitful trip, and Billy gets a gift for his Gran,

On Christmas day, Billy's Gran is delighted with her gift, as is Billy with the gift he gets in return - a new sports bag he had desired. 

Festivities over, Billy goes to the airport alone. He is sent to the gate, and as he wanders out to his plane he begins to worry about what awaits him a Munich. 

A lovely little story with Billy and Gran at the centre of all that's happening. The opening dialogue helped cement the reasoning behind Billy suddenly making the Schools Team to visit Germany and helped appease some of my complaints last week. It was heartwarming to see the boy help his Gran prepare for Christmas, and although the shopping expedition briefly became silly, order was restored as we saw Billy and his Gran celebrate Christmas day. Billy's fears about travelling abroad alone were nicely highlighted, and I did have a giggle at his Gran referring to his "passport thing that the man gave you." This was easily the best Christmas story this week, with Billy's main footballing story continuing to move forward, while we had time to celebrate Christmas with his lovely Gran. Perfectly pitched, it caught the tone of the season just right and left me looking forward to Christmas myself.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Now you've got your ticket...and that passport thing the man gave you! And remember to behave yourself out there!"

Tornado Jones 

Tornado Jones has agreed to play the part of Santa Claus and distribute toys at a local hospital. However it is with a twist, and Jones jumps his motorbike onto a see-saw, sending a box of gifts flying into the air and the awaiting arms of the children. 

It looks like trouble for Tornado Jones as a police car comes through the gate and asks who was riding the motorbike, They tell Jones that all riders must wear a crash helmet at all times, but Jones is in the clear as he pulls back his Santa hood to reveal his helmet underneath. 

The police recognise him as the famous stunt rider and ask if he could help with their motorbike display that afternoon since they are a man short.

Jones agrees, and the story ends with Joens playing a key part in the motorcycle pyramid display that the police team put on.

In contrast to Billy's Boots, this story focused solely on Christmas and Tornado Jones part in it. There was no overarching storyline, and there was nothing more to be inferred than what we saw on the page. Tornado Jones gave out gifts, Tornado Jones helped the Police riding team. A basic idea, simply told. The art looked great, and once again it was far better than the story being told. This week's issue is full of Childrens Hospitals and orphanages, and this story sets the tone for what will follow. It's all very commendable, but not always the most exciting thing to read. The final tagline promises a new adventure next week, and we can only hope it will be as good as the recent Welsh storyline, and we can quickly forget what we saw here. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Yikes...these cops are all stuntmen... every one of them!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini 

With their mini dangling over a cliff tied to a rope, and the tree it is tied to about to give way, things are desperate for Martin and Tiny. They aren't helped by the appearance of a photographer sent by Mr Twastle, who takes photos of their predicament for publicity.

However, help is at hand, and a local farmer helps them save their car, and soon they are back in the race.

They have a further stroke of luck as they approach Paris and find all the other competitors have been stopped by the police and are being fined for speeding. With no one in front of them, Martin and Tinty arrive first in Paris and have the lead. 

They celebrate in typical style, buying a load of Christmas gifts and driving to the nearest children's hospital. Mr Twaste doesn't see how he can get publicity for this, but in the final panel, Tiny tells him he can advertise this with the caption "Give yourself a present! Take a holiday at Twastle's Island"

The first half of the story was highly enjoyable and I liked the idea of an idiot photographer following them around. In some regards, this story is ahead of its time, and being followed by a photographer speaks far more to this current generation than it does to someone in 1975. We are still twenty years away from the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the idea of being pursued by photographers who offer no help is a novel idea. This would read very differently in 1997, and wouldn't be as much fun. The second half of the story, although well-intentioned, wasn't as good, and seeing Martin and Tiny giving gifts to Children in a hospital didn't fill me with seasonal joy. I am sounding like a Grinch here, but the truth is I love Christmas. It's just that I love these stories so much, and I want to cram as much of what each story does best on the page, rather than get distracted by gift-giving and other children. A little selfish, I know, and Christmas does come but once a year. Rest assured, my loved ones will reap the rewards of my generosity when Christmas Day comes, but until then I wish it was a little more low-key in the comics I am reading.     

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "I wonder where that idiot photographer is?"

Roy Of The Rovers

England is one-nil down as in the closing minutes Roy attempts to get onto the end of an incoming free kick, His shirt is pulled by a Mulvanian player, but despite being thrown off balance Roy scores with a dynamic overhead kick. 

It's real Roy Of The Rovers stuff, and the England players celebrate the end of the match and Roy's incredible goal. However, in the dressing room, Roy receives a shock when Penny tells him that Melchester Robvers squandered their two-goal lead and the game ended as a two-all draw.

In the car on the way home, Roy tells Penny that he is shattered and all he wants to do is rest. Penny reminds him that they have one more thing to do - a television broadcast from the Children's Hospital. 

Roy makes his appearance, and with the cameras rolling he delights the children with some gifts and a display of his footballing skills. Things take a turn as he falls while kicking the ball. A doctor comes to see him and tells Roy he needs to get a complete medical checkup as soon as possible, leaving Roy worried about what could possibly be wrong. 

Roy Of The Rovers successfully manages to weave Christmas into its main story, and having Roy take a tumble at the hospital was timely. It sets up well for a medical examination, and pulling back a little I can see how we were manoeuvred into this position. It was very well done, and almost seamless in execution. The highlight of the story has to be another appearance of Penny. Once again she looks dazzling and I love her fresh look. Her cute hat is very of the time, but it adds to her allure, giving her a fashionable look suitable for a WAG. Nowadays she would be a social media influencer, flaunting a new look every week on Instagram. As she is, stuck in the seventies, she remains untainted by modern technology, and she is all the better for it. I want to see what is the cause of Roy's troubles, but more than that I want to see Penny by his side, supporting him all the way. She's that type of girl, so expect to see plenty more of her as Roy's troubles continue to escalate.      

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "All this pressure is giving me nightmares! Thank the stars it's nearly Christmas, Penny! All I'm going to do is flake out in front of the telly!"

 

Skid Solo

Skid and half a dozen top racing drivers have decided to put on a free show for the boys and girls of a local orphanage. Snow ruins this plan, and instead, they meet the children in a big hall where Al Ledstock tells them the story of how he first became a racing car driver.  

Using flashbacks, Al tells of his poor upbringing on a farm in America. Saving hard he got his first car when he was eighteen, an old banger that he drove fast.

His mother receives two expensive tickets to the Grand Ball in New York. She would love to go, but she can't afford to buy a dress grand enough for the ball. 

Al decides that he will give up his dream of being a racing car driver, and sells the car to get enough funds to buy a fancy dress for his mother. He visits a dress shop and selects a beautiful dress which he later surprises his mother with when he gets home.

Unfortunately, his mother has sold her expensive tickets to the ball so the family will have extra money for food. This is no problem for Al, he still has some money left over from selling his car, and he uses this to buy two more tickets for his mother.

At the ball, there is a prize draw, and luckily it's Al who wins it. The prize is a new sports car and a thousand-dollar check. With that, Al's dream of becoming a racecar driver is reignited and leads him to where he is now. The strip ends with Al telling Skid that he hopes one of the youngsters in the orphanage has a fairy tale like his come true. 

A nice story about Al, and it left me wanting to know more about the other drivers Skid races against. It had the usual Christmas themes but came at it from a new angle, and gave us something we hadn't seen before on the page, making it an interesting read. It's hard to see how other drivers could be presented with a back story, Skid Solo doesn't normally lend itself to other drivers and flashbacks, which makes this one all the more curious. A great Cinderella story reworked for the times, I rejoiced in seeing Al Ledstock's humble beginnings, and it left me hungry for more. I never thought I would enjoy a story without Skid Solo the main character so much, but I did and now I'm open to seeing much more of the same. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I guess I've got to grow up one day...and stop dreaming of being a racing car driver. It just isn't the sort of thing that happens to a boy like me..."

Hot Shot Hamish 

When we last left Hot Shot Hamish, it had just been discovered that his pet sheep, McMutton, had eaten the player's wages. That is quickly put to rest this week as in the first panel Alistair McBrain tells the gathered team the wages are safe as he had locked them in the safe. 

With that, the team disperse for Christmas. Hamish would like to invite them all to his home island to spend Christmas with him, but they quickly disappear, leaving him alone with his thoughts as he does Christmas shopping. 

Returning to his island, Hamish finds that the house is empty and even his Daddie is gone, leaving Hamish alone for Christmas. 

Depressed, Hamish sits alone watching the TV. On TV we see a column of guests about to surprise someone for Christmas, and at that moment Hamish receives a knock on the door.

Opening the door he is surprised to see a TV crew, and the Princes Park players there to celebrate Christmas with him. It is a wonderful surprise, and Hamish celebrates Christmas with his teammates, his Daddie, and of course, his pet sheep McMutton.

Despite being another Christmas story, I couldn't help but love all I read here. The artwork was splendid, and the images of Hamish alone on his island were evocative and gave the story a great feel. The plot itself was fairly predictable, but it was elevated by the morose face of Hamish, and the way that McMutton stuck by his side. In a nice twist, it wasn't Hamish helping out other people or visiting a hospital, but rather his friends and family coming to him. It wasn't overplayed in the final panels, and I felt it was pitched just right for the story it was telling. I first read Hamish because he was my namesake, but after all these years I am finding the story to be deeper than I first thought as we dip into Hamish's loneliness regularly. This is a theme that has surfaced several times in the last couple of years, and there have been many instances where we see Hamish outcast and alone. He deserves better, and it usually ends well for the big man, but still, it's an interesting choice to take with the character. This story isn't the best of the week, Billy's Boots just pips it, but it is a close second, and if I was basing it on art alone it would easily be the best. 

Rating 8/10

Best line: "Och, ma Daddie's awa', too! Maybe he's had an invitation to stay with friends. No-one wants us, McMutton!"

Johnny Cougar

Despite fighting against The Footballer, the Christmas theme is strong throughout Johnny Cougar. The bout begins with some football shenanigans, but soon Johnny COugar has broken out Santa outfits,m and he and the Footballer are suitably clad for the season. 

After throwing gits to the crowd, Cougar surprises his opponent with a spring-loaded Christmas tree. Not to be outdone, the Footballer responds with a cream cake aimed at Cougar's face. However, this cake is misdirected, catching Soplash Gorton in yeh face, leaving him to deliver the last line wishing everyone a merry Christmas. 

This was silly through and through - and not in a good way. Last week I thought the Footballer might be a worthy opponent for Cougar, but this week both are portrayed as cartoon characters fooling around in the ring. The art looked good, but one look at the word balloons made it clear that nothing here was to be taken seriously. I thought the fight could have been portrayed as more serious than it was, and although I expected some Christmas silliness from Cougar, I didn't expect the whole strip to be devoted to it. Nor did I expect the Footballer to take part in it. Presenting the  Footballer as a serious threat was already an uphill battle, and this Christmas issue has done him no favours. All we can hope for now is that he is quickly defeated and we can move on to a far more serious opponent. Somewhat of a wasted opportunity, I appreciated the Christmas angle of the story, but it failed to do much more than present a series of slapstick events that left me wishing the next issue would quickly come. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "Cougar declare a truce. Right now, put on Father Christmas outfit...we have heap pleasant work to do..." 

Nipper

Nipper's marathon twenty-four-hour fundraising game continues this week, and as we pick up the action, Nipper and his pal Mike Bateson are almost out on their feet. 

Help is at hand, and just as they are about to collapse the rest of the Blackport team arrives to raise the flagging energy levels. 

The game ends later on Christmas Eve as Nipper scores his one-hundredth goal. With the supporters club offering their venue for free, and a healthy sum raised by the match, the party for the kids goes ahead on Christmas day. The highlight of the party comes as a giant football decorated like a Christmas pudding is wheeled out. The children are delighted as Nipper bursts from this ball, and with new strips for all, he is the hero of the moment. Despite all this good cheer, Nipper is worried about the game the following day, especially as every part of his body has cramps.

Come at the end of the comic, Nipper often suffers in my eyes from reading fatigue. this week it's not me that fatigued, but rather him, and I enjoyed the first half of the story immensely. Seeing Nipper and Mike struggle with their marathon game looked great on the page, and there were several memorable images of them both almost out on their feet. We had the predictable outcome of the game, with Nipper scoring the final goal and the money raised for the worthy cause, and the rest of the story merely put a bow on all that came before. I was surprised to see Nipper with a Martini glass in his hand in the penultimate panel, but the final panel does show a bottle of fizz nearby so I guess we are to make the assumption that he's drinking something non-alcoholic. The final party I could have done without, I feel partied out by all the other parties scattered through the comic, but it was right for the story and did give Nipper a chance to mention what is coming next. A European game next week, and it looks like we will be straight into the action in 1976. Get a good night's sleep Nipper, you're going to need it.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Wakey, wakey, Nipper! The lads are here!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6.5/10

Best Story:  Billy's Boots 

Best Line: "You're going to Germany? Oh, Billy, not on Christmas day! I'll be all alone..."

Best Panel:

who did it better?

Roys Sports Quiz:

Tiger 20th December 1975

There was no blog post last week. Somebody decided to go to the local pub for the Hazy Beer Festival. Somebody decided to try as many as they could. Somebody then stopped on the way home to buy more, and then the following day somebody was sick in bed all day with a hangover. That somebody is very sorry, and I promise I won't do it again, although to be honest, it was all worth it. Here's this week's blog post, written with a fresh mind, and fuelled by nothing more than a nice cup of tea and a slice of toast. 

20th December 1975

Skid Solo

Skid Solo is the cover star of this week's issue, preparing to race a vintage car against a young man who needed to be taught a lesson.

As Skid tells his co-driver Sandy to be ready for anything, the story flashes back and we learn how Skid came to be in this situation. 

Two days earlier at a racing drivers' dinner, Gerald De Harcourt had boasted that while Skid was fast in a modern Grand Prix car, he wouldn't be able to beat Harcourt in a race between two old Valderlanes. Skid accepted the challenge and with a thousand pounds to go to a charity of the victor's choosing the race is set. 

The race is full of dirty tricks by Harcourt, but after resorting to some dirty tactics himself, Skid is victorious. 

The story ends with Skid telling Harcourt to donate the thousand pounds to a local hospital because the way Harcourt drives, he'll be there himself sooner or later. 

Although this was a typical by-the-numbers story for Skid Solo, it still had an element of fun about it. A large amount of this could be attributed to the fabulous-looking cars they were racing, and the dirty tricks going on while they were racing. It's always good to see an over-confident and boatsful character get their comeuppance, and I delighted in seeing Harcourt coming off second better in his own race. The panels showing the cars crashing into each other were favourites, although a small part of me died when I thought of the cost and love that generally goes into vintage cars, only to see them smashed about like this. The story was well-balanced, and we had a good mixture of car action and character interaction. Normally I would lean toward the car action, but there were some compelling images of the characters' faces as they came into conflict, and these were the best in the strip. I expect to see a Christmas strip next week, and hopefully, it will gift us a story as joyful as this one. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I know a trick worth two of that! Hold tight, Sandy!"

Johnny Cougar

The press conference introducing the five wrestlers taking part in the international tournament has descended into chaos, with all five wrestlers rumbling on the floor in front of the press corps.

A quick call to the fire brigade saves the day, and the wrestlers are hosed down, cooling their tempers and ending the fight. 

Johnny returns to the hotel with Splash where he has another surprise in store. Jonnny smashes down the door of the room with a karate chop before revealing that he had the door replaced earlier with a lighter one, all so he can get some good publicity shots before his match.

The first match is against the Footballer, and the crowd arrives expecting a good fight, while in the dressing room, the Footballer promises that it will be he who has the last laugh, not Johnny Cougar. 

On paper, this looks silly, but reading it was a lot of fun, and it's a lot better than I made it sound in the summary above. The firefighters hosing off the wrestlers was captured well on the page, and we had several panels leading up to it showing the firetruck on its way adding to the fun and sense of drama. The images of several wet wrestlers made me smile and went a long way toward my overall enjoyment of the strip. The Footballer as a character also touches on silliness, although his evil intent on the final panel has me feeling that he is a lot more dangerous than his name suggests. None of this should work, these wild characters, the chaos at the press conference, or a footballer wrestler preparing to take on Johnny but I get a kick out of all of it, and I am strangely engaged as we head toward the next issue. Hard to see how they will shoehorn in a Christmas theme next week, but no doubt they will.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Okay, men, get those hoses unwound fast...this is an emergency!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

To improve his speed in the kart race around the ship, Martin has hit upon the idea of a banked track. 

The crew oblige him and builds this banked track, although Martin still ends up crashing the kart overboard as he attempts the track before construction is finished. 

With the kart lost at sea, the journey continues with Mr Twastle telling the boys he had to pay five hundred pounds for the kart and now needs publicity more than ever.

Reaching Europe the ally continues from Barcelona north up through the Pyrenees. In the snowy mountains, Martin runs off the road. Luckily the car doesn't drop over the sheer cliff, but they decide it will be easier to lower the car down the cliff rather than trying to haul it back up. This plan starts well, with a rope hitched around a tree, but in the final panel there is a cracking noise and the tree looks as though it is about to give way.

I felt we had seen it before in the first half of the strip, and although the second page was better it still had a hangover from the first. Karting on a ship was done previously in the year, and there was nothing new added this time around. Once again the kart ended up in the water, and the race came to nothing. Things improved when we got to Europe, and I was especially taken by the map provided. I love a good map in Martin's marvellous Mini, and I was quite pleased to see one appear here. Like the kart race, I feel we have seen the boys having trouble in snowy mountains before, although this one did seem unique with the rope being tied around a tree. The story moved very quickly this week, and we didn't get involved too much in any one thing which seems to be a trait of Martin's Marvellous Mini. Obstacles are quickly dealt with and we never stay too long in one spot. The final page looked suitable wintery, and with 1976 just around the corner we are in a good place with the story and ready to quickly travel across Europe. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Oh no! I've lost it! We're going over the edge!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy may be playing for England, but his heart is firmly with Melchester Rovers as they play a vital league game on the same night. 

Penny is keeping Roy informed of what is happening in the Rovers game, and after showing him a card showing the score as 0-1, Roy loses concentration as he begins to worry about Rovers. Things settle as Penny holds up another card upside down that says 0-2, and Roy realises that the score is actually 2-0 to Rovers. 

Now reassured, Roy turns his full attention to the England game and in the second half, he comes out as a new man. It is only a series of fouls on him that stop him from being effective, although Mulvania go too far and Roy is fouled just inside the box. A TV replay shows it should be a penalty, although the referee only awards a free kick on the edge of the box. Roy plants himself in the wall, and as the kick curves around the wall, it strikes the post, setting Roy up to score from the rebound. 

It looks to be a certain goal, but the strip ends with a Mulvanian player pulling Roy's shirt, and spoiling his chance of reaching the ball. 

Although predictable, I liked all I saw here. One always had a feeling that Pernny had her signs wrong, and once this was sorted it was obvious that Roy was going to have a good game for England. The artwork depicting the game was splendid, and several panels stood out. It's hard to finger a favourite, but the final image of Roy being pulled back by his shirt sticks in one's mind. With the change of artist, Roy Of The Rovers has taken on a new sheen, and the last month has been lovely to look it. The storyline remains uneven, but I can't complain in the slightest as I find it a delight to read from start to finish. It has shaken off its old-fashioned feel, and it looks as though it has embraced the future with this new look and storylines. Roy is reaching new highs as 1976 approaches, and in 1976 this will be capped with a new eponymously titled comic. One can see why, as Roy continues to go from strength to strength and remains essential reading.   

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "The Mulvanians have gone berserk! They're obviously complaining that Race made a meal of it! But we'll soon see from the action-replay! 

Billy's Boots

Groundwood is losing three-nil, and the late-arriving Billy Dane has just come on as a substitute in the second half. 

It doesn't take long for Billy to make his mark, and he soon scores two goals, both with a header. A third follows soon after, also from a header, and the scores are tired. 

In the final minute of the game Groundswood attacks again, and Billy's magical boots make him walk back to the edge of the box. He is rewarded with a rebound coming his way and he hits it with a superb volley to score the fourth goal and win the game 4-3.

As Billy is carried off on the shoulders of his teammates, two men watch on from the sidelines and discuss the prospect of Billy playing for the Schools Side in a Christmas match against West Germany Schools. It's decided that he could meet up with the rest of the team in Munich, and Billy is interrupted in the changing room by one of his classmates bursting in to tell him that he has been selected to play against West Germany Schools.

That was sudden. A few weeks ago Billy was struggling to make the school team and was playing for his street team, and now suddenly, on the back of one great performance, he has been selected to face West Germany School. The goal he scored off the volley was great, but I don't think he should be picked based on that one performance. I like the idea of Billy going to West Germany, and I anticipate a good storyline with it, but it is jarring how quickly this has happened. I don't know how Billy will break this news to his Gran, and I feel a bit sorry for her now that she'll have to spend Christmas alone. The game played by Billy looked as good as you might expect, and I did get a kick out of seeing Billy score three goals with headers. He's obviously a well-rounded player, and it did give the artist some new angles to play with. The final goal got the artwork it deserved, and it looked just as spectacular in the comic as it would have in real life. This issue capped off the recent storylines in fine style while veering us into a new storyline heading into the new year. It was all fast and furious, but fun to see on the page. It's always a bonus to see things going well for Billy, and in this issue, things went very well indeed. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "On that showing, Dane has to be included! I only hope he can go...we're not giving him much notice!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish's pet sheep, McMutton, is causing trouble at the game, and has just been booked by the referee. Mister McWhacker promises to put him somewhere safe, and the game continues with a quick goal to the opposition before Princes Park has a chance to settle.

The rest of the first half they have several chances, although they fail to score a goal. While Mister McWhacker delivers a succinct halftime message to the team, get the ball to Hamish and his Hot Shot, in the office down the hall McMutton is eating everything in sight. 

The second half is better from Princes Park, with Alec McCloud scoring from a rebound off Hamish's shot, before Hamish scores a second with his famed Hot Shot. 

However, the team receive a shock as they come off the field as Mister McWhacker informs them that all their wages are gone, McMutton has eaten the lot. 

This is just what I expected to see from McMutton, and the story delivered another fun-fuelled issue. There were smiles aplenty, generated by both McMutton and the football being played, and I read this strip with a lightness in my heart. Mister McWhacker's facial expressions were spot on, and I felt for the man as he had to deal with the various shenanigans. The on-field action was fast and intense, and we saw Hamish strike an unsuccessful hot shot that caught an opposing player full in the face- again I felt for the man. Hamish too ended up face first in the turf, and this was another dynamic image that caught my imagination, The story may have centred around McMutton and the problems he was causing, but the best panels all occurred on the football field, making for a balanced story that ended on just the right note with drama to carry us through to next week.  

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "McMutton's eaten the lot! Yere wee pet's got hundreds of pounds inside him, Hamish!"

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones is about to ride a freak tidal wave off the Welsh coast when suddenly he sees a girl, Polly, fall from the cliff and into the water, He manages to pull her onto his makeshift surfboard, and just as they are about to be hit by the huge wave they find refuge in a crevice in the headland. 

They are saved, and calling back to Polly's brother they send him to fetch a rope to pull them up. Soon all three are reunited at the top of the cliff. Torando Jones asks the children not to report him to the law for attempting to ride the wave, and the children agree and tell Jones they would be in trouble themselves for sneaking out. Jones looks sadly at his smashed surfboard and wonders if he could have done it. Both children enthusiastically reply that they have faith in him and that he is the bravest and best stuntman in the world. 

A soft ending to what has been my favourite Tornado Jones story so far. This story had great characters, a fine location, and well-worked action sequences. The final episode aspired to give us more of the same, but unfortunately, the action wasn't as dramatic as it reads, nor were the characters as fun as we saw previously. The artwork was undeniably good which helped paper over these things, and the story was still a good read despite not reaching the highs previously set. Tornado Jones has improved over the last month, and my feelings towards the comic and the character have warmed. Another strong storyline should cement its place in the comic, and now we have seen what the strip is capable of I expect a lot more from whatever comes next.   

Rating:7/10

Best line: "What happened will always remain our little secret!"

Nipper

Nipper has roped in his former rival Danny Marvin to play in a sponsored non-stop football match to raise funds for a team of youngsters from one of the poorer districts of Blackport. 

Nipper's pal Mike Bateson agrees to play, and it is decided it will be a three-a-side game with rolling subs. Nipper goes door to door to collect sponsors and despite Len Duggan, Blackports Skipper and centre forward, warning him to be careful, Nipper is soon ready and game day arrives. 

The game begins well, with plenty of refreshments available, but as darkness falls and enthusiasm wanes, especially as some of the younger players have to go home, leaving more of the load on Nipper and the other players. Finally taking a break, Nipper asks Kerry how much they have made so far, and is surprised to learn that it's only twelve pounds. With the cost of the party being two hundred pounds, Nipper realises that they'll have to play until next Christmas at this race, and the marathon football match is turning into the non-event of the century. 

Sad to say, Nipper, the non-event of the century was the Y2K bug twenty-five years later (or the second Stone Roses album, take your pick), but I get your gist. This marathon football game is in danger of becoming a non-event, although I do like our path to this point. The story was laid out quickly, and all the necessary pieces were pushed into place with minimum fuss. Nipper got players to sign up, gathered sponsors, and started the game strongly, all rapidly told over a couple of pages. We even had time to see a cracking goal which helped the story gain a bit of excitement. We also had two panels of Len Duggan warning Nipper not to get on the wrong side of his manager, nicely foreshadowing what may come next. I liked the look of the game being played at night, and if we see plenty more of this next week I shall be well satisfied. Again I am reminded that next week is Christmas, so expect to see Nipper doing good with the young kids of Blackport and some Christmas cheer. Meanwhile, back in the real world, Christmas is only five weeks away here. I'm off to get some shopping done, and maybe a cheeky pint on the way home. See you all next week, as we begin to look forward to 1976.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You'll get in the boss's bad books if you crock yourself! Take my advice and call it off, Nipper!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Roy Of The Rovers 

Best Line: "Locked in my office! I'm no' having that walking Sunday dinner wandering oot on the pitch again!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 13th December 1975

Last week I was surprised to find my favourite story was Tornado Jones, and this week delivered another shock as it is again my favourite. I have long been a fan of the artist Jim Bleach, and Tornado Jones is finally delivering a story worthy of his talents. The rest of the comic is strong, and I have rated all the stories above average, something that has me questioning my rating system. Should I be rating these stories against each other, or against each story's own history? Roy Of the Rovers was good this week, but it's always good and I'm not sure I should be giving it a five or a seven. The weight of history is working against it, and against me. Something to sleep on, but in the meantime, I will just enjoy what is laid out in front of me.   

13th December 1975

Roy Of The Rovers

This week's strip is a strip of two halves, beginning with Roy in the England training camp preparing for their match against Mulvania.

Extra pressure is being put on Roy by his teammates, but he blots all out, concentrating only on the ball much to the delight of the team manager. The manager emphasises to Roy that he must remain totally focused on the game at hand and banish any thoughts of how Rovers are doing on the same day, a sentiment that Roy agrees to.

However, Penny tells Roy that she can now attend the game at Wembley, and Roy can't help himself. He asks that Penny help him keep in touch with the Rovers game against Millboro, to which she readily agrees. 

On game day, Milboro starts strongly and threatens the Rover's goal. A hundred miles away, Roy also starts strongly, although he is knocked heavily to the ground by the Mulvania players. Getting to his feet, Roy sees Penny holding up a hastily scrawled sign she has made with her lipstick - it's 0-1 to Milboro.

A colourful start to Roy Of The Rovers, with the cover image showing Roy being pulled by various players all in different coloured strips. The colour of the cover emphasised his dark eyebrows, and I could not help but laugh at it. Inside the comic, I'm pleased to see Penny once again on the pages. She's lost some of her youthful beauty and now has a more mature elegance to her. It will take some getting used to, but a quick glance in the mirror confirms that we're all getting older, including me (despite the fact that I have a blog about boys' comics') The image of Penny in the crowd with a stylish cap was my favourite and once again I can only say Roy Race is a very lucky man. Oh, if only I had been better at football myself. The story itself seems to be obvious, and I have a feeling I already know what is going on with Penny's sign. Next week should confirm my suspicions, and I don't think I will be greatly surprised by what comes next. This is a good start to this week's issue, and the story has blossomed under the new artist, giving it a fresh look and feel week by week. We end with one final clue of where Melchester might be. The caption tells us that Melchester is only 100 miles from London. It doesn't say in what direction, but it does change my original thoughts of its location and led to me wasting thirty minutes looking at Google Maps and pondering the location of this fictional town. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "I promised Ron Meevy that I would run myself ragged against Mulvania...and I meant it! But somehow or other, I've got to keep in touch with what's happening at Milboro..."

Johnny Cougar

Johnny is raising publicity for his forthcoming tournament and has had the ill-advised idea to bowl over cardboard cutouts of his opponents at the bowling alley. Johnny doesn't know it, but his four opponents are also at the bowling alley, and they soon have their revenge- balling balls at Johnny Cougar as he stands at the end of the lane. 

The next time the wrestlers meet is at the draw for the tournament. Johnny draws the Footballer for his first bout. The two face off at the press conference, and Johnny taunts the Footballer before rolling at football toward him. The Footballer can't resist and gives the ball a powerful kick, only for it to explode and shower soot over everyone. It's another one of Johnny's stunts, and this time the four other wrestlers have had enough. They immediately jump on Johnny and all four are beating him up as the strip comes to a close. 

No wrestling this week, but the strip was filled with conflict and fighting, making it just as exciting as any wrestling match. We gained a good feel for all the characters that Johnny will be facing and to see some of them already in action raises my expectations for what comes next. Some of the characters look silly, but they all have an intensity, and the way that Johnny is stirring them up is adding some heft to the story. The bowling alley was a fun diversion, although it was the brawl at the press conference that really had me salivating for what is to come. Once again the facial expressions were top-notch, and the look on the wrestlers as they rumbled in the final two panels was a favourite, as too was the face of the startled onlooker. This story could have potentially become silly and lightweight, but instead, it has become essential as the tension is ramped up. More like this please, more like this!    

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Now you make big talk! Cougar think you heap bad as a wrestler and even worse as a footballer!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny are on a ship carrying them and the other New York to Moscow Rally contestants to Europe. In an effort to stir up some publicity for his holiday island, Mister Twastle has organised a go-kart race around the deck. 

The first driver sets a fast lap time of sixty-two seconds, and Martin takes the wheel next to see if he can better it. He can't, and after crashing into some deck chairs and a passing waiter, he ends up crashing into the swimming pool. 

While the go-kart is rescued, Martin and Tiny discuss how they can corner faster on the tight corners. They hit on the plan of creating banking corners, although how they will achieve this remains to be seen. 

Last week the boys said they had done something similar, and although I hoped this would freshen up the idea of go-kart racing on the ship, it hasn't, and it all felt flat. The artwork was its saving grace, and although the story was familiar it was still presented with a vitality and thrill on every page. The crash came on the second page, but the drama of the action was all captured on the first page as the cart skidded around the deck. It looked great, and although I wasn't thrilled by the story, the thrill of the art was undeniable. Overall, I like the way the story is heading, and these issues are merely a speed bump before we get to Europe and the rest of the rally. A quick wrap-up of this side mission next week would be appreciated, and we can get back to the excitement of seeing the two pals racing across the continent.    

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Martin can't see! He's not stopping!"

Skid Solo 

Skid is about to race in the Cranfield Memorial race, and according to Tommy things are looking good. Reading Skid's horoscope Tommy tells him that he is in for a smash hot success and that his lucky colour is red along with a lucky number of five. 

Things bode well as Skid's sports car is red, and number five, and on the track he is fast from the start. However, so are Von Vargen and Sparrow Smith, and it's not until halfway through the race that Skid decides to make his move. He speeds by the other two drivers and takes the lead. With five laps to go disaster strikes, and the front axle of Skids car breaks. This sends him careening off the track at one hundred and thirty miles an hour. After crashing through a fence and a shed, Skid is surprised to find himself still alive, although the car is a write-off. 

Later, Skid and Sandy return to Tommy and tell him that his horoscope is correct, Skid did have a smashing drive, and the lucky car kept him alive. Furthermore, Sandy tells Tommy that he also has a horoscope that predicts hard work and a chance to shine. With this, Sandy hands Tommy some car polish and tells him to get to work. Skid has the final word, telling Tonmmy that his horoscope is also true.    

A case of steady as she goes for Skid Solo as we continue the countdown to the Grand Prix season. The final joke and overall theme of the story fell flat, but the racing looked great, as did the crash - whetting my appetite for when we get back to racing properly. Tommy is back after taking a break last week, and his role as the boy is summed up well in the final panel as he is given the duty of polishing the car. A nice way to keep him in his place and remind us that despite getting on the track several times in the last few months, he is still very much a boy. We also had a nice reminder that we are heading into winter, with both Skid and Sandy wearing winter coats. I appreciated seeing them wearing the wool-lined coats that were popular at the time, and it served as a nice time capsule of the 1970s. Like Martin's Marvellous Mini before it, the artwork carried the day here. I may not have appreciated the horoscope and final joke, but I couldn't help but fall in love with the art on every page and this will be reason enough for me to return next week for more. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The wheel's gone! It's come loose...or it's sheered off!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy are playing two games in a day, and after successfully negotiating their first game for The Merrydowners, they are now struggling for the Groundwood.

Billy looks certain to score but falls to the ground with a cramp. While his team stop to rally around him, the opposition continues to play and scores at the other end. 

Mister Harris's halftime speech is succinct: They are playing better football, and if they keep going, they will win. Things don't improve for Billy in the second half, and it's his friend Jimmy who scores in the last minute to earn a draw and a replay in the cup. 

That night Billy reads Dead-shot Keen's biography to see how he fared in cup replays. Billy is reassured when he sees that Keen scored four goals in a replay, and he sleeps easily. 

There is more trouble on the day of the replay as Billy is caught talking in class. Forced to stay late, he misses the first half and arrives to find the team down threee-nil. With one of the players limping Billy is told he will be subbed immediately and Billy feels the weight of expectation to score four goals himself to save the match.

Mr Harris didn't live up to his "hard-nut" nickname this week, and it was one of the other masters who played the villain in making Billy stay late. In fact, Mr Harris seemed quite understanding throughout most of the strip, although he was hard to read in the final panel as Billy arrived at the game. I'm not sure if he was pleased to see Billy, or angry at him for the position the team are in. I couldn't help but notice that Mr Harris was also wearing a wool-lined coat like Skid and Sandy in the strip before - no doubt Primark was having a sale that month.  We saw Mr Harris smiling earlier in the strip, which was a nice surprise in itself and gave some balance to the character. Another nice surprise was seeing Billy's Gran, although her page time was limited to telling Billy to turn out his light. A mere cameo, but a nice homely moment. It remains to be seen if Billy can score four goals to save his team, but if he does, then we shall be in for a most exciting week next time out. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Don't tell me what you can and what you can't do, Dane! You'll do as you're told!"

Hot Shot Hamish

Hamish has returned to the mainland with his wee sheep, McMutton. Returning to his lodgings he finds that his landlady is none too pleased about having a sheep in the house, especially as she sees McMutton eating her rug. 

Hamish is thrown out, and with nowhere to sleep, he goes to Princes Park and pitches his tent. The next morning the squad arrives, all wondering where Hamish has gone. It doesn't take long to find out as they come onto the pitch and find Hamish and McMutton sleeping in the tent.

Hamish explains the situation and decides to make McMutton the team mascot. Leading the team out, McMutton and Hamish are pleased, although the crowd find it funny.

Hamish starts the game poorly, the bad night's sleep translating to careless play on the pitch. He crashes over in a heavy tackle, and from the sideline McMutton is incensed by what he has just seen, McMutton bounds onto the pitch, hitting the opposing player from behind with his horns. Hamish apologises to the referee, but there's nothing he can do as McMutton is booked to be reported for hooliganism.   

I love McMutton in this strip, and the image of him watching Hamish from the sideline was a story in itself. I'm not so fussed by the earlier moments of McMutton, but all was forgiven when I saw him watching fiercely from the sidelines. We all need a pet like McMutton in our lives, and I hope Hamish knows how lucky he is. I was surprised by how quickly Hamish's landlady tossed him out of the house, all those years as a tenant seemingly counting for nothing the first time your pet sheep eats a rug. There were several panels of fine art that caught my attention through the strip. The opening image of Hamish and McMutton walking the streets was evocative, while the sight of Mr McWhacker strong towards Hamish's tent gave the story new energy at the mid-point. I have already spoken of the image of McMutton watching from the sidelines, and this was matched by the next few panels as he took matters into his own hands, and his subsequent booking by the referee. They were all sublime, and it was a joy to read. And while I'm obsessing about winter coats this week, it must be a lot warmer in Scotland than the rest of the UK, as Hamish walked about in short sleeves, while McWhacker was wearing his suit in every panel. They're either a lot tougher in Scotland, or they are having an unseasonably mild winter in 1975/76. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Och, ye canna take the name o' a sheep, ref!" 

Tornado Jones 

On the Welsh coast, Tornado Jones has been told by the local police sergeant that he cannot go ahead with his planned stunt of riding the local tidal wave on his homemade surfboard. 

Tornado Jones learns that the freak wave comes twice, once in the morning and once at midnight. The police said he couldn't ride the morning wave, but they never said anything about the midnight wave and this gives Jones the opportunity he needs. 

Two local children see him preparing his equipment and work out that he'll be making an attempt on the midnight wave. They sneak along to watch, and sure enough, Jones is out on the water ready for the wave. Jones sees them on the clifftop and worries that they may report him to the authorities, but here's a much bigger problem as one of them falls off the cliff while Jones watches helplessly on. 

Tornado Jones was my favourite story last week, and it is again this week, although for different reasons. Last week I enjoyed the local flavour and the way the local characters were woven into the story This week I was captivated by Jones's never-give-up attitude, and the arrival of two younger characters. These younger characters are relatable to any child, and I could well picture myself in their position forty years ago. At the time I would have seen them as peers, and I would have probably done something similar if I could. The fall looked scary and was just the cliffhanger we needed to finish off this week's episode. It's hard to imagine anyone could survive a fall from that height, but it is a fall into the sea, and we all know that Jones is going to pull her from the sea and save her life. It's enough of a lure to bring me back, and although any thoughts of Jones's stunt have been forgotten, the story remains thrilling and essential. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Let's sneak out of the house later on, without telling anyone! We can watch him from the headland!"

Nipper

After all the trouble that Nipper has had with Danny Marvin, they are finally combining together on the field, and leading Blackport to a three-nil victory over their Swiss opponents. 

The two come off the field as heroes and Marvin understands that it's all down to Nippper, and tells this to the surrounding fans. Realising it's time to come clean about the accident he caused that started all this drama, Marvin reports to Andy Stewart's office and tells him that it was him who caused the accident with the milk float that led to Nipper being dropped.

Andy Stewart is angry, and dishes out the appropriate punishment. Martin is delighted, he hasn't been kicked out of the club, and he now has a clean conscience. He realizes that he owes Nipper for all he has done, and Nipper tells him that he has just the thing he can do to repay the debt. 

Nipper takes Marvin to see Dock Road play, a team of some of the poorest kids from the Docklands area. They are being thrashed by a team of much bigger players, and Nipper tells Marvin that he wants to give them a special treat for Christmas.  His idea is a marathon football match to raise money for them, and he wants Marvin to help him.

Here it is, the strip that involves charity for Christmas. There are always at least a couple of strips that lean this way as Christmas approaches (usually Roy of The Rovers, Hot Shot Hamish, and Nipper) and it's no surprise to see Nipper laying the groundwork a couple of weeks before Christmas. The way the Marvin storyline concluded neatly in time for Christmas was well done, and it gave us a nice segue into this Christmas storyline. The story of Nipper and Marvin has been uneven, but it has given us several memorable moments, as well as introducing us to the unsinkable Amy Felcher. It feels like it's wrapped up at the right time, and the conclusion was a satisfying end to a storyline that has been running for three months now. Alls well that ends well, and with Nipper helping the poor urchins from the docks, it feels like the story is returning to its roots and bringing the best out of Nipper. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "You're right! But I...I owe you a favour now! So I reckon it's time I owed up to our manager about a certain accident."  

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7.5/10

Best Story:  Tornado Jones 

Best Line: "This is crazy! Britain is supposed to be a free country, isn't it? Why the heck shouldn't I risk my own neck if I want to?"

Best Panel:

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Roy's Sports Quiz: