Tiger 21st February 1976

Alcohol.
Alcohol is the reason there was no blog last week. 
Alcohol and karaoke - one of the most deadly combinations known to mankind.  All I can say is just be thankful you weren't there as I mangled my way through Oasis's back catalogue (they deserved it). No matter how bad the night was, the real damage came the next day as I failed to rise at 7am, 8am, or 9am. It was almost lunch before I felt human enough to get out of bed, and although I got up, not a lot happened that Sunday afternoon apart from the couch having a weary visitor and the TV flicking through channels. 

A new week and a new me. I'm not out there running marathons, but I am in my library, not reading great works of literature, but rather the comics of my youth - which just so happen to be great works of literature. Well, maybe not Johnny Cougar this week, but certainly many of the other stories are taking us on a worthy journey. With characters developing as the world around them grows ever more complicated, it's a lifelong journey, and some of the characters are proving to be just as fallible as me. At least in 1976 none of them had ever heard of a karaoke machine. Just imagine a middle-aged Billy Dane and Jimmy Dawson belting out a drunken "Wonderwall." Now that's a story I'd like to read!

21st February 1976

Johnny Cougar

Johnny Cougar suffered a concussion in his last match, and this week begins with Johnny having an intense gym workout. He passes with flying colours and decides he is fine to take part in his next match against The Pirate. 

As he walks towards the ring for this bout, The Masked Maniac emerges from the crowd, telling Johnny that despite their previous difference, he fully supports Johnny and needs him to beat The Pirate. 

 As Johnny enters the ring, The Pirate raises the Skull and Cross Bone Flag. Johnny has his own flag, showing Johnny triumphant over The Pirate. The flag enrages The Pirate, who slashes it down with his cutlass, before pointing to a plank erected beside the ring and telling Johnny that he'll be walking down it before the end of the match. 

The opening panels didn't fill me with great hope for this story. While seeing Johnny training was moderately interesting, it wasn't a dynamic start to the story. Nor was it the hook to bring me into the story, and it was a ho-hum beginning to a story featured on the cover.

Things improved inside, and after some unnecessary panels with Splash, we arrived at the arena for some wrestling.  The Chinaman and Footballer fighting gave us some heavy impacts that demonstrated what a physical sport wrestling is, before the arrival of The Pirate.

I'm not normally one for silliness, but I couldn't help but smile at the outfit of The Pirate, or indeed the entire conceit. It was wacky, yet it worked in the context of the story. Yes, he had a cutlass and a flag, but it was no more outrageous than the Footballer and the Masked Maniac, and it did admire the chutzpah of the writer for committing this to paper. 

I like where we finished, and although the story was uneven, things look good for future episodes. A strong beginning would have been nice, but like so many things it matters not where you start but where you finish, and this week we finished in a very good spot indeed.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Avast there, me hearties...victory will soon be mine...and then I'll have proved that I'm the greatest matman who ever sailed the seven seas!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy and his pal Jimmy are doing a cross-country run, while Jimmy moans that he won't be selected in the next game. Billy tries to reassure him, but their conversation is interrupted when they stumble upon an animal trap. At the same moment, a gamekeeper appears and the two boys are accused of poaching and taken to the owner of the land, Colonel Everitt. 

Colonel Everitt tells the boys they were trespassing, even if they didn't place the trap. He tells them that he will report this to their headmaster, and the following day Billy and Jimmy find he has kept his word. They are both on the noticeboard to play for the school team, but a furious Mr Harris storms into the corridor, crosses their names off the team lists and tells them to report to the headmaster. 

They receive a week's detention, and come the weekend they find they don't have a football game. They try the Merrydowners first, but they have a full team. They then learn of a charity match, and they decide to go and watch. The call goes out at halftime, asking if anyone can play football. Billy and Jimmy report to the player's tunnel, and they are told it's a gimmick for the match. They are the only volunteers, and they can play in the second half. Then, Billy remembers that he doesn't have his boots, and the strip ends with him worried that he will embarrass himself in front of a crowd. 

Another story of two halves and I liked both of them. I greatly enjoyed meeting Colonel Everitt in the first portion of the story, and I wouldn't mind seeing more of him in future episodes. The trespassing story was dealt with quickly, and, although we could potentially return for more drama, it was correct to quickly move on to football matters. 

Part of me wants to tell you that the football side of the story was far-fetched, but we are reading a story about a boy with magical boots, so the point is moot. The panels showing Billy Jimmy and Billy at the game with their bobble hats were firm favourites, not only keeping the two boys warm but also warming the cockles of my heart. It is amazing how something so simple can be so evocative, and I felt twelve years old again as I gazed upon the pals watching from the stands. 

The final call to the field was predictable, but no less enjoyable. I think every Tiger reader can see what is coming next, and I am already cringing on Billy's behalf. Once again we finish a story with me feeling sorry for Billy, who just can't seem to catch a break. 

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Billy, and with no respite in sight next week, he looks to continue this difficult run. Although I feel sorry for him, it does make for good reading, and despite my empathy for the character, I am quietly looking forward to seeing how he will overcome these challenges.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I don't see what can happen...we haven't done anything!" 

Martin's Marvellous Mini

The boys have returned to Buxton Street, but the mini is now sitting at the bottom of a hole next to an unexploded bomb from World War Two. 

The army saves the day, using a crane to lift the car out. The bomb is then exploded by the army, although it causes some damage to the houses in the street, especially number 17. The street will be repaired, although the occupants of number 17 are worried about where their children will sleep while these repairs take place. 

Tiny and Martin decide they could take the two children, Henry and Linda, to the holiday island owned by Mr Twastle of their last adventure. The ride to the ferry is relatively uneventful, although Henry proves to be a lively character. He becomes worse once they board the ferry, with his misbehaviour getting out of hand, ending with him collapsing the two deck chairs Martin and Tiny are relaxing on. 

So Mr Twastle and his island live on in the pages of Martin's Marvellous Mini. You just can't keep a good man down. We are in the midst of a curious story of children, yet I am wondering how much we will see of the island and Mr Twastle in future issues. 

The bomb part of the story was fun, and the explosion breaking all the windows of the street was particularly satisfying. Obviously done in a pre-Heath and Safety era, the explosive team was laissez-faire with their attitude and final solution for the bomb. Reading this now, it feels like we have come a very long way. 

I took an instant dislike to the children, which I guess is the intention of the writer. They didn't feel mischievous or high-spirited, but rather downright nasty, horrible little beings. Tiny and Martin are better men than me. With my temper, Henry would have been turfed over the side of the boat at the first sign of trouble. I don't care if he does look like a young Roy Race, I wouldn't be putting up with any of his nonsense. 

Given my poor attitude to Henry (sorry not sorry) I am not sure I am going to enjoy next week's issue. That is unless Tiny and Martin take a firm hand and Henry is put back in his box in the most satisfied manner possible.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Could be trouble? He is trouble! I hate to think what he's up to right now..."

Nipper

Nipper has regained his memory mid-game against Morino. Pointing his finger at Zampia, he tells him he knows he kicked him all over the pitch last time they met, and now he's up to it again. 

It looks as though Nipper is about to boil over, but instead, it's Zampia who loses control. As his teammates urge him to concentrate on the game rather than his personal battles, Zampia suddenly snaps and strikes his own captain. This action results in him being shown a red card, and Morino is reduced to ten men. 

The game resumes, and Nipper scores with his famous horizontal bicycle kick. Nipper hasn't fully regained his memory, but it is slowly coming back and he is more like his former self. 

A week later, Blackport won the return leg against Morino, and they are through to the next stage of the European competition. Jogging off the field Mike Bateson tells Nipper he expects he will be a threat on the field come Wednesday. Nipper questions this, as he doesn't know of a game on Wednesday. His memory loss is again at play, and Nipper has no idea that has been picked for the England under Twenty-thee team nor can he recollect any of the training sessions or the tactics that will be employed. 

Aided by clean artwork, this was another great Nipper story with many highlights scattered across its two pages. 

The opening panel with Nipper confronting Zampia, and Zampia striking his own captain was superb, and the rest of the story was able to cruise on the back of this sensational opening. I didn't think I would care too much about Nipper and Zampia, but it delivered more than it promised. It was clever that when Zampia did explode, it was against his own teammates. leaving Nipper to carry on with his own problems without being directly impacted by Zampia. The best panel of the story was of Zampia striking his captain, and although I don't normally condone violence, I loved seeing this played out. 

We had another treat soon after as Nipper scored with his patented horizontal bicycle-kick. Again, an arresting image that snatched my attention. The panel in which he did this stood out as it sat over the page from the previous grand panel of Zampia, meaning neither detracted from the other.  

We had a lovely moment in the dressing room as Nipper says he has another memory that has come back to him - Mike Bateson owes him five pounds. It had the players laughing and me too as the easy friendship made light of the serious situation Nipper finds himself in.

The final quarter of the story was the weakest part. Morino is easily dispatched in the second leg and it takes only two panels to close the chapter on this European Challenge. A new challenge appears on the page as Nipper learns that he is in the England Under Twenty-Three team, although he has no recall of any of the training sessions. You needn't worry Nipper, I have no recollection of the training sessions either as this is the first we have heard of you being in the team and taking part in the build-up to the game. The last two months have been entirely dedicated to Nipper's memory loss, and it's strange that this has never been mentioned before. One can only assume it's an idea that's only just occurred to the writers, and although I want to see what happens next, there is the feeling that this has been shoehorned in. 

It doesn't matter too much, we should rejoice at seeing Nipper wearing the three lions on his chest, and we are quickly moving into more drama as he takes the field for his country. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "No - it's no good. Everything else is a complete blank! Except for one thing..."

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones has opened his big mouth on TV and now faces the prospect of having to leap the Avon Gorge near Bristol. Surveying the gorge, Jones doesn't like his chances, although it's too late to back out now. 

Jones presents his drawings of a rocket car to Professor Caine of the aero research centre. Professor Caine has been tasked with helping Jones build his rocket car, and upon looking at Jones's designs he tells him it's too heavy.

Professor Caine has a mockup of the gorge in his laboratory and launches a model of Jones's car to test it. Unsurprisingly it crashes into the side of the gorge and explodes. Jones's solution is simple - put a bigger rocket on it. The Professor points out that the car will probably break up under the strain of bigger rockets, but Jones is adamant and the Professor goes along with his wishes. 

The rest of the preparations proceed smoothly and we see the ramp being built before later in the strip the professor unvails Jones's car. Jones sits in the driver's seat, satisfied with what has been built when he suddenly clutches his throat and falls backwards. 

This story was all about the preparations, and as such it didn't carry much drama until the final panel. Even this final panel didn't grab the reader, as the affliction that has struck Jones is unknown and unseen on the page. A man clutching his throat can't compare with the sight of him soaring across a gorge, and it felt a step down from the promise earlier in the strip. 

That said, the preparations were worth my time, and I did enjoy seeing the care in setting up the stunt and the story. We now have a good sense of what faces Jones, and the potential for tragedy. The sight of the car exploding at the mockup was warning enough and gave a visual idea of what awaits us next week if Jones should overcome his current issue. 

It's hard to dislike Tornado Jones. Even a relatively flat issue like this one carries some wonderful art, and I am always transfixed by the facial expressions that James Bleach bestows upon his characters. Not much was happening on the page, yet Jones's face always had movement to it and it felt like there was always a quiet drama lurking just behind his eyes. Hopefully, that drama will come forward onto the page next week, and we get a stunt worthy of the art.  

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "So increase the engine-size and build the real thing, professor! For this stunt, its going to be do or die!" 

Skid Solo

Tommy "Crash Carter" has been entered into another sports car race, and he is having trouble. In practice, he takes the wrong line into Shepard's Corner and comes off the track. It takes some advice from Skid, and a demonstration on the blackboard to show him the error of his ways. 

The race starts, and Tommy has no trouble at Shepard's Corner. Not so some of the other drivers, and we see some making the same mistake as Tommy earlier. Later in the race, Tommy approaches the corner taking his usual line, only to find he is at the wrong corner and he comes off the track. 

After the race Skid asks him if he took the wrong line. Tommy says yes and no, he did take the right line, but at the wrong corner.

Once again Skid is playing mentor, and he is proving to be very good in this role. He is always patient with Tommy and gives him just the right advice, along with enough trust for Tommy to make his own mistakes. The overall feel of the strip was quaint, and there was something rather homely in the quiet way Skid delivered his lessons, like a well-intentioned and patient father. 

Tommy continues to make mistakes, but I am continuing to enjoy it, and I am quite happy with the speed the story is progressing. Tommy still has a lot to learn, and each week he takes another step forward as he moves steadily toward his eventual goal. I am not sure I shall enjoy the story as much once Tommy gets there, it's the journey rather than the destination, but for now, I am quite entertained. 

The drama of the story was low-key, yet it kept its foot steadily on the accelerator through the story, and we motored nicely through to the finish. There was a steady build to it all, with Skid issuing advice earlier in the strip, Tommy making good on this advice before the final disaster befell him and we had Skid give one last piece of advice. This advice, dispensed Captain Kirk style, could have become preachy, but it all stayed on just the right side of the line and we finished well poised for the next step in Tommy's education. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Yes, every mistake...is a lesson learned...and remember you can never stop learning!"

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy has scored the first goal of the match against Railford, courtesy of a delightful overhead kick by Gerry Holloway. It is a moment of genius from Holloway, although some of the Rovers players dismiss it as luck. 

Despite barely touching the ball in the game, nor seemingly even making an effort, it is Holloway who scores the second goal, pouncing on a rebound to seal the match. 

After the game, the Rover's players remain unconvinced. Holloway barely made an effort, yet both goals came when he got involved in the game. 

On Monday morning Roy finds two first-team squad players waiting at his office. they are unhappy that Roy selected a fourth-division player ahead of them, and Roy calms the situation, telling them that Holloway is cup-tied and Roy will be selecting them for the next game. 

Eager to prove himself a dynamo on the field, one of these players, Trevor Cassidy, throws himself into the action. This overeagerness results in a rash foul, and from the resulting free-kick Hansfield scores the first goal of the game. This worries Roy as Hansfield now have their tails up and is going for a spot of giant-killing. 

We have seen Rovers knocked over by smaller clubs many times in their history and if it were to happen here I would not be surprised. Still, it's early in the game, and I foresee some Racey heroics ahead of us. 

I didn't enjoy the first game, or the Holloway storyline, although it does seem to be developing. Pivoting to two disgruntled players helped broaden the scope and it gives us a couple of weeks away from Holloway and a chance for the story to breathe.

These unhappy p[layers are far more dramatic than the team's displeasure with Holloway's play on the field, and my favourite panels of the strip were when Roy came to his office on Monday morning to find two unhappy squad players waiting for him. I'm not sure how big a squad Rovers have, but now Roy has some sort of sympathy for the Chelsea manager who has more squad players than he can fit into the dressing room. 

A hard-fought cup match next week should satisfy my need for intense football action, and given that Rovers are already one nil down, we should be in for a good climax to the game. With disgruntled players everywhere he looks, Roy will be in for a tough time to weave his team together, and this should be just as interesting as the football over the next few weeks. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "A spot of trouble I'm afraid, Roy! Len Peters and Trevor Cassidy are demanding to see you!"

Hot Shot Hamish 

Princes Park has been ravaged by influenza, and reduced to eight men are grimly hanging on in a vital game. Hamish is everywhere, desperately defending the line, but eventually, he cracks, punching the ball away to save a certain goal but surrendering a penalty. 

The penalty is converted, and Princes Park needs a miracle. That miracle appears a minute later as a heavily bandaged Jock McBell emerges from the tunnel. He jogs onto the pitch, with his concussion now better and the game resumes. 

McBells first touch is a good one, as he floats the ball into the box where Hamish is waiting. Hamish nods it down, then hammers home the hot shot to tie the game at one each. 

The rest of the game is a tussle with a pile of players collapsing on the ball. A single foot emerges from this heap to kick the ball home for a goal, and Princes Park is the victor. Pulling the foot from the pile of bodies, Hamish finds it belongs to Jock McBell and McBell is hailed as the hero of the moment. 

Hamish takes him home to celebrate, but as they approach the front door Hamish tells him that the house belongs to Ian McCash. At this name, McBell becomes enraged, telling Hamish that he has been looking for him for fifteen years and now it's time for revenge. 

Hamish delivers again with another story packed with whimsical images and emotive storylines. The redemption of McBell was well played, and by the time he tapped in the match-winning goal we had been on quite a journey with him. The journey is set to continue next week, and the final panel of McBell preparing for a wee stooshie was the exclamation point on an eventful strip.

Hamish carried the storytelling load earlier in the strip. He was everywhere on the field and this was well captured by the art of Julio Schiaffino.  Schiaffino excelled in showing the pinball nature of the game - the opening panel of the strip set the standard early and was surpassed several times throughout the comic, each time a small nugget of delight for the reader. 

The most memorable image was that of McBell stretching out a leg to score the match-winning goal. The following image of Hamish pulling in the leg to find McBell was equally fun, and the two panels were the lynchpin of this week's strip. 

It looked as if the story of McBell had run its course, but the final panels saw the story find another gear. The current strands of Hamish life are beginning to come together, forming a huge knot of a problem for him. How he resolves this remains to be seen, there are no clues readily available on the page, but however he resolves his issues, I know it will be with good humour and some exotic artwork. 

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Ian McCash...so this is where he's been hiding. I've been looking for that mon for fifteen years...to get ma revenge!"

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Hot Shot Hamish  

Best Line: "...the five pounds that you borrowed off me last week, Bateson! Cough up!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz:

Tiger 14th February 1976

Valentine's Day 1976. Given that I was three years old at the time, I very much doubt I was wasting my money on chocolates or flowers for anyone. I'm still the same today, as my wife will happily attest. I have had several true loves in my life, and the greatest of these loves is for the comics of my youth. This relationship has outlasted all others and remains just as strong today as it was in 1981 when my mum first brought me a Tiger comic. I recently ran into an old girlfriend and was shocked at how much she had aged since we were together. Not so with Tiger comic, which remains just as vibrant and attractive as it was when I was eight years old. In the next thirty minutes, I shall revisit this beauty from my past, and enjoy some precious time with those characters who fill my heart with love.    

14th February 1976

Skid Solo

Skid Solo graces the cover of this week's issue as he finally emerges from the hospital. As relieved as we are to see him no longer bedridden, it is sobering to see him in a wheelchair, complete with a blanket across his lap.

The journalists present enquire about his health, but Skid is more interested in talking about his protege Tommy Carter. Addressing the TV audience, he tells them that one day young Tommy Carter will be a World Champion. 

Tommy later speaks with Skid as Sandy explains that the media are now calling him "Crash" Carter. Skid responds by showing Tommy some old footage of World Champions, all crashing their cars in the years before they won. He explains to Tommy that none of them won with a broken car and they all won once they stopped crashing. 

Tommy takes the lesson on board, and in his next race, he cautiously drives Skid's sports car. He is a lot safer, but he is also last. Eventually, Tommy decides he has to find a way to win without crashing, and he is aggressive for the rest of the race. Unfortunately, as he comes around the bend he finds two other cars have crashed and are blocking the track. Tommy manages to stop before he crashes into them, but as he is enquiring about their health his car is shunted from behind and once more he earns the name "Crash"

The strip closes out with Skid chastising Tommy, sternly telling him that next time he stops he should pull off the track first. However, Tommy has a chance to once again prove himself as Skid has entered him in another sports car race next week - that is if Sandy can repair the damage inflicted in time.  

Great to see Skid emerging from the hospital. Skid has been on the front cover many times, usually travelling in a car at high speed. Here the only wheels in sight are the wheels on his wheelchair, and it was a moment to give the reader pause to reflect. 

Inside the comic, the story was predictable, yet well told in a manner that we have become accustomed to from Skid Solo. We had Skid playing mentor to Tommy, and the scenes of him taking him aside for a quiet talk were entirely in character and something we have seen before from Skid. Interesting to see Skid has race footage of previous champions at home, and I did briefly wonder how long it took him to go through all the footage to edit together a package for Tommy to watch. It is relatively easy nowadays, but in 1976 it would have taken quite some time and effort to put together. I shouldn't be thinking about such things while I'm reading the comic, but I just can't help myself. 

The action on the track wasn't as exciting as the action with the film projector, but it was the crux of the story. Although Tommy did take on Skid's immediate advice, he also took on another lesson we have seen in the past from Skid, namely stopping to help a fellow racer. I am sure that Skid himself stopped his car on the track to aid crash victims, and this no doubt has been a positive influence on Tommy. Skid can't be too hard on him for absorbing this lesson, despite its negative outcome in this situation. 

This was a big step forward in the development of Tommy Carter, and in just a couple of months, we have seen him gain his license and begin racing on the track. It has been a slow start but after today's crucial lesson both Tonmmy and the story should take a leap forward and we are now only weeks away from seeing him take the track in a Grand Prix race. Hard to predict what will happen in the next sports car race he has been signed up for, but I have the feeling this may be the final hurdle before it all comes to fruition at the start of the Grand Prix season. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Come and see some film, Tommy...I've got it all set up. It may interest you..."

Hot Shot Hamish

With Princes Park's team ravaged by the flu, they find themselves short on reserves. After an on-field injury, old-timer Jock McBell is called in despite his lack of fitness. He admits as much to Hamish, yet Hamish promises to do his best to look after him. 

McBell spends his first moments nostalgically telling Hamish how tough football used to be when he first started playing. Dreamily he speaks of barging players with his shoulder and bundling keepers over the line for a goal. This reverie ends suddenly when McBell is hit in the face with the ball and drops to the ground. 

The trainers bring him around, and soon McBell is back in the thick of the action. He first gives away a free kick when he shoulder-barges an opposition player, and a few minutes later he goes one further when he knocks the opposing goalkeeper off his feet and into the goal. 

Luckily McBell also knocks himself out, and the trainer checking on his condition tells Hamish that he must have suffered a concussion when he was hit in the face. He is carried off the field and soon after he is followed by two players suffering from the flu. Princes now only have eight players on the field and are grimly hanging on against overwhelming odds. 

My first thought was Vinnie Jones when I read this. I have recently watched a video of him talking about modern football versus football in his era, and he was every bit as nostalgic as McBell in this strip. 

After a couple weeks away from the field, Hot Shot Hamish and his team have returned to the pitch with a humourous story that pushed all my right buttons. Big men playing a tough version of football appealed to me immensely, and I loved seeing McBell wreaking havoc after his concussion. Some wonderful panels were shown of him in action, and the art gave the story an extra punch. The artwork was just as large as the characters it was depicting, and there was completeness to the strip. 

The story of concussion was pertinent to the current situation of football at the moment, and the events on the field didn't feel too much of a stretch. This was a story that spanned the forty years between the comic and now, and while I laughed hard at the story throughout, I also recognised it as something that reads just as well today as it did in 1976. 

I have enjoyed seeing Hamish's problems with finding a house, and the recent shenanigans with a photographer and McMutton, but nothing can beat the sight of Princes Park on the field fighting the odds with an understrength team and Hamish leading from the front. I laughed at it all, but underneath there was a proper football story being told and as such this is my favourite story this week.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Just as well! I was going to send him off!"

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Tiny and Martin are in Moscow, desperately looking for Mr Twastle who has vanished while leaving a trail of unpaid bills behind him. After some silliness at the airport and a weak disguise, they find him and, rather surprisingly, not only do they pay all his bills but also pay for him to return to his island. 

With this drama behind them, Tiny and Martin return to Great Britain. They arrive at Buxton Street and are surprised to find the street empty. There is a large hole that Martin fails to see, and as their car drops onto it they discover why the street is empty. There is an unexploded bomb at the bottom of the hole, and they are told that the army is on the way to blow it up. 

With their car facing an explosive ending, our lovely lads jump into the hole, planning to save it before it's too late.

The Moscow adventure ended quickly. I was hopeful for a fun-filled coda, but it wasn't to be and the final scenes in Moscow were disappointing. I felt let down by Tiny and Martin, and the way they gave a large amount of their money to Mr Twastle. I understand they are nice guys, but in this case, they are too naive for their own good. Not once did they consider that Mr Twastle could have killed them with the avalanche, and while it did wrap up the story quickly, it did leave a bad taste in my mouth. 

Their encounter with Mr Twastle lasted several months, and casting my mind back this all started in Haiwaii. Since then we have come a long way, both in mileage and in story, and although it had a weak ending a lot of it was very good. I wasn't so fussed by Tiny and Martin's adventures on the island, but the New York to Moscow rally gave us plenty of memorable moments. I shall remember this story for a long time, and when I do it won't be the weaker moments I remember, Rather it will be the moments of Tiny and Martin racing their little car through the snow, overcoming the odds, and almost winning the entire race.  Mr Twastle wasn't the greatest of villains, but he did give us the fuel to get us through the story and was the engine driving all the action. 

My heart lifted when the boys arrived back in Buxton Street, a name I've not heard in a long long time. Even close to home there is drama to be found, and I was surprised by the twist. It was well executed, and although I would have liked nothing more than to see all their neighbours and friends welcome them home, I do like the direction the story took. The hero's welcome can wait a week, first, we'll have to deal with this final bombshell and explosive ending.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Hey! What are you doing? It's dangerous down there! There's a bomb down there...left over from World War Two, we only just found it..."  

Tornado Jones

Tornado Jones is innocently driving down a country road when he is suddenly stopped by a pretty girl. This fetching young lady tells him that she is a researcher for the TV host Dennis Dickenson and that Dennis Dickenson would like Tornado to appear on his show.

Tornado agrees but is embarrassed on the show when Dickenson insists on showing all his failures. An angry Tornado rashly tells Dickenson that he will jump a rocket-powered car across the Avon Gorge, but later, as he looks at the map, he realises how big the gorge is and it looks like he has bitten off more than he can chew. 

I'm a sucker for a pretty girl in a sports car, and the first three panels of the story had me drooling at the prospect of a young lady joining the action. It wasn't to be, but it did get me involved early in the story and kept me reading on. 

Dickenson is a good character and although he is the villain of the piece so far, I do like the way he has been portrayed. He is true to life, and I could easily imagine any number of TV presenters taking his place in the strip. His goading of Tornado Jones was a clever way of getting us to his next stunt, and the way Jones walked into the trap was entirely in keeping with his character. 

Whether that stunt lives up to expectations remains to be seen and I often find I like the build-up to the stunt better than the stunts themselves. I am not putting too much faith into what will come next, but if the surrounding story is good, then I shall be more than satisfied. I'm just hoping the pretty girl makes another appearance.

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "The famous Dickenson chat show? That's fantastic, honey - maybe I'm a bigger name in Britain than I thought!" 

Johnny Cougar 

Johnny is competing in an international tournament and currently fighting against the Chinaman. Although Johnny has an injured arm, Splash Gorton encourages him to forget about it and get himself into the match as he is at risk of being eliminated from the tournament if he doesn't win some points. 

Johnny heeds Splash's advice, and although shaky throughout the fight, he overcomes the odds and wins a pinfall with a surprise move. With this win, Johnny moves into third position in the table, although in the final panel, we learn that he is suffering from a bad concussion. 

I'm a hard man to please and although this gets a pass mark from me it did feel on the light side of Johnny Cougar stories. The match was by the numbers, and while it looked good, it failed to raise my heartbeat. I was more excited by the pretty girl in the last strip than anything I saw here, although that is no reflection of Johnny's good looks. 

The Chinaman looked strong on the page, while Johnny looked weak. You would think an underdog winning in this situation would appeal to me, but it did feel all too easy for Johnny. Not in the manoeuvre he performed, but in the way that the Chinaman was overcome by it and in the easy way he gave up the pinfall. It's things like this that take me out of the story, and while Johnny's fights usually have a realism about them, helped in no small part by the quality of the artwork, this was one occasion where it didn't ring true.

This tournament still has some way to go, and with Johnny scheduled to face The Pirate next week, we have some immediate wrestling action ahead of us. Like the Hot Shot Hamish story earlier, we have another case of concussion and I will be curious to see the impact this will have on Johnny and his performance in next week's issue. An interesting choice, and coupled with his arm injury, he is very much the underdog. That all bodes well for exciting drama, and hopefully a captivating finish to the story. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Hey, man, snap out of it! What gives with you? Where's your pride? Remember you're a Seminole...fight like a Seminole!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy and Jimmy are playing in defence for the next game, while their new friend, the small Mickey Brown, has made the team as a sub.   

Billy makes a good fist of playing in defence, but at halftime time 'Hardnut' Harris makes some changes, bringing on Mickey Brown as a striker. An injury to another Groundswood player sees Billy move into the midfield and soon he and Mickey form an easy partnership. Billy scores one goal from a long ball, and then a second as Mickey threads a through ball to him. 

After losing one nil, Groundswood came back to win two-one. This bodes well for Mickey Brown being picked for the next game, although Billy's friend, Jimmy Dawson, is downhearted as he thinks it will be at his expense. 

Poor old Jimmy, and although the story is ostensibly about Billy, I can't help but feel more involved in Jimmy's story by the end of the strip. Many a young boy has been in a similar situation, and how Jimmy responds will be familiar to most. His forlorn look as trudged off the field said it all and was fuel enough for the fire of the next issue. 

Jimmy wasn't the only one to steal this issue from Billy. The appearance of Hardnut Harris was also welcome, and for all of Billy's on-field play, it was the brief appearance of these characters that caught my eye. Even from behind, Mr Harris lives up to his Hardnut nickname. The profile of his stony face said it all, and his large body reinforced this first impression.

I haven't been too kind to Mickey Brown since his first appearance, but I can't deny he has certainly propelled the story over the last two weeks. It has tilted the story away from Billy, and the repercussions of Mickey's appearance are impacting those around Billy. It's Mr Harris who has to make a decision, and Jimmy who will rise or fall based upon that decision. It has widened the focus from Billy alone, preventing the story from becoming stale and one-dimensional. The magic boots are temporarily forgotten, and the story is a lot more interesting for it. 

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "I play my heart out to help get the team into the quarter-finals of the cup...and now I'll be out!" 

Nipper

As the Italian fans chant the name of their hardman, Zampia, Nipper is on the cusp of regaining his memory of their previous encounter. However, the name slips back into the mists of his mind and the game against Morino begins. 

Zampia resumes the hard style of their last encounter with a heavy foul knocking Nipper off his feet. Zampia expects Nipper to retaliate, but Nipper instead fools him, quickly passing the ball to Mike Beatson who scores the opening goal. 

Zampia is held responsible by his team, and things get worse for him as Nipper slips his marker to score with a diving header. However, in scoring his goal Nipper collides with the Mornio keeper, taking a crack to his head. With this, his memory comes flooding back, and he points out Zampia, loudly telling him he knows why he has been acting so tough, while the rest of the team worries that now anything might happen. 

Nipper's memory loss has taken an interesting twist. Without his fiery on-field persona, his style is noticeably different and it does at times feel like another strip. For all Zampia's attempts at provoking him, Nipper remained calm and unmoved. One wonders how much better Nipper would be on-field if he could rein in his temper like this all the time. He is certainly a lot more effective when playing coolly. 

The final knock to the head was predictable, and the only way the story could go. It does move us into new territory, and we now have the on-field action changing in the face of Nipper's restored memories, as well as the wider repercussions for the rest of the story. There are a lot of directions the story could now go and it will be interesting to see what direction we take first. There are several avenues to be explored and the story could potentially branch in a few directions at once. I don't care where we go from here, and I'm just happy to go along for the ride.   

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "You won't hold out much longer, Lawrence! I make you so angry, you explode!" 

Roy Of The Rovers

Gerry Holloway isn't making any friends with his effects on the field. In his first game for Melchester Rovers, he barely exerts himself. Several times the ball comes toward him, yet he makes no effort to chase them down, telling the team he will not blindly chase the ball around like a maniac. 

He crosses swords with an angry Duncan McKay in the dressing room, and coming out after the halftime break the team seems unsettled. Rovers start poorly, but when the ball is cleared upfield, Gerry Holloway suddenly puts on a burst of speed and beats the opposing players to it. He then demonstrates his skills, running hard at the defenders before delivering an overhead kick that puts the ball into the box. From there it is a simple Roy Race header that sees Rovers take a one-nil lead. picking himself up, Roy looks at Holloway, wondering if it was a piece of lucky showmanship, or did he just show his genius. 

I just can't find it in myself to care about Gerry Holloway. That shouldn't matter, but it also means that I currently don't care much about the current story. Gerry Holloway doesn't move the needle one way or another. He is neither a hero nor a villain, but rather just a young lad who is having trouble fitting into the team. 

The story started slow, with only the crowd giving Holloway conflict. This ramped up at halftime, and his angry words with Duncan McKay were the highlight of the story. The final goal may have looked pretty on the page, but it was only a bit of window dressing on what had come earlier. 

I still enjoy the artwork, and if anything this is getting even better week after week. The play looks crisp and fresh, while the facial expressions give life to the characters. The art deserves a better story than that of Gerry Holloway, and once again I can only hope that Roy puts his foot down next week so we can move onto better things.   

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Well, the kid's got spirit, anyway, Roy! He certainly stopped Duncan McKay in his tracks! 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story:  Hot Shot Hamish  

Best Line: "I play my heart out to help get the team into the quarter-finals of the cup...and now I'll be out!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: 

Tiger 7th February 1976

It's not you, it's me. I have been feeling blue ever since the hype of Christmas blew over, and this is colouring my reading of Tiger. For the last couple of weeks, I have been struggling to find joy in anything, and that includes my beloved Tiger comic. Some of these stories are great, yet I just can't see it at the moment. It all seems rather leaden, and some of the stories feel like they need a good shake-up. My mood isn't helped by the fact that it has rained for most of my holiday, and I'm returning to work tomorrow feeling just as jaded and tired as I was several weeks ago. Take my following opinions with a grain of salt - I have no doubt I would rate this issue highly on a sunny day following a good night's sleep. 

7th February 1976

Roy Of The Rovers

Roy and former Melchester Rover scout Alf Roper are watching young Gerry Holloway at a fourth-division game. Gerry barely exerts himself on the field, but there is one flash of brilliance from the lad, enough for Roy to offer him a contract. 

Holloway reacts coolly to the contract. He signs it while telling Roy that it will pay for his university studies. He also takes into account that the Rovers home ground is only a short bus ride from the university. 

As Gerry isn't cup-tied, Roy names him to start in Rover's next cup game. Ben Galloway, General Manager, expresses his concern to Roy, telling him they should have told him or the directors first. So far Roy is the only one at the club who has seen Holloway in action.

Roy tells him not to worry, Holloway is training hard.  However, on game day Holloway doesn't chase down Roy's first pass. He tells Roy that he knew he had no chance to get there, so why waste the effort. This irks Roy, and things get worse as Holloway begins to lecture him. 

Over the last two years, we have seen several new players introduced to Rovers and they all start out with problems such as this. This isn't the first unproven player that Roy has signed, and so far it is following a similar pattern to the previous stories. 

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but from what we have seen here, Holloway isn't as yet a strong character. We have only seen him fleetingly, and although he is confident enough to lecture Roy in the final panel, he is rather nondescript throughout the rest of the story. 

When Roy signed Wallace the previous year, we had a good sense of who he was, long before he pulled on the Melchester strip. So too with the circus performer that Roy signed a couple of years ago (sadly, his name now eludes me). We saw plenty of what he was about before he made it to the pitch, and although his career was a failure, it still provided a well-rounded story. 

Holloway has none of this behind him, and after only one appearance he is a pale character on the page. I am surprised that Roy signed him at all based on what he saw. Roy, a professional for twenty years, signing a player after seeing one game, a game in which he only had one moment of class, seems hollow and out of character, yet fits with his previous patterns of signings. 

Holloway has proved to be an unlikable character so far and that isn't helping a storyline that is failing to gain traction with me. A large part of me wants to see him bed into the team as quickly as possible so we can return to the wider story of how Melchester Rovers season is progressing. We may have a few more weeks until Holloway sorts himself out, and until then all I can do is read on patiently. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line: "But surely you should have consulted me, or the directors first! Apart from Alf Roper, you're the only club official who has seen Holloway in action!" 

Billy's Boots

Billy's bike was stolen by a young boy named Micky Brown. Now Billy and Jimmy find themselves playing ball in the park with the boy who doesn't realise who Billy is. 

As Jimmy and Billy walk home afterwards, Billy tells Jimmy that Micky Brown was the boy who stole Billy's bike. Jimmy is surprised, telling Billy that Mickey seemed like a decent sort of lad. They also discuss their chances of making the school team on the weekend, with Jimmy commenting that Hardnut Haris does some funny things. 

This is borne out when they find they are in the team, but both playing in defence. Harris has switched the attackers and defenders so both can understand the problems each other faces. This sends Billy back to his book on Dead-Shot Keen, where he learns that Keen played as a defender before a chance positional switch revealed that he was a lethal attacker. 

While Billy is reading there comes a knock on the door. It is the local policeman following up on Billy's stolen bike. He tells Billy and his Gran that the boy took his bike because it was an emergency. His mother had been taken ill and he had rushed off to the doctor. Billy and his Gran decide to drop charges, and the matter is left as it is. 

Back at the rec ground, Billy and Jimmy are playing a pickup game when Mickey Brown appears. He tells them his new school will be Groundwood, and asks if they think he has any chance of making the school team. Billy says if he can play, he stands a good chance. The strip ends with Billy and Jimmy watching little Mickey Brown dribbling through the players on the field and commenting that he's good and might even threaten their place in the team. 

This story has slowed, and with the stolen bike drama being resolved the story has pivoted to Mickey Brown trying to earn a place in the team. It's not as interesting as the previous issues, and the whole story feels flat after the intensity of Billy's bike being stolen. 

We still have Mickey Brown looking much too small to play with the other, and once again his proportions seem to be wrong when he stands next to other players. Children do come in all shapes and sizes, but as it stands, Mickey Brown looks much too small to be playing with Jimmy and Billly. This takes me out of the story every time I see it, and it is another strike against Mickey Brown. 

The scene with Billy and his Gran was again the best in the strip. The sight of the two of them, Gran knitting while Billy read his book, was every bit as homely as you could want, and sat at the heart of the story. This directly leads to the appearance of the policeman, and Billy and his Gran dropping the charges has their humanity on full display. It was head and shoulders above everything else in the story (an easy feat when you're towering over Mickey Brown) and I could have done with a lot more of this and a lot less of Mickey running around with the ball at his feet.   

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "I've met him, Gran...he seems a nice kid..."

Martin's Marvellous Mini

Martin and Tiny are racing for the finish of the New York to Moscow rally with Mr Twastle nestled in the car with them.

They look to have the win sewn up when suddenly Mr Twastle switches off the car with the claim he can smell smoke. This allows two cars to pass them before Tiny can restart the car and cross the finish line. 

Tiny and Martin have finished third but the drama isn't over. Tiny pulls the black hood from Mr Twastle's pocket and accuses him of sabotaging them from the helicopter, and now on the ground. Mr Twastle confesses, telling them that he couldn't afford to pay them the million pounds he had promised for winning the race. He is broke, and as he slinks off he tells the boys that he won't blame them if they go to the police. 

Tiny and Martin decide to wait until after the prize giving before they make any firm decision. At the prize giving they learn they finished second overall, and they receive a prize of two thousand pounds. Walking back to their room they decide to give half of this to Mr Twastle as without him they wouldn't have been able to enter the race. 

They ask reception for his whereabouts and are informed that he has left the hotel without paying his hotel bill, his taxi bills, or his helicopter bills. He owes a lot of money, and even as they speak the police are out looking for him.  

I have enjoyed this rally immensely, although this final rush to the finish line has been a letdown. However, the story is far from over, and we still have more drama ahead of us next week. 

The final play by Mr Twastle in turning the car engine off was weak, and after all we have seen it was hardly the gripping finish that the story deserved. It felt out of step with Mr Twastle's other devious ploys and, although it worked, it wasn't as desperate as his other manouverings. However, it did scupper their chances of winning, which made Tiny's reaction as he revealed Twastle's scheming rather surprising. Tiny was angry, but it wasn't as angry as one might expect, especially when we take into account that Twastle did bury them in an avalanche. Twastle cost them the race and almost cost them their lives, yet Tiny's anger is quickly dissipated and Twastle walks free. We have seen Tiny become physical in confrontations before, so all I can say is Mr Twastle was very lucky in this case. 

It feels like a very long time since the boys won the race that sent them off to Hawaii and started this wild journey. It must almost be time for them to head home, and I have a strong feeling that once they have settled their score with Twastle they may well be pointing George westward and driving home. I have enjoyed the ride we have taken to get this far, and still have hopes that there will be a twist next week to end this story with a suitable exclamation point. 

Rating: 6/10

Best line: "The truth is...I'm broke! If...if my holiday island scheme doesn't pay off, I'll go to prison for debt!" 

Hot Shot Hamish

Casually dressed, Hamish strolled downstairs at the wealthy mansion he was staying at and into a formal party. The guests are horrified by Hamish's attire, and Hamish finds himself manhandled and called a scruff. 

This leads to a brawl, with various guests taking sides for or against Hamish, and chaos ensues as the food begins to fly. 

The fight ends just as the host, Mr McCash, arrives, and Hamish thanks him for the party before retiring to bed. 

Meanwhile at Princes Park flu is sweeping through the team. With five players sick, Mr McWhacker is forced to call on his reserves and loses the next game four-nil. Come Saturday they are no better off, and desperate for a win to keep their promotion hopes alive. Unfortunately, there is an injury early on, and Mr McWhacker is forced to turn to his scant bench. He calls on Jock McBell, a player who hasn't turned out of the first team for two years. McBell jogs onto the field thinking that Hamish will cover up for him if he is a wee bit slow. 

The fight at the party dominated the strip and gave us some wonderful imagery. Julio Schiaffino is at the top of his game here, giving Hamish a sympathetic look while imbuing the fight with all the chaos and frenetic energy it deserved. It was a delight to look at and with pies and cakes being thrown, it would appeal to any young reader. The smile on Hamish's face as he watched the fight said it all, and was just as joyful as the fight itself. 

The story moved quickly and having just as much drama on the football side of the story made for a balanced read that propelled us along on both fronts. I am just as invested in both sides of the stories, with the flu hit team particularly relatable as I have recently had a similar situation at work with another round of covid wiping out half our staff. Like Hamish, I too have had to carry weak members in the team, and I can only assume that Hamish will do it with a lot more grace and patience than I did. How he navigates these stormy waters remains to be seen, and with the game (and Princes Park's position on the table) delicately poised, there is much on the line for next week's drama.   

Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Och, it's turning oot to be a fine wee party!" 

Johnny Cougar

Johnny is still competing in the international wrestling competition, and this week we see him take on his next competitor, a muscular wrestler called The Chinaman. 

The Chinaman proves to be just as strong as he looks, and Johnny struggles against his large opponent, especially as he is carrying an injured arm.  After being thrown around like a rag doll, Johnny is finally thrown to the floor where The Chinaman covers him for the first pinfall. 

As Johnny recovers in the corner, Splash brings him the news that The Footballer has just beaten The Masked Maniac. As Jonnny gets unsteadily to his feet, Splash implores him to do something, anything, as he desperately needs to win some points in this tournament. 

There was some concern that The Chinaman wouldn't deliver the tough fight required. Last week we saw The Masked Maniac easily beat him, and the seed was planted that he might be an easy beat. That hasn't eventuated, and the story is all the better for it. The Chinaman looks bigger on the page than we have previously seen, and it provides some wonderful images of the two large men colliding. Again, Johnny is on the back foot, and it is always refreshing to see our hero struggling and having to overcome an obstacle such as this.  

The tournament is a lot tougher than it looked some weeks ago and is providing far more entertainment than promised. There has been a lot of silliness of late, yet the wrestling action is tough and exciting, demanding my attention and holding me enrapt. I can easily overlook the silliness when it is backed up with wonderful fighting and art such as this. Having Johnny struggle is the icing on the cake, and once again I have no choice but to return next week and see what develops from here.

Rating: 8/10

Best line: "Me very good wrestler...man from East, beat man from West!"

Tornado Jones

Jones has landed in a fast-flowing river after lassoing an escaped tiger. Both Jones and the tiger are struggling in the water when a passing fisherman pulls Jones into his boat. Jones then pulls the tiger a shore but then takes to his heels when the tiger turns on him. 

Jones clambers up a tree and watches as the tiger approaches an aluminium-faced hoarding across the road. This is part of his plan, and he is delighted when the tiger sees itself reflected in the aluminium. The tiger leaps at his reflection, crashing into the hoarding and knocking itself out. 

Jones returns the tiger to the safari park, offering to do the stunt again tomorrow. The owner of the park refuses, giving Jones ten pounds and calling it quits. 

This was a short story, and we only had three weeks of Jones and the tiger. That felt about right and although I admired some of the artwork last week, by this week we had run out of steam. The strip was enjoyable enough, with strong artwork that promised much but never quite flourished as it did last week. It remained tightly focused and never did more than it needed to tell the story. 

The story itself was simple enough, although we never saw a strong character emerge as a foil to Jones. The safari owner could have been such a character, but his role was diminished after the first week, while the tiger got off to a slow start, looking less than fearsome in the first week, before finally looking like the predator it did last week. This week it fell somewhere between the two and once again failed to offer the threat it could have been. 

An uneven few weeks and next week we are again off on a new adventure for Jones. He is never short of a fresh start and a new story, and one can only hope for something substantial that can sustain the character for the next several weeks. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "After all the chaos you caused, I never want to see you again! Take this sten sounds and call it quits! Get out of here!"

Skid Solo 

Tommy is in Australia gaining racing experience, and this week's strip begins with him racing a saloon car. He is winning his class, but pushing hard against the bigger cars to win the race. He hasn't had the experience yet and pushes his car too hard, breaking something and crashing off the track. 

Sandy gives him a good telling-off, before telling Tommy that he has been entered in a sports car race in Melbourne. Tommy must go alone as Sandy is flying back to Skid, and Tommy promises not to let him down. 

Tommy's two wins and crash earn him the attention of a local journalist. He comes to interview him, wondering if he has a nickname that might help sell the story. Tommy doesn't and the newspaperman christens him "Kid" Carter. 

Back in Britain, Sandy and Skid discuss Tommy's progress. Skid says he has a lot to learn but has skill and nerve. He tells Sandy that he's going to call him "Typhoon" Tommy, a nickname Skid has thought up himself. 

In Melbourne, Tommy's race is going well and he pushes himself to the front. Again, he has failed to learn his previous lessons, and after pushing his car too hard an oil pipe bursts showering Tommy in oil and sending him crashing off the track. 

Tommy is OK, but the car is a write-off. However, Tommy is more distraught by the newspaper headline the next day calling him "Crash" Carter. 

"Crash" Carter is a fair nickname based on what we have seen thus far. For all his racing flair and skill, Tommy ends up off the track more than he should. It makes for a surprisingly good story and I am enjoying following his adventures in the absence of Skid Solo. It isn't always believable, but it has been fun so far, with some good racing action and memorable panels to keep the reader engaged.

We have yet to see Tommy deliver a perfect racing performance, and despite his natural talent, he is taking an authentic journey. Seeing him race at these lower levels not only helps him gain experience but also makes him a more believable character to the reader. It's stretching belief to see a young lad racing for Skid Solo, so anything like this to add to his authenticity helps with the immediate story and the longer goal of having him drive beside Skid Solo. 

I love a good crash as much as the next man, and we have two excellent crashes in this strip. The first panel shows Tommy's saloon car careening off the track was good, with the flying hay bales emphasizing the speed at which he is travelling. The second is even better, with the energy and speed of the sports car flying off the track clearly visible in the single panel. It's of the highest standard and easily the best image in this week's Skid Solo story. 

I had wondered if Tommy could sustain the story on his own. From what we have seen so far, he can. The stories being told are just as vital and interesting as the ones provided by Skid Solo, and if we maintain this momentum, the strip will gain even more shine once Skid is able to make a return.

Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Crash Carter! Skid and Sandy aren't going to like that!"

Nipper 

Nipper has been sent to a specialist to help with his memory loss. It proves to be a waste of time- when playing word association, Nipper associates every world with some aspect of football. 

Returning home, Nipper tells Amy Felcher that he hopes that his memorable will be jogged when they play their next game against Mornio. 

Amy hopes not, and while Nipper is outside she gives us the backstory of Morino. The last time Nipper played them he was heavily marked by Zampia, the Morino sweeper. It had become a rough battle, with Nipper giving as good as he got, and at the end of the game, angry threats were thrown. 

Nipper is unaware of this and as he rides to the game he is puzzled by fan's comments to watch out for Zampia. As he runs onto the field the Morino fans tell him to steer clear of Zampia as he has a good memory of what happened last time. Nipper finds that the name Zampia makes him feel tense and nervous, and as the strip concludes he thinks his memory is starting to return.

We are making steady progress with Nipper's story. He still has memory loss, and although he is getting help, it has yet to amount to anything. We have storm clouds gathering as he takes the field against Mornio and this should develop into something substantial next week. 

The opening scene of Nipper in the doctor's office gave us humour and was a soft introduction before the darker story of Zampia appeared. The doctor's frustration translated well on the page, and the dialogue leading up to his final outburst was excellent. 

However, the main focus of the story was setting up next week's confrontation with Zampia. There was a flashback telling of their last encounter, and while this was informative, it didn't make for a great issue of Nipper. It did plant the seeds for what is to come and gave us the context for the next game, both important and did this without impeding the flow of the story too much. Not an energising issue, but a necessary step that puts us in a fine place for the next few weeks. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "Football...football! This is preposterous! Everything I say seems to remind you of something connected with football!" 

Issue final ratings:

Overall: 6/10

Best Story:  Johnny Cougar 

Best Line: "Ye missed the best o' the party, Mister McCash...I think everyone enjoyed it fine. But I'll have to be away to ma bed, the noo...I canna have late nights when I'm in training!"

Best Panel:

Roy's Sports Quiz: