|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2019 6:24:27 GMT -5
Roy Race, star player for Melchester Rovers, made his debut 65 years ago today in the pages of Tiger:  Before my time! But in the 80s, I did occasionally look at some sports comics, more for the soap opera than the sport. In 1976, Roy got his own comic:  That title ran for 851 issues, ending in 1993. Wow! Like I stated, I was more into the soap opera aspects than the football stuff. Everyone on Roy's team, including Roy, seemed to lead an eventful life, whether it be being shot, kidnapped, etc. No doubt inspired by a certain US soap opera, here's one cover from 1981:  Here's the final cover from 1993:  A monthly title was launched in late 1993, running until 1995. Depressingly, Roy Race was involved in a helicopter crash, leading to his leg being amputated. Some appreciated the strip "growing up" and embracing grittiness while others, including a former editor of the strip, were critical of it:  His son, Rocky, took over, but that may have been the beginning of the end for the strip. The strip returned in 1997, being published in the BBC's Match of the Day magazine. It ran until 2001. Since that time, there have been collected editions, plus a reboot/revival in 2018. Happy Birthday, Roy Race! |
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,222 
|
Post by Confessor on Sept 11, 2019 7:42:13 GMT -5
God, how I loathe Roy of the Rovers. Let me count the ways.
Worst. Comic. Strip. Ever.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2019 8:01:51 GMT -5
Tell me more if you wish.  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2019 8:54:10 GMT -5
Tell me more if you wish. I have been in England and been in several coffee houses, bars, and whatnot and read about 8 of them in my visits in the mid-80's to early 90's and my last issue that I read was this one sitting on a park bench and picking up a stranded issue and took it home with me.  I just find that picture of a mad who in the green circle hideous. BTW ... I still have it. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2019 8:55:32 GMT -5
Looking at that cover, it interests me how many football comics/magazines over time have used the term "soccer" rather than football. There was even a magazine called Soccer Stars. Today, one magazine is published called World Soccer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2019 9:00:23 GMT -5
Looking at that cover, it interests me how many football comics/magazines over time have used the term "soccer" rather than football. There was even a magazine called Soccer Stars. Today, one magazine is published called World Soccer. Soccer is more universally acceptable and more intune to international sports than in the United States. I have been to 3-4 soccer matches in England with my friends that went to college in the 90's. |
|
|
|
Post by captainthor on Sept 14, 2019 10:28:46 GMT -5
See I'm English and a huge football fan (an even bigger football fan than I am a comics fan) but I've never read Roy of the Rovers. I've read about it and hearing about the soap opera elements of the comic kind of turned me off it a bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2019 14:57:52 GMT -5
See I'm English and a huge football fan (an even bigger football fan than I am a comics fan) but I've never read Roy of the Rovers. I've read about it and hearing about the soap opera elements of the comic kind of turned me off it a bit. For me, the soap opera elements were necessary as wall-to-wall football action would not have appealed to me. |
|
|
|
Post by captainthor on Sept 14, 2019 15:53:41 GMT -5
See I'm English and a huge football fan (an even bigger football fan than I am a comics fan) but I've never read Roy of the Rovers. I've read about it and hearing about the soap opera elements of the comic kind of turned me off it a bit. For me, the soap opera elements were necessary as wall-to-wall football action would not have appealed to me. Yep. I mean if I want to go to watch a football match... I'm going to go to watch a football match rather than reading a comic about a football match. The trick to writing a good piece of literature/a play/a film etc about football or any sport is to focus less on what's going on on the pitch and more about what's going on off the pitch. I just wish the off-field stuff was less melodramatic soap opera and was something a bit more inventive and interesting. But again I AM speaking as someone who's never actually read so my opinion can only be half-formed at best. |
|
|
|
Post by chaykinstevens on Sept 15, 2019 7:22:27 GMT -5
In 1976, Roy got his own comic: A comic they pretended was a paper? Did the bullet just graze his shoulder? |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2019 7:23:13 GMT -5
A lot of UK comics did do newspaper-style covers. You're right about the grazed shoulder. |
|
|
|
Post by beccabear67 on Sept 15, 2019 12:03:10 GMT -5
Wasn't there another comic titled Ranger? Maybe a football team named The Rangers? Very vague memories of these things. I never had any football or even British military comics, just saw them on the stand. There could've been a parody set on Coronation Street where all Roy does is sups pints at t'Rovers pub. Probably someone thought of that and did it.  I have fond memories though of '70s Bay City Rollers style hair... plus flashbacks of Jackie Stewart yelling about racing cars or summat... |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2019 12:32:00 GMT -5
Ranger doesn't ring a bell, but it's possible such a title existed.
There were plenty of sports comics. Now I don't think there are any. The British comic industry has changed so much in recent decades.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rob Allen on Sept 30, 2019 19:16:52 GMT -5
A bit of thread necromancy... you may be remembering Rangers Comics, a US title from Fiction House, published 1941-1953.  |
|
|
|
Post by chaykinstevens on Oct 1, 2019 16:02:50 GMT -5
IPC published a comic called Ranger in 1965-66, the highlight of which was probably The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, with beautiful artwork by Don Lawrence.   |
|
