Roy of the Rovers: Kick-Off (Comic 1) (Roy of the Rovers Graphic Novl): A Roy of the Rovers Graphic Novel

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Roy of the Rovers: Kick-Off (Comic 1) (Roy of the Rovers Graphic Novl): A Roy of the Rovers Graphic Novel

Roy of the Rovers: Kick-Off (Comic 1) (Roy of the Rovers Graphic Novl): A Roy of the Rovers Graphic Novel

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Hot Shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse were two popular British football-themed comic strips, which later merged and appeared in various publications from the 1970s to the 1990s. Both are amongst the best remembered football characters from the "golden age" of British boys' comics. [1] Sque, the illustrator between 1974 and 1986, said: “Someone came up with the idea and I knew it would be the death of Roy, to make him into a ‘real character’. He married his secretary Penny, she had twins and it all tied in with Prince Charles and Diana getting married at the same time. I knew when we made him a real character his son would end up taking over. That put a time-limit on it.” The first Roy of the Rovers annual was published in 1957 (cover-dated 1958), demonstrating the character’s massive popularity. In February 1964, however, the series lost its permanent spot on the cover of Tiger, alternating thereafter with other features. Frank Pepper was the author of the original strip, while early stories were written alongside Bobby Charlton, who many associate with Race’s gentlemanly demeanour. Throughout the controversy that engulfed Melchester, throughout the myriad scandals, he remained the quintessential model professional, regularly emerging with his integrity intact and, quite often, with it enhanced. His wife, Penny, left him because he was spending too much time at the football club and it was national news. Every newspaper carried the story and it was on TV and radio. I was whisked on to ITN to discuss the serious situation and then in the evening on the BBC. Roy of the Rovers is such an important character in children’s comics – I was very fortunate to be part of it for so long.”

Arguably the most famous British comics character of all, ‘Roy of the Rovers’ sixty year playing career began on the cover of Tiger Number One in September 1953. Since then, the phrase ‘Roy of the Rovers stuff’ has become part of the English language, regularly invoked by pundits to describe the essence of footballing dreams. Annuals were produced from 1958 to 1994 and a number of Melchester Rovers Subbuteo teams were produced in the 1980s and 90s. Then they changed it and it went much more true to life, the audience began to expect a more sophisticated storyline. Roy was the first comic book hero to get married and that had lots of support from the readers.

But something strange is afoot. As Rovers head off on a pre-season tour, Roy’s treated differently, and kept apart from the team. What’s going on, and why are Rovers bringing in new players? With his family life hitting a rough patch and everything in flux at Mel Park, it’s time for Roy of the Rovers to fight for his team, his family – and his career in football…

In 2018, following the acquisition of the strip's rights by comic book publisher Rebellion, a brand new rebooted Roy of the Rovers story, following the adventures of a 16-year-old Roy in the present day, began publication as a series of original graphic novels and prose novels. After Joe Colquhoun departed, he was succeeded first by Paul Trevillion, then by Yvonne Hutton, who illustrated from 1967 to 1974, before David Sque [60] took over in 1975. [61] Despite reportedly not being a football fan, [e] he was responsible for one of the strip's more definitive looks in its early '80s period. He was replaced in 1986 by former 2000AD artist Mike White, who gave Roy a more muscular look and the strip a more modern feel. [63] Barrie Mitchell took over in 1992, with a style quite similar to White's. [37] A number of artists worked on the monthly comic, such as David Jukes, Sean Longcroft and Garry Marshall, in contrast to the lengthy tenures of the weekly strip's creative team. [37] Tony Harding often illustrated Roy for the Roy of the Rovers annuals and also drew the Roy's Action Replay strip that appeared in All Action Monthly in the late eighties ( Fleetway). Mitchell returned in 1997 as the sole artist of the Match of the Day strips for all four years. [64] A helicopter crash ended Roy’s playing career and led to his role as the manager of AC Monza in Italy. Tomlinson, Alan; Young, Christopher (2000), "Golden Boys and Golden Memories: Fiction, Ideology, and Reality in Roy of the Rovers and the Death of the Hero", in Jones, Dudley; Watkins, Tony (eds.), A Necessary Fantasy?: the Heroic Figure in Children's Popular Culture: Vol 18, Garland Publishing, pp.177–206, ISBN 978-0-8153-1844-6Roy also appeared in a short-lived daily strip in Today in 1986, drawn by Kim Raymond, and a longer-lived one in the Daily Star, which was drawn by Yvonne Hutton until her death at the end of 1991, and by Mike Western for four years after that. Catch up with my Facebook Live chat on https://www.facebook.com/RoyoftheRoversOfficial/ here when I talked about my first Roy of the Rovers book, Scouted. There is that image of him helping his mum clean a hotel. He has to go to school, but has to come with her on the job first. That is how he became who he is.



  • Fruugo ID: 258392218-563234582
  • EAN: 764486781913
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