O Roy επιστρέφει!!!!

Η πρώτη έκδοση Roy of the Rovers μετά από 14 χρόνια είναι γεγονός. 1η Απριλίου κυκλοφορεί μια επανέκδοση αγαπημένων ιστοριών από τα 80s, που, αν αποδόσει τα προβλεπόμενα, ίσως προαναγγείλει την επιστροφή του ήρωά μας με νέες περπέτειες.

Διαβάστε τι γράφει η Daily Mail:

"Forget The Damned United. There's another fictional account of a famous football manager's life about to jostle for position in the nation's consciousness once more and you can guarantee this particular hero's family are not about to cry foul over his depiction.

In fact, for many thirtysomethings and above, the life and times of Brian Clough pale into insignificance when compared to those of a man whose footballing c.v. includes winning every honour in the game - on several occasions - surviving a 1981 assassination attempt, seeing six team-mates murdered in a bus attack by 'Basranian terrorists' in 1986 and even the loss of his left foot in 1993 - a travesty after which even he was forced to hang up his boots.

But then Roy Race, aka Roy of the Rovers, who first appeared in the Tiger comic in 1954, is for so many the ultimate footballing icon. Or at least that's how copyright holders Egmont Publishing are hoping he is still seen as they prepare to launch him back on to the nation's newsstands for the first time in 14 years.

A 64-page special edition comic, comprising strips of Roy and other characters from the Eighties, will grace the shelves of WH Smith for a 12-week period from April Fool's Day. But for Egmont, it will be no joking matter.

They are using the print run as an acid test of just how much 'Racey' and other two-dimensional heroes such as Billy 'Billy's Boots' Dane, Tommy 'Tommy's Troubles' Barnes and Kevin 'Mighty Mouse' Mouse, are still loved by their former readers and their children.

'We keep our classic characters under review all the time, to see what scope there is for their development,' explained Egmont's Melanie Leggett.

'Roy is without doubt one of the most, if not the most, popular, so it's exciting for us to see how well this goes.

'We've been very careful to stay as close to the original as possible and are even putting it out on specially produced tactile paper, just to ensure the reader is propelled straight back into his - or her - own childhood.'
Roy of the Rovers

And it is difficult not to be. A flick through an advanced copy and the memories come flooding back. The classic red-and-yellow Melchester Rovers strips (Race and Co seemed to change them even more than England back in the day), the classic, last-minute, left-foot finishes (into the top corner, naturally) and teammates such as Blackie Gray, Vic Guthrie and Paco Diaz (always a rich mix of nationalities) were just the start of it.

There is even a cartoon of a youthful-looking Gary Lineker, drawn for his 'Go For Goal with Gary Lineker' quiz page. Unfortunately there is no sign of fellow 'real' personalities Bob Wilson and Emlyn Hughes (brought out of retirement to play for Melchester in 1985), Geoff Boycott (long-time Melchester chairman) and Sir Alf Ramsey (caretaker Melchester manager while Roy was in his coma). And as for the storyline which saw Spandau Ballet duo Martin Kemp and Steve Norman don the famous redand- yellow strip, well, perhaps that is best forgotten, after all.

But did the players of the day appreciate Roy grabbing all the, at least fictional, glory? 'Roy of the Rovers is a national treasure, which I remember reading in the Eighties, so I am delighted to see it being bought back to newsstands,' said Chris Waddle. 'Roy was a great player who kids and adults will enjoy reading about again . I'll definitely be grabbing a copy.'

As, no doubt, will the fans, caught up in the current thirst for Seventies and Eighties nostalgia, who have helped revive demand for all things Melchester over the past few years.

A few minutes' surfing the web offers the chance to buy various replica Rovers shirts, a Melchester Subbuteo team (£21.39 on eBay last night, plus shipping from the USA - yes, the USA!) and The Bumper Book of Roy of the Rovers, published last autumn, which sold a healthy 7,000 copies.

So what next for the ultimate comic book footballing hero? A big-money film offer, perhaps? Michael Sheen, take off that baggy green jumper . . ."