Exclusive interview: Ian Rimmer and Barrie Mitchell

The latest RotR writer, Ian Rimmer, and artist, Barrie Mitchell honour us by talking exclusively to our blog, answering the questions of the members of The Comic Book Heroes board!  Read Barry talking about his long-time career as one of the top caroonists ever, and Ian about their efforts to bring Roy back to "life"!

Garry Richardson interviews Roy of the Rovers!

Roy of the Rovers appears on Today as part of BBC Radio 4's Character Invasion. Listen to it here

O Roy Race επιστρέφει στα περίπτερα!!!

Σύμφωνα με τις τελευταίες πληροφορίες, που έδωσε ο φίλος Νίκος Νικολαΐδης στο Facebook της ομάδας World Comics, ο "Νέος Μπλεκ" αναμένεται να κυκλοφορήσει εντός του Απριλίου, ως ένθετο στην εφημερίδα "Αξία". 

Συντομότερη ημερομηνία είναι αυτή της Κυριακής 6 Απριλίου και πιο μακρινή εκείνη του Μεγάλου Σαββάτου (19 Απριλίου).  Η έκδοση ξεκινά με τέσσερις βασικούς χαρακτήρες: Μπλεκ, Ζαγκόρ, Ρόυ Ρέης και ΤΟΜ. 

Όπως καταλαβαίνετε, με μεγάλη συγκίνηση και ανυπομονησία περιμένουμε την επιστροφή των ηρώων της παιδικής μας ηλικίας στα περίπτερα της Ελλάδας!

Roy of the Rovers Winter Special 1989

ROY RACE: REVISITED

WORDS: BRYAN DAVIES

As we celebrate the immense durability of Ryan Giggs and Kevin Phillips, and the dash and daring of Gareth Bale, lest we forget it is 20 years since the man who inspired them hung up his boots. We recall the playing career of a man who helped footballers reevaluate what was physically possible…

Roy Race, of Melchester Rovers, may well have been the best player ever produced on British shores

Paul Trevillion - The Master of Movement

Paul is renowned as one of the best Roy of the Rovers artists and drew the story at various stages beginning with the 13th April 1963 edition, where he kicked off a new 'Roy of the Rovers' story in all its glory on the front cover of the Tiger comic.

Paul is known for bringing Roy of the Rovers to life with his 'comic art realism' and has gained a huge reputation across the world for his excellence in this area being dubbed 'The Master of Movement'. He says in an interview with the former official website manager Mark Towers in July 2006.

Roy of the Rovers Holiday Special 1988

7 lessons today’s footballers can learn from Roy of the Rovers

With the notable exception of players like Ryan Giggs and Steven Gerrard, few players show the kind of loyalty exhibited by Roy Race who signed with boyhood club Melchester Rovers in 1954 as a 14-year old and didn’t retire from playing until 1993.

In 1983 he had his one stint away from the club when he played 21 games for Walford Rovers – scoring 45 goals – but couldn’t stay away and returned to Melchester within the year.

1954-2014: 60 years Roy of the Rovers

After being contacted by the Comic Book Heroes forum member and dear friend, Robvanderovers, Egmont confirmed that they indeed have a number of initiatives to celebrate Roy of the Rovers' 60th Anniversary later this year.

They are set to make a number of announcements about this over the next few months, including at least two new titles, further digital releases and marketing activity.

Let's hope 2014 will be the year that our favourite football hero will make his long-awaited comeback!   

Roy of the Rovers Holiday Special 1987

Open in a new tab and click to enlarge

Barrie Tomlinson remembers Roy of the Rovers Christmas past

Roy of the Rovers editor Barrie Tomlinson talks about his Christmas memories to Mark Towers for the online fanzine "Racey's Rocket" in 2008.

As Editor and Group Editor of children‟s comics, it was always my policy to feature the big celebrities of the day, from both television and sport. I began this policy with TIGER and carried it on when I launched ROY OF THE ROVERS. I figured that television was playing a big part in the lives of young people and the only way we could fight it was to join in ourselves and involve the titles in the world of television. When I later launched the New EAGLE, that policy was heavily criticised and I was accused of being “star-struck”. I had to change my plans to put top celebs in EAGLE. But that‟s another story! Let's get back to TIGER and ROY OF THE ROVERS...

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Could we be about to see the return of Roy of the Rovers? It seems that Ian Rimmer and Barrie Mitchell are working on new material in the hope of getting the story picked up.

I contacted Ian Rimmer about a Q&A for this blog and very kindly accepted, so please post your questions as comments, post them to the RotR forum here or e-mail them to me (strkav@yahoo.gr) so as to forward them to the creators of the latest comic strips, who are trying hard for a comeback. You can do this until the end of December.

Have a look at Ian Rimmer's site here: http://therealianrimmer.com/real-roy-of-the-rovers-stuff/

New Look Roy of the Rovers 1992

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILy_mh7TpIM

Roy of the Rovers stuff...literally

There are 3 pub conversations everyone reading this will have had at least once in their life –

1. Greatest album of all time?

Now this is open to a huge amount of debate - personal taste aside great bands don’t always make the truly ‘great’ albums, do you judge it on sales, mass appeal, or purely personal preference? I will simply say this without ever hoping to answer conclusively. If you say anything other than ‘The Stone Roses’ by The Stone Roses you’re wrong. If you answered with anything by Meat Loaf you can probably stop reading this and go spend some time taking a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror.

2. Greatest film of all time?

To be right just pick any one from these five – Weekend at Bernie’s, Rocky IV, Escape to Victory, Clerks, or Weekend at Bernie’s 2. Alternatively I will accept some pornography. Nothing with dwarfs though. Never again.

3. Greatest footballer of all time?

Now this is the biggie. Do you go Diego - mercurial, breath taking, the entertainer supreme and with the personality to match the talent? What about Pele, the most brilliant of the brilliant Brazilians, an institution in the game, scorer of over a 1000 goals (ish…)? How about Bestie, the wasted talent, the ‘How good could he have been’ argument? Then there’s Di Stefano, Socrates, Bobby Moore, Beckenbauer, Puskas, Messi, Ronaldo, Zidane, Gareth Bale…

Next time this comes up, let me give you a slightly different take. Let me submit to you a footballer whose career spanned decades from youth player to first teamer to player-manager. Off the pitch he survived player rebellions, a takeover of his club, a coma after being shot, a coach disaster, and a high profile marriage break up and reconciliation. On it he won everything domestically (including 9 league titles) as well as every European competition available including a personal favourite – the Cup Winner’s Cup.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Roy Race.

Roy of the Rovers Holiday Special 1984

Open in a new tab and click to enlarge

RotR artist Joe Colquhoun Interview

The Kommissar thanks Comrade Jane Colquhoun for providing the Politburo with her copy of this rare 1982 interview with her father. Comrade Joe talks about his history in comics and about Charley’s War in particular. Sadly, Joe’s comments about his own future were never to come true. A modest man, Joe rarely spoke to the press, so this is one of the only interviews he undertook:

Roy of the Rovers on Facebook

You can find us on facebook here. Feel free to post your RotR memories!

Football may regret lost values of Roy Race and the comic book heroes

Roy Race schooled you in the romance of the game – the little guy always has a chance against the big guy.

Roy of the Rovers Holiday Special 1982

A Subbuteo ...comic strip!

Ever been interested in reading a comic strip where the actual Subbuteo figures are the stars? If so have a look here! It's rather amusing, if anything!