This coming Wednesday, the next chapter in Mad Cave Studios’ Speed Racer comics series will hit shelves in comics shops everywhere in the form of Speed Racer #8. In the latest edition of the ongoing series, readers get another wonderful homage to the legacy of Speed Racer in its story, crafted once again by writer David Pepose. The story’s general writing builds on the engagement and entertainment ensured through the book’s story. The bonus content that accompanies the book rounds out its most important elements, completing the presentation. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the book’s presentation. All things considered they make Speed Racer #8 yet another enjoyable installment of this hit ongoing series from Mad Cave Studios.
Speed Racer #8, the forthcoming latest installment of Mad Cave Studios’ new comics series inspired by the original manga and anime series, is its own enjoyable new installment in the franchise. Its appeal comes in part through its story. Crafted once again by lead writer David Pepose, the story is a standalone tale, which pays homage to the Speed Racer legacy as it finds Speed and his boss-turned-girlfriend Trixie dealing with mobster Cruncher Block and his massive vehicle, the Mammoth Car. While the vehicle is called a car, it is more like a double decker bus with a lot of wheels, armor and weapons. For maybe a more relatable description, anyone who has ever seen the movie Stripes will remember the recreational vehicle that Bill Murray and company used to break through enemy lines. The Mammoth Car is kind of like that only much bigger and far more dangerous.
The story opens at a gala being held by Ocean Industries where professor Frederick Fantasy is unveiling a powerful new fuel called Fantastium 217 to Formula X drivers and executives. Unknown to them, Cruncher Block and his henchmen are on the way to the gala, too. Their goal is to steal the Fantastium 217 so that they can sell it on the black market for a big payday. This plays in to the writing and will be discussed a little later as once again, Pepose has paid tribute well to the legacy of Speed Racer all while updating the story from the source material in fully respectable fashion. As Block and his hoods literally crash the party with the Mammoth Car, Block also takes Trixie hostage, leading Speed and Rex/Racer X to chase down the Mammoth Car, rescue Trixie and stop Block. The high-speed chase is another action-packed sequence that audiences will appreciate both for everything that happens and for the visual presentation (which is the standard for this wonderful series). What happens in the end will be left for readers to discover for themselves. No spoilers here other than Rex and Speed come out on top. The rest will be left for readers to find out for themselves.
Staying briefly on the matter of the story, it is itself a prime example of the strength of the writing herein. The story is, as already noted, a standalone presentation. It does not require readers to know everything that has happened to this point. So that simple aspect in itself plays a crucial role to the appeal herein. Considering that comics are generally, by nature, serial products, having Pepose continue to keep the series’ serialization to a minimum this far into its run is a key aspect of the writing.
Moving on a bit, the story involving Cruncher Block is just one of the stories that Pepose presents in the book’s pages. There is a secondary story, that of the relationship between Speed and Trixie. Audiences will recall through the series’ early issues, the couple’s relationship was just budding. The events of this story cement their relationship even despite some uncertainty early on in the story. This and the fact that Pepose did not let this secondary story overpower the primary story, but instead make it part of the bigger picture is a prime example of the strength of the story’s general writing.
Early on in the story, Trixie has a difficult conversation with Speed about the pair’s connection, actually leading one to think that maybe just maybe Pepose would take the couple’s relationship in an unexpected direction, but low and behold, he stays true. The thing is that in the original manga and anime series, Trixie was just his girlfriend, not his boss. So, it will be interesting to see where Pepose takes this story aspect, especially as he continues to make it part of the series without letting it overshadow the main story. Kudos to Pepose for going this route here.
On another note, that Pepose also would maintain the Mammoth Car as a creation of Cruncher Block is something that will impress established Speed Racer fans. In the original anime series, Block is in fact a mobster. The difference comes in that he is introduced in a two-part storyline involving a big race in said anime series. By comparison he is introduced here as part of the noted story. Even with the changed introduction and overall story the whole still works here and that – again – Pepose would still maintain a specific link to the source material is fully deserving of respect. It is nothing new, either. This is a patter than he has followed since the series launched last year. It gives the franchise a whole new life while still looking back to the past. Mr. Pepose, praise and applause to you for this.
On yet one more note, the general dialogue and the fact that Pops is actually up and around, considering everything he went through in the series’ initial arc, is nice to see. Knowing that he is continuing to take more of a role in Speed’s development as a racer, it will be interesting to see where Pepose takes that part of the series. Will Pops ever get that operation, even though he looks and acts better? Will the relationship between father and son grow more? It is minutiae but still an important aspect of the writing that deserves its own attention. Between this and everything else noted in regard to the writing, the whole herein makes clear just how strong the writing is to this issue of Speed Racer. When the writing and story are considered together (along with the once again impressive art work) the whole gives readers more than enough reason to check out this issue of Speed Racer.
Putting the final touch to Speed Racer #8 is its bonus content. The bonus content in this issue comes in the form of a preview for yet another new coming series from Mad Cave Studios, Dog Tag. The preview of Dog Tag #1 is set in World War II in the days leading up to the invasion of Europe. From what is discussed between the colonel (whose name is not revealed here) and young enlisted man Tom Fuller (who is also a correspondent for the famed Stars & Stripes publication), the story seems to take place specifically in the days leading up to D-Day. Fuller tries to explain to the colonel that he is a trained journalist but the colonel is not impressed. He explains to Fuller that instead of covering the big operation, he will be part of an operation that is meant to distract and fool Hitler and the German forces, which makes Fuller clearly feel dejected.
What is interesting here is the connection to real history. Fuller is sent to be part of the false First Army (FUSAG) led by famous/infamous U.S. General Patton. The organization was in fact a distraction used by U.S. military forces ahead of the Normandy invasion. It was part of what was known as “Operation Quicksilver.” Also known as Project Fortitude, It utilized another famous U.S. Army organization, the famed “Ghost Army,” which made fake tanks, soldiers, etc. to deceive German forces. There is a whole PBS documentary about this that is well worth watching (Yes, support your local PBS station when and how you can). Keeping all of this in mind, it is going to be interesting to see where this historically-based series will go next, considering it is based fully on fact. If that is not enough reason for audiences to read this bonus preview, then nothing is. It definitely caught this critic’s attention and is sure to interest anyone with any interest in military history. Keeping this in mind, the preview featured with this book is definitely a bonus. It serves well to get readers excited for what is to come from Mad Cave Studios. It is a solid final touch to the book.
Speed Racer #8, the forthcoming latest issue of this hit series from Mad Cave Studios, is a strong new entry in the ongoing franchise. It is a presentation that is sure to appeal to established audiences both of this series and of the history and legacy of Speed Racer in general. Its success comes in part once more because of its story, a standalone story involving a well-known vehicle and villain from the expansive Speed Racer universe. That familiarity coupled with the new story attached to each is sure to impress so many audiences. The general writing within the story does so much to add to the book’s appeal. From the very fac that the story is a standalone piece that does not require readers to know everything that has happened to this point, to the balance of the primary and secondary stories, to the general dialogue, there is so much here to appreciate. The bonus preview for another new series from Mad Cave Studios puts the finishing touch to the whole. Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the book. All things considered they make Speed Racer #8 another solid entry in this ongoing series that is another must-read title among this week’s new comics titles.
Speed Racer #8 is scheduled for release Wednesday in comics shops everywhere. More information on this and other titles from Mad Cave Studios is available at:
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