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Speed Racer #1
Speed Racer Volume 1 TPB (Speed Racer (Idw)) (v. 1) by Len Strazewski
It begins again here! The classic Now Comics Speed Racer series from twenty years ago gets the deluxe reprint treatment from IDW, including reproductions of Ken Steacy's amazing painted covers, too. In Volume One, collecting the first five issues of the series, Speed faces the "Death of a Racer," goes up against Racer X, and much more!
Mass Market Paperback
First published February 15, 2018
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12 people want to read
About the author
Len Strazewski
124 books3 followersLen Strazewski is a comic book author who wrote Starman after Roger Stern. He has also worked on The Flash, Justice Society of America, Phantom Lady, The Fly, and many other titles for DC comics. He also worked on a comic version of Speed Racer for NOW Comics. His Street Fighter II comic for Malibu Comics was canceled after three issues by Capcom because of his choice to have Ken Masters murdered in the second issue. Also on Malibu, he wrote Prime, Elven and Prototype. He is a professor of journalism at Columbia College Chicago and a member of the school's Board of Trustees.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 11, 2011
While I wasn't exactly blown away by this comic, it was surprising to see how much similarity there was between a 1960s manga and the typical comic strips for boys in British comics that I grew up with. Firstly there is the hero's name - Speed Racer - which is improbably cool to a child and tells you everything you need to know about him. Then there's the fact that he's a teenager - too young, in fact, to be a professional racing driver, let alone a world class one. Finally, there are his fantastic adventures, the kind of thing you would expect of super hero comics rather than a sports-based strip - voodoo zombies, lost mythical civilisations, secret agents and saboteurs.
The history of Speed Racer's publication, at least what one can find on Wikipedia, is so convoluted that I don't know whether this is a 1980s reprint translated into English or an American version inspired by the original Japanese classic. The innocent Boys' Own quality of the storyline suggests the former, while the 80s mullet hairstyles, the leading character's romance and the technology portrayed could place it later. Either way, it's clearly a pure kids comic and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but a comics enthusiast - who might find more than I could in its style and artwork - or someone who read it as a child and wants to wallow in nostalgia.
The history of Speed Racer's publication, at least what one can find on Wikipedia, is so convoluted that I don't know whether this is a 1980s reprint translated into English or an American version inspired by the original Japanese classic. The innocent Boys' Own quality of the storyline suggests the former, while the 80s mullet hairstyles, the leading character's romance and the technology portrayed could place it later. Either way, it's clearly a pure kids comic and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but a comics enthusiast - who might find more than I could in its style and artwork - or someone who read it as a child and wants to wallow in nostalgia.
February 11, 2013
This book is about a boy named Speed Racer. His older brother Rex had just died mysteriously after finishing a high powered car with his father. They had no one to race it so Speed decided to do it. While he races he notices strange things happening.
I thought it was ok. It wasn't all that great. It was my first graphic novel/ comic book so I didn't know quite how to read the text in one box.
I thought it was ok. It wasn't all that great. It was my first graphic novel/ comic book so I didn't know quite how to read the text in one box.
April 18, 2011
I'm actually enjoying these a great deal. But I have to admit the art and storytelling are inconsistent at best. It's a crazy nostalgia trip, though, as I read these when I was in Jr High/High School while they were being originally published.
December 22, 2017
The art was okay, the story was...um, the story...but yeah, just was not feeling it.
March 9, 2018
Now Comics was a small comic book publisher in the mid 80s. As a whole, all of Now’s books were really well written. But there was always something off with the art.
No matter what, the inked final product has this weird magic marker quality to it. I wasn't a fan of it but I kept buying their books because the stories were quite good. Probably the fact that Now Comics were the only books available at the pharmacy when I would visit my grandparents had something to do with my purchasing habits.
Anyways, Now overextended itself and got into some legal issues over paying artists and printing debts. Before 1990 was through, the publisher has filed for bankruptcy. It's comic book line all but dried up and went totally defunct by 1994.
The titles of Now haven't ever been on my modern wish list. If I find an issue of The Twilight Zone or The Terminator in the bargain bins, I don't pass them up. But I haven't felt like I just had to get a full series run of anything like that from the publisher… until now!
A few months ago I found this volume for only a buck at Roses of all places. The first five issues of Now’s amazing run of the classic racing cartoon, Speed Racer!
With Now’s art and print style, Speed Racer was the only title that was a pretty good fit. A 1960s Japanese animated series, it looked really different than American series of it's time. It was a precursor to anime, but the way Now transferred the franchise to the 1980s, something just clicked.
Len Strazewski does an amazing job crafting the origins of both our hero Speed and the mysterious Racer X! My only regret is that I blew through this book at Mach 5 speed! This book was tons of fun. Just as good as it was nearly 30 years ago.
I know what some of you are thinking, if Now is no longer in existence then how did this book come to be when Now never collected Speed Racer in trade for at? Well, much thanks goes to IDW Publishing for obtaining the rights to bringing this otherwise missing gem of 1980s Indy comicdom! I can't wait to get the other volumes!
No matter what, the inked final product has this weird magic marker quality to it. I wasn't a fan of it but I kept buying their books because the stories were quite good. Probably the fact that Now Comics were the only books available at the pharmacy when I would visit my grandparents had something to do with my purchasing habits.
Anyways, Now overextended itself and got into some legal issues over paying artists and printing debts. Before 1990 was through, the publisher has filed for bankruptcy. It's comic book line all but dried up and went totally defunct by 1994.
The titles of Now haven't ever been on my modern wish list. If I find an issue of The Twilight Zone or The Terminator in the bargain bins, I don't pass them up. But I haven't felt like I just had to get a full series run of anything like that from the publisher… until now!
A few months ago I found this volume for only a buck at Roses of all places. The first five issues of Now’s amazing run of the classic racing cartoon, Speed Racer!
With Now’s art and print style, Speed Racer was the only title that was a pretty good fit. A 1960s Japanese animated series, it looked really different than American series of it's time. It was a precursor to anime, but the way Now transferred the franchise to the 1980s, something just clicked.
Len Strazewski does an amazing job crafting the origins of both our hero Speed and the mysterious Racer X! My only regret is that I blew through this book at Mach 5 speed! This book was tons of fun. Just as good as it was nearly 30 years ago.
I know what some of you are thinking, if Now is no longer in existence then how did this book come to be when Now never collected Speed Racer in trade for at? Well, much thanks goes to IDW Publishing for obtaining the rights to bringing this otherwise missing gem of 1980s Indy comicdom! I can't wait to get the other volumes!
July 9, 2022
about a racer who ends up dead in a car crash? his family may have to turn over a special car they assembled due to bank debt. a younger son wants to race the car but is declined by Col. Sanders? he races anyway to qualify and is allowed to race, a mystery driver appears? then something about the walking dead? colorful.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews