Petrol Head: Volume 1

by Rob Williams, Pye Parr (Artist)

In a climate crisis-ravaged future metropolis, an old, grumpy, obsolete, smoke-belching, cigar-chomping, HOTROD-RACING ROBOT is one 12-year-old girl’s only hope. Together, can they outrace the chasing Robo-Cops with an invention that might just save humanity?

Collects Petrol Head #1-5

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

144 pages, Paperback

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of car racing. I really don't like car chases. There's quite a lot of both in this book, especially the second one. I do, however, like robots, and there's also quite a lot of those in this book.

Swings and roundabouts.

The art is fantastic, the robot and character designs are terrific. Sadly, the writing is a bit ho-hum. The characters are fun but underwritten, and the story is a real snooze.

Give it a go for the art, perhaps.

(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)

[Paul Spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series, from writer Rob Williams and artist Pye Parr, could be another story about mankind living in domes, using robots (specifically in high stakes races) as another form of “bread and circuses.”

And yet it’s this very real sense of fire and chutzpah that takes this book from being yet another title that explores man’s hubris to a proper celebration of what actually makes our species worth celebrating. Also, bad ass race cars!

The energy and intent, of course, begins with Parr’s own art. The art has such a deep and prevailing sense of motion and intensity — it’s what makes everything from the daring races to the world-building stuff feel truly alive. And from a design perspective, Parr really does a great job of fluctuating and spinning in influences — certain robots have a really sleek look, while our titular hero looks more like a rusted B-52 bomber with Hulk-ian mitts.

That contrast, as it were, does a lot for balancing this book’s ideas and influences, helping fostering something organic and familiar and yet a world that’s just as much removed from our very own experiences. It’s that sweet spot, as it were, that plays with our sensibilities and has us grappling with the scope and development of this world. And it never feels any less deliberately fun even as we sense some larger currents beginning to take shapes.

There’s just so much force and liveliness across every scene, and we get the sense of a wholly-fleshed out world. It’s one that we can explore with every new page, and try to sort out how our own planet may have transformed into this hellish but also quite vivid new landscape. So in that sense, it feels even more playful than outright accusatory. And so much of all of that is Parr’s work with colour and shading — few people can bring this much heft and intensity, and it’s that commitment and a series of subtle choices that fleshes this world out so poignantly.

And in a decidedly similar sense, Williams’ writing is very much accomplishing the same kinds of goals. The aforementioned Petrol Head “hero” isn’t just designed really well, but that specific aesthetic, and his bridging of the human and “futuristic” elements, is really important to the grander narrative. But even more than that, he’s just a properly surly hero, and his movements through the world give us a chance to see the sheer multifaceted emotionality that defines this world — one of bleakness and despair but also something more hopeful as it, once again, still feels very much like our own world. That vivid struggle rings as quite important thematically — how can we prevent our own downfall, perhaps — while also feeling quite compelling in terms of creating a narrative framework that’s distinctly more nuanced than some similar titles.

Petrol Head is also a great foil for two human characters who 1) kick-off the story proper into some Smokey and The Bandit/Children of Men territory and 2) give us something to root for in terms of Petrol Head’s development and our own future as a species. Williams, much like his collaborator, came to the story with enough levity and intent to make it a textured journey, something with big odds but also just as much heart.

Yes, if you like fast cars and dope robots, you will love this book. But Petrol Head is so much more than what’s basically a rather gritty remake of Wacky Races; it’s a story of the pervasiveness of humanity (for better and worse), and how things are never truly clear unless you hit the gas and get moving.

It’s reminiscent of a lot of recent sci-fi that’s obsessed with our downfall and the ways we have failed as people. But it also gives us a road map to something more, and it makes the resulting journey feel like a proper thrill ride.

[Sem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. It's a simple narrative (reluctant old man helps save the day) but with such a fun twist lore-wise and absolutely stunning, colorful art that pops even during downtime, not to mention the glorious racing sequences. It's not going to make you rethink your life philosophy or look for hidden layers, but it's beautiful fun.

[Doctor Action · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up from the creators from Lawless Comic Con. Super-solid entertainment. Fantastic art and colours.

Loved Dave, the robot Blue Tit. 🙂

[D.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've seen this storyline a bunch, with the unique factor here being the robot races. But it was fun.

3.5

[Alex Sarll]

An enormously entertaining mish-mash of dystopian SF tropes, plus a few ridiculous flourishes all of its own. What's left of humanity lives in domed cities as protection from a ravaged planet, the population kept distracted with a series of violent future sports, including races between petrol-powered robots. Within a domed city. Because humans have never been great at looking out for their own best interests. Not that the robots are much better, as witness the cigar our clanking hero is forever chomping. He's been hiding himself away since the races finished, but now gets himself tangled up with two fugitive humans who might be able to save the world, if the city authorities can't stop them first. Rob Williams is a very inconsistent writer, but this is one of his good days, Petrol Head coming across like a more curmudgeonly Ben Grimm, then backed with a sassy robot bird and, best of all, an unconvincingly Cockney AI satnav ("Oim a roight geezer!"). Speeding vehicles have always been hard to render convincingly exciting in comics, but Pye Parr has the knack; I hope he gets paid (sorry). And, as in Intestinauts, he's a master at pulling off comedy body language and reaction shots even when dealing with robots who don't always have mainstays such as faces to work with. If I have a very small caveat, it's to wonder if these two 2000AD creators might have pulled this off even better with 2000AD pacing, rather than US issue lengths, but there's still significant quantities of thrill-power on offer either way.

[Estibaliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 for this super fun Fury Road robot story, where humans seem to be almost on the verge of extinction... though I'll admit that things are not too clear on that front yet.

As a first volume, it sets the story in a really enticing way, and does a great job in presenting all the characters and the world, with some flashbacks that never get confusing, but are always mighty entertaining.

And special mention, indeed, for the character building, since you really get to feel for those robots in no time, as they show the reader that they too have feelings.

All in all, this was really fun, and I will be anxiously waiting for volume 2... especially after that end!

[Kumar K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pye Parr's artwork is great, a 7/10, but in terms of creating a dramatic colorspace, an 11/10. I tried so hard to like the story, but this dreary cyberscape was not fun enough to compliment the visuals, and not tense enough to make me nostalgic for Total Recall. Also, the story made it so the drawings deviated from the Dieselpunk theme and went into generic sci fi, and that's always sad to see. From what I gather, Pye Parr's car and robot designs inspired the piece, so I hope he gets to do this more.

[Wolky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love a kid on a mission finds a reluctant guardian type situation. Really a classic childhood movie theme format I never got tired of. Love a colorful, grungy, race car situation as well. It's a cyberpunk, green air pollution, light stripe lines, administrative zealots, robots-are-people-too type dystopian high octane adventure.
Highly Recommend.

[Robert Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

2000 AD creators go out on their own. The artist did everything visual including the lettering and it's a real tour de force. I usually don't like comic art made with heavy use of digital tools, but this is masterful. The story actually gets you to care about what happens to robots, too. There are more chapters to come; bring it on.

[Mel Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork in this cyberpunk sci fi comic is the best part of this book. A smog filled world that’s controlled by robots and a human scientist and his daughter trying to save it along with a ‘petrol head’ robot is a solid plot. I give it 3.5 stars since it’s got a cliffhanger and I feel like it was a cheap ending.

[Mee Too · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your not reading this you need to start today! The art is incredible, the story line is somewhat obvious but adorable. my only complaint is that i cant binge read the whole series right now!

hey author if you want to slide me what you got done so far i'd greatly appreciate it lol.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is a ton of fun - fully-realized world, interesting characters, unexplained mysteries, and plenty of humor. Pye Parr is the artist and his work is incredible with the expressiveness of the robots and the cars and the overall aesthetic of the O-Zone. Really looking forward to more.

[Alessia · Rating 4 out of 5]

decisamente non il tipo di fumetto che avrei comprato ma alla fine si è rivelato ben illustrato e caruccio. Ambientazione abbastanza standard, futuristica con robot senzienti e autonomi. recensione a breve su Mangialibri

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story. Dynamic,vibrant art.

[Ian Woody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun. Vibrant, thrilling and funny with a serious message underlying the fun.

[Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a complete story and not a great story to my liking. Art is fine, colours are nice.
Was there a deeper meaning or was it meant to be a fun, action book? Feels more like the latter.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art and colors are absolutely stunning. The world building is fascinating, and the characters are people you grow to love and root for. This book was a blast to read.

[Henry Corson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun scifi themed tpb. Enjoyable and loved everything about it.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of like Real Steel crossed with Death Race 2000. Some solid, if familiar, world-building, pretty good writing, and great SF art add up to an enjoyable introductory volume.

[Charlotte Parr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely outstanding! Best comic I’ve read EVER! Might be biased, I’m married to the artist.

[McJankers · Rating 4 out of 5]

great art and humor

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the plot is very reminiscent of other gearhead media — Speed Racer, Death Race, etc. — the interesting world-building and bright art have me deeply intrigued about racer-robot Petrol Head and the stray twelve-year-old girl he picked up along the way.

[David Zemke · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun premise

It’s an interesting premise and one that is fun to read. The characters and the art are beautifully done. A good summer read if you like graphic novels.