Lone Racer

by Nicolas Mahler, Mark David Nevins (Translator)

From the cartoonist of Van Helsing's Night Off, comes another quirky introspective. Lone Racer is the story of a down-and-out racecar driver whose days of success are long gone. After a misguided attempt at bank robbery, where he is supposed to drive the getaway car, Lone Racer decides that the days of going downhill are over. Will Lone Racer get back on track?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Comix

98 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2006

About the author

Austrian author and illustrator Nicolas Mahler has illustrated numerous school books and worked on several animated films, shown at festivals throughout Europe. Known for his striking minimalist drawing style and sardonic deadpan wit, Mahler's graphic novels have been published in France, Spain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Canada, and the United States as well as his native Austria. He has published over 20 books and created drawings for international magazines, newspapers, and anthologies.

Reviews

[Jan Philipzig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story has been told before: former race car driver falls on hard times and finally becomes desperate enough to rob a bank. Only in this case, his partner in crime chickens out at the last minute, allowing the story to take an unexpected (and very sweet) turn. What makes Lone Racer great is not the plot itself, though, but Mahler's uncanny ability to strip the story down to its bare bones until the human condition itself shines through, warts and all. The result is a moving, humbling, darkly funny reading experience.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I SO wanted to throw this under the bus. Like... LITERALLY.

I was trying to find an EXCUSE to tell you how shitty it is and how it's not worth a buy or even a look.

Because of the sloppy lazy-like feeling the artwork has... Yeah.. I'm THAT kind of asshole.

But damn. Mr Nicolas Mahler killed it.

I loved every single panel of it. And yes. The artwork too. I love it.

And I felt for the character and the whole story was so nice and sad. Godammit. I was like, first page expecting to rate this 1 star... and then I was like "no no no that fucker is ending I want more". So.. that tells you something.

You like comics? You read too much superheroes? Give this a try for something different!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this up until the very end, but the ironic finish seemed like a chintzy cop-out to me.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little graphic novel. A bit sad about a washed up race car driver who "used to be big". An interesting style is employed in the 2 color illustrations.

[buck · Rating 3 out of 5]

About a washed up drunk reminiscing of his halcyon days as a racer. A surprisingly endearing, if cheesy, quick read

[Przemysław Skoczyński · Rating 4 out of 5]

W "Samotności rajdowca" sporo jest przestrzeni, którą czytelnik musi sam zagospodarować i na swój sposób uzupełnić. Z pozoru prosta historia o wyjściu z dołka, jest tak naprawdę mieszanką nostalgii za czasami świetności, rozczarowania rzeczywistością i marazmu, w jaki łatwo popaść i z którego można się wyrwać, nawet jeśli okoliczności tego małego sukcesu są równie żałosne co okoliczności porażek. To komiks oszczędny, jeśli chodzi o kreskę, ale wymagający wyczulenia na to co między kadrami. Bohaterowie są równie zabawni co godni politowania, a absurd staje się doskonałym środkiem do prezentacji tego stanu rzeczy. Niech nikogo nie zwiedzie pasja głównego bohatera - każdy z nas jest w jakimś sensie takim śmiesznym rajdowcem i każdy z nas jest na swój sposób samotny. Miałem chwile skojarzeń z twórczością Jacka Świdzińskiego, bo komiks Mahlera – mimo, że wydaje się bardziej przyziemny - jest równie nieoczywisty co twórczość autora „A niech cię, Tesla!”

[StrictlySequential · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have the time (yet I hope) to get into the greatness of this masterpiece. I'm not sarcastic or an overstatesman- This is the GOLD of sequential storytelling.

I said to to myself and feel assured that I could produce this art after a couple hours of impliment and production instruction as long as I approached it with levity BUT he knew exactly what his story needed AND I'm sure my confidence is at least partially orchestrated by art ignorance.

He was certaintly sure of himself when he decided on the two triple p spread for a story packed with parallel movement. Two panels per page -all but the first and last- can be awkward with any orchestra but he mostly kept one static- unless the nameless racer was swapping gears.

The story is excellent. I'll leave it at that.

[Chris Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly charming book. This is a grand example of how one doesn't need to be finely crafted or expertly (and expensively) produced in order to create something meaningful and impactful.

This book could never happen by committee. This book could never happen via AI. This book could never happen with a corporation or sponsorship involved. This book could never happen if the publisher, Top Shelf, paid attention to public opinion or consumer trends.

Thank goodness this book exists, somehow. Hooray for singular vision!

[Ninamarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an adult, short graphic novel.

[Tomasz Sulka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and not the most original or witty, but the ending is oddly satisfying and moving.

[Nel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

[chwała 😻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do przeczytania w dziesięć minut, ale jest to fajna historia z naprawdę super ironicznym zakończeniem. Mimo tego ze jest krótka- wszystko super się spina

[Segramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dowcipnie i inteligentnie o kryzysie wieku średniego i poczuciu wypalenia. Jedynie trochę szkoda, że takie krótkie.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird. At least it's a quick read.

[Brenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It isn't that Nicholas Mahler's Lone Racer is a bad book, exactly.

It's more that his protagonist, an aging race car driver presumably with the titular name, is a difficult fellow with whom a reader can sympathize. He's long past his prime, his wife is in perpetual intensive care, he shares a bathroom with other residents who live in the same residence (in separate rooms), and his sole means of relaxation is drinking at a grotty little forgotten bar with two over-drinking companions. So it isn't as if he hasn't got plenty of sympathetic material...

...but as a character, he seems to live in complete isolation from the reader, just the same. Perhaps it is a fault of the translated text, or the lack of expressions from his featureless (save for an prolonged proboscis), faceless head. Or maybe the narration simply provides the reader with too much "inside information" on our hero - maybe Mahler needed to allow the artwork to do more of the work, and the prosaic portion far less.

At either rate, Lone Racer is a worthwhile read (to describe the storyline would be to spoil significant portions of the short book) just the same.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. Just no :(

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick little read, hits you right in the feels. I bought it in the topshelf $3.00 sale and for three bucks i wasn't disappointed.

[Catya (LizBenAt) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the story somewhat unimaginative and the artwork quite childish.

Found it in the library and wanted a quick read.

[magda · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 ꙳
the worse alla comedy i've read so far. how come it's meant for the older audience, when its humor is childish.