“Seat belts, I forgot to install seat belts!”
Speed Racer #3 [FINAL ISSUE]
WildStorm Productions (January, 2000)
“Enter The Mach 5”
WRITER/ARTIST: Tommy Yune
COLORIST: Guy Major
EDITOR: Robbie Robbins
EDITOR: Eric DeSantis
With Hank’s legs paralyzed there is nobody left to drive for Team Go and Pops is considering Buck Condor’s offer until they’re visited by Inspector Detector from the Justice Department’s Interpol branch. Detector wants their help in arresting Condor, who is guilty of numerous crimes including buying out small tech companies to create weapons for his benefactors. Our heroes manage to get the goods but sabotage Trixie’s helicopter before she can get the evidence to the inspector. Speed and Sparky weren’t just pretending to fix the Mach-5, their newest racecar, but actually were working on it. Though incomplete, Speed manages to use the car to rescue Trixie and stop Condor’s goons. While Condor manages to beat the rap he ends up going underground anyway, and Speed begins the trek to his destiny.
What they got right: The art is still good and the colors work well for more dramatic moments as well as the regular stuff. The story itself ends satisfactory as an early adventure of Speed.
What they got wrong: Trying to make this the early days of the manga/TV show doesn’t quite work right. The characters are Japanese and Trixie and Sparky are not quite in line with their counterparts (Mom gives Sparky a haircut for no real reason other than to get him to his iconic look). It would have been better to follow NOW Comics example and make a new continuity.
What did I think overall: This miniseries is worth it just for the art but the story itself, flaws and all, is still really good and worth a read. Thus ends all the Speed Racer comics I have yet to review. Next week we have something new in this slot.
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