Today’s Comic> Speed Racer [Free Comic Book Day 2025]

“Okay, who repainted the garage!”

Speed Racer #0 FDBD

Mad Cave Studios, LLC (2025)

LETTERER: Buddy Beaudoin

EDITOR: Chas! Pangburn

BOOK DESIGN: Diana Bermúdez

“Welcome To Palm City”

WRITER: David Pepose

ARTIST: Davide Tinto

COLORIST: Rex Lokus

Racer X: “Life Is Cheap, Racing Expensive”

WRITER: Mark Russell

ARTIST: Chris Batista

INKER: Sabrina Cintron

COLORIST: Carlos Lopez

Both stories take place in Palm City, a city built around Formula X racing, but that doesn’t stop illegal street racing from happening. The framing device for the first includes Inspector Detector Rokugo talking to a rookie about what Palm City really is, inserted into the police attempting to capture illegal racer Speed Racer, his brother Spritle who streams his races, and the Mach-5. It’s mostly to show off some of Speed’s gadgets. I’m not sure I’m a fan of this version. Spritle is older (though he still has Chim-Chim, now not his size but sitting on his shoulder. Speed does street racing instead of being an actual racer, though that might work better in the full series than this preview and alter my opinion in hindsight if I ever read it. I’m not sure why Detector is the only one to get his Japanese name. The art on both stories is really good. It’s just not the Speed Racer I’d want to see at this point.

In Racer X’s story, he stops a bunch of assassins from killing Speed. No idea why they’re trying to kill them, but Racer X shuts down every chance. The title comes from discussing what everything costs, including I’m guessing the bounty on the assassins or how much they charge? I don’t really know. Like the inspector going on about the dark side of Palm City, which is hardly Gotham City, it’s a weird addition that adds nothing to the story, which is otherwise quite good. I also like that both stories are done in one, which is what I like to see in Free Comic Book Day offerings.

Overall, I’m kind of mixed on this take. It’s all well written and drawn but is it what I, as a very casual Speed Racer fan, would be interested in? Based on what I see here I’m not convinced, but it’s worth a look to anyone else.