DC Comics 2016
Written by Ken Pontac
Illustrated by Leonardo Manco
Coloured by Mariana Sanzone
Lettered by Sal Cipriano
The Racers are skirting the crumbling coastline of the Pacific Ocean when an earthquake threatens to dump them into the toxic waters! And when Penelope and Dick are caught in a tsunami that sweeps them to a barren island without their vehicles or weapons, how will they battle the island’s horde of mutant crabs? And back on the mainland, the other Racers must fend off a tangle of carnivorous vines!
Regardless of what anyone says I am absolutely loving this series! I mean I get that folks see a Mad Max vibe in all this but that it also combines a post apocalyptic world and the Death Race franchise along with some killer science fiction totally rewrites a childhood classic in a way that is just over the top crazy. The story is pretty basic win the race and earn your place in Nirvana the rest suffer life in this new reality. The only thing is we don’t know how long the race is supposed to last, it could be eternal, the mysterious announcer has upgraded not only the cars to sentience but have given new leases on life with enhancements as well.
It’s so out there that I can’t help but be drawn into this in ways I never expected or could fully explain. The characterization is absolutely superb and the more we get to see the banter or background information on characters the more interesting they become. I mean this version of Dick and Penelope are rocking my world. Peter’s there and I can’t wait to see more of him and the others. However what is the most fun here, this issue, is the opening dialogue between the racers.
When the announcer decides he’s a little jealous and that the racers are becoming a little too friendly with one another it’s time to reassert his dominance. This leads us into a few moments that flesh out Penelope more and make us question even further who this announcer is and how he wields this much power.
The artwork for Penelope’s backstory is a dream come true. I mean with what Leonardo has been bringing to the table to totally shake it up and showcase a completely new side to him was a WOW factor. Mariana’s colouring of it just emphasised the way that their work can be as fluid as they want it to be. I’m actually super impressed with the stark contrast in styles. I mean the heavy detailed and fully used pages and panels that have dominated thus far are stunning and now there’s even more to appreciate.
This could go on forever like it is, one race at a time and some new and revealing looks at characters. With their weapons and their sentient vehicles they have to face not only this new landscape with mutated wildlife but also the Announcer’s whims of fancy. It’s dark, twisted and has some shocking great real life jaded looks at life and the willingness to survive no matter what the cost.