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? Petrol Head #1 kicks off a race that feels familiar but delivers it in a hell of a fun way.
Written by Rob Williams, Petrol Head #1 delivers an opening chapter that is general a story we’ve seen before, but one that’s just done so well. It’s a future whose environment has been destroyed. The masses are generally distracted from the dystopia that surrounds them. And, all hope lies in the hands of a scientist and his daughter. Something is up which forces them on the run, them being pursued, and a former racer to help them escape.
It’s a concept done again and again (scientist being pursued and needing help) but Petrol Head #1 just does it so well. The build up, the characters, the world, the pacing, it’s all done at a fantastic level. It’s entertainment that leans into its racing nature and builds such a wonderful, strange, world. It’s pop culture consumerism at so many levels.
Williams’ world is just solid, with such well thought out detail, it’s hard to not appreciate it all. The racing has such a great background to it, you get a sense of this world from it. It’s the modern gladiator games, built to suck in and distract the people from the world around it. It’s very much a reflection of our on media and consumerism, irony as it’s exactly that delivering the story. It lays its cards on the table building things up to the end where you just want to see some awesome driving.
All of this is helped by Pye Parr’s art which is top notch. The design of the characters is so unique and solid and world feels like something that’s been thought out. This isn’t just some simple characters with a background, every detail feels like it has purpose, and there’s a lot of detail, especially for the characters who pop on the page. The robots especially are full of personality and every one feels unique.
Petrol Head #1 is a hell of a start and one of the better of the year. The story is familiar but the execution of this debut is so good. This is one that stands out this week and has us excited to see what’s next.
Story: Rob Williams Art: Pye Parr
Color: Pye Parr Letterer: Pye Parr
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – TFAW – Kindle
Source: Graphic Policy
