Issue one is out now for the exciting new story published by Image Comics, Petrol Head, from writer Rob Williams and artist/Colorist/Letterer, Pye Parr.
Rob Williams, already known for his work on Suicide Squad, Martian Manhunter, Amazing Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Punisher: Max and much much more, is at the helm of this new and exciting story, while Pye Parr, whose work includes 2000 AD, various projects like Games Workshop, Hasbro products, and his first on-going series Intestinauts, is in charge of Petrol Heads’ art, colors and lettering.
Petrol Head is set in a climate crisis-ravaged future metropolis, where 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?
This story quickly starts off like an installment into the Death Race or Speed Racer franchise. Futuristic robot racers battle it out to win a race that is watched by the entire city known as the ‘O-Zone’.
Petrol Head, aptly named due to his ugly exterior, is a gruff human-hating racing bot with a chip on his shoulder. (See what I did there?). He hates humans and wants revenge on the authoritarian robots who built him to feel but also to obey.
Petrol Head is done following the rules, and ready to seek revenge, when out of nowhere, his plans are ruined by a young girl and her injured father.
Desperate to escape and save her father’s life, Lupa tries to steal Petrol Heads wheels, but there is no way that she can get away with his ride.
Rob Williams does an amazing job of building a world that we can’t be sure is still run by humans, and that we fear is not run by machines. The story evokes a sense of dread in machines that cannot emote nor have the freedom to seek answers when the rules apply.
Humans “run” this city, but honestly, we can’t be sure, and as I finished the first pulse-pounding issue, I cannot wait to read more.
Pye Parr’s art, coloring, and lettering add so much depth and emotion to this story. You can ‘hear’ the sarcasm in Petrol Head's thoughts, which cannot be easy since he is a machine built to do nothing but race for survival. But through the colors, shades, and letters, you can feel the depth of anger, guilt, and revenge that Petrol Head is experiencing.
This team has created a fun story and I cannot wait to see how this story turns out..
