Mad Cave brings classic manga Speed Racer to comics next Free Comic Book Day with a special #0 from Savage Avengers and Space Ghost writer David Pepose

Promotional art from Speed Racer. — (Image credit: Mad Cave Studios)

Mad Cave Studios are revving their engines for a new comic based on manga and anime classic Speed Racer – and readers will be able to get their first taste of the series on Free Comic Book Day. The new series will be written by David Pepose and Mark Russell, and drawn by a roster of artists who have yet to be announced. The new book comes in the wake of the publisher's successful collaboration with Tatsunoko Production on the Gatchaman comic.

Speed Racer follows the adventures of ace driver Gō Mifune (often simply called Speed Racer) in his Mach 5 sports car. The series, which is also sometimes known as Mach GoGoGo, was created by Tatsuo Yoshida and debuted in Shueisha's Shōnen Book in 1966. An anime series followed hot in 1967 and was a massive success both in Japan and the United States, where it proved to be many viewers first taste of anime. A movie adaptation by the Wachowskis was released in 2008 and, while the film was a commercial flop, it has found a dedicated cult following in the years since.

Speed and his Mach 5 car against a red and yellow backdrop. — (Image credit: Mad Cave Studios)

"We're honored to work alongside Tatsunoko Production to bring new Speed Racer stories to the fans," said Mad Cave Studios president Mark Irwin in a statement. "This is a dream project for us, and we're excited to explore the rich history and timeless appeal of these characters while delivering new stories that will thrill both nostalgic fans and those discovering the world of Speed Racer for the first time."

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"Speed Racer is one of Tatsunoko's most beloved properties and we're excited to partner with Mad Cave Studios to bring new and original stories to fans of all generations," added Tatsunoko Production's director of international business Mari Yamauchi. "Tatsunoko is incredibly happy with Mad Cave's work on Gatchaman and we look forward to continuing our journey together with Speed Racer."

There's no public release date for the first issue proper just yet, but readers will be able to pick up a special Speed Racer #0 on next year's Free Comic Book Day, Saturday, 3 May, 2025.

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Will Salmon is the former Streaming Editor for GamesRadar+. He has been writing about film, TV, comics, and music for more than 15 years, which is quite a long time if you stop and think about it. At Future he launched the scary movie magazine Horrorville, relaunched Comic Heroes, and has written for every issue of SFX magazine for well over a decade. His music writing has appeared in The Quietus, MOJO, Electronic Sound, Clash, and loads of other places too.