Speed Racer #5
Author David Pepose
Illustrated by Davide Tinto
Colorist Rex Lokus
Letterer Buddy Beaudoin
Speed Racer #5 delivers exactly what fans expect from the name alone: sleek machines, blistering velocity, and high-stakes danger around every corner. This chapter throws Speed in the Mach 5 and Racer X in the Shooting Star as the two form a tense, temporary alliance to take down Kim Jugger, the infamous Black Jaguar, in the Great Alpine Race. Familiar faces like Trixie Turnwell return, along with the always-hostile Car Acrobatic Team (C.A.T. Team). It’s another high-adrenaline entry in Mad Cave Studios’ modern reboot, and it never once lets up on the throttle.
Catch Up With Speed Racer, If You Can!
Mad Cave’s series drops readers straight into Palm City, a neon-drenched metropolis where street racing, corruption, and high-tech engineering collide. At the center is Speed Racer, a rising Formula X hopeful who’s already earned a reputation in Palm City’s illegal street racing scene; and on the radar of the Palm City Police Department. Alongside him are his younger brother Spritle, his brother’s mischievous sidekick Chim Chim, and their father, the famous car designer, Pops Racer.
Early issues lay out the emotional core of the series: years ago, Speed’s older brother, Rex Racer, died in a fiery Formula X crash. Pops, devastated, wants nothing to do with racing ever again and does everything he can to keep Speed away from that world. But danger finds them anyway. At the end of issue #1, Pops is attacked by the Tiger Syndicate after refusing to build the deadly G.R.X. Engine for them. The assault leads to a heart attack, and Speed and Spritle learn at the hospital that Pops will die within six months unless they can somehow secure a million dollars for a heart transplant.
The prize money for the Formula X Grand Prix? Exactly one million dollars.
From that moment, Speed’s path is set. He enters the Formula X qualifiers determined to win the championship and save his father, no matter the risk. But every racetrack brings new enemies, and the most powerful of them is Dante Ferno, the charismatic yet ruthless head of the C.A.T. Team and the secret leader of the Tiger Syndicate. Rejecting Ferno’s offer to join the team puts Speed directly in the crosshairs of a criminal empire, and Ferno wastes no time escalating the conflict.
Except Rex isn’t dead. He has reinvented himself as the masked vigilante Racer X, working from the shadows to keep his brother alive while hiding his identity to protect him.
The Great Alpine Race: Hallowed Mountain Trails
That long-brewing tension explodes in Speed Racer #5. The Great Alpine Race, the track that killed Rex, is the perfect stage for Ferno’s next move. To eliminate Speed once and for all, he unleashes his deadliest driver, Kim Jugger, the Black Jaguar. As backup insurance, the Tiger Syndicate sabotages the Mach 5 with acid, eating away at its suspension and brake systems.
The race that follows is nothing short of chaotic spectacle. Speed narrowly escapes disaster after disaster, wrestling with a machine that’s falling apart beneath him. The Mach 5’s brakes finally give out mid-race, sending Speed toward the edge of a mountain cliff. In one of the issue’s standout moments, Racer X catches him mid-plunge with the Shooting Star, an outrageous but completely fitting stunt for this series, saving Speed’s life without giving himself away.
With his car barely holding together and danger pressing in from every side, Speed digs deep, pulls ahead, and outmaneuvers the Black Jaguar in a final burst of precision and nerve. In classic Speed Racer fashion, he snatches victory from the jaws of disaster, crossing the finish line ahead of both Jugger and Racer X.
In the aftermath, Rex, still hidden behind the Racer X persona, softens, if only slightly. He vows to help Speed win Formula X and save Pops, even if it means staying in the shadows. It’s a bittersweet dynamic: two brothers fighting the same enemy, one in the spotlight and one in disguise.
Brother Series, Literally
Running parallel to Speed Racer is Mad Cave’s companion title, Racer X, which retells key events from Rex Racer’s perspective. This series leans heavily into Rex’s internal struggle: his desire to reveal himself to his family constantly at odds with the need to keep them safe from Dante Ferno and the Tiger Syndicate. It’s a more introspective story that adds emotional weight to the high-speed chaos unfolding in the main book.
While Racer X delivers the same turbo-charged action as Speed Racer, its tone is slightly more grounded. “Grounded” is relative, of course, this world still features impossible stunts, elaborate tracks, and criminal empires, but the framing is tighter, the emotions sharper, and the storytelling a bit more contained. And credit where it’s due: writer Mark Russell and artists Nuno Plati, Giada Marchisio, and Nicola Righi have delivered through 3 issues, giving Racer X a consistent tone and visual identity that set it apart from its companion title.
And honestly, that contrast is important. The main Speed Racer series definitely leans into its cartoonish, over-the-top roots. That’s true to the franchise’s history, but I understand it won’t appeal to everyone. If the bombastic style of Speed Racer pushes the limits for you, Racer X offers a complementary take; a more down-to-earth narrative thread that keeps one foot in reality while still embracing the wild, high-energy spirit of the world.
I bring this up because the two books together strike a balance. Speed Racer provides the flashy spectacle, while Racer X grounds the universe just enough to broaden its appeal without diluting what makes it fun.
Dialogue That’s Fast and Funny
One of the biggest strengths of this series is David Pepose’s writing, and issue 5 is a great showcase for that. The dialogue in this chapter is sharp, expressive, and true to every character involved in the Alpine Race showdown. Nobody slips into goofy exaggeration, even with the heightened stakes. Instead, the banter carries that familiar Saturday morning cartoon charm while still treating the drama with sincerity.
Issue 5 brings back one of the most memorable recurring lines of the series, spoken again by Pops Racer: “I won’t live my life standing still.” Its placement here lands especially hard, given how close Speed comes to disaster in the Great Alpine Race and how much Rex is struggling in the shadows. It is a mission statement that fits this issue’s themes perfectly: perseverance, family, and pushing forward even when the road is falling apart beneath you.
More than any previous issue, number 5 captures the energy of the original 1960s anime. The dialogue enhances that feeling with its playful sincerity and steady emotional tone. Even with all the explosions, sabotaged cars, and mountain-drop escapes, the voices stay grounded and human. It allows the issue to function both as a tribute and as a confident modern reinterpretation of what Speed Racer should be.
Art Paying Homage to the Classic Manga
The artwork by Davide Tinto and Rex Lokus in issue 5 is nothing short of electric. This chapter, more than any other so far, leans into the series’ manga lineage while pushing the visuals into a slick and modern intensity that matches the chaos of the Great Alpine Race. You can feel the influence of Tatsuo Yoshida’s original designs in the sharp motion lines, the extreme angles, and the expressive character acting. All of these elements are on full display as Speed and Racer X tear through deadly mountain passes.
Tinto’s linework shines especially in this issue’s most dangerous moments. The sabotaged Mach 5 clinging to the track, the near-fatal cliff plunge, and the high-speed clash with Kim Jugger all show his talent for conveying motion and danger. Every panel feels like it is vibrating with momentum. His tilted perspectives and wide racing shots make the Alpine course feel massive and lethal, while the tight close-ups during Speed’s struggle with the failing brakes add real emotional tension.
Rex Lokus’ colors amplify the danger and intensity. Issue 5 uses some of his boldest contrasts yet. Cool blues and purples dominate Jugger’s attacks, vibrant oranges ignite the explosive moments, and softer warm tones appear in scenes that involve family and emotional weight. The palette gives the race a clear identity that feels icy, treacherous, and unpredictable while maintaining the book’s signature neon vibrancy.
Together, Tinto and Lokus deliver some of the most impressive visuals of the series so far. Issue 5 does more than pay homage to Speed Racer’s manga roots. It transforms those influences into a high-speed and high-drama spectacle that fits the story perfectly. Their work elevates the entire issue, turning the Great Alpine Race into one of the strongest and most visually striking chapters of the run.
Final Thoughts and Rating
Now that I’ve said my piece, I really like this issue. Speed Racer #5 captures the essence of the franchise so well. Reading it reminded me of all the good parts of the 2008 Speed Racer movie that I remember so fondly (mostly because I haven’t watched it in quite a while). The team of David Pepose, Davide Tinto, and Rex Lokus once again delivers a hard-hitting, pedal-to-the-metal chapter of racing and vehicle combat dialed all the way up.
Rating: 8/10
This isn’t a perfect issue, and I’m absolutely biased because of my love for the character. But for anyone who loves the Speed Racer universe, issue #5 is another strong installment in what has become an exciting and worthy addition to the franchise.