Writer: David Pepose Artist: Davide Tinto Mad Cave Studios, May 2026 Mad Cave Studios’ take on Speed Racer has always had a tricky balance to strike. The original property is so stylistically distinct, so tied to a very specific era of animation, that any modern adaptation risks either feeling outdated or losing its identity. With Speed Racer Vol. 1 TPB, writer David Pepose and artist Davide Tinto don’t attempt a full overhaul. Instead, they tinker with the engine and recalibrate the timing. The story remains focussed on the protagonist, named Speed. Collecting issues #0 through 5, this volume reframes Speed’s world through a contemporary lens without discarding its roots. The core premise remains recognizable: Speed, his family, the Mach 5 race car, and the looming presence of Speed’s adversary, Racer X. But the structure surrounding those elements has shifted. Gone are the clean, commercialized races of the original anime. In