Review - Speed Racer: Tales from the Road – High-Speed Noon
From Mad Cave Studios
Spinning off from the main series are some new racing adventures in Speed Racer: Tales from the Road – High-Speed Noon from Mad Cave Studios.
Speed Racer: Tales from the Road is an all-new Quarterly release featuring a one-shot tale and backup shorts that expand the universe of Speed Racer!
Benched and burned, Snake Oiler swears Speed Racer stole his win and he’s done playing nice.
Stranded in a desert kingdom ruled by a Mad Max wannabe king, Snake turns a high-noon standoff into a brutal, weaponized race.
Justice gets loud, fast and personal at High-Speed Noon. Also featuring a Spritle and Chim-Chim back-up mystery!
Authors: Fred Kennedy, Anthony Cleveland, Ariel Kras
Illustrated by Maggie Mae Martinmaas
At this point, I feel pretty settled into the world of Speed Racer as Mad Cave Studios is building it. Between the main series and Racer X, there’s already a strong foundation in place, and what stands out here is how much room there still is to explore beyond the central storyline. Speed Racer: Tales From The Road really leans into that idea—it broadens the scope of the universe while also acting as a showcase for new creative voices coming through Mad Cave’s talent search. That combination gives the book a slightly experimental edge, but in a good way.
The first story, focusing on Snake Oiler, takes things in an unexpected direction by pulling the action away from the track and dropping it into something that feels almost like a western standoff. After suffering defeats in the main race circuit, we see him in a different environment, and that shift works really well. It adds a bit of grit and personality to the world, showing that racing isn’t the only arena where these rivalries play out. Even though it’s off-track, it still manages to incorporate that high-speed, mechanical energy you’d expect, with a nice spotlight on the cars and their tech. Visually, this story stands out too—the panel work is particularly effective, helping to control the pacing and tension in a way that keeps things engaging throughout.
The tone shifts quite a bit with the T-Banks story, which brings a much brighter, more energetic feel. Set against the backdrop of a movie production, it leans into spectacle and style, with the glitz of the set contrasting nicely with glimpses into her past. Those flashbacks do a lot of heavy lifting in a short space, adding depth to her character without slowing the story down. It ends up being both fun and surprisingly insightful. The colouring really carries this one—it’s bold, vibrant, and full of life, perfectly matching the setting and helping the whole thing feel a bit larger-than-life in the best way.
Then you’ve got the final story with Spritle and Chim-chim, which rounds things out on a much lighter, more comedic note. Their mini-adventure starts off in a pretty relatable way—they’re trying to carve out their own space and get noticed, only to be brushed aside. That setup quickly turns into something more interesting, though, as they stumble onto some shady activity that could have bigger consequences for Speed and the rest of the team. What follows is a mix of chaos and classic slapstick, with the pair getting into all sorts of trouble along the way. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s exactly why it works. The humour lands well, even if the ending leans into a bit of a groan-worthy punchline—but honestly, that feels very in keeping with the spirit of these characters.
Overall, this anthology does a solid job of balancing variety with cohesion. Each story brings something different to the table—whether it’s tone, setting, or character focus—while still feeling like part of the same larger world. It’s a smart way to expand the universe, introduce new perspectives, and give emerging creators a chance to leave their mark. The result is a collection that’s easy to dip into but still adds meaningful texture to the Speed Racer world.
Get it at Forbidden Planet:
