Racer X #3: Ambiguous Racing

Speed Racer comics are a strange place to find writing reminiscent of hardboiled style novels. But more and more that is what Racer X offers. It’s an unexpected choice but a very effective one. Russell is able to get deep inside Racer X’s head not just in what the character says about himself in his internal monologue, but how he views everything and everyone around him. Racer X #3 is the most effective so far because the issue is especially life or death due to the race involved.

The race depicted in Racer X #3 is the same one that Speed Racer #4 featured earlier this month. Speed Racer largely focused on the action which made for an exciting issue. Racer X #3 looks at the event from a more character-oriented, relationship building point of view.

This is where Russell’s choice of style for Racer X’s internal monologue proves most important. Racer X’s thoughts feel emotional in a consistent way. The character is controlled and in charge even as he is driven by emotions–certainly with regard to Speed. The way Russell writes Racer X positions the character to offer commentary on the world at large. If Speed Racer is the fun, exciting, highly charged series, Racer X is its introspective sibling. This sort of two sided interpretation of events (Racer X #2 did something similar) makes for a compelling way to experience the Speed Racer world.

Subdued coloring complements these writing choices very successfully. Vibrant coloring can work against the emotional ambiguity that is at the heart of a hardboiled style of character writing. Indeed, this feels as down to Earth as this universe can get.

Racer X #3 is also a good example of coloring consistency. The issue is split neatly in half in coloring duties, but there is no discernible change in style or skill.

Plati’s art is minimalist in several ways, most notably in characters’ facial details. A line here to accentuate a cheekbone, a line there to emphasize a stronger chin. This is very much a case of less is more–especially with Racer X who is so controlled in how Russell writes him. Like the writing and the coloring, Plati’s art reinforces the emotional ambiguity that remains at the center of the series.

Background settings, though, are far from minimalist. This is where Plati’s work is its most detailed. The Great Alpine Race takes place against a well depicted snowy mountain backdrop. Plati doesn’t always draw heavily detailed backgrounds. There are many panels during the race where cars are simply set against blank backgrounds with speed lines surrounding them. The heavily detailed backgrounds complement these panels especially well, though, because the reader need not see the mountains in every panel–they have already seen it in good detail.

Beaudoin’s sound effect lettering blends seamlessly into Racer X #3’s visual aesthetic. This is largely the result of color choices. Though expressive, these sound effects never jump off the page and distract from the other good work going on around them.