Review by Frank Plowright

There’s a version of Earth where the Roman Empire never fell into decay, and their principles survive to the present day. Technology has improved, and instead of the public being entertained via gladiators and circuses their current equivalents now battle against each other in anything goes motor races.

The races are a version of Mario Kart with the dangers really ramped up, and where the rules can change at a moment’s notice, even mid-race. Scott Peterson figures the best way to introduce readers to the new world is just to throw them into a race about to start, with the commentary filling in names and excitement along the way. José Garcia takes the idea and produces packed race spreads, black and white strongly contrasted with blocks of bright colour and the design extending inward from the vehicles themselves to the detail of them. It’s extraordinary art, but at the start incredibly chaotic without focus. The cast are eventually seen outside vehicles and helmets, and García delivers a diverse bunch, relatively simply designed compared to the cars, like the extras from a Tank Girl strip.

In that opening race we’re introduced to Axl, a constant winner for Team Apollo, and Piston a headstrong relative newcomer he adopts for the team, and Peterson builds his world around them. The sport of Truckus Maximus represents the dystopian regime as a whole, where the odds are stacked against anyone lasting any length of time, but the alternative is being shipped back to the mines. Peterson keeps what might otherwise be repetition fresh via the race rule changes, and Piston’s troubles gradually evaporate when she proves herself an inspired team tactician.

There’s a relatively predictable path for the general course of events, but two thirds of the way through Peterson suddenly crunches the gears to introduce the power structure beyond Truckus Maximus. It’s quite the change, and a long conversation seems to have little purpose beyond slightly more insight into Axl, but it has a great impact as the finale approaches. Is the game really as rigged as presumed, and will anyone come out alive? The answers are ingenious.