Review: Lone Racer

Lone Racer
by Nicolas Mahler
Top Shelf, $12.95

The titular Lone Racer in Austian cartoonist Nicolas Mahler's graphic novella is on the verge of being washed up. Facing the prospect of never winning annother race, he hangs out at the local watering hole with his best friend rubber and visits his chronically ill wife in the hospital. In the first chapter LR considers joining his mechanic on a bank heist. In chapter two he considers an affair with a damaged though recovering divorcee. And in the third and final chapter he attempts a comeback.

At first glace Mahler's artwork appears crude, as though drawn by a third-grader. But it's deceptively so; the pacing, structure and layouts are impeccable, and the childlike simplicity of the overt style belies the adult concerns of the narrative.

At just under 100 pages Lone Racer is a quick read, but a satisfying one that will stay with the reader.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

A review copy of Lone Racer was provided by the publisher.

New This Week: April 11, 2007

Based on the NCRL, here are some comics you may want to look at picking up at your friendly local comic shop tomorrow:


The Pick of the Week is Morrison & Quitely's All Star Superman #7, the best Superman comic in many years, even if it only shows up quarterly-ish. And if by some chance you've neglected to read the first six issues, you can pick up a handsome hardcover collection at the same time.


In other comics:


Antarctic have the final issue of Pirates vs. Ninjas (#4).

Boom! premiere both Mr. Stuffins and Two Guns.

Dark Horse have the second issue of BPRD: Garden of Souls.

DC have a collection of Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre (Cliff Chiang art!) and a fifth volume of Sandman Mystery Theatre; plus new issues of 52 (week 49), Fables (#60), and Stormwatch PHD (#6).

Don't Eat Any Bugs have the second volume of Ray Friesen's Lookit, Yarg and Other Stories. It has penguins. And pirates. (preview here)

Drawn & Quarterly have a new issue of Optic Nerve (#11).

Fantagraphcs have the 1963–1964 volume of The Complete Peanuts.

First Second have the Garage Band GN, the third volume of Sardine in Outer Space, and a hardcover of The Professor's Daughter.

Image have new issues of Fell (#8) and The Nightly News (#5); and a collection of Ferro City.

Marvel have new issues of Blade (#8), newuniversal (#5), and She-Hulk 2 (#17).

Renaisance Press have a new issue of Amelia Rules (#17).

TokyoPop have many volumes, including the debut of Dark Goodbye and the 16th volume of Fruits Basket.

Viz have even more volumes, including the 19th and final volume of Banana Fish and new volumes of Dr. Slump (vol. 12), Death Note (vol. 11) and Inu Yasha (vol. 29).



Between Amelia Rules, Optic Nerve and All Star Superman coming out this week, it's like a portent or something. Can this mean that Ultimates 2 or All-Star Batman and Robin aren't far behind?

New Library Comics: Week of April 2, 2007

Here's a list of the comics we added to our library collection last week:


24 Hour Comics Day highlights 2005. /Thousand Oaks, Calif. : About Comics, c2005

Baumann, Suzanne. You, only you /Hamtramck, MI : Suzanne Baumann, c2002.

Chippendale, Brian Ninja. /Corte Madera, CA : Gingko Press, 2007.

Grand hotel. /Milano : Edizioni Del Duca vol. 60 no. 40

Heatley, David. Deadpan. /[S.l.] : David Heatley, c2002- no. 1

Honey talks : comics inspired by painted beehive panels. /Slovenia : Forum Ljubljana, c2006.

Marina (Rome, Italy) Marina. /Roma : Lancio vol. 3 no. 19

Mineshaft. /Brattleboro, VT : Mineshaft, c1999- no. 16

Neal, Nate. The sanctuary. /Grand Rapids, MI : OM Comics, c2006- nos. 1-2

Twisted sisters comics. /Northampton, MA : Kitchen Sink Press, c1994- no. 1

Watasin, Elizabeth. Charm school. /San Jose, CA : SLG Publishing, c2002- vol. 1

Wheatley, Mark. Radical dreamer. /London, Great Britain : Blackball Comics, c1994- no. 0