The Race Is On In ‘Petrol Head’ #2 Preview

by Richard Bruton

Petrol Head #2 is out now, so gun those engines and head to your LCS to pick up the second issue of Rob Williams and Pye Parr’s new Image series, full of the stink of gas and packed with high-octane thrills. It’s a new series you shouldn’t be without.

When we previewed the first issue of Petrol Head here, I told you it was ‘a bloody fabulous debut, one of those that just grabs you by the what-nots or thingamabobs and doesn’t let up in the high-octane excitement until the very final panel.’

And that recommendation keeps on trucking through to the end of issue 2. This really is one of those series you need to be picking up. Hell, there’s even a Christmas cover up for grabs this month if you’re feeling festive.

Preview of issue 2 below, but here’s a quick recap so you can see what you’re missing out on. The basic premise is a doozy – The world’s been destroyed by climate crisis and the remnants of humanity have been forced into the domed cities, all overseen and controlled by The O, nasty robotic/cybernetic/thingy with mech bits. C’mon, look at it… he’s designed most excellently by Parr to obviously be the villain of the piece.

In the recent past, the populous were distracted from their miserable lives by sports (as it’s always been) and their particular sport features the Petrol Heads, a series of totally expendable robots competing in souped up gas guzzling hot rods in something resembling Wacky Races crossed with Mad Max

But eventually, the idea of everyone’s fave sport celebrating gas-guzzling, smoke-belching mechs and their rides proved a little too questionable in a world where the people can’t go outside anymore because the climate their forefathers destroyed will kill them. And that was it, the Petrol Heads were retired.

Okay, that’s the world. The characters in this one are Petrol Head, one of the old guard of robo-racers, living in peace and quiet with Dave, his sarcastic robo-bird….

Crashing into his retirement comes Lupa and her scientist dad, Linton, one of the smartest people on the planet and a man whose ideas could possibly save the world.

For reasons as yet unknown, although the smart money’s on The O not liking giving up all that control, Lupa and her dad are on the run, desperate, injured, and out of options.

Which is where Petrol Head comes in. Against his best judgement, he’s now on the run with them. A scientist, a little girl, a clunking, smoke-belching old robo-racer and a mechanical bird all in one bad-ass hot rod called The Chief. It’s time to save the world. Of course, first they’ve got to not die themselves…