As we hinted earlier today, Speed Racer is returning to comics, with new stories by Len Wein (Human Target, Swamp Thing, X-Men, Wolverine), Tommy Yune, Robby Musso, Lee Kohse, and James Rochelle.

[[[Speed Racer]]] is an English adaptation name of the Japanese manga and anime, Mach Go Go Go, but is best known in the US from the 60s television series translation and the 2008 film. Selected chapters of the manga were released by NOW Comics in the 1990s under the title Speed Racer Classics, later released by the DC Comics division, Wildstorm Productions under the title Speed Racer: The Original Manga, then collected by IDW.

The release date of the new series has yet to be announced. Maybe in this new series, the Mach 5 will actually have a trunk lock? Or is that too much to hope for?

Given the unrest across Africa today, it’s easy to forget that there was similar troubles as country after country gained their independence from colonization in the 1950s and 1960s. The Congo crisis, in particular, lasted from 1960-66 as it struggled to establish itself after Belgian rule. Over 100,000 people died during the ordeal and it inspired a 1965 novel, [[[The Dark of the Sun]]], by Wilbur Smith.

The novel, rather than the actual events, led to the 1968 MGM film adaptation which is finally available on DVD from Warner Archive. The film has been a favorite of directors including Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino who lifted some of the score, and its lead Rod Taylor, for use in last year’s [[[Inglorious Basterds]]].

Taylor plays mercenary Bruce Curry who is hired by the iron-fisted president Ubi (Calvin Lockhart) to retrieve $50 million in diamonds from the northern country. Accompanied by his Congolese friend Ruffo (Jim Brown), Curry extracts a fat pay day and agrees to rescue the “unfortunate Europeans” stuck in a town about to be assaulted by the rebel Simbas. Curry and Ruffo are longtime allies and their equal partnership is a rarity in its day and about the only good thing to come from the flat script by Ranald MacDougall (as Quentin Werty) and Adrien Spies.

In the hands of the acclaimed cinematographer turned director Jack Cardiff, the movie has a roughhewn feel, matching the African land (although it was shot in Jamaica). Unfortunately, the script and performances don’t live up to the potential. Curry is a dull hero and every obstacle in his path feels perfunctory. There are complications from the former Nazi Henlein (Peter Carsten) who wants the diamonds for himself and chafes under Curry’s orders, a safe on a timer, UN peacekeeper fire, and reluctant-to-flee nuns.

Even Jacques Loussier’s score feels familiar. One of the first acts Curry performs is rescuing Claire (Yvette Mimieux) from her burned out home, but then there’s nothing for her to do but look pretty and concerned for the rest of the film. There’s also the alcoholic Doctor Wreid (Kenneth More) who gets his one moment to shine and that’s it.

The best moments, although they feel forced watching it today, as the conversations about race and life between Curry and Ruffo about midway through the movie before the action ignites and remains a relentless presence until the end credits. Much was made of the violence when the film was released because such brutality had rarely been seen on the screen at the time. Beyond the usual shoot ‘em up stuff, the Simbas invade the town, raping and pillaging with wild abandon. It’s perhaps the truest depiction of what must have happened across the land and continues to this day.

The 101 minutes plod along until we get a fairly predictable ending.  The transfer holds up and film students will probably enjoy studying this. The rest of you have to be truly interested in the subject matter or cast to bother sitting through this.

There’s something about barbarian swordsmen that lends itself to parody that can often outstrip the original– think Cerebus, Groo, and Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson. And now we have Skultar, a new comic from M. J. Butler (Munden’s Bar)  and Eisner Award–winning artist Mark Wheatley (EZ Street, Lone Justice, Mars) appearing in Dark Horse Presents #7, on sale this December.

In an age before recorded history, in a brutal world ruled by myth, magic, and monsters, a hero rises to fight for the oppressed.

His name is Skultar.

Unfortunately, he dies shortly after our story begins . . .

In his place, another rises up to be mistaken for Skultar, to claim the riches and reputation his legend brings. Similar to Skultar in strength, and nothing else, he nevertheless must stumble his way through his adventures, aided by Skultar’s right-hand man. If Skultar’s enemies ever find out he’s an impostor, nothing would stop them from imposing their dark rule over all the lands.

Born into slavery, trained as a warrior, it is his destiny to rule a kingdom by his own hand.

It’s just a stolen destiny.

Mark Wheatley takes his parody seriously. “I think the best humor grows out of a true love for the source material—and I’ve been a fan of Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, C. L. Moore, and sword-and-sorcery stories for half an epoch! That doesn’t mean I can’t see where it gets silly! And trust me, Skultar is where it gets silly!”