You’ve heard of F1 (Formula One), now get ready for M1: Monster Racing League, a new, ongoing sci-fi adventure series from Image Comics, created by writers Robert and Lily Windom (Family Time) with artist Jae Lee, and colorist June Chung (Seven Sons). Set in a near future Tokyo, the book follows a girl who enters the world of illegal street racing, where competitors rely on physical mutations to win.
Seventeen-year-old Dev loves nothing more than racing. When she and her father move to Japan, she has to adjust to a new normal away from what she’s most passionate about. But it turns out her life will be far from anything normal when she stumbles into an underground world of illegal street racing in Japan, where speed is power and bodily mutation wins championships. This high-octane sci-fi drama set in a near-future Tokyo burns neon-hot and never looks back.
Lily Windom, who is Robert’s daughter, states, “M1: Monster Racing League is high-stakes monster racing meets K-pop — so much energy, style, and pressure — and the characters are all trying to figure out who they are. I think teens will love it because it’s super fast-paced and exciting but also really real about friendship, competition, and finding where you belong.” Lily, 15, previously co-wrote Family Time when she was only 11 years old.
Robert, who previously worked with Lee and Chung on Seven Sons and This Ends Tonight, adds, “I’m excited for readers to see Jae’s amazing art and June’s beautiful colors, which really bring the exciting and mysterious world in series to life. There are lots of unexpected twists and deep lore that we’ll explore, and I can’t wait to take people on this journey!”
Lee says, “Robert and Lily have come up with such an amazing story, it’s inspired me to try something I’ve never done before: manga. I’m cutting loose with the art and having a blast. This is an ongoing series and I’m in it for the long haul!”
An animated version was also announced, with writer and producer Jeffrey M. Howard (co-creator of the Disney Channel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur series) at the helm. Specifics weren’t provided, including whether it would be a TV series, or a film like the Tinker Bell and Planes movies he worked on.
Issue #1 will be released on June 10, with two unique covers by Lee and Chung, a variant by Jon J Muth, a blank sketch cover, and a black-and-white variant of cover A. You can check these out, along with a preview, below, and more pages in the exclusive announcements at ComicBook.com and Animation Magazine.
