COOL RUNNINGS

McQUEEN’S MAGNUM OPUS REVIVED AS GRAPHIC NOVEL

STEVE MCQUEEN once said “I’m not sure whether I’m an actor who races, or a racer who acts.” In 1970, he decided to share his passion and produce the best movie about car racing ever made. LeMans might have bombed at the box office and its production was plagued with difficulties, but McQueen created a historical document that still stands up today.

Some 45 years later, Belgian artist Sandro Garbo apparently had a dream that he should create Le Mans as a graphic novel, so he and his team created a tribute to McQueen and a legacy for all lovers of car racing and fans of the legendary Porsche 917 and Ferrari 512 amongst others.

The detail that the team has gone into is genuinely impressive. “Actually, a lot of people told us that we were kind of crazy,” says Garbo. “We spent a tremendous amount of time recreating each detail: the cars, the circuit, the 1970s atmosphere. And heritage officials from the ACO – owner of the 24 Hours race – controlled each panel to ensure that the fans recognize every original detail.”

It taps into a market for retro nostalgia and Garbo is quite unapologetic about the book’s appeal. “Why avoid it? People like to remember the good times. And remembering also gives us some perspective in the way we view life. In our case, we drew inspiration from a film brought to life by a true enthusiast, Steve McQueen. And you have to admit that he brought realistic car racing to life like no one else. That’s why it’s timeless.”

For more information or to order, visit the book’s official website at mcqueenlemans.com.