Australia, the near future: in this post-apocalyptic wasteland, the former bounty hunter turned outlaw Tank Girl spends her days drinking, fighting and engaging in all manner of unspeakable acts. But when her best friend, Barney, ends up in a coma following a freak skateboarding accident, Tank Girl gives up her life of semi-retirement and climbs back into the saddle. Only an insanely expensive operation can save Barney’s life, and it just so happens that the Watermelon Run, an illegal cross-continental race, has a first prize of almost exactly the right amount...

Skidmarks started out as a 12-part series in Judge Dredd Megazine, beginning in August 2008. Now it is being collected by Titan as a US-format four-issue miniseries for the American market. Each issue contains three nine-page chapters of the story, which adds up to more than you usually get in an American comic book, all of it recoloured by Christian Krank. The language is also more colourful than before, as writer Alan Martin has restored swear words that were considered too strong for the Megazine.

The story is as barmy as ever, though, featuring a wacky race that is obviously inspired by The Cannonball Run. In this issue, there’s even a womanising bloke with a ’tache called Burt. Martin also adds a soupcon of Star Wars for good measure, in the form of an incomprehensible, subtitled bounty hunter known as Downy Macaw.

Meanwhile, Rufus Dayglo fulfils the art chores very well indeed. His work bears a distinct resemblance to that of his illustrious predecessor Jamie Hewlett (the monkey-like mouths, the devious eyes, the flailing arms, etc) but never descends into churning out mere carbon copies.

Join the run if you can. And if your copy looks a bit scuffed around the edges, don’t worry - it’s meant to look like a vintage first issue!

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Richard McGinlay