Rev it up for the origin of Lightning McQueen! Pixar’s CARS was such a huge hit for the studio that it’s spawned a sequel, due in 2012. If you and your kids don’t want to wait that long, BOOM! Studios has something to satisfy fans of the Dinoco 400 until then. In conjunction with Disney Worldwide Publishing, BOOM! is launching a brand new licensed CARS comic book. Written by Alan J. Porter and illustrated by Albert Carreres, the first issue of CARS: THE ROOKIE will debut in March 2009. In the debut issue, CARS Star Lightning McQueen gets interviewed by Darrel Cartrip and reveals his less-than-humble origins as “Bulldozer” McQueen, “a local short track racer who dreams of the big time.” If you’re looking for something your kids can hook into, this is the comic to seek out. You can order it from your local comic book store (the BOOM! folks have a handy order form you can hand to your retailer), and you can also order it from the BOOM! website.

BOOM! is also releasing THE INCREDIBLES: FAMILY MATTERS #1 (by Mark Waid and Marcio Takara) and THE MUPPET SHOW #1 (by Roger Langridge) in March as well. Don’t let this opportunity slip by to get kids into reading comics.