Madman Volume 2

Madman Volume 2 by Mike Allred
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Madman Volume 2 collects Madman Comics #1-11.

Despite wanting to like the "cool" books of the time period, I've been a fan of Madman since the 1990s. I've had this book on my shelf for quite a while and finally decided to crack it open.

In this volume, Madman takes on killer robots, aliens, mutant street beatniks, a man made out of vomit, The Blast, and his greatest enemy, his own hidden past.

Michael Allred's art is a combination of silver age art from the Big Two, Moebius, and other influences, giving it a unique retro yet modern look. If the book didn't have a story, I'd probably still buy it for the art.

Luckily, that is not the case. Madman's innocent outlook lures me back every time and the stories are a love letter to comics in general. Madman encounters comic trope after well loved trope, from shrinking to battling monsters, from jetpacks to rayguns, from secret government agencies to crazy aliens. There's a sense of fun, a sense of strangeness, and an unapologetic goofiness at times, making for a unique read. By the end of the book, some dark things are hinted at, making me eager to read the next book, as if I wouldn't eventually anyway.

Madman is a timeless work and this volume is a worthy addition to the saga. Four out of five stars.

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