The advance copy of Madman #8 arrived with accompanying text that said it was, "... the perfect jumping on point for any reader new to Snap City!" And so it is.The advance portion I received only contains the first, 15-page story, which is a very concise and efficient retelling of Madman's origin, as well as a recap of the first story arc. While the recap is a bit awkward, thanks to confusing layouts, it is definitely beautiful work. I was truly taken with the quality of the sequential art throughout the whole issue. Writer and artist, Mike Allred, is one of those creators who truly gets the genre; he is able to convey the story with an economy of words, leaving little to question.
Madman was formerly a hitman who was pieced back together by two mad scientists after he met his demise. He has flashbacks of his death and previous life, but remembers next to nothing of it. He was given the name Frank Einstein, a play on "Frankenstein," derived from the doctors' two icons, Frank Sinatra and Albert Einstein. There are a lot of casually clever alludes along these lines, but Allred keeps them minimal and unobtrusive for the most part; what could have been cheesy asides in less-capable hands actually lend a tongue-in-cheek depth to Madman. Some examples of this include the lightning bolt on his costume - the only thing he remembers from a comic book he read as a kid - and Mott, the alien from the planet, Hoople.
The art is absolutely stellar. Very clean, it is the perfect blend of hyper-realism and cartooning seen in the work of other great comics artists, such as Neal and Arthur Adams. I actually found it quite reminiscent of Dave Gibbons - in fact, Madman reminded me a lot of Watchmen, in general. It has the same existential qualities - a striking depth of history and character alongside subtly clever asides that seem almost offhanded but aren't. Allred knows this character and story inside and out, and it shows on every page and shines through in every panel.While I loathe 2nd-person narrative, this being an "introduction" to the character, I didn't mind it so much once I got into it. And Madman doesn't require an arm-twisting to get into; once you get past the confusing opening sequence and settle into the 2nd-person POV, Madman swiftly sweeps you along for the ride. The words and art blend seamlessly and you find yourself eagerly devouring the next balloon before your eyes have finished examining the current panel - the surest sign of great sequential art. Madman proves that the best work comes from one-person creative "teams."
The 15 pages I received do not go into great detail on the supporting cast or setting and, excepting the opening sequence and general background as to his former life, it doesn't go into much detail as to Madman's exploits. It stays focused on introducing readers to the character, himself, and once you've read this - even though it doesn't mention his powers and abilities, what he does, or anything else - you really feel like you know the character. I have to say, it's a really brilliant piece of work.I wish I'd received more than just the 15-page origin retelling, so it looks like I'll have to pick up a copy at my own expense (luckily, I found out it is partially deductible - I'm keeping much better records for 2008!) because I honestly enjoyed Madman #8. This really is a fantastic jumping-on point for all readers and I highly suggest you take this opportunity to do exactly that!
Recommended!
© C Harris Lynn, 2008
No comments:
Post a Comment