I don't know that I fully "get" Madman. The combination of Silver Age super-heroics with a more philosophical tone and a hip, pop quality seems kind of scattered to me at times, but I have to admit, Allred's unusual visions challenge and entertain me. The same can be said of his main story here, and this book brings with it an added bonus: other creators' interpretations of Allred's creations.
The plot behind Allred's opening tale is one that's more than a little reminiscent of Silver Age super-hero comics; I'm specifically reminded of the origin of the Lizard from the early issues of Amazing Spider-Man. Of course, there's a Ditko-esque quality in Allred's visual style that reinforces that impression. I think what I most enjoyed about this story was how it sums up the title character quite well. I'm not that well versed on Madman lore, and this story answered a lot of the questions I had about him. In other words, Allred not only entertains here, but he ensures that new readers can now walks the streets of Snap City and get to know its most famous and weird resident.
What really sets this property apart from other super-hero books is the existential leanings of the main character. The more philosophical and surreal quality of those elements in the story make for an odd match with the sillier ones, but there's no doubting the uniqueness of the combination. Those philosophical sequences make me pause, and they make me think. They're a little frustrating, as I don't entirely follow Allred, but I don't think clear answers are the point.
Krall's story actually proved to be my favorite in the book. First of all, though Krall's style is clearly influence by Allred, there's a darker quality to it, but he explores lighter material here. I also found the exchanges among teenage friends about Madman sighting to sound rather genuine. Krall captures a hip, teen dynamic that reminds me of Chynna Clugston-Major's irreverent Blue Monday comics (also published by Oni Press).
Derrington's story is the one most in keeping with Allred's creation, but the story boasts an unusual shift in the middle that makes it difficult to follow. Still, his piece also boasts the most striking image in the whole book: a disembodied Madman who's pondering his own existence. Derrington also captures the girl-next-door, cute quality of Joe, Madman's girlfriend, an aspect of the character I find refreshing.
The book closes with Steven Weissman's vision of the title character's future in suburbia. A middle-age hero is worshipped by a rambunctious child in this story, and it plays to the goofier side of the title character. Weissman's oddly cute yet distorted underground style works well with Madman, and I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this segment. Weissman not only pays tribute to Allred's creation, but he turns it on its ear. A middle-aged Joe now laments her life with her oddball lover, and it brings a hint of cynicism to the property while maintaining its more innocent qualities at the same time.
