You see the credits, where they say various? Normally I'd list the credits out in a review, but in the case of the Madman Picture Exhibition, that would be pretty much the entire review. There are about 120 artists contributing to this book. It's a great book, with beautiful production values, stunning artwork and a cast of creators that is probably unmatched in the industry. In fact, the only reason that I don't recommend it highly is because it is a bit pricey for what it is. While the price point did give me some qualms, though, they weren't enough to stop me buying the book, and I certainly don't regret it.
One of my prize possessions is a sketchbook, started in 1996 in Chicago, with a variety of sketches of a variety of characters by a variety of professional artists. It's really cool having one of a kind artwork in a nice bound format, and the variety means that I can see all the talent and diversity this industry has to offer. As cool as that is, though, Picture Exhibition goes me several better, as the works are not just sketches but full-fledged pin-ups, with beautiful color and a single theme element, Madman, which lets the artists express their creativity and still stay within the bounds of a single idea.
Of course, as good as I think my sketchbook collection is, Allred also has me beat to the tune of about 100 more artists. The scope of talent in here is impressive, from the legends (Jack Kirby and Alex Toth) to some of the newer big names (Frank Quitely, Javier Pulido), from animators (Bruce Timm, Glen Murakami) to filmmakers (Robert Rodriguez?!) to legendary painters (Moebius.) The scope of comic-book talent is equally varied, including many of the big names from the Oni Press and Fantagraphics line-ups right alongside some of the big guns of Marvel and DC. Though not everyone is represented here, there's an impressive spread of talent and you'll be surprised at how many names are in this book.
Originally, these were trading card pieces, but I'm glad I never saw them in that shrunken-down format. The format here is much more suited to these works of art, giving them the full size treatment. Though a few of them are crammed together into a three-for-one or four-for-one arrangement on a page, most of them get the room to breathe they need, and there are very few that don't stand up as something you could frame and put on a wall.
What stops me from giving this a higher recommendation, though, despite loving almost every piece in it, is the pricing. $30 is a lot of cash, and it's comparable to the price of one of those over-sized 200+ page hardcovers Marvel has been doing. I was disappointed to see some of the pieces I really wanted to see shoved into a quarter of the space that the others got, and would have hoped for the money that at least each piece would get a full page. And although these look great at the standard comic size, I would have loved this even more if it was oversized. However, while the price point on the book doesn't line up well with other hardcovers, taking into account its limited nature and smaller press backing, I'm remarkably happy with this collection, and suggest anyone with an appreciation for comic art (even if you're not a Madman fan) at least give this a glance.
