Madman Atomic Comics, Vol. 3: Electric Allegories

As a creator, Allred definitely remembers the days when comics were designed to be fun, clearly illustrated, and colorful, and this latest volume of the wacky adventures of Frank "Madman" Einstein and friends continues to provide that almost lost fun groove with Allred's signature unabashed exuberance in full flower. Aided and abetted by such comics biz luminaries as Darwyn Cooke (Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter) and Nick Dragotta (The Losers), the stories are rich with the charm that made the series a cult favorite in the first place, with "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad Madman Movie!" being a lively standout. The overall high quality not withstanding, this collection is something of a disappointment because its second half is nothing but a gallery of pinups, commission sketches, alternate covers, and looks at the unlettered B&W art of Allred and Cooke. That's all well and good, but that material would probably be better served as part of an "Art of Michael Allred" volume, rather than taking up space in a book that could have contained more story content. (Oct.)