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Walking home from The Independent last Sunday, we espied the new-to-the-hood Hub Comics, from which we emerged with a slightly-inconvenient-to-carry-home mix of goodies.

They had a couple compliations of Mike Allred’s Madman, and I bought both in a fit of nostalgia.

If you don’t know Madman, “the world’s snappiest comic magazine”, the titular protagonist is one Frank Einstein, an ex-spy who was returned from the dead without memories of his previous life. The comic mixes the gee-whiz super-science of 50’s sci-fi; the over-the-top existential angst of the most ponderous of 70’s Marvel; a loose, cartoony, heavy-line style that reminds me a little of Bob Burden’s Flaming Carrot and Johnny Quest; Speed Racer, et al; and a whopping dose of offbeat humor and post-modern sensibilities. Madman is occasionally gross and violent, but it’s more often sweet. I think it’s ginchy.

Pictured above are Volume 3 (published by Image, at left) and Volume 4, published by Dark Horse. The catch? All the stories in Volume 4 are also in Volume 3. The Dark Horse book features a holiday special and the “G-Men from Hell” saga. Want it? Write a comment (75 words or less) explaining why you should get it. I’ll pick a winner next Monday and send it to you. (You’ll need to use a real email (which is not published on the site) so I can contact you for your address).

Edit: No need to comment, just claim it from me on Bookmooch if you’re interested.

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