Spanish cartoonist Max uses some of the most cherished pieces of high art as the catalyst for his character Bardin's funny and thoroughly humane adventures. In the first story, Bardin is taken to the superreal world by the Andalusian Dog, who complains about his misuse by Dalí and Buñuel. But Bardin also learns from this strange canine that he is the new custodian of this even stranger world. In another strip, pondering Brueghal's The Triumph of Death
reassures Bardin about his own life. Max has designed Bardin with a large, essentially bald head perfect for drawing all kinds of emotions, ranging over fear, terror, righteous anger, and jocularity in the face of the truly weird. Almost all of the last half of the book is taken up by "The Sound and the Fury," a silent strip in which Bardin must fight through many bizarre situations as a knight complete with sword and helmet. Each page has four large panels for the action, so even though the ideas might be peculiar, the story reads clearly. As in the rest of the book, Max takes what can be impenetrable and uses some fine cartooning to make it accessible and enjoyable. (Oct.)
