Sign-In
Cart
Madman's Drum
Hardcover
General Graphic NovelsIllustrationPrintmaking
ISBN13: 9781025322117
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 266
Weight: 1.21
Height: 0.63 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Madman's Drum is a pioneering wordless novel told entirely through a sequence of striking woodcut engravings. Created by the visionary artist Lynd Ward, this visual narrative explores a dark and complex generational saga rooted in the consequences of greed and colonial violence. The story begins with a slave trader who kills an African man to steal a ceremonial drum, an act that casts a long, tragic shadow over his family.
As the narrative unfolds, the focus shifts to the trader's son, a man of intellect and science who struggles to reconcile his pursuit of knowledge with the grim legacy of his father's sins. Through masterful use of light and shadow, Ward depicts the internal and external conflicts of his characters, illustrating the cyclical nature of human suffering and the heavy price of moral compromise. The absence of text invites readers to engage deeply with the expressive power of the woodcuts, decoding the emotional depth and social commentary embedded in every frame.
A landmark in the history of the graphic novel and sequential art, Madman's Drum remains a profound meditation on guilt, ambition, and the inescapable echoes of the past. Its haunting imagery and sophisticated storytelling demonstrate the immense potential of the visual medium to convey complex human experiences without a single word.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
1 different editions
Also available
Also from
Ward, Lynd
Graphic Witness: Five Wordless Graphic Novels by Frans Masereel, Lynd Ward, Giacomo Patri, Erich Glas and Laurence Hyde
Walker, George A.
Masereel, Frans
Ward, Lynd
Paperback
Also in
Illustration
Herve Tullet's Art of Play: Images and Inspirations from a Life of Radical Creativity
Van Der Linden, Sophie
Tullet, Herve
Hardcover
Roses in Bloom Puzzle: A 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle Featuring Rare Art from the New York Botanical Garden: Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults
The New York Botanical Garden
Other
Living in the Deep End: 59 Things I've Learned About How to Have a Great Time Here
Yellin, Jackie
Hardcover
Botanicum Coloring Book: Hardcover Adult Coloring Book Featuring Thick, High-Quality Paper
Trolle, Maria
Hardcover
Fashion Sketchbook Female Figure Template: Over 200 female fashion figure templates in 10 different poses
Studio, Bye Bye
Paperback
The World of Jane Austen: A Conversation Puzzle: 500-Piece Puzzle: Jigsaw Puzzle for Adults
Oakley, Jacqui
Other
Simple Large Print Coloring Book for Seniors: Beautiful Designs for Adults, Seniors, and Beginners with Landscape, Nature, Flowers, Sweets (Bold & Eas
Publishing, Large Print Coloring Books
Paperback
Graphic Design for Everyone: Understand the Building Blocks So You Can Do It Yourself
Caldwell, Cath
Hardcover
Boisterous Beasts & Deadly Dragons: The Art of Nico Marlet
Serrand, Kristof
Miller-Zarneke, Tracey
Hardcover
Codices Illustres. the World's Most Famous Illuminated Manuscripts 400 to 1600
Wolf, Norbert
Walther, Ingo F.
Hardcover
How to Draw Sci-Fi Fantasy Mecha: Spaceships, Airplanes, Cars, Submarines and More! (Over 450 Illustrations)
Somemori, Kenichi
Yoshimura, Shin
Paperback
An Illustrated Catalog of American Mushrooms
Us Department of Agriculture Maurice B Walters Collection
Hardcover
The Walt Disney Film Archives. the Animated Movies 1921-1968. 45th Ed.
Kothenschulte, Daniel
Hardcover
20 Ways to Draw a Tulip and 44 Other Fabulous Flowers: A Sketchbook for Artists, Designers, and Doodlers
Congdon, Lisa
Paperback
Drawing Dimension - Shading Techniques: A Shading Guide for Teachers and Students
Holmes, Catherine V.
Paperback
An Illustrated Catalog of American Fruits & Nuts
Us Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collecti
Hardcover
Graphic Design Rules: 365 Essential Design DOS and Don'ts
Adams, Sean
Dawson, Peter
Seddon, Tony
Paperback
Street Art & Graffiti Atlas: 85+ Essential Artists from Around the World
López Giménez, Diego
Hardcover
William Blake. Dante's 'Divine Comedy'. the Complete Drawings
Schütze, Sebastian
Terzoli, Maria Antonietta
Hardcover
Drawing People: The Quick and Easy Way to Draw Faces, Figures, and More
Holmes, Catherine V.
Paperback
How to Draw Cool Stuff: Basic, Shading, Textures and Optical Illusions
Holmes, Catherine V.
Paperback
Visual Thinking: Empowering People and Organisations Through Visual Collaboration
Brand, Williemien
Paperback
The Illustrator's Guide: How to create an exceptional freelance illustration career
Hughes, James
Paperback
Observational Sketching: Hone Your Artistic Skills by Learning How to Observe and Sketch Everyday Objects
Higaki, Mariko
Paperback
101 Super Cute Things to Draw: More Than 100 Step-By-Step Lessons for Making Cute, Expressive, Fun Art!
Bergstrom, Lauren
Paperback