"Black and White Men represents an unusually high level of artistic and technical quality... The book is unquestionably a sensual one... Spada handles his subjects here with the same care, diligence, respect and detail as if he were writing about them. Another aspect of Jim's photos that makes them unique among most photographers of the male image is the exquisite interplay of light and shadow. Computer scans do not do these photos justice in this regard. He uses soft, almost hazy, lighting to convey the tender and sensual side of masculinity while using bolder lighting and lines to show men's strength and power. He has been compared to a young Mapplethorpe, but I find that a more apt comparison is to George Platt Lynes, still one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century."

- Bill Brownell, Max4Men    

"Spada's work is moody, intense, and brilliant. I found myself staring at the pictures, moving beyond the hard, hairless pecs to the textures of the backgrounds, the depth of the light, and each picture conveys a complexity of mood that is breathtaking. Spada is a genius."

- Greg Herren, Lambda Book Report