Porphycene is an aromatic macrocycle and a constitutional isomer of porphyrin. It and its derivatives display unique physical and optical properties, including strong absorptions in the red region of the UV-vis spectrum. These features have made porphycene and porphycene analogues appealing molecules for use in biomedical applications and in the design of new materials. This critical review provides a concise overview of the most important syntheses of porphycenes, as well as those of various functionalized derivatives and heteroatom containing analogues. (95 references.)