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The Maxx #1
The Maxx, Vol. 1
Presents the adventures of The Maxx, a homeless superhero who lives in a cardboard box, and his social worker, Julie.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
18 people are currently reading
2484 people want to read
About the author
Sam Kieth
409 books269 followersKieth first came to prominence in 1984 as the inker of Matt Wagner's Mage, his brushwork adding fluidity and texture to the broad strokes of Wagner's early work at Comico Comics. In 1989, he drew the first five issues of writer Neil Gaiman's celebrated series The Sandman, but felt his style was unsuited to the book (specifically saying that he "felt like Jimi Hendrix in The Beatles") and left, handing over to his former inker Mike Dringenberg.
He acted as illustrator on two volumes of writer William Messner-Loebs' Epicurus the Sage and drew an Aliens miniseries for Dark Horse Comics, among other things, before creating The Maxx in 1993 for Image Comics, with, initially, writing help from Messner-Loebs. It ran for 35 issues and was adapted, with Kieth's assistance, into an animated series for MTV. Since then, as a writer-artist, he has gone on to create Friends of Maxx, Zero Girl, Four Women and Ojo.
Ojo comprises the first and My Inner Bimbo the second, in a cycle of original comic book limited series published by Oni Press. Loosely connected, the cycle will concern the intertwined lives of people with each other and sometimes with a supernatural entity known as the Mysterious Trout. Kieth has stated that other characters from The Maxx series will appear in this cycle of stories. My Inner Bimbo #1 was published in April 2006. Issue #2 was delayed past its original release date; It was finally resolicited in "Previews" in 2007 and hit the store shelves in November 2007.
DC Comics' Batman/Lobo: Deadly Serious, a two-issue prestige format mini-series that started in August 2007, was written and drawn by Kieth. This was followed by 2009's two-issue prestige format mini-series Lobo: Highway to Hell, written by Scott Ian and featuring art by Kieth.
He acted as illustrator on two volumes of writer William Messner-Loebs' Epicurus the Sage and drew an Aliens miniseries for Dark Horse Comics, among other things, before creating The Maxx in 1993 for Image Comics, with, initially, writing help from Messner-Loebs. It ran for 35 issues and was adapted, with Kieth's assistance, into an animated series for MTV. Since then, as a writer-artist, he has gone on to create Friends of Maxx, Zero Girl, Four Women and Ojo.
Ojo comprises the first and My Inner Bimbo the second, in a cycle of original comic book limited series published by Oni Press. Loosely connected, the cycle will concern the intertwined lives of people with each other and sometimes with a supernatural entity known as the Mysterious Trout. Kieth has stated that other characters from The Maxx series will appear in this cycle of stories. My Inner Bimbo #1 was published in April 2006. Issue #2 was delayed past its original release date; It was finally resolicited in "Previews" in 2007 and hit the store shelves in November 2007.
DC Comics' Batman/Lobo: Deadly Serious, a two-issue prestige format mini-series that started in August 2007, was written and drawn by Kieth. This was followed by 2009's two-issue prestige format mini-series Lobo: Highway to Hell, written by Scott Ian and featuring art by Kieth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
April 11, 2016
The Maxx is a homeless man who wears a purple superhero outfit and lives off the kindless of Julie Winters, a freelance social worker. But he's also king of the wildplaces, a super-strong barbarian who fights monsters in a world resembling the Australian Outback while protecting the Leopard Queen, who bears a striking resemblance to Julie Winters. Which of those identities is true? What is the deeper connection between Julie and The Maxx? And how does Mr. Gone, dark sorcerer and serial rapist, figure into things?
First, a little history. For years, my comic reading trailed off until this was the only one I read on a regular basis? Why, you ask? Because of several factors. First of all, I dig Sam Kieth's art. Secondly, the characters are relatable. As you read further into this volume, as well as subsequent ones, you see behind the characters' exteriors and peer at the self doubt within. Thirdly, nothing is explained outright. Much of what happens is open to interpretation. The Maxx is definitely a thinker, not as Incredible Hulk-like as it first appears.
I've said it in reviews for other comics and I'll say it again here. The really good comics are always about something. The Sandman is about stories and how they shape us. Starman is about stepping into your parents' shoes and trying to live up to their expectations. The Maxx is about dealing with your baggage, something that's only hinted at in this volume.
As for presentation, the volume is great. The only minor complaint I have is that the letter pages weren't included. It was always great fun to read other Maxx-Heads's interpretation of events. Do comics even have letter pages anymore?
I'd recommend this to people who like their comics to have a different flavor than just capes and fisticuffs, specifically fans of indie books like Strangers in Paradise or Vertigo stuff like The Sandman. In fact, Sam Kieth was the first Sandman artist.
First, a little history. For years, my comic reading trailed off until this was the only one I read on a regular basis? Why, you ask? Because of several factors. First of all, I dig Sam Kieth's art. Secondly, the characters are relatable. As you read further into this volume, as well as subsequent ones, you see behind the characters' exteriors and peer at the self doubt within. Thirdly, nothing is explained outright. Much of what happens is open to interpretation. The Maxx is definitely a thinker, not as Incredible Hulk-like as it first appears.
I've said it in reviews for other comics and I'll say it again here. The really good comics are always about something. The Sandman is about stories and how they shape us. Starman is about stepping into your parents' shoes and trying to live up to their expectations. The Maxx is about dealing with your baggage, something that's only hinted at in this volume.
As for presentation, the volume is great. The only minor complaint I have is that the letter pages weren't included. It was always great fun to read other Maxx-Heads's interpretation of events. Do comics even have letter pages anymore?
I'd recommend this to people who like their comics to have a different flavor than just capes and fisticuffs, specifically fans of indie books like Strangers in Paradise or Vertigo stuff like The Sandman. In fact, Sam Kieth was the first Sandman artist.
September 22, 2011
Dramatis Psychoticus Personae:
1. The MAXX: A delusional homeless man who believes that he is a superhero.
2. Julie Winters: A “freelance” social worker with deep emotional scars and repressed memories of a brutal assault.
3. Mr. Gone: A serial rapist and sadistic murderer with supernatural attributes and ties to Maxx and Julie.
4. Isz: Camouflage wearing, people-eating oompa loompas from a bizzaro version of the Australian Outback.
This is not your typical comic book.
For a series that came out back in 1995, the themes and subject matter depicted in this graphic novel are as dark and disturbing as it gets. This is especially true in so far as the story deals significantly with rape, both the violence of the crime itself and the severe psychological effects it can have on victims. Beyond the famous occurrence in Watchmen, rape and sexual assault is a violent crime rarely explored in the graphic novel medium and this title's willingness to incorporate it into the central building blocks of its story was risky. However, the maturity and intelligence with which the material is handled is commendable.
This first volume introduces us to the Maxx, a homeless man "living in a box" with a violent streak and a not so tight grip on reality who sees himself (is it real or is not?) as a giant, hulking superhero of the “Outback” and personal protector of Ms. Julie Winters. Julie is a harsh, emotionally calloused, social worker who also spends time (is it real or is it not?) as the “Jungle Queen” of the Outback.
Julie is a terrific character, but when I say “emotionally calloused” I am not joking, especially when it comes to her “blame the victim” outlook on rape ("If you don't act stupid, you don't get raped."). This attitude was very jarring and took some getting used to for me though became more and more understandable as Julie's past is slowly revealed. Kieth makes some brave choices with his narrative and, for the most part, they pay off.
Completing this bizarre Ménage a tois of the “not quite right” is Mr. Gone, a mysterious, sadistic serial rapist whose dark connections to the shattered remnants of Julie’s early life are slowly revealed as the story unfolds. Nothing it made clear or easy in this very fuzzy, nightmare-like world where reality is as changeable as a TV channel.
There is a lot to admire about this book, not the least of which is how well it has aged in a time where graphic novels are now pushing the “mature theme” throttle into the red. However, despite some shocking imagery, at its heart, this is a story about how people that have been brutalized deal with the trauma and slowly come to grips with their past and reintegrate the real world that hurt them and the protective alternate world that kept them safe from their memories.
Subtle and multi-layered, nothing in this story is spoon fed to the reader.
Parts of this volume are definitely worthy of 5 stars and I struggled with how to rate this overall. In the end, I settled on a strong 4 because some of the story was a little too convoluted and I think the power of the story got lost a bit by trying to be just a little to artsy. Still, a unique, often powerful story that is certainly worthy of attention.
4.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
1. The MAXX: A delusional homeless man who believes that he is a superhero.
2. Julie Winters: A “freelance” social worker with deep emotional scars and repressed memories of a brutal assault.
3. Mr. Gone: A serial rapist and sadistic murderer with supernatural attributes and ties to Maxx and Julie.
4. Isz: Camouflage wearing, people-eating oompa loompas from a bizzaro version of the Australian Outback.
This is not your typical comic book.
For a series that came out back in 1995, the themes and subject matter depicted in this graphic novel are as dark and disturbing as it gets. This is especially true in so far as the story deals significantly with rape, both the violence of the crime itself and the severe psychological effects it can have on victims. Beyond the famous occurrence in Watchmen, rape and sexual assault is a violent crime rarely explored in the graphic novel medium and this title's willingness to incorporate it into the central building blocks of its story was risky. However, the maturity and intelligence with which the material is handled is commendable.
This first volume introduces us to the Maxx, a homeless man "living in a box" with a violent streak and a not so tight grip on reality who sees himself (is it real or is not?) as a giant, hulking superhero of the “Outback” and personal protector of Ms. Julie Winters. Julie is a harsh, emotionally calloused, social worker who also spends time (is it real or is it not?) as the “Jungle Queen” of the Outback.
Julie is a terrific character, but when I say “emotionally calloused” I am not joking, especially when it comes to her “blame the victim” outlook on rape ("If you don't act stupid, you don't get raped."). This attitude was very jarring and took some getting used to for me though became more and more understandable as Julie's past is slowly revealed. Kieth makes some brave choices with his narrative and, for the most part, they pay off.
Completing this bizarre Ménage a tois of the “not quite right” is Mr. Gone, a mysterious, sadistic serial rapist whose dark connections to the shattered remnants of Julie’s early life are slowly revealed as the story unfolds. Nothing it made clear or easy in this very fuzzy, nightmare-like world where reality is as changeable as a TV channel.
There is a lot to admire about this book, not the least of which is how well it has aged in a time where graphic novels are now pushing the “mature theme” throttle into the red. However, despite some shocking imagery, at its heart, this is a story about how people that have been brutalized deal with the trauma and slowly come to grips with their past and reintegrate the real world that hurt them and the protective alternate world that kept them safe from their memories.
Subtle and multi-layered, nothing in this story is spoon fed to the reader.
Parts of this volume are definitely worthy of 5 stars and I struggled with how to rate this overall. In the end, I settled on a strong 4 because some of the story was a little too convoluted and I think the power of the story got lost a bit by trying to be just a little to artsy. Still, a unique, often powerful story that is certainly worthy of attention.
4.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
August 31, 2016
This is my first exposure to The Maxx, having missed both the MTV cartoon and the original print run, but I picked this up at the behest of a friend who was talking about how it was one of his favorite comic books.
I certainly enjoyed this first collection. It started out a little shaky for me, considering I didn’t know the premise at all. And things don’t quite “wrap up” neatly at the end of this volume, as this serves as really just the introduction to the characters who populate this world. And therein is this books greatest strength (aside from the dazzling art, which at a glance is pretty self-evident). These are COMPLEX characters. Flawed characters. Maxx, although an enigma, is a character ripe for unraveling, as is Julie, the social worker, who’s trauma and pain is masked behind layers of sex appeal and bravado. The main baddy, Mr. Gone, is still lacking a bit in the development portion, but everyone else (including the teenage Sarah introduced in the last chapter of this book) feel very…real, at least in the emotional sense.
A great intro, if you can suspend your need for an exposition dump explaining the world. I have volume 2 already in my possession and will happily be reading this series further.
I certainly enjoyed this first collection. It started out a little shaky for me, considering I didn’t know the premise at all. And things don’t quite “wrap up” neatly at the end of this volume, as this serves as really just the introduction to the characters who populate this world. And therein is this books greatest strength (aside from the dazzling art, which at a glance is pretty self-evident). These are COMPLEX characters. Flawed characters. Maxx, although an enigma, is a character ripe for unraveling, as is Julie, the social worker, who’s trauma and pain is masked behind layers of sex appeal and bravado. The main baddy, Mr. Gone, is still lacking a bit in the development portion, but everyone else (including the teenage Sarah introduced in the last chapter of this book) feel very…real, at least in the emotional sense.
A great intro, if you can suspend your need for an exposition dump explaining the world. I have volume 2 already in my possession and will happily be reading this series further.
October 7, 2022
Such a strange series.
I was expecting a 90s series like Spawn.
The way it starts it seems like it's going to be Spawn like. We got all the hallmarks of those early 90s McFarlane stuff... dark colors, crazy panelling, lots of sound effects, superheroes with lots of sharp things (no chains or capes here though). It's even set in a grungy NYC alley way!
But the way this thing goes is completely different than expectations. The superhero stuff becomes more surreal, the focus is on emotional trauma. It's quite a great bait and switch.
As a full series, I'm not so sure it works. Near the end I'm not convinced Sam Kieth really knew where to take it and how to wrap up the story.
I was expecting a 90s series like Spawn.
The way it starts it seems like it's going to be Spawn like. We got all the hallmarks of those early 90s McFarlane stuff... dark colors, crazy panelling, lots of sound effects, superheroes with lots of sharp things (no chains or capes here though). It's even set in a grungy NYC alley way!
But the way this thing goes is completely different than expectations. The superhero stuff becomes more surreal, the focus is on emotional trauma. It's quite a great bait and switch.
As a full series, I'm not so sure it works. Near the end I'm not convinced Sam Kieth really knew where to take it and how to wrap up the story.
July 4, 2017
I can't remember when I first read this, but I watched the show on MTV when I was in high school. The effect was instantaneous on me - I was fascinated by the idea of dualism presented in the show. Some time later I picked up the book and read through it, pleasantly surprised to find that it's almost panel for panel the same as the TV show, meaning both are pretty close to each other to a point. Naturally, MTV capped the series to give it an ending (sort of).
The Maxx is centered around, well... the Maxx. Maxx is a big, purple, violent vagrant who lives in a box in an alley. He's fallen in with pseudo-social worker, Julie Winters, who in another place, a seemingly never-neverland world called the Outback, is who he knows as the Leopard Queen. Maxx deems himself the Protector of the Leopard Queen, and is tied to her in ways he can't explain, but is slowly exposed to the more he interacts with Julie, and her strange malefactor, a serial rapist named Mr. Gone.
The best part about the series is that it ties the 'real' world together with the Outback and opened up to me the possibility of some sort of unified subconscious. This is not a new idea of course, but to a seventeen year old kid, collective subconscious is a hard subject to tackle and this was quite possibly the best representation I've ever seen of it. It kind of turns in on itself and presents it in a new way, not as a thing, but as a place. Add to it the art style used and you have instant classic material. Good stuff.
The Maxx is centered around, well... the Maxx. Maxx is a big, purple, violent vagrant who lives in a box in an alley. He's fallen in with pseudo-social worker, Julie Winters, who in another place, a seemingly never-neverland world called the Outback, is who he knows as the Leopard Queen. Maxx deems himself the Protector of the Leopard Queen, and is tied to her in ways he can't explain, but is slowly exposed to the more he interacts with Julie, and her strange malefactor, a serial rapist named Mr. Gone.
The best part about the series is that it ties the 'real' world together with the Outback and opened up to me the possibility of some sort of unified subconscious. This is not a new idea of course, but to a seventeen year old kid, collective subconscious is a hard subject to tackle and this was quite possibly the best representation I've ever seen of it. It kind of turns in on itself and presents it in a new way, not as a thing, but as a place. Add to it the art style used and you have instant classic material. Good stuff.
March 3, 2015
I'm kind of puzzled as to why this graphic novel receives such consistent rave reviews. It seems like the author could never decide whether this story was supposed to be realistic, cartoon-y, super hero-y, or just plain weird.
I can't help but feel that a lot of the interest in this comic is based on how cool the premise sounds. The premise on paper sounds great. Cerebral, weird story lines filled with symbolism can be amazing. The problem with The Maxx is that it fails to do anything productive with these building blocks. Each issue typically consist of three elements: pseudo-deep conversations, random dream sequences filled with symbolism, and super hero fight sequences. Supposedly this comic is about characters and their trauma, but it wastes so much time with dream sequences and pointless fights that there's not much room left to actually delve into the characters or story telling. After reading the first 6-7 issues (whatever is in this trade) the reader will have no idea what the story is, and that is a sign of poor writing.
I can't help but feel that a lot of the interest in this comic is based on how cool the premise sounds. The premise on paper sounds great. Cerebral, weird story lines filled with symbolism can be amazing. The problem with The Maxx is that it fails to do anything productive with these building blocks. Each issue typically consist of three elements: pseudo-deep conversations, random dream sequences filled with symbolism, and super hero fight sequences. Supposedly this comic is about characters and their trauma, but it wastes so much time with dream sequences and pointless fights that there's not much room left to actually delve into the characters or story telling. After reading the first 6-7 issues (whatever is in this trade) the reader will have no idea what the story is, and that is a sign of poor writing.
July 22, 2011
Sam Kieth's The Maxx is one of my favorite comic books of all times. Written with such clarity and ambition, The Maxx is a thoroughly realized allegory of how we, as humans, create our own reality, and how that reality simultaneously limits us and allows us to transcend the damage of the past. I read this about fifteen years ago, and I just started rereading it. I've been shocked by how well it has stood up over the years.
April 2, 2023
Pazzesco.
Edit: finalmente sono riuscita a leggerlo in italiano, spulciando vari mercatini.
Ribadisco, pazzesco, un orgasmo fra testo e disegni.
Edit: finalmente sono riuscita a leggerlo in italiano, spulciando vari mercatini.
Ribadisco, pazzesco, un orgasmo fra testo e disegni.
March 26, 2022
Lovely art. Inventive layouts. Possibly the start of an interesting story. But also some cringe-worthy content. My library only has issues 1-8 available, and that wasn't enough to see whether the story every really went anywhere.
May 8, 2024
An absolute mess. Writing is all over the place, art is ugly and I have no idea what's going on most of the time, and I don't care to find out. I read two issues before deciding this is definitely not for me.
Also, why is she drawn like that...
Also, why is she drawn like that...
April 19, 2013
I've been meaning to read The Maxx for ages. And I wasn't disappointed. I'll attempt a plot description, though it's is pretty loose. The Maxx is a superhero going through a mental breakdown, and may in fact be a hallucination himself; Julie is his complementary figure, and struggling through her own issues of what's real. Also there is Mr. Gone and the Iszes, twisted monsters that seem bent on inflicting the truth and reveling in power. It's all very trippy, and it's not really the point. What matters more is how the book goes through its themes: sex, violence, abuse, growing up, and ways of coping with all of the above. In a lot of ways, the book is kind of a showcase for Kieth's art. In the book's forward, written in 2003 regarding the original 1993 stuff (20 year anniversary!) Kieth says that the book is some of the most uneven art he's ever done. But it works, I'd say. The Maxx is a vaguely ridiculous, exaggerated version of the musclebound superhero, and the art in general has a rather cartoonish quality to it. (And yet, when cartoon animatorDavid Feiss takes over the art for issue 5, there's still a clear difference--it's a very interesting contrast.) Keith's paneling is particularly impressive. He's not the first artist I've seen that uses irregular layouts and panels to tell a story, but the jagged nature of the frames exceptionally well with the story's flow, and--unlike some others--it's still clear how the pages are meant to be read. As an extended allegory, the book's a little frustrating at times, because it occasionally seems that the characters are soapboxes more than anything else. But overall, it's a very intriguing book, and a nice response to the hyperviolence in comicbookdom of the 90s.
April 3, 2015
I had the first issue of The Maxx in my comic collection as a kid, though I don't remember anything about it aside from the cover art. (Back then, I was prone to buying #1 issues "just because.") But in my old age I've become more interested in the actual stories in comic books, so when I saw something online that mentioned The Maxx I decided I should check it out.
Based on the first six issues, I kind of love it.
The Maxx is a weird book. It's dark and it's different, and it doesn't dumb things down by explicitly stating what's going on. (When it comes to comics, a common gripe of mine is poorly handled exposition.) It's just much more bizarre and mature than most other titles in this medium.
And even though art is rarely a make-or-break factor for me when it comes to comics (if the story is decent, I typically don't much care what the pictures looks like), I feel the need to discuss it here--specifically, the page layouts. Sam Kieth's panels have such odd shapes to them that the art seems to be running wildly about the page, adding to the dreamlike quality of the book. I wasn't at all surprised to learn that Kieth had actually drawn some of the earliest issues of Neil Gaiman's Sandman .
If you like the dark, and the bizarre, and comics in general (or maybe even just two of the three), give The Maxx a shot. It's a little weird, but that's exactly how it should be.
Based on the first six issues, I kind of love it.
The Maxx is a weird book. It's dark and it's different, and it doesn't dumb things down by explicitly stating what's going on. (When it comes to comics, a common gripe of mine is poorly handled exposition.) It's just much more bizarre and mature than most other titles in this medium.
And even though art is rarely a make-or-break factor for me when it comes to comics (if the story is decent, I typically don't much care what the pictures looks like), I feel the need to discuss it here--specifically, the page layouts. Sam Kieth's panels have such odd shapes to them that the art seems to be running wildly about the page, adding to the dreamlike quality of the book. I wasn't at all surprised to learn that Kieth had actually drawn some of the earliest issues of Neil Gaiman's Sandman .
If you like the dark, and the bizarre, and comics in general (or maybe even just two of the three), give The Maxx a shot. It's a little weird, but that's exactly how it should be.
November 9, 2012
This rating is based partly off of the overall fantasticism of this, and partly off nostalgia. You can feel so much teenage angst bottled up into this collection of Maxx comics from the 1990's. There is this quasi-psychological bend to the story line as well that makes it enjoyable - as you rail against the existentialism of our day (and stuff).
As you will note, and the author does in the first installment of the graphic novels, the art is fairly crude. You almost feel brought in to a friend's basement as he shows you the comics he is developing while bored in a high school English class. The characters are so complex and multi-dimensional that you cannot help but but love and loath them. The world is so creative and disturbing, split in between a harsh reality in the big city and an alternate plane, that you would both want to visit and stay away.
What makes this particular grouping of stories so good is the divergence from the norm with the Seussian story 3/4 of the way through. If you don't love both the story, and the rhyming verse, you are probably an alien. The various homages, to Seuss himself, as well as others is also a fun treat.
Not your average super hero comic. Perfect for teens.
Give it a shot, but remember it's not as polished as the comics you wil find these days.
As you will note, and the author does in the first installment of the graphic novels, the art is fairly crude. You almost feel brought in to a friend's basement as he shows you the comics he is developing while bored in a high school English class. The characters are so complex and multi-dimensional that you cannot help but but love and loath them. The world is so creative and disturbing, split in between a harsh reality in the big city and an alternate plane, that you would both want to visit and stay away.
What makes this particular grouping of stories so good is the divergence from the norm with the Seussian story 3/4 of the way through. If you don't love both the story, and the rhyming verse, you are probably an alien. The various homages, to Seuss himself, as well as others is also a fun treat.
Not your average super hero comic. Perfect for teens.
Give it a shot, but remember it's not as polished as the comics you wil find these days.
January 13, 2013
Really awesome, really underrated comics. I grew up reading these, thanks to having cool parents. I loved the characters and the art back then, and it holds up today.
The creativity here is off the charts and is a must check out for any comic reader. It's got a great blend of dark humor, goofball humor, over the top action, and a touch of love but without being corny. All this takes place on the streets of a grimy, crime-riddled city and an imaginary tribal land. All characters are likable including the "bad guys."
The artwork is dark as can be yet brilliantly splashed with color. Dialogue is hilarious and I've found myself laughing out loud quite a few times already on my current read through the series.
The creativity here is off the charts and is a must check out for any comic reader. It's got a great blend of dark humor, goofball humor, over the top action, and a touch of love but without being corny. All this takes place on the streets of a grimy, crime-riddled city and an imaginary tribal land. All characters are likable including the "bad guys."
The artwork is dark as can be yet brilliantly splashed with color. Dialogue is hilarious and I've found myself laughing out loud quite a few times already on my current read through the series.
April 16, 2012
I didn't care about the Maxx when it first hit the stands with the inception of Image comics, and as it turns out, I still don't care about it. Fractured story-telling that has absolutely no connectivity or understanding of itself. If the creator doesn't know what the hell the story is and makes it up as he goes along, how is the reader supposed to follow it? There is absolutely no indication that Sam Kieth has any understanding of his own characters. He just knows what he wants to put on the page and slaps it on, no problem. The greatest part of the series is the highly stylistic artwork which I will praise to no end.
Writing Grade: D
Art grade: B
Writing Grade: D
Art grade: B
June 22, 2009
you either do or do not understand how amazing this book is. i don't see what i could possibly add here.
July 24, 2018
This was an odd one. I only slightly remember The Maxx from the '90s and I'm not sure where from. I think there was an MTV cartoon, maybe. Maxx is a homeless bum in some sort of mask that thinks he's a superhero, which makes it sound like he's not but he totally is. He's this big hulking beast of a guy with giant claw/spikes on his hands that never stands up straight and fights bad...things. There are creatures that appear to humans as whatever they are dressed as, old ladies, police, etc, but are eyeless black blobby things from another world/dimension. There is a scantily clad "freelance social worker" named Julie that is mixed up in it all. And then there is this mirror dream where Maxx is a protector of the Leopard Queen (Julie) and it's a bit confusing all of what's real and what's a psychosis and it's all a bit surreal.
The art is pretty interesting. It's a bit of a mix of R. Crumb with weird proportions and Rob Liefield and a bit of Spawn darkness for good measure. It's an odd mix (V2 has even more oddities in the art). It works well enough though and I like it.
The art is pretty interesting. It's a bit of a mix of R. Crumb with weird proportions and Rob Liefield and a bit of Spawn darkness for good measure. It's an odd mix (V2 has even more oddities in the art). It works well enough though and I like it.
December 29, 2025
Quan vaig començar a llegir-me The Maxx, no sabia on m'estava posant. Mai hauria pensat que aquest còmic tindria una forma tant sensible i efectiva de parlar sobre el trauma i les conseqüències que genera. No ho sabia. I per això m'ha passat per sobre com un puto tren.
He vist i llegit bastantes obres en les que s'explora el trauma generat per una agressió sexual. Possiblement sigui pel fet de que jo mateix he estat víctima d'una. Però no havia vist mai fer-ho de la forma com ho fa The Maxx. És una forma molt subtextual, però que sens dubte és allà, i que es nota a cada pàgina.
A part de tot això, és una sèrie que juga moltíssim amb la pròpia forma del còmic. M'encanta quan els autors tenen la llibertat per experimentar amb el propi medi que utilitzen per explicar la història.
He vist i llegit bastantes obres en les que s'explora el trauma generat per una agressió sexual. Possiblement sigui pel fet de que jo mateix he estat víctima d'una. Però no havia vist mai fer-ho de la forma com ho fa The Maxx. És una forma molt subtextual, però que sens dubte és allà, i que es nota a cada pàgina.
A part de tot això, és una sèrie que juga moltíssim amb la pròpia forma del còmic. M'encanta quan els autors tenen la llibertat per experimentar amb el propi medi que utilitzen per explicar la història.
June 19, 2025
Gerçek benliğinden kaçtığını kabullendiğin anda en değer verdiğim karaktere dönüşeceksin Julie.
April 29, 2018
so far this is the best comic i have ever read. but sadly it is not something i love. it is interesting.art is good! this might be a great comic, but i honestly dont care about or know what qualify is. all i know it is not something i consider good for my self. it is not satisfying. it is just ok comic.
November 1, 2025
Sam Kieth firing on all cylinders, taking on a far-too ambitious psychological landscape of trauma, memory, and connection within the knowingly silly superhero milieu. These early issues are messy, and barely held together, and it's by no means as good as I remember it being in the '90s, but what is?
March 20, 2018
The Maxx is a decidedly surreal, emotionally challenging, utterly bizarre series. You open that first book, and you see a big purple guy with a giant claw on each hand battling for his life. You think you're in for a thrilling super-hero adventure. There are even some good jokes thrown in to keep the mood jovial. Then, you're in a story about abused people, mostly women, coming to terms with themselves, their attackers, and their loved ones.
The Maxx has two very clear arcs - the first three books tell the story of Julie Winters, freelance social worker, rape victim and all-around cynic. Her Maxx is Dave, and he fights for her soul in the real world and in Julie's mental "outback." And Mr. Gone operates somewhere between the villain and the wise mage who instructs our heroes. All in all, the first three books are extremely engaging - Emotionally real, and full of intriguing metaphysical and psychological notions.
The second major arc encompasses the final two volumes and deals with Julie's friend (and Mr. Gone's daughter) Sara's struggle to cope with feelings of abandonment (As Kieth points out, where do you think the name Mr. Gone came from?). Although Sara is a much more empathetic character than Julie, I still found the final two volumes less fulfilling than the opening books.
The early books have plenty of interesting digressions and stories detailing our characters' histories, but the side-plots in Sara's story seem much more numerous and constantly interrupt the momentum of her story. There is a point in the second half of Book Five when I wondered if Kieth was simply stalling for time because he didn't know what would happen next. And, in fact, the ending seemed almost tacked on. After all the time spent having these characters face up to what they'd done and what had been done to them, for it to end with a magic reboot struck me as an emotional letdown.
It's a very bleak series at times, and yet there is also genuine charm and funny humor throughout. Kieth's art progresses at an amazing rate. The earliest stories are filled with clumsy designs, many of which work, some of which don't. He also experiments with different styles more frequently in the early volumes, often creating a palpable emotional reaction by doing so. The later books eschew much of this complication and experimentation for a clearer sense of storytelling (without losing any of Kieth's quirky illustrations).
The first three volumes of The Maxx are smart, funny, emotional and imaginative. The latter two volumes are interesting and worthwhile, but not as fresh or challenging as Sam Kieth's first, clumsy steps into the world of Outbacks, lampshades, Isz and freelance social workers.
The Maxx has two very clear arcs - the first three books tell the story of Julie Winters, freelance social worker, rape victim and all-around cynic. Her Maxx is Dave, and he fights for her soul in the real world and in Julie's mental "outback." And Mr. Gone operates somewhere between the villain and the wise mage who instructs our heroes. All in all, the first three books are extremely engaging - Emotionally real, and full of intriguing metaphysical and psychological notions.
The second major arc encompasses the final two volumes and deals with Julie's friend (and Mr. Gone's daughter) Sara's struggle to cope with feelings of abandonment (As Kieth points out, where do you think the name Mr. Gone came from?). Although Sara is a much more empathetic character than Julie, I still found the final two volumes less fulfilling than the opening books.
The early books have plenty of interesting digressions and stories detailing our characters' histories, but the side-plots in Sara's story seem much more numerous and constantly interrupt the momentum of her story. There is a point in the second half of Book Five when I wondered if Kieth was simply stalling for time because he didn't know what would happen next. And, in fact, the ending seemed almost tacked on. After all the time spent having these characters face up to what they'd done and what had been done to them, for it to end with a magic reboot struck me as an emotional letdown.
It's a very bleak series at times, and yet there is also genuine charm and funny humor throughout. Kieth's art progresses at an amazing rate. The earliest stories are filled with clumsy designs, many of which work, some of which don't. He also experiments with different styles more frequently in the early volumes, often creating a palpable emotional reaction by doing so. The later books eschew much of this complication and experimentation for a clearer sense of storytelling (without losing any of Kieth's quirky illustrations).
The first three volumes of The Maxx are smart, funny, emotional and imaginative. The latter two volumes are interesting and worthwhile, but not as fresh or challenging as Sam Kieth's first, clumsy steps into the world of Outbacks, lampshades, Isz and freelance social workers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2010
Preciosa poesía dibujada, y eso que la poesía no me suele gustar. The Maxx es una historieta que en teoría entra en la categoría "cómic de superhéroes", pero apenas roza algunos aspectos del género (trajes de colores y peleas contra "villanos"), y en su lugar se enfoca en ahondar en la psique humana y el vacío existencial de una manera mucho más comprometida que el 99,8% de las obras del género, y todo eso sin dejar de ser gracioso o divertido en ningún momento. Los dos protagonistas (Maxx y Julie) ya se ganaron un lugar entre mis personajes atormentados y acomplejados preferidos y admiro cómo eligen no sumirse en la miseria aunque uno tenga que vivir en una caja de cartón en la calle sucio y la otra tenga que soportar el prejuicio y el desprecio de gente que jamás podría entenderla, ni soportar lo que ella tuvo que soportar. Menciones especiales para Sarah, la adolescente que quiere tener experiencias de mierda para ser una buena escritora y para Mr. Gone, un malo de lo más odioso y carismático al mismo tiempo. Ahora tendré que conseguir 4 de los 5 libros que quedan de la serie para darme una panzada de Kieth el disléxico (oportunísimamente acompañado por Messner-Loebs en los diálogos) y aprender a predicar su deconstructiva palabra.
Read
March 31, 2008This wasn't my first read through The Maxx; I read a lot of the issues when they were individually released in the mid-90s, and I had fond memories of the book from what I could remember.[return]It's a superhero book, but superheroes from a completely novel perspective. Kind of like if Camille Paglia, an Australian aborigine, Carl Jung, and Bill Watterson (creator of Calvin and Hobbes) got together to create a superhero. The story follows Julie Winters, a 'freelance social worker' who looks after The Maxx, a homeless vagrant who thinks that he's a superhero. At the same time, however, it's also the story of The Maxx, the greatest hero of the Australian dreamland Outback, who must protect the Jungle Queen (who looks like she could be a 'freelance social worker') from evil.[return]Heavily influenced by feminist philosophy (as is all of Keith's independent work), as well as showing influence of Keith's work with Neil Gaiman's Sandman, this is superheroes that require you to pay close attention to what you're reading.
September 26, 2009
Sam Kieth creates such a twisted, darkened vision of the world we live in, yet it is wholly accurate. Injecting The Maxx with equal degrees of realism and fantasy, the story comes to life magnificently. The fragmented, fragile states of the characters is mirrored in the fluctuating artistic mediums used throughout the comics, to create an entirely magical hallucinatory trip for the reader.
As far as storyline, Kieth tugs at heartstrings, bringing the reader to a place not dissimilar to that of Julia Winters or Maxx, or even Sarah. Through the occurrences and lessons the characters must undergo in the book, Kieth does nothing short of forcing the reader to ruminate over his or her own life and hurts. It really brought me to a point of tears multiple times throughout. It's just a beautiful narrative, and the art only works to boost that quality.
As far as storyline, Kieth tugs at heartstrings, bringing the reader to a place not dissimilar to that of Julia Winters or Maxx, or even Sarah. Through the occurrences and lessons the characters must undergo in the book, Kieth does nothing short of forcing the reader to ruminate over his or her own life and hurts. It really brought me to a point of tears multiple times throughout. It's just a beautiful narrative, and the art only works to boost that quality.
June 7, 2014
I wanted to like this because it's incredibly weird, but "weird" doesn't do it for me as much as it used to. I like weird AND connectedness to the characters, and I couldn't really feel what anyone was about. I liked the concept, kind of, but I'm not big on stories that don't try very hard to make sure you form any investment in characters AND there just seem to be odd battles popping up everywhere. I did like the occasional pocket of relatability--a guy who feels nothing ever happens to him and complains about the boringness of everything while weird things are happening, or a teen girl who doesn't want to be part of the world because she sees adults don't have their acts together either--but I spent most of my reading just kind of waiting for certain things to connect and make sense and I think maybe this comic is for people more patient than I am about that sort of thing.
August 27, 2008
I remember being suckered into the cartoon in the early 90s (Thanks non commercial TV) and the image of the MAXX always stuck with me.
Essentially its a riff on the standard 'tortured' costumed hero tale with more psychological analysis laid on. All the characters' issues are explored in the real world and the headspace that is the imagined "Outback". The outback is handled very well. Everyone as some imagined view of a real location populated by half truths.
What struck me was how well the threat and evil of Mr Gone comes through without being hypergraphic (as was the edgey thing in that decade).
The tale jumps in a disjointed manner (reflecting the charcters psyche perhaps) but is engaging enough to keep you reading.
Essentially its a riff on the standard 'tortured' costumed hero tale with more psychological analysis laid on. All the characters' issues are explored in the real world and the headspace that is the imagined "Outback". The outback is handled very well. Everyone as some imagined view of a real location populated by half truths.
What struck me was how well the threat and evil of Mr Gone comes through without being hypergraphic (as was the edgey thing in that decade).
The tale jumps in a disjointed manner (reflecting the charcters psyche perhaps) but is engaging enough to keep you reading.
December 19, 2022
The Maxx nos tomó por sorpresa en los 90´s. Un comic obscuro, orgánico, con un trazo único y narrativa onírica indescriptible, casi psicótica (o no casi). No es casualidad que Keith sea coautor de The Sandman y que se haya convertido en ícono de la industria.
El trazo es detallista, prolijo y el uso del claroscuro sensacional. En verdad se extraña... arte como el de Lady Mechanika, barroco, íntimo y pesadillesco, pero sin los aires de grandeza de Benitez (lo cual se agradece).
Parte de la oferta inicial de Image, que en su tiempo fue un arrebato tras otros de sorpresas y desarrolló la verdadera competencia contra las dos grandes monstruas de siempre.
Absolutamente imperdible. De ahí al Batman de Keith que le pone a uno de buen humor.
El trazo es detallista, prolijo y el uso del claroscuro sensacional. En verdad se extraña... arte como el de Lady Mechanika, barroco, íntimo y pesadillesco, pero sin los aires de grandeza de Benitez (lo cual se agradece).
Parte de la oferta inicial de Image, que en su tiempo fue un arrebato tras otros de sorpresas y desarrolló la verdadera competencia contra las dos grandes monstruas de siempre.
Absolutamente imperdible. De ahí al Batman de Keith que le pone a uno de buen humor.
August 16, 2008
A great, strange, fairly original comic from the heyday of Image Comics.
While the other Image artists were creating cheesy titles and setting their standard of Enormous Muscles, Gigantic Breasts, and Ridiculously Oversized Firepower, Sam Keith (and Bill Messner-Loebs) was producing a solid sleeper dealing more with the human psyche than overcharged superheroes.
I never cared much for this one during its original print run -- I was probably 12 or 13, so some (or all) of the complex plot points were completely lost on me at the time.
Reading it now, I can appreciate how Keith (&Messner-Loebs) didn't dumb down the title for other general audiences.
While the other Image artists were creating cheesy titles and setting their standard of Enormous Muscles, Gigantic Breasts, and Ridiculously Oversized Firepower, Sam Keith (and Bill Messner-Loebs) was producing a solid sleeper dealing more with the human psyche than overcharged superheroes.
I never cared much for this one during its original print run -- I was probably 12 or 13, so some (or all) of the complex plot points were completely lost on me at the time.
Reading it now, I can appreciate how Keith (&Messner-Loebs) didn't dumb down the title for other general audiences.
September 23, 2011
I love The Maxx. The plot is interesting in itself; you don't have to love comics to read this book. The basic plot is of a homeless man who thinks he's a superhero, and his freelance social worker/love interest Julie. There are outbacks that Maxx goes back and forth into. Later we find out all sorts of things revolving around the characters and what they're meant to be doing.
I really like when stories are set in the gritty underbelly of cities. This is a perfect story if you're into stuff like that. I would recommend this story to anyone who loved stories about people on the street, or if you're just into fantasy.
I really like when stories are set in the gritty underbelly of cities. This is a perfect story if you're into stuff like that. I would recommend this story to anyone who loved stories about people on the street, or if you're just into fantasy.
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