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The Maxx #3
The Maxx, Vol. 3
The third book in Wildstorm's collection of THE MAXX explores Julie Winters' separation from The Maxx as she plunges into denial, dyes her hair red, escapes into sexual excess — and gets pregnant! Maxx returns to the Outback and discovers who he is, while Julie is forced by Mr. Gone — who appears in a toilet bowl — to face her past.
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
218 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 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 11, 2016
The third volume of The Maxx starts with Maxx wandering around in a strange Outback that's composed of makeshift tents and giant aluminum poles, where he meets another Maxx, this one with the head of a horse. He wakes to find himself in bed with Sarah and reallizes it was her Outback, not Julie's. Meanwhile, Julie bursts in and is nine months pregnant. From there, The Maxx and The Leopard Queen go on an odessey in the Outback and get to the bottom of things. All the big questions in the series so far are answered. Who was the Maxx before he put on the mask and costume? What's the deal with The Outback and the Leopard Queen anyway? And how is Mr. Gone REALLY tied up into things?
The third volume brings the first Maxx arc to a satisfying conclusion. The overall plot of the first twenty issues is rooted in both psychology and the Australian belief in the Dreaming. Pretty heavy stuff, especially considering it was published by a company specializing in big breasts and big guns. This volume leads nicely into the fourth, which picks up ten years later.
The third volume brings the first Maxx arc to a satisfying conclusion. The overall plot of the first twenty issues is rooted in both psychology and the Australian belief in the Dreaming. Pretty heavy stuff, especially considering it was published by a company specializing in big breasts and big guns. This volume leads nicely into the fourth, which picks up ten years later.
November 20, 2017
The short of it: Layers are peeling back, and I'm really digging it.
A part of me wants to amend my review for The Maxx, Vol. 2, because I feel some of my criticisms were influenced by being new to the material. Know what I mean? For any multi-part series, I think a person's response to the first part is going to be different from every subsequent review, because they're being introduced to a whole new world.
Then again, I supposed that's why I said I'd be returning to The Maxx someday. Because it's a book that's worth multiple reads.
And problems that I had with the 2nd volume seem like attributes to the 3rd, which is making me reconsider my previous evaluation. Take, for example, the page layout. In my review of Vol. 2, I said that the layout was sometimes confusing, but here, in Vol. 3, that confusion takes on a labyrinthine quality. You can't tell what you're seeing because you're going down a rabbit hole, experiencing something new. Sure, it's still muddied at times, but I think I appreciate the visual style a whole lot more with a second book under my belt.
So, too, is the story becoming clearer: still surreal, but purposefully so. I don't want to give away too many details, in part because . . . I'm not sure what those details are. But when I started reading The Maxx, I could feel a mythos being built. And in the nascent stages of Vol. 2 (and presumably Vol. 1) things felt a little sloppy. Now we better understand why things are the way they are, or why they're perceived the way they're perceived, and it's becoming easier to just go along for the ride, not ask so many questions.
Vol. 3 jumps around from character to character, even moreso than Vol. 2. Julie, Sarah, Mr. Gone. We see characters on their own, thinking and feeling without interacting with one another. And it's deep. This really is a series about memory, about trauma, about hurt and triumph. Psychology. That, at least, is what I could grasp this time around. These characters FEEL. And so do we, right along side them.
There are still a few things to nitpick. A couple of missed words in the dialogue suggests some sub-par editing. And visually, there are some moments that are telegraphed before they're shown, and the reveal is less impactful.
Nevertheless. The Maxx is fun and funny and feeling. I like it a lot. And I wish I had more focused criticisms of it, but I don't.
It's definitely worth your time. Check it out.
A part of me wants to amend my review for The Maxx, Vol. 2, because I feel some of my criticisms were influenced by being new to the material. Know what I mean? For any multi-part series, I think a person's response to the first part is going to be different from every subsequent review, because they're being introduced to a whole new world.
Then again, I supposed that's why I said I'd be returning to The Maxx someday. Because it's a book that's worth multiple reads.
And problems that I had with the 2nd volume seem like attributes to the 3rd, which is making me reconsider my previous evaluation. Take, for example, the page layout. In my review of Vol. 2, I said that the layout was sometimes confusing, but here, in Vol. 3, that confusion takes on a labyrinthine quality. You can't tell what you're seeing because you're going down a rabbit hole, experiencing something new. Sure, it's still muddied at times, but I think I appreciate the visual style a whole lot more with a second book under my belt.
So, too, is the story becoming clearer: still surreal, but purposefully so. I don't want to give away too many details, in part because . . . I'm not sure what those details are. But when I started reading The Maxx, I could feel a mythos being built. And in the nascent stages of Vol. 2 (and presumably Vol. 1) things felt a little sloppy. Now we better understand why things are the way they are, or why they're perceived the way they're perceived, and it's becoming easier to just go along for the ride, not ask so many questions.
Vol. 3 jumps around from character to character, even moreso than Vol. 2. Julie, Sarah, Mr. Gone. We see characters on their own, thinking and feeling without interacting with one another. And it's deep. This really is a series about memory, about trauma, about hurt and triumph. Psychology. That, at least, is what I could grasp this time around. These characters FEEL. And so do we, right along side them.
There are still a few things to nitpick. A couple of missed words in the dialogue suggests some sub-par editing. And visually, there are some moments that are telegraphed before they're shown, and the reveal is less impactful.
Nevertheless. The Maxx is fun and funny and feeling. I like it a lot. And I wish I had more focused criticisms of it, but I don't.
It's definitely worth your time. Check it out.
December 21, 2025
The major story arc, its characters and themes, all laid out and explained (mostly), and the sense that the series is over and could go from here anywhere or nowhere.
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.
August 2, 2018
This volume gets a bit philosophical. What it means to be a super-hero. What's real and what's not is still on topic. Mr. Gone and Julie have some history which kind of explains her psychosis. A boy asks for powers from Mr. Gone because he thinks Maxx is weak. It's all still super weird, but in a good way.
The art is still the same quality and I like it.
The art is still the same quality and I like it.
August 21, 2025
I enjoyed this volume much more than Vol. 2. There's actually some resolution happening (thank god), and there's a lot of cool, interesting ideas. I don't quite like how Julie has grown as a character, but I don't think you're supposed to. Minor pedophilia here, which isn't surprising, but still gross. Very disturbing read overall.
8/10.
8/10.
April 17, 2020
As with all the Maxx comics so far, I LOVE the art, but the story doesn't really blow me away. I do like its originality and the idea of it, but it just doesn't really grab me.
January 21, 2025
Una resolución poco convencional, pero además inconsistente que además se nota en diálogos un tanto predecibles y actitudes donde prima el estilo por sobre el contenido. Al menos es un cierre.
July 2, 2025
Girl. You crazy.
February 14, 2018
I had read that as the series progresses the main story looses focus and starts spending a lot of time with secondary characters. I don't know if this is already the case, but at least right now the shift in theme and the ability to tell a good story out of secondary or even tertiary characters has been so far the best part of The Maxx.
Let's see what the fourth and last volume have in store....
Let's see what the fourth and last volume have in store....
September 23, 2016
This series just keeps getting better and better. Only in this series would a lamp be a part of someone's origin story. Not only that, but it's silly and heartbreaking at the same time. Everything is starting to feel more cohesive without losing that dream logic that The Maxx (or is it Dave?) hates so much. Looking forward to picking up the next volume.
May 8, 2015
This one gets a bump up from my previous four-star ratings of the Maxx collections, if not just because a lot of the questions from the earlier issues are starting to get answered.
In a word, it's fascinating.
The Maxx probably isn't my favorite comic of all time (the nostalgia factor of the X-men is tough to beat, and I always love a good Daredevil story), but it might be the most captivating: I've never before encountered a comic that was such a page-turner. Maybe there are just fewer words per page here than in the average comic, or maybe Sam Kieth's story is just so strange and wonderful that I simply must know what's going to happen next; in any case, something about this series makes me fly through the books much faster than I'd expect to.
I've only got two volumes left, but this doesn't disappoint me: I'm not a fan of stories that overstay their welcome, and something tells me that the mysteries surrounding Maxx, Julia and Mr. Gone will be solved soon. When that happens, it'll be time for the book to fade gracefully into the sunset.
Can't wait to see how it all unfolds!
In a word, it's fascinating.
The Maxx probably isn't my favorite comic of all time (the nostalgia factor of the X-men is tough to beat, and I always love a good Daredevil story), but it might be the most captivating: I've never before encountered a comic that was such a page-turner. Maybe there are just fewer words per page here than in the average comic, or maybe Sam Kieth's story is just so strange and wonderful that I simply must know what's going to happen next; in any case, something about this series makes me fly through the books much faster than I'd expect to.
I've only got two volumes left, but this doesn't disappoint me: I'm not a fan of stories that overstay their welcome, and something tells me that the mysteries surrounding Maxx, Julia and Mr. Gone will be solved soon. When that happens, it'll be time for the book to fade gracefully into the sunset.
Can't wait to see how it all unfolds!
September 29, 2008
This was a fascinating volume of Maxx's story to read, because, well, everything seems to get summed up nicely. Normally, this would be what you'd expect, only this is the third volume in a five-volume series, and it's a series that has used mystery and misdirection as one of the primary modes of storytelling throughout the series. While doing this, it's also managed to keep its trademark mix of Carl June, Camille Paglia, Calvin & Hobbes, and the Incredible Hulk just right. It'll be interesting to see what happens next in the series.
On top of that, this volume showcases some of the best art I've ever seen from Sam Keith. He's got one of those art styles that people tend to either love or hate, but here it blends absolutely perfectly with the story that's being told, and adds to it immeasurably. If you're a fan of his, definitely check this out if you haven't already.
On top of that, this volume showcases some of the best art I've ever seen from Sam Keith. He's got one of those art styles that people tend to either love or hate, but here it blends absolutely perfectly with the story that's being told, and adds to it immeasurably. If you're a fan of his, definitely check this out if you haven't already.
September 27, 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 Julie 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 Julie 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.
November 12, 2012
In this collection you actually find out who the Maxx is.
Overall, this volume has its ups and downs, and is for a fairly mature audience. After the first graphic novel, in a way the subject matter Cecile's progressively more mature. The outback slowly takes a sideline for more characters, backstory, and intensity. You'll find more imagined beasts and creativity, just less so than the original.
Mr. Gone's storyline slowly becomes the most compelling, which is ironic given the comic's name.
Overall, this volume has its ups and downs, and is for a fairly mature audience. After the first graphic novel, in a way the subject matter Cecile's progressively more mature. The outback slowly takes a sideline for more characters, backstory, and intensity. You'll find more imagined beasts and creativity, just less so than the original.
Mr. Gone's storyline slowly becomes the most compelling, which is ironic given the comic's name.
October 7, 2008
This series gets better and better the further I get into it.
And since it seems as if DC/Wildstorm has let this title go OOP yet again, it's gonna be a pain in the ass trying to track down the next volume.
And since it seems as if DC/Wildstorm has let this title go OOP yet again, it's gonna be a pain in the ass trying to track down the next volume.
May 16, 2009
What a clear midpoint in this series. The transition from the mysteries of the first half to (what I assume till be) the fallout the second was surprising and awkward, which seemed completely appropriate. Such a good book.
July 27, 2009
Two Maxxes? For serious? I love the origin of his mask, of him, and of the Outback. You feel like you're getting answers, even though the answers just bring more questions. And, of course, when is Gone ever really gone?
July 2, 2018
Art is great, but, upon the reflection of a couple of decades, I think I could write this better.
And I might have...
I have the other two books on order, which I never finished in their first run.
And I might have...
I have the other two books on order, which I never finished in their first run.
September 19, 2011
I love this comic book series. Beautifully drawn, colored, and executed. The story is brilliant and characters charming. One of my favorites.
July 21, 2012
Review aqui.
April 23, 2016
This series continues to be too much of a muchness, but it was easier to get at the gem of a story underneath.
January 8, 2015
"The Maxx" TV series from MTV's "Oddities" got me curious about comics. It's still one of my favorite series.
July 28, 2016
Very surreal...
February 17, 2016
ok I hadn't read any of this previously....
October 11, 2016
so good !!!!!!
May 3, 2017
I've been reminded why I didn't care for this series years ago as I've read through this comic's initial issues for the second time. It's here, in what constitutes the third volume, that one can fully understand the first two volumes of comics without reading about them before hand. Also, it becomes clear that this comic has something to say and Kieth is capable of delivering that message in way that is both clear and imaginative and extraordinary, all at the same time.
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