The Maxx

[KingOfDreams]

I just discovered this comic. I like how the art is detailed and "comic-booky" yet cartoony and distorted at the same time. Very cool. Very surreal. Does anyone else like The Maxx?

 

[DrSpengler]

My favorite comic book of all time, actually.

Got nearly every issue, missing a couple. The new TPBs are pretty helpful, though I feel rather foolish buying an entire trade for just one or two issues. Ah well. At least I'm supporting my favorite book.

The Maxx is very character-driven and INCREDIBLY deep. I hate to classify it as a "super hero" book, as the Maxx isn't a real superhero and Mr. Gone isn't much of a villain. The book revolves around Julie and Sarah who are just plain "normal" (with the exception of all the crap going on in their heads).

It's an amazing series, and it made an amazing cartoon. If you ever get around to it, check out the 13 episode series that ran on Mtv back in the mid 90's. A great adaptation, though it ended too early.

 

[thelonecaptains]

i loved the maxx too. i know that the trades are being re-published, but does anybody know how to discern between the original printings and the more recent ones? i've seen multiple pictures of their covers, some with paintings and others with black vertical bars, alternating between negative and regular colors (sort of...)

 

[Bathrat]

I've heard of it, and seen it in stores.

what's it about?

 

[DrSpengler]

i loved the maxx too. i know that the trades are being re-published, but does anybody know how to discern between the original printings and the more recent ones? i've seen multiple pictures of their covers, some with paintings and others with black vertical bars, alternating between negative and regular colors (sort of...)

There were only two volumes of the original TPBs. You can tell the difference between the old and new ones by looking at the spines. The original TPBs were just black with the title on them, the new ones will complete a picture of the Maxx once they're all pieced together. So if it has a picture of the Maxx on the spine (or a portion, at least) then it's the new one.

And what's the Maxx about?

Oh Christ, is that a hard question to answer. On the outside you'd think it's about a big purple guy named the Maxx who shifts between two worlds: the real one, where he's nothing but a bum in a silly costume who always screws up, and the Outback, where he's the guardian of the Jungle Queen and protects her from danger. That's the description most video sleeves or TPB summaries will give you, but if you read the book, that description couldn't be more wrong. It's a drama. There are no real super heroes, there are no real super villains. In a deep sense, it's all about growing up on the inside and dealing with the painful memories you try to ignore. How they eat away at you from the inside and keep you from evolving into a better person. Like I said, it's a very deep and sometimes touching book that goes far beyond your standard superhero story.

It's a deeply personal book, one that never gets enough recognition. A real work of art.

 

[thelonecaptains]

thanks dude, i'm headed to a store right now that says they've got them. right on!

 

[heypapajinx]

oh my GOD!! so the best comic book ever! it has very deep lying undertones that i parallel with my life so owning every single gosh darn thing that has to do with it is a must must must! and all of Sam Keiths other stuff is pretty brilliant as well, but no one will ever come close to producing something as great as the Maxx!

 

[Elijya]

wow, quite a bump, I'm sorry I missed this thread when it was around originally. The Maxx is one of my all-time favorite series, Sam Keith's masterpeice, and the only good thing to come out of first year Image

and the MTV animated series was incredibly well done

 

[JewishHobbit]

I actually just picked up the first issue of this for a dollar at half priced books last month. I read it and loved it! I was planning on looking up the rest of the series, but if there's trades then I'll just get them. How many have come out and how many more will there be? How many issues came out for the Maxx? Did it complete the story when it stopped, or did it leave anything hanging? (that annoys me,.. kinda like what happened with Sojourn and Weapon X)

 

[Elijya]

to be honest, I haven't actually finished the series

the weird thing is is that there were 35 issues (and they stopped 10 years ago), and currently there are 5 trade paperbacks out that collect all 35


..... except, the spines of the trades form a mural of the Maxx... and the murals not done. So I don't know what's up with that. I have to catch up with the series, as I'ver only read the first two trades


but as I mentioned there was a truly breathtaking MTV cartoon made out of it. It was basicly panel for panel the first arc of the book. and it truly did look fantastic, in many cases they simply animated the extremely detailed artwork of the comic. See if you can find a bootleg online or at a conmic-con

 

[JewishHobbit]

I remember watching an episode or two of that when I was younger and liking it,.. I'll see if I can download it.

 

[rigel7soldiers]

Yeah, I only saw the show on MTV. And even then, I was really young, so I just barely remember it... Need to get some trades when I get the chance.

 

[WallCrawl]

Like many, my first exposure to the Maxx was the MTV series. Out of all the cartoons that aired at the time (Beavis and Butthead, The Head, and even Aeon Flux), The Maxx was the show I got the most excited about seeing. I own four of the trades, still need to pick up the 5th.

The only videos I've been able to find off the internet are fairly low quality vids. However, a poster on myspleen.com has stated that he's going to post some high quality rips soon, so Maxx fans might want to keep an eye out.

One of the funnier things is seeing all those jabs at Gaiman and Sandman. Not exactly sure what the story is there, just that Keith did the art for the first couple of issues or so of Sandman. Guess they must have had a falling out.

 

[heypapajinx]

ha haaa!
i just finished collecting my ultimate comic collection!
it took me forever to be able to find and purchase every single individual issue of The Maxx and connecting series (Friends of the Maxx, the Gay Maxx issues and Darker Image's expo where he was first introduced)
it was sooo super worth it though.
to anyone who is interested in fantastic story lines and the BEST ART EVER ANYWHERE, pick this up and anything else created, illustrated, or written by Sam Keith.

 

[MiracloFiend]

I remember reading some of this title but it was so long ago. What was the deal with the Maxx being a rabbit? Was he a rabbit in the outback and a bum in the real world?

the iszes were cool.

 

[WallCrawl]

I remember reading some of this title but it was so long ago. What was the deal with the Maxx being a rabbit? Was he a rabbit in the outback and a bum in the real world?

One of the dominant concepts of The Maxx is that every human being has a spirit animal, which is linked to the person during a pivotal moment in their life. Julie's spirit animal is a rabbit. When she was very young Julie rescued an injured rabbit that lay in the road in front of her house (as seen in The Maxx #10). Julie later witnessed her mother bludgeoning the rabbit to death with a shovel as a form of euthanasia. This traumatic event linked the rabbit to Julie's subconscious. Julie projects the rabbit onto Dave as she tries to take care of him like the rabbit she was unable to save. Maxx, who is linked to Julie and her spirit animal, becomes worried that if he removes his mask he will find the head of a rabbit beneath it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maxx

 

[MiracloFiend]

The Maxx was so abstract. still though, how was this resolved? was the Maxx ever shown to actually be a rabbit?

 

[KingOfDreams]

Wow, haven't seen this thread in awhile.

 

[Maximus One]

Bought every issue of this off eBay last week. Up to issue 8 so far. I've always loved the old cartoon and the comics that I have read but OMG I am really obsessed with this at the moment. Thinking of getting a nice, big Maxx arm or leg piece done.

 

[Maximus One]

Oh yea and, almost an 8 year bump FTW

 

[Travesty]

Ha, yeah, this is an old bump.

I never read the comic. I always saw it, and I always saw fan art for it in Wizard, but I never got around to reading it. I did watch the cartoon on MTV back in the 90s(I also think Aeon Flux was on at the same time?).

 

[Rowsdower!]

I read the first few issues of this. It was cool but I didn't stick with it for some reason. I also remember watching the MTV show. I think it was on around the same time as Aeon Flux.