Sam Kieth's THE MAXX #3

“Well, I probably had a good reason.”

We already have a classic. # 3 opens with our big purple vagrant having a bad day in the Outback, first hunting and then duking it out with a gang of nasty Isz creatures. (Those continuous CHUNGs represent both tribal drums and Maxx’s real-world headaches, BTW.) He manages to win the fight, but is then immediately captured, leading to a mind-bending sit-down with Mr. Gone…who’s only decapitated in the real world as it turns out.

Gone says Julie needs Maxx, and sends him back to The City. Julie and Maxx then bond on her rooftop as they clip her toenails. We discover Julie’s past rape, but Julie refuses to acknowledge scars from the attack. As she adopts a tough-girl facade, her inner Jungle Queen weeps.

A nice example of what early Image could’ve been: an excuse to draw cool stuff, but sharp scripting and intriguing mysteries keep readers engaged. Gone’s actions will never make 100% sense, but we forgive because the overall work is strong. That closing moment between Julie & Maxx is human and tragic; something raw that couldn’t exist in the days of trigger warnings and lectures over which creators can tell which stories.

MTV’s adaptation featured some amazing vocal performances, and cool tricks like the CGI air-whale that also exists as a Goodyear blimp. The nail-clipping scene has become an iconic piece of Maxx lore, with good reason. It’s the scene Julie becomes the true star of this book, even if the covers are still offering generic hero shots.

This lettercol births more iconic Maxx lore: Kieth reveals Maxx is a fan of both Pez and toast, running gags that continue throughout this run. And the earliest letters from outcasts who relate to this outcast, lousy superhero. “The Maxx is a weird book for weird people” says Kieth.

#MTV #TheMaxx #1990s