The MAXX Book Two

Rating:
Summary: Amazing books for fans of being human
Review: I hope you're in touch with your inner psychoanalyst: this reads like raw dream material. Like a dream, you don't have to hang on to the details or look for coherence as you go, but let yourself be guided by many perspectives and make up your own conclusions. The purple-clad hobo hero and his macho-feminist social worker friend are just two of the motley crew of characters than you never suspected graced back alleys and highway underpasses. You'll wonder who's right, selfish or deluded, caring, co-dependent or running away from themselves. You'll see the cost of dealing with hurt and abuse as well as not dealing with it. You'll learn that inner strength comes in many forms including battling armies of black and white existential doubts in a barren portion of your subconcious. You might hear some truths from the villain who aside from showering violence in a few reality planes also sends people on collision courses with themselves.

This should be required reading for anyone who's read psychology books but needs illustration from inside people's heads... It's got really funny bits and pieces everywhere, too. It'll blow your mind - and I felt better for it!

Rating:
Summary: All you expected, but nothing more.
Review: Sam Keith really knows how to work the sequences across his pages. Additionally from having great dialogue and a unique storyline (the Maxx is a manifestation of Julie Winter's mind... a touch of spirit animal, guilt conscience, etc), The Maxx is a modern work of sequential art that is worth a look. Keith's stylized drawings combined with his edgy layouts as the characters walk from one world to another are a good enough reason to read this book, but Keith also has an ambitious script, dabbling a bit into psychology and philosophy. The book came out during the 90's, but the themes of rape and victimization are still relevant today...

Although this book is somewhat heavy on "superhero" and action, there is much more to be found in the first six issues of The Maxx collected in this edition. The collection of issues 7-13 (ISBN 1401202802) is also excellent. And, to give myself out as a The Maxx fan, I'll also point out that the awesome two hour animation is available (ASIN 6304016212), taken from the great 90's MTV Liquid Television episodes from where other great animations started (Aeon Flux, Beavis & Butthead).

It's too bad there are no collected editions for the issues of the Maxx after #13. I think Keith ended the storyline with #30, and Sam Keith and his book only got better with time.

Rating:
Summary: MAXXIMUM ART
Review: The Maxx is the most popular work of creator/writer/artist Sam Kieth. Maxx is a superhero who exists in the "real" world as a bum who lives on social worker Julie Winter's couch, but in the trippy "outback" world, Maxx is a superhero who defends Julie Winters against Mr.Gone and the nasty Isz's. Little does he know that Mr.Gone has actually invaded the "real" world and is attacking Julie Winters there!
The Maxx is ultimately a philosophical book that will make you question the reality of your surroundings.
Sam Kieth was one of the early Image Comics creators, and is known for his amazing artistic ability. A must read for any comics fan both for the artwork and the story...
Also check out Sam's version of the Maxx as done by Mtv's Liquid television on video....

Rating:
Summary: The Maxx Vol. 1
Review: This volume chronicles the fist 6 issues of Sam Keith's The Maxx. The story basically introduces us to The Maxx (a homeless superhero who constantly flips back and forth to another reality against his will), Julie Winters (his social worker/leopard queen) and Mr. Gone (a deranged lunatic who knows the truth about both realities/the villain). There is a small guest appearance by the Savage Dragon, but mostly the Maxx's world is brushed upon in this volume. It's incredibly trippy but very, very cool. Check it out if you like to read things where you really gotta think, and want to think about it even more when you put it down.