The Maxx

Sam Kieth’s surreal, psychologically charged series The Maxx ran for 35 issues at Image Comics in the 1990s, blending superhero tropes with dreamlike horror and raw emotional depth. The story follows the hulking, purple-clad Maxx and his social worker friend Julie Winters as they navigate a shifting reality between the gritty urban world and a bizarre, violent dreamscape called the Outback, populated by the tiny, mischievous Isz and the sinister Mr. Gone. With Kieth’s distinctive, expressive art and contributions from Bill Messner-Loebs and Alan Moore, the series became a cult touchstone for its unflinching exploration of trauma, identity, and the line between fantasy and reality.