The Maxx: Maxxium Sound

So, here’s a dirty little secret… MTV stopped playing music 24/7 in the 90’s. Heck, technically even the 80’s, but folks like to pretend its something new and make a huge deal out of it. Granted, MTV isn’t (and hasn’t been for a VERY long time) my cup of a tea, but I’m also not a teenage girl, so it’s not supposed to be.

But there was a time in the 90’s, when MTV was cool for my age group and I loved the various content offered, particuarly their animation block. There was Beavis and Butthead, which in itself was fantastic, but they also had a show caled The Oddities which featured short episodes of The Maxx and The Head, which was usually followed Aeon Flux. These shows were strange and it was some couragous programming for a channel built on playing music videos.

Beavis and Butthead was my favorite, followed up by The Maxx. The Maxx was based on a comic by Sam Keith, and tells the story of a homeless man, who befriends a social worker who looks after him. But in an alternate reality, he is actually her protector in this pre-historic/Australian type environment. The show is flashy, has great animation, and tells a story that deals with mental illness and violence.

Recently, I ran across The Maxx on Archive.org and watched a few episodes. During my rewatch, I felt compelled to look up more about The Maxx, since I haven’t watched or read the comics since the 90s. During this search, I ran across something unique, The Maxx: Maxximum Sound, a cassette tape that was released and made to be listened in tandem with reading the first three issues of the comics.

I’m always a fan of weird and forgotten tie-ins, and this album really fits the bill. It’s basically an audiobook edition of those first three issues, featuring a full cast, sound effects, and music. It really helps put you into the world of The Maxx, which is worth visiting if you’re into things a little bit off.