THE WORD ON THE DIGITAL STREET
Channing Tatum has said that he is reportedly working behind the scenes to bring the Maxx to the big screen. That was last November, and the front has grown quiet. Still, the possibility of a Maxx movie keeps the word on fans' tongues.
Tatum has not been this popular in comic circles since he was on the cusp of landing the lead role in a Gambit solo movie. Of course, those rumors began prior to Disney scooping up all the Fox properties, and Tatum’s Gambit flick received the dreaded ax. Personally, I saw this as a blessing. Can you imagine Channing Tatum’s Cajun accent? I get shivers just imagining it.
With things still in the very early stages of development, there is no guarantee that Tatum’s Maxx project will see the light of day. However, it does sound promising, especially since the Oscar-nominated Joker opened doors for gritty, R-rated comic book adaptations.
This will not be Maxx’s first foray onto screens. If you have never watched it, check out MTV’s cult classic animated series from 1995. It has a distinct animated style and mature overtones that were groundbreaking for its time.
WHAT IS THE MAXX?
The original run of Image’s Maxx series lasted just 35 issues, and they can usually be found in the dollar bins at your local comic shops. And they are worth every penny. Sam Keith put together a unique adventure that splits its time between the real world and the fantasy world of the Outback. It delves into a psychological examination symbolized in fantastic elements. It will leave you with so much to ponder and have you thumbing through the pages a second time.
THE MAXX #1
The good thing here is that, like so many other Image titles from the early 1990s, there was an abundance of copies to be found. If you want your own, it will not be hard to come by. That also keeps the values reasonable. At the moment, a graded 9.8 is averaging $54 over the past 90 days. Compare that with the $33 sales from a year ago, and we see the impact of the movie rumors. If business picks up and casting choices are made, things will pick up. Once a trailer hits and if the movie gets enough buzz, then we could see more impressive values.
Speaking of value, the better investment is in The Maxx #1 glow-in-the-dark edition. Remember, this was the ‘90s, so a gimmicky cover was nothing unusual. That being said, not as many bought this variant. Now it has a 90-day FMV of $155.
The real money, however, is in the newsstand copy. As with so many Image titles, the newsstand commands a much higher price tag than its counterparts. In this case, a 9.8 sold for $300 this past May and $200 in July.
MAXX-ING OUT
A couple years ago, I wrote a blog post guessing which 1990s Image comics could make the transition to screens big or small. Even then, I thought the Maxx was fit for a great adaptation with the right creative team. Hopefully, this will come to fruition.
