The Maxx #27

Sam Kieth's painted cover for The Maxx #27 is a striking study in amber and teal, depicting the massive, mask-helmeted Maxx hunched forward with what appear to be tiny figures cradled in his enormous hands — an image that quietly radiates both power and unexpected tenderness. The loose, expressionistic brushwork that defines this series is fully on display, with swirling washes of color dissolving into raw gestural strokes. Titled "Gathering the Forces," this September 1996 Image issue promises the kind of emotionally layered storytelling that made The Maxx one of the standout series of its era.