The MAX Comics imprint is not Marvel's first effort in featuring explicit content in their titles. The company's Epic Comics imprint in the 1980s and early 1990s often featured stronger content than their mainstream imprint. However, the MAX Comics imprint is the first time Marvel has specifically produced comics with uncensored content.
While some works such as Alias have received acclaim, the imprint has attracted controversy, with some critics considering some of the titles to be gratuitous in its use of mature or vulgar content. Since 2012, the new works under the MAX imprint have been limited to the Punisher series. Marvel now portrays MAX as a rating indicating mature content, rather than a separate brand.
The first series to be published under the Max imprint was Alias, written by Brian Michael Bendis.[3] Several limited series were then created specially for the Max imprint, such as Apache Skies and Haunt of Horror, but the majority of its publications were based around existing Marvel characters, such as Howard the Duck and Devil-Slayer.
One Marvel character who was revived by Max was Rawhide Kid[4] who in 2002 became the first openly gay Marvel comic book character to star in his own magazine.[5] The first edition of the Rawhide Kid's saga was called Slap Leather. According to a CNN.com article, "The new series pairs the original artist, John Severin, now 86, with Ron Zimmerman, a television writer. Making the Rawhide Kid gay was Zimmerman's idea."[5] The character's sexuality is conveyed indirectly, through euphemisms and puns, and the comic's style is campy.[5] Conservative groups protested the gay take on the character, which they claimed would corrupt children, and the covers carried an "Adults only" label.[6]
Criticism
Former Marvel president and chairman Stan Lee openly criticized the Max imprint. Referring to an incident of strangulation with intestines in the 2001 Fury miniseries, based on the character Nick Fury, whom he co-created, Lee said, "I don't know why they're doing that. I don't think that I would do those kinds of stories".[7]
MAX Ant-Man and Deathlok miniseries were both solicited, but were cancelled before their release.
Some of the titles such as Alias, The Hood, Wisdom, Thor: Vikings and Apache Skies are considered part of Earth-616, the main Marvel Universe, while others like Punisher MAX, Wolverine MAX, Fury, Deadpool MAX and Foolkiller take place in alternate universes.
See also
Marvel Knights, similar Marvel Comics' former mature-readers imprint
DC Black Label, DC Comics' current mature-readers imprint
^"NYCC: Kirkman Talks "Destroyer MAX"". Comic Book Resources. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
^ https://archive.today/20091126034834/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=154261. Archived from the original on November 26, 2009. Retrieved February 21, 2009. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^Ekstrom, Steve (July 13, 2009). "Return to Fortune: Chaykin on Dominic Fortune MAX". Newsarama. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
^. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
^. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
^ at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
^. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
^"Shout at the Devil: Irvine talks "Son of Satan"". Comic Book Resources. 2 June 2006. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
^. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2009-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"Heroes Con '09: Marvel's Starr the Slayer Returns". Newsarama.com. 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
^"HeroesCon: Way & Corben Talk "Starr the Slayer"". Comic Book Resources. 20 June 2009. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
^. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2008.
^. Archived from the original on March 11, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2008.
^Singh, Arune (June 2, 2006). "Marvel Fanboys: Mike Raichit Talks 'Zombie'". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
comics, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, comics, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, february, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Max comics news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message MAX Comics is an imprint of Marvel Comics specializing in comic book media aimed at adult only readers It was launched in 2001 after Marvel broke with the Comics Code Authority and established its own rating system 2 MAX ComicsThe logo utilized for Marvel MAX ComicsParent companyMarvel ComicsStatusActiveFounded2001Country of originUnited StatesHeadquarters locationNew York City New YorkKey peopleJoe QuesadaAxel Alonso 1 Publication typesComicsThe MAX Comics imprint is not Marvel s first effort in featuring explicit content in their titles The company s Epic Comics imprint in the 1980s and early 1990s often featured stronger content than their mainstream imprint However the MAX Comics imprint is the first time Marvel has specifically produced comics with uncensored content While some works such as Alias have received acclaim the imprint has attracted controversy with some critics considering some of the titles to be gratuitous in its use of mature or vulgar content Since 2012 the new works under the MAX imprint have been limited to the Punisher series Marvel now portrays MAX as a rating indicating mature content rather than a separate brand Contents 1 History 2 Criticism 3 Titles 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditThe first series to be published under the Max imprint was Alias written by Brian Michael Bendis 3 Several limited series were then created specially for the Max imprint such as Apache Skies and Haunt of Horror but the majority of its publications were based around existing Marvel characters such as Howard the Duck and Devil Slayer One Marvel character who was revived by Max was Rawhide Kid 4 who in 2002 became the first openly gay Marvel comic book character to star in his own magazine 5 The first edition of the Rawhide Kid s saga was called Slap Leather According to a CNN com article The new series pairs the original artist John Severin now 86 with Ron Zimmerman a television writer Making the Rawhide Kid gay was Zimmerman s idea 5 The character s sexuality is conveyed indirectly through euphemisms and puns and the comic s style is campy 5 Conservative groups protested the gay take on the character which they claimed would corrupt children and the covers carried an Adults only label 6 Criticism EditFormer Marvel president and chairman Stan Lee openly criticized the Max imprint Referring to an incident of strangulation with intestines in the 2001 Fury miniseries based on the character Nick Fury whom he co created Lee said I don t know why they re doing that I don t think that I would do those kinds of stories 7 Titles EditAlias 1 28 2001 Apache Skies 1 4 2002 Black Widow Pale Little Spider 1 3 2002 Blade 1 6 2002 Born 1 4 miniseries 2003 Punisher MAX origin Cage 1 5 2002 Dead of Night featuring the Man Thing 1 4 miniseries 2008 8 Devil Slayer 1 4 miniseries 2008 9 10 Werewolf by Night 1 4 miniseries 2009 11 Deadpool MAX 1 12 2010 12 Deadpool MAX II 1 6 2011 Deadpool MAX X Mas Special one shot 2011 The Destroyer 1 5 miniseries 2009 13 14 Doctor Spectrum 1 6 Dominic Fortune 1 4 2009 15 The Eternal 1 6 2003 Fantomex 1 4 2013 Foolkiller 1 5 miniseries 2007 16 17 Foolkiller White Angels 1 5 miniseries 2008 Fury 1 6 2001 Fury Peacemaker 1 6 2006 Fury MAX 1 13 also known as Fury My War Gone By 2012 Haunt of Horror Edgar Allan Poe 1 3 miniseries 2006 18 H P Lovecraft 1 3 miniseries 2008 19 Hellstorm Son of Satan 1 5 2006 20 21 The Hood 1 6 2002 Howard the Duck 1 6 miniseries 2002 The Punisher 1 65 2003 later Punisher Frank Castle MAX 66 75 2008 Punisher MAX One shots Punisher The End 2004 Punisher The Cell 2005 Punisher The Tyger 2006 Punisher MAX Annual 2007 Punisher Force of Nature 2008 Punisher MAX Special Little Black Book 2008 Punisher MAX X Mas Special 2008 Punisher MAX Naked Kill 2009 Punisher MAX Get Castle 2009 Punisher MAX Butterfly 2010 Punisher MAX Happy Ending 2010 Punisher MAX Hot Rods of Death 2010 Punisher MAX Tiny Ugly World 2010 PunisherMax 1 22 2009 Punisher MAX The Platoon 1 6 2017 Punisher Soviet 1 6 2019 The Punisher Presents Barracuda MAX 1 5 2007 Rawhide Kid 1 5 2003 Shang Chi Master of Kung Fu 1 6 Starr the Slayer 1 4 2009 22 23 Strange Tales II 1 3 2010 only 1 is under the MAX label 2 3 are Marvel Knights Supreme Power 1 18 moved to the normal Marvel Comics imprint in 2006 under the name of its predecessor Squadron Supreme Supreme Power Hyperion 1 5 2005 Supreme Power Nighthawk 1 6 2005 Supreme Power vol 2 1 4 2011 Terror Inc 1 5 miniseries 2007 Terror Inc Apocalypse Soon 1 4 2009 Thor Vikings 1 5 miniseries 2003 U S War Machine 1 12 2001 U S War Machine 2 0 1 3 2003 Untold Tales of Punisher Max 1 5 2012 War is Hell The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle 1 5 2008 24 25 Wisdom 1 6 2007 Wolverine MAX 1 15 2012 X Men Phoenix Legacy of Fire 1 3 only issues 2 3 are under the MAX label 2003 Zombie 1 4 miniseries 2006 26 The Zombie Simon Garth 1 4 miniseries 2007 MAX Ant Man and Deathlok miniseries were both solicited but were cancelled before their release Some of the titles such as Alias The Hood Wisdom Thor Vikings and Apache Skies are considered part of Earth 616 the main Marvel Universe while others like Punisher MAX Wolverine MAX Fury Deadpool MAX and Foolkiller take place in alternate universes See also EditMarvel Knights similar Marvel Comics former mature readers imprint DC Black Label DC Comics current mature readers imprint Vertigo DC Comics former mature readers imprintReferences Edit Entertainment News Celebrity and Pop Culture ABC News Abcnews go com Retrieved 2016 02 22 Jonah Weiland July 5 2001 Marvel s New Ratings System Explained Comic Book Resources Retrieved February 8 2011 Lee Stan Quesada Joe 2008 Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History London DK Publishing p 307 ISBN 978 0756641238 Comic Book First Gay Gunslinger CBS News 2002 12 11 retrieved 2009 03 21 a b c Marvel Comics to unveil gay gunslinger CNN 2002 12 09 archived from the original on 2009 02 28 retrieved 2009 03 21 Palmer Joe 2006 10 16 Gay Comics 101 AfterElton com archived from the original on 2009 03 22 retrieved 2009 03 21 James Adams Code Red in the New Comicdom The Globe and Mail May 2 2002 p R9 Aguirre Sacasa talks Dead of Night featuring Man Thing Comic Book Resources 13 February 2008 Retrieved 2016 02 22 WW Philly Devil Slayer Returns in Dead of Night Comic Book Resources 31 May 2008 Retrieved 2016 02 22 Warren Simons amp Brian Keene On Max s Devil Slayer Newsarama com 2008 06 03 Retrieved 2016 02 22 Swierczynski on Werweolf By Night Comic Book Resources 19 December 2008 Retrieved 2016 02 22 The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators Maelmill insi de 2015 06 28 Retrieved 2016 02 22 NYCC Kirkman Talks Destroyer MAX Comic Book Resources 19 April 2008 Retrieved 2016 02 22 https archive today 20091126034834 http forum newsarama com showthread php t 154261 Archived from the original on November 26 2009 Retrieved February 21 2009 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty title help Ekstrom Steve July 13 2009 Return to Fortune Chaykin on Dominic Fortune MAX Newsarama Retrieved September 26 2009 Max ing Out the Future Axel Alonso Talks Marvel Max Newsarama Archived from the original on May 19 2009 Retrieved September 26 2009 Gregg Hurwitz Talks Foolkiller Newsarama Archived from the original on October 29 2007 Retrieved September 26 2009 Haunt of Horror Edgar Allan Poe at the Comic Book DB archived from the original Corben and Lovecraft at Marvel in June Newsarama Archived from the original on December 8 2008 Retrieved March 25 2008 Shout at the Devil Irvine talks Son of Satan Comic Book Resources 2 June 2006 Retrieved 2016 02 22 Archived copy Archived from the original on 2007 10 17 Retrieved 2009 09 26 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Heroes Con 09 Marvel s Starr the Slayer Returns Newsarama com 2009 06 19 Retrieved 2016 02 22 HeroesCon Way amp Corben Talk Starr the Slayer Comic Book Resources 20 June 2009 Retrieved 2016 02 22 Nick Lowe on Marvel Max s War is Hell Series Newsarama Archived from the original on December 8 2008 Retrieved March 9 2008 404 Archived from the original on March 11 2008 Retrieved March 9 2008 Singh Arune June 2 2006 Marvel Fanboys Mike Raichit Talks Zombie Comic Book Resources Retrieved 2009 03 11 External links EditMAX at the Grand Comics Database MAX at the Comic Book DB archived from the original Marvel com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Max comics amp oldid 1143031198, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
