We’re sorry to report the passing of American comic artist Sam Kieth, creator of The Maxx, his death last Sunday announced by his family via comic editor and publisher Scott Dunbier. He had, sadly, suffered from Lewy Body Dementia for several years.
Sam Kieth was a rare and individual talent, his influences, Rob Cave notes, as diverse as Vaughn Bode and Arthur Suydam, and mainly from outside of superhero comics.
As fellow comic creator Phil Hester has noted here over on BlueSky, “Sam Kieth did not bend for comics. Comics bent to him. I won’t call his manner of drawing merely a style because that implies some level of artifice. Maybe not since Kirby had mainstream comics seen an artist with less filter between his imagination and the printed page.
“MTV taking a chance on The Maxx actually led them to looking at other weird comics like The Wretch. It never went past initial discussions, but even that stage would not have been reached with The Maxx staking out the frontier.”
“One thing that becomes very clear from reading interviews with Sam is that like many of us, he struggled. Yet he somehow alchemically transmuted all that pain into compassion,” notes Alex Paknadel. “The Maxx is the Don Quixote of superheroes, trying to do good in a world of switchblades and sleazy landlords. Masterpiece.”
As per Sam’s wishes, there will be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, his family asks for donations to be made in his name to either Hero Initiative, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund or the Lewy Body Dementia Association.
“Sam Kieth has passed and I’m heartbroken,” commented artist Kelley Jones. “Sam’s the guy who got me to go to DC. He got me to do Sandman. He got me to do Alien. And best of all, he introduced me to my wife.
“I met Sam when we were both 16 years old at a mutual friend’s house. I knew his cousin from an art class and she said to Sam, ‘I know a weird guy like you, you should meet him!’ and so we did. The first thing he said was ‘I know my stuff is weird, but you might like it because your stuff is too’.
I instantly loved his work and him.
“Sam was as different as his art. Utterly unique… a shy person who could speak his mind. He had solid opinions yet they were so grounded and well thought out.
“Once, a few years later when we were both in comics professionally [we] had a deep talk on how to ink and the philosophy of that craft. It completely changed my approach and outlook. We said on many occasions that talk was a turning point in both our careers.
“… I can say this about Sam and I told him this often, no matter what issue of a comic he drew there would be something of genius in that book, something no one else had done before. He cringed when I say that, but I believe that to be true.
“God rest your soul my friend.”
In his tribute, Scott records how Sam began his career as a teenager.
“His earliest notable work was as the inker of Matt Wagner’s Mage: The Hero Discovered. In 1989, Sam co-created Sandman with Neil Gaiman and penciled the first five issues. That same year, he co-created the original graphic novel, Epicurus the Sage, with William Messner-Loebs. The following year, he and his longtime friend, Kelley Jones, collaborated on a beautifully drawn issue of the Incredible Hulk. The stunning art in that issue lead to a memorable series of Wolverine stories and covers in Marvel Comics Presents.
“In 1993, Sam created The Maxx at Image Comics, scripted by Messmer-Loebs. A nervous sort, Sam was initially worried that the series would flop and Marvel would never hire him again. Thankfully, friends eased his fears and convinced him to go for it.
“The Maxx was a huge success, running for 35-issues plus a couple of spin-offs. Sam (and his wife Kathy) interacted with fans in the series’ letters page, which Sam felt was an integral part of the comic experience. The Maxx was also adapted (using Sam’s art) as a short-lived animated series.
“In the early 2000s, Sam wrote and drew Zero Girl and Zero Girl: Full Circle and Four Women. These were intensely personal works by Sam and he was proud of them. If you are a fan of Sam’s stories but are unfamiliar with these, go check them out.
“Sam also wrote and drew the mini-series, Batman: Secrets, as well as the Batman/Maxx: Arkham Dreams crossover which, because of the onset of his illness, was his last major work. Sam’s blog, Trout-a-Verse, is still available online, though; go to samkieth.blogspot.com to see some of his art and his wacky sense of the world.
“Sam’s family, friends, and legions of devoted fans will miss him dearly. He is survived by his wife Kathy and his mother, Sammie Robertson.”
Our sympathies to Sam’s family, friends and many fans at this time.
Sam Kieth 11th January 1963 – 15th March 2026
As per Sam’s wishes, there will be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, his family asks for donations to be made in his name to either Hero Initiative, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund or the Lewy Body Dementia Association
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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