Sam Kieth, creator of The Maxx, Zero Girl and Four Women, has joined with IDW Publishing to release Art Of Sam Kieth, a massive overview of his entire comics career.
The 352-page, full color retrospective collection of Sam Kieth's art includes not only his creator-owned work but also scores of never before seen unpublished work, including examples of art Sam has done for Image(unpublished Maxx covers, art, first drawings of Maxx, Julie, Mr. Gone), and DC (including the first four 4 sketches of the Sandman ever drawn), and various other publishers during his decades in the comics business. Kieth became internationally known when MTV ran his animated series The Maxx, to rave reviews, and the book will also cover the animated series in detail.
Sam Kieth says, "Why an art book about me? There are better artists, more talented, more detailed, imaginative, and more popular. Okay, I am a vain sucker, but the real reason I agreed is because it's not just an art book. It's about all the phases I've been through: from black and white alternatives, up through the 'majors,' my own characters, the animated series, and even doing low budget flicks with Roger Corman. It's an odd little journey, isn't it?"
In addition to the artwork, the book includes interviews with Neil Gaiman, Jim Lee and virtually every other comic book professional Kieth has worked with over the last couple of decades. Veteran journalist and comics editor/writer John Layman has conducted the interviews and written a text that complements the extraordinary amount of artwork. There has never been a substantial collection of Kieth's artwork done before this, and very few books focusing on the career of a single artist with this much attention to detail.
"I cannot stress the size and scope of this book enough," Beau Smith, IDW's VP of Sales and Marketing, said. "Here at IDW Publishing we are bringing to Sam's art all the high quality production values for which we've become known, and which it deserves. This is the way Sam's art should be seen."
Art of Sam Kieth is a 352-page, 9" X 12" trade paperback, on sale in July 2003 from IDW Publishing, with a cover price of $50.00.
