#mtv oddities

[medianatomy-archived]

probably my most favorite panel of the series

[90ssuperheroes]

[feralfaith]

I am The Maxx

Damn, talk about obscure media, i got the dvd for this and I'm riveted. It's a gritty real-life superhero show based on a comic. U should watch it

[captainpirateface]

[importantbusinessdinosaur]

Warmup - Jim and Roy (The Head.)

Hi it’s obscure and old cartoon characters all June! Let me know if there’s any you want to see, maybe I’ll draw them.

ko-fi | commissions open| Patreon

[sarahandjuliesroadtrip]

Exclusive! An Interview with Glynnis Campbell the voice of Julie Winters in MTV’s The Maxx!

  We here at Sarah and Julie’s Road Trip got the chance to sit down with the voice of Julie Winters herself Glynnis Campbell. A special thank you to Mrs. Campbell for taking the time to reflect on a brief period in her professional life that has meant so much to so many of us. Glynnis is a true joy and It’s safe to say she was as enthusiastic to talk to us as we were to meet her.

So ladies and Gentleman, Maxxheads of all ages, without further ado, sit back and enjoy a morning with Julie Winters.

Sarah and Julie’s Roadtrip: You have had a long and very interesting career that’s still going, spanning multiple professions that are very different from one and other. How did you get into voice acting?

Glynnis Campbell: First, thank you so much for interviewing me. It’s always a delight to make contact with people who like my work. And you’re so right about multiple careers! Sometimes I still wonder what I want to be when I grow up. Voice acting was an offshoot of singing, which I did all through school. I have a degree in Vocal Performance, so I sang opera at college and rock-and-roll on the weekends. That got me a contract with CBS Records in the all-girl rock band, The Pinups. The singing was fun, but the business was sketchy. Still, I loved the mic, so when the group burned out, it was an easy pivot to voiceover acting.

2. How did you get your part in The Maxx?

My voice coach, Johnny Rabbitt, let me know about the audition and said he thought I’d be a perfect fit. I wasn’t represented by an agent at the time, so I just went in and did a cold read for Rough Draft Studios

3. Were you ever into comic books?

 As a girl, I had a huge crush on Aqualad and the Teen Titans. Every time I visited my grandma, she’d buy me a comic book from the drugstore. I visited frequently!

4.  Did you know what The Maxx was before the Cartoon?

 I’d never heard of The Maxx. But that’s only because the comics of my youth were definitely meant for kids, so I stopped reading them. It never occurred to me that the comic audience might have changed, that current comics told deeper, more complex stories.

5.  How would you describe Julie Winters?

 More than anything, Julie Winters is a survivor. Life has left her badly damaged, but she’s managed to hold off (or embrace?) insanity with a lot of fascinating coping mechanisms—assigning characters to her emotions, finding interdependence with a fictional figure, creating alternate worlds in her mind. Her snarkiness keeps her from succumbing to depression, and her mental strength helps her battle her inner demons.

 6. Did you like working on the show?

 I absolutely LOVED working on The Maxx! It’s a rare treat to work with the whole cast while recording. Most productions are scheduled and recorded one character at a time. For The Maxx, two or three of us would be in the recording booth together, able to interact with and respond to each other. It was magical. I found Barry Stigler, who voiced Mr. Gone, deliciously evil. Since he preferred to stay in character, I cut him a wide berth! And I adored Michael Haley, who was a big, cuddly bear, so the affection you hear in my voice is real.

7. How did you prepare for voicing Julie and Lil’ Julie?

 I’ve been told I may have invented vocal fry! The truth was I wanted to give Julie a kicked-back sort of sardonic sound, like she was talking to herself. I’d heard that kind of self-assured, intimate tone from late night radio DJs. So I was channeling a male voice to a certain extent! For Lil’ Julie, it’s always been easy for me to access the little girl I used to be—innocent, pure, uncertain—so it was just a matter of reverting to that age with my voice.

8. Was it a challenge to voice some of the other, minor characters on the show like Glorie and the Cabbie victim?

 The most fun for me in doing voice work is inhabiting a wide cast of characters, slipping into the skin of someone completely different. I’ve voiced everything from a little boy to a singing tomato, from a rubber duck to the Queen of Blades. I like the challenge of changing my sound enough to fool the listener into believing it’s a completely different actor.

9. Didn’t your performance on The Maxx land you the role of our beloved Sarah Kerrigan in Starcraft?

 Speaking of the Queen of Blades… Yes, Blizzard originally wanted a Julie Winters voice for Diablo, so I was cast as The Rogue and Gillian the Barmaid. After the success of that game, I went on to voice Sarah Kerrigan and The Medic for Starcraft.

10. Did you get to interact with the rest of the cast and crew on The Maxx?

While recording The Maxx, I got to interact with other members of the cast, which as I mentioned is rare in recording. I enjoyed hanging out and listening to the other actors between my scenes. The Rough Draft directors were very warm and encouraging, and it was kind of a kick to take an occasional peek at what the animators were up to.

11. So Sam Kieth, the creator of the comic series, was heavily involved in the creation of the cartoon as a consultant. The cartoon is probably one of the most faithful comic book adaptions ever produced. Mr. Kieth is also known to be very reclusive, even with friends. Did you ever get to meet Sam Kieth?

I did meet Sam Kieth, and if I’d known how reclusive he was, I might have taken a photo. He came in one day during recording. I remember thinking he reminded me of a little boy, absolutely delighted with what all of us had done with his creation. His enthusiasm was contagious.

12. To put it lightly, the Maxx is very different and it tackles a lot of themes that are still highly controversial nearly thirty years later. Did any of your friends and family ever watch the show, if so, what did they think of it?

My friends and family watched the show, but I’m not sure they understood the story or related to the characters. Honestly, I think they were just excited that I was on MTV.

13. The Maxx’s story is very impressionistic, and it’s all intentionally left up to audience interpretation. How would you describe The Maxx cartoon and what would you say it was about?

I’m always hesitant to comment on the story, because you’re right, it IS impressionistic, and I feel like everyone takes away what they need. The thing that most surprised me, and I hope this doesn’t sound egotistical, is that despite the title being The Maxx, the main character really is Julie Winters. The series is all about her trauma, her pain, her reality, and how she manages to navigate through her world. The characters and symbolism come from her point of view and from within her mind.

14. Do you think there’s a reason Julie always seems to go barefoot?

 I don’t know for certain, but I always think of bare feet as indicating two things--vulnerability and being in touch with earth. In the case of Julie, I think that tracks. She’s emotionally fragile, and though in her head she’s exploring wild universes, she’s trying to stay grounded.

15. Any advice for aspiring voice actors?

 I think good voice acting requires two things. One is familiarity with basic mic technique, knowing about proximity and breath and the tricks of the trade. But more important is emotional openness, a willingness to expose sensitive parts of the psyche. When you don’t have the option of facial expressions or gestures, you have to be able to channel all that feeling into the voice.

16. For years there have been talks of a Maxx movie adaption, likely a live action movie. Sam Kieth has said before he’s interested in making a Maxx film and most recently, Channing Tatum has said in 2019 that he was going to direct a Maxx movie. If anyone ever contacted you to reprise your role, or even cameo in The Maxx movie, would you do it? 

I would be thrilled to have a cameo in The Maxx movie! How fun would that be? (I think I’m a bit too long in the tooth to do a live-action Julie.) But if they decided to do a full-length animated feature, I’d definitely insist on being considered for Julie.

 17. Any messages for the Maxxheads that are still out there?

I’ve been truly honored by the emails I’ve received over the years from those inspired and touched by The Maxx. Some told me the comic helped them through dark teen years. Some said they finally felt heard and understood. Some even said they felt the comic saved their life. I don’t feel I can take credit for that—it’s Sam who created the story—but I’m glad to be the conduit for his message.

 18. What do you think Julie would think of the female protagonists in your Historical Romance novels? 

The heroines in my historical romances are mostly kick-ass warrior maids, not unlike the Jungle Queen, so I’m sure Julie would approve.

19. If you could say anything to The Maxx what would it be?

 “We all need some place to go away to; some place we can be who we should have been instead of who we are; some safe place where we can escape reality. Hide. I know there are things to hide from. Shush. Just rest now. It’s okay. ‘S’okay.”

[90ssuperheroes]

[90ssuperheroes]

Brilliant artist and writer, Sam Keith passed away on March 15th due to complications from Lewy Body Dementia. He created the Maxx, co-created Sandman, and lent his unique talents to Batman, Wolverine, Punisher, and more.