Laughing Gas: The Best of Maxine Paperback – June 1, 2002

The first, greatest, and only "Maxine!" (later known as "Laughing Gas"). Spectacularly spot-on - funny, ascerbic, and honest. My now adult child recently told me she pulled this book from our shelves to read when she was younger: "And so, at the age of 11, I became a feminist..."

I liked seeing Henley's cartoon when I came across them. What made me a fan - so much that I hand colored and framed it - was one that with deft and insightful humor articulated a core dysfunction over generations in my own family and growing out it in our adulthood. The book is more eclectic and has some other cartoons I love, but it's hard to make them all gems (hence the 4 stars for the book overall). I think her work is a more deliberately feminist approach in the same spirit as Doonesbury and Bloom County that deserves a wider audience.

There are two "Maxine" comic characters. One a young woman, one a grouchy but funny older woman.Two entirely different characters, drawn by two different artists.Amazon is really confusing things by lumping them together like this.Be sure you are ordering the "Maxine" you think you are ordering!

Good for a Laugh.

I thought this was the crabby Maxine and then thought, when I got it, maybe I'll like this. But man, this is so bad, not even worth a smile let alone a laugh. Don't waste your money on this.

The book came in decent timing, and is still in great condition after owning it for over a year now. Not to mention that the book itself is hilarious.

Trying to declutter, and discovered that I had saved a MAXINE! by Marian Henley comic strip from the Dallas Morning News for nearly 30 years. I think I will frame it.

I was looking for Maxine the cranking old lady. Didn't realize that there were two cartoons by the same name.

Not what I expected; I found it difficult to read and enjoy.