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Zero Girl #1
Zero Girl
A wild, quirky, and truly original project that delighted fans of Sam Kieth’s previous work on The Maxx, Zero Girl is the story of a high-school misfit coming of age. Young Amy Smootster, weirdness magnet that she is, has never been the most popular girl in school. She can speak to insects and believes that circles are good and squares evil. Awkward and different, she doesn’t quite fit into any social circle, and she likes it that way. But strange things seem to happen when Amy is around, the spontaneous appearance of puddles of water for instance, and it has made her the target of relentless bullies. With the aid of a sympathetic guidance counselor whom she develops a mad crush on, Amy explores the meaning of her surreal abilities and discovers her place in the world.
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2001
7 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Sam Kieth
409 books269 followersKieth first came to prominence in 1984 as the inker of Matt Wagner's Mage, his brushwork adding fluidity and texture to the broad strokes of Wagner's early work at Comico Comics. In 1989, he drew the first five issues of writer Neil Gaiman's celebrated series The Sandman, but felt his style was unsuited to the book (specifically saying that he "felt like Jimi Hendrix in The Beatles") and left, handing over to his former inker Mike Dringenberg.
He acted as illustrator on two volumes of writer William Messner-Loebs' Epicurus the Sage and drew an Aliens miniseries for Dark Horse Comics, among other things, before creating The Maxx in 1993 for Image Comics, with, initially, writing help from Messner-Loebs. It ran for 35 issues and was adapted, with Kieth's assistance, into an animated series for MTV. Since then, as a writer-artist, he has gone on to create Friends of Maxx, Zero Girl, Four Women and Ojo.
Ojo comprises the first and My Inner Bimbo the second, in a cycle of original comic book limited series published by Oni Press. Loosely connected, the cycle will concern the intertwined lives of people with each other and sometimes with a supernatural entity known as the Mysterious Trout. Kieth has stated that other characters from The Maxx series will appear in this cycle of stories. My Inner Bimbo #1 was published in April 2006. Issue #2 was delayed past its original release date; It was finally resolicited in "Previews" in 2007 and hit the store shelves in November 2007.
DC Comics' Batman/Lobo: Deadly Serious, a two-issue prestige format mini-series that started in August 2007, was written and drawn by Kieth. This was followed by 2009's two-issue prestige format mini-series Lobo: Highway to Hell, written by Scott Ian and featuring art by Kieth.
He acted as illustrator on two volumes of writer William Messner-Loebs' Epicurus the Sage and drew an Aliens miniseries for Dark Horse Comics, among other things, before creating The Maxx in 1993 for Image Comics, with, initially, writing help from Messner-Loebs. It ran for 35 issues and was adapted, with Kieth's assistance, into an animated series for MTV. Since then, as a writer-artist, he has gone on to create Friends of Maxx, Zero Girl, Four Women and Ojo.
Ojo comprises the first and My Inner Bimbo the second, in a cycle of original comic book limited series published by Oni Press. Loosely connected, the cycle will concern the intertwined lives of people with each other and sometimes with a supernatural entity known as the Mysterious Trout. Kieth has stated that other characters from The Maxx series will appear in this cycle of stories. My Inner Bimbo #1 was published in April 2006. Issue #2 was delayed past its original release date; It was finally resolicited in "Previews" in 2007 and hit the store shelves in November 2007.
DC Comics' Batman/Lobo: Deadly Serious, a two-issue prestige format mini-series that started in August 2007, was written and drawn by Kieth. This was followed by 2009's two-issue prestige format mini-series Lobo: Highway to Hell, written by Scott Ian and featuring art by Kieth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
June 12, 2020
This is an odd book, as everything Sam Kieth does typically is. This is the story of a 15 year old social outcast. She sees squares as trying to get her and circles save her. The shapes shift to and fro monsters. That's the interesting part. The skeevy part is the relationship she has with her guidance counselor. She constantly flirts with him and he's more than tempted. It's icky to put it mildly. It's ultimately why I can't recommend the book. Keith's art is it's usual great, highly stylized self.
August 4, 2010
I actually almost cried at the end of book 5, it was like reading my autobiography. When I was 15 like Amy, I was picked on and tormented at school as well and turned to my English teacher with whom I formed a close bond with, I hung around him for 3 years, I was crazy about him and he always kept it professional ,I stuck around till I turned 18 and finally and I finally asked out....and he turned me down, and that's exactly what he should have done and he did, I loved him but I had no idea what sex was,I wasn't ready...Well back to the book, It was intriguing me the whole time what that damn coaster meant (spoiler) and finally in the last panel you find out...this story is simply amazing,it's so beautiful. I'm an amateur cartoonist myself and Kieth happens to be my idol and insperation and he never cesses to amaze me, he's an amazing artist and story teller.
February 9, 2024
Maybe against my better judgement...I did enjoy this collected 5 issue graphic novel.
Everything Sam Kieth produces does have a certain look it...but this was manageable and fun to look at.
The story centred on a 15 year old girls infatuation with her school guidance counselor..that nearly leaps the canyon..and sometimes has an uneasy feeling to it.
The story is actually way more weird than that relationship...but it's probably what people will focus on..
Everything Sam Kieth produces does have a certain look it...but this was manageable and fun to look at.
The story centred on a 15 year old girls infatuation with her school guidance counselor..that nearly leaps the canyon..and sometimes has an uneasy feeling to it.
The story is actually way more weird than that relationship...but it's probably what people will focus on..
April 12, 2012
Beautiful to look at. Disappointing to read.
October 7, 2024
Lots of cool metaphysics ideas and weirdo storytelling, plus Sam Kieth never misses with art, but the relationship just makes me feel icky, and the whole thing felt forced
September 7, 2025
There really isn't anyone else like Sam Keith.
March 13, 2013
As a Sam Kieth fan, it came as no surprise that my friends would get me the first issues of this comic as a gift---and it delivered! It's a wildly offbeat characterization of every outsider teen. Portraying enemies as squares and circle shapes as friendly, only validates, in my mind, the uniqueness that is Sam Kieth's imagination. While exploring very real and adult topics of peer pressure, unrequited love, and the inner workings of the teenage brain, Kieth successfully translates Amy Smootser's experience into a very creative and quirky story. I highly recommend this book!
August 19, 2016
Sam Kieth had a weird, unique, interesting idea - and he threw it all away by focusing on a gross student-teacher romance instead. If this had just been about Amy's powers and the circles-good, squares-evil thing, it could have been quite cool, but Tim makes my skin crawl. The art style is incredible, though.
June 17, 2009
The art was great. The story was... creative, and clever. But I have an ironclad disgust when it comes to teacher/student love stories, which I didn't realize this was when I picked it up. That, combined with the weird pacing, knocks this book down firmly into the two-star category.
February 11, 2011
I was told that I had read this years ago and hated it. Sometimes I do that. I loved it this time. Even the new one after it, based on her daughter, is really good. Sam Kieth, I love you.
April 14, 2012
What nonsense.
June 1, 2015
amazing book with a kick ass female character and a great story of a jaded high school student with a bizarre power, and a potato bug names Carl Jung.
December 28, 2015
Weird elements were good. The relationship storyline is the center of it and it's really weak.
February 23, 2018
Circles vs squares is a great concept to build a graphic novel on but teen girl & school authority figure romance icked me out too much to recommend this one
October 21, 2018
Better not waste your time with this book.
December 6, 2024
I've read this at least three times now, and it's still sort of... a thing. I consider it a sort of condensation of The Maxx, in that it's a head trip where it's not really clear what the point of the story is (is it really NOT as simple as "circles are good and squares are bad"?).
The main character (Amy) has a curious relationship with shame, where the more of it she has, the more... "fluid" comes from her feet. The fluid is powerful, and both it and circles protect her, but the fluid is also used by ... yeah.
What I both love and hate about Kieth's work is the art varies wildly between gorgeously photorealistic and... scribbles. It would be one thing if it were a matter of characterisation (e.g. distinguishing major characters from minor ones), but even the same character (notably Amy) looks wildly different between pages. This is particularly noticeable where a close-up angry Amy is a chapter break page facing a panel where Amy is trying to look seductive, and the colour in particular makes it seem like they're two different people. Only context really suggests that they're the same person.
I admit that this recent re-read makes me wonder if I actually like Kieth's work, or if it was just Amazing By Comparison to what I'd ever seen before (which was not a lot compared to my self-inflicted inundation of brand new content literally daily if my Goodreads reviews are any proof). The afterword in particular gives me an impression of "feminist male artist" by his assertation that he has a hard time feeling sympathy toward his male characters, so—BOOM—female lead character! Also, he declares this work in specific is an "age-difference" story (high school girl crushing on male counselor [Tim]) as a non-autobiographical account of himself and his wife (their ages the reverse of Amy and Tim's).
It's... really WEIRD, if so.
Also, also—the policewoman (Sgt. Polk) looking like a burly man but actually being a woman: It honestly could go either way, being a silly gag OR a subversive statement about femininity. If gag... then *gag.* If subversive statement that girls can ABSOLUTELY look like Danganronpa's Sakura and be PROUD, then... *yes*
Can't decide, though. HONESTLY could go either way.
I also finally understand something that I didn't on prior (re-)reads, about the ending. Amy, too, but I think she lies to save face that she doesn't actually save. I do kind of like that I keep finding new things on each re-read, but it feels like diminishing returns by this point.
I'll probably hang onto it for a little while, anyway. Unless my collection becomes SO SQUARE that I need to round it out, haha... ha.
The main character (Amy) has a curious relationship with shame, where the more of it she has, the more... "fluid" comes from her feet. The fluid is powerful, and both it and circles protect her, but the fluid is also used by ... yeah.
What I both love and hate about Kieth's work is the art varies wildly between gorgeously photorealistic and... scribbles. It would be one thing if it were a matter of characterisation (e.g. distinguishing major characters from minor ones), but even the same character (notably Amy) looks wildly different between pages. This is particularly noticeable where a close-up angry Amy is a chapter break page facing a panel where Amy is trying to look seductive, and the colour in particular makes it seem like they're two different people. Only context really suggests that they're the same person.
I admit that this recent re-read makes me wonder if I actually like Kieth's work, or if it was just Amazing By Comparison to what I'd ever seen before (which was not a lot compared to my self-inflicted inundation of brand new content literally daily if my Goodreads reviews are any proof). The afterword in particular gives me an impression of "feminist male artist" by his assertation that he has a hard time feeling sympathy toward his male characters, so—BOOM—female lead character! Also, he declares this work in specific is an "age-difference" story (high school girl crushing on male counselor [Tim]) as a non-autobiographical account of himself and his wife (their ages the reverse of Amy and Tim's).
It's... really WEIRD, if so.
Also, also—the policewoman (Sgt. Polk) looking like a burly man but actually being a woman: It honestly could go either way, being a silly gag OR a subversive statement about femininity. If gag... then *gag.* If subversive statement that girls can ABSOLUTELY look like Danganronpa's Sakura and be PROUD, then... *yes*
Can't decide, though. HONESTLY could go either way.
I also finally understand something that I didn't on prior (re-)reads, about the ending. Amy, too, but I think she lies to save face that she doesn't actually save. I do kind of like that I keep finding new things on each re-read, but it feels like diminishing returns by this point.
I'll probably hang onto it for a little while, anyway. Unless my collection becomes SO SQUARE that I need to round it out, haha... ha.
September 17, 2019
I liked the art, and I liked the story enough. It was a lovely, trippy ride.
However: the artwork was too inconsistent...for me. Every time each character was drawn, it was slightly, (or sometime wildly!) different. I can live with chaos, but if it's in the same book, then it becomes difficult to 'attach' to the characters and invest in them. The story didn't really seem to ...go anywhere. So I enjoyed it...it was diverting, but it won't stay with me for long.
However: the artwork was too inconsistent...for me. Every time each character was drawn, it was slightly, (or sometime wildly!) different. I can live with chaos, but if it's in the same book, then it becomes difficult to 'attach' to the characters and invest in them. The story didn't really seem to ...go anywhere. So I enjoyed it...it was diverting, but it won't stay with me for long.
October 20, 2018
Enjoyed the very original take on superpowers and villains. Had complicated feelings about the 15yr old girl/guidance counselor romance storyline. Actually, not sure they were that complicated, it really just felt icky. Wish that hadn't been a part of this, and we could have just had an Amy Smootster story, cause she is pretty awesome.
February 21, 2018
A typical, strange, and mind boggling Sam Kieth novel. In other words, awesome but definitely not for your average reader. However, if you're interested in literature, psychoanalysis, and the unconscious, this is the graphic novel for you! What a weird ride.
May 30, 2021
Hey, yeah, good stuff. Art = great, story = interesting, neato, scary, suspenseful.
Plus there is a fifteen year old girl (nay, two!)who knows not her own strength, and you know I dig that kind of thing.
Plus there is a fifteen year old girl (nay, two!)who knows not her own strength, and you know I dig that kind of thing.
August 14, 2017
brilliant cannot wait to read the next one
November 20, 2018
Zero Girl, Five Stars
Quite brilliant; captivating. Twists and turns that appeal to the alienated part of all of us. Definitely going to read again! Highly recommended!!
Quite brilliant; captivating. Twists and turns that appeal to the alienated part of all of us. Definitely going to read again! Highly recommended!!
April 27, 2021
What, no one's ever had a crush before? GTFOH
May 19, 2021
Utterly bizzare. Probably wouldn't read again.
April 22, 2025
no one draws like Sam Kieth. lolita narrative is a bit cringe worthy.
June 18, 2025
This says it all, really: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All the reviews that found this unavoidably objectionable obviously(?) didn't read the afterword.
All the reviews that found this unavoidably objectionable obviously(?) didn't read the afterword.
July 28, 2010
A lady friend recommended this to me, so I checked it out. Sam Keith is one of my favorite comic book artists/writer, and I loved The Maxx, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. Fortunately, I was right!
This comic, while short, is crammed with all of the wild artwork, erratic paneling, and a surreal plot twists that I have come to expect from Kieth's warped mind. The main character, Amy, is a strange loner, not unlike Julie in The Maxx, and I think I can understand why my lady friend (ok, let's just go ahead and call her my "ex") enjoyed the comic so much: she could relate to Amy's feelings of isolation and social anxiety. I have a feeling a lot of girls would probably relate to this character. Sam Keith almost has a Tim Burton-esque fascination with outsider character types.
It's funny, although the crazy, metaphysical aspect of "circles vs squares" was certainly very interesting (not to mention original), I was much more invested in the story of Amy's relationship with her guidance counselor, Tim, who is about ten years older than her. On a personal note, I can relate to a significant age gap being a huge impediment to a budding relationship (although it wasn't the same scenario - my situation was *legal*, and didn't involve the awkwardness of a teacher/student relationship). That being said, I think the way the story ends is very appropriate and realistic.
Anyway, if I have a complaint, I suppose it's that Keith goes a little overboard with his writing, and had issues deciding if he was telling a story about a student and teacher falling in love with each other, or a story about an odd student with inexplicable powers, being stalked by squares. Perhaps had he expanded the story a bit, he would have had more room to let both storylines breath a bit. As it stands, there's just a lot of shit to take in. Needless to say, though, his artwork was amazing.
Anyway, good book, definitely worth checking out, but maybe just read this on your lunch break at Borders or something. Save your money to buy the collected volumes of The Maxx!
This comic, while short, is crammed with all of the wild artwork, erratic paneling, and a surreal plot twists that I have come to expect from Kieth's warped mind. The main character, Amy, is a strange loner, not unlike Julie in The Maxx, and I think I can understand why my lady friend (ok, let's just go ahead and call her my "ex") enjoyed the comic so much: she could relate to Amy's feelings of isolation and social anxiety. I have a feeling a lot of girls would probably relate to this character. Sam Keith almost has a Tim Burton-esque fascination with outsider character types.
It's funny, although the crazy, metaphysical aspect of "circles vs squares" was certainly very interesting (not to mention original), I was much more invested in the story of Amy's relationship with her guidance counselor, Tim, who is about ten years older than her. On a personal note, I can relate to a significant age gap being a huge impediment to a budding relationship (although it wasn't the same scenario - my situation was *legal*, and didn't involve the awkwardness of a teacher/student relationship). That being said, I think the way the story ends is very appropriate and realistic.
Anyway, if I have a complaint, I suppose it's that Keith goes a little overboard with his writing, and had issues deciding if he was telling a story about a student and teacher falling in love with each other, or a story about an odd student with inexplicable powers, being stalked by squares. Perhaps had he expanded the story a bit, he would have had more room to let both storylines breath a bit. As it stands, there's just a lot of shit to take in. Needless to say, though, his artwork was amazing.
Anyway, good book, definitely worth checking out, but maybe just read this on your lunch break at Borders or something. Save your money to buy the collected volumes of The Maxx!
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February 16, 2011truly wonderfully weird wacky and awesome, but not in any obvious way, surreal dark great, brilliant metaphorical reflection of teen high school life, and of the idea of turning you fears and that which makes you different into your greatest strength, but enough warbling, zero girl is probably my favorite non mainstream super character, and that's all i actually set out to say............oh and i love sam kieth.
September 20, 2013
I enjoyed this book, even though it was a little strange. It was the end that really irked me.At the time, I didn't realize that there were any other books,(I think there are, right) so it was extremely anticlimactic and abrupt. You may say I can't handle reality, but I don't like a sad ending. Other than that, I liked this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews