NEW KISS COMICS

New release: Dynamite is launching a new KISS comic series on October 19th. With the band's larger-than-life image and theatrical performances, it's no wonder they've had great cross-over success in the world of comics. They first appeared in Marvels' Howard the Duck #12 in 1977, then famously starred in the first issue of Marvel Super Special (battling Doctor Doom) in a book famous for adding of their own blood to the printing ink. It's a very fun read! After many years with various publishers, the group is back in print in Dynamite's adaptation of their concept album, The Elder. Press release: 'KISS is back! Back to the FUTURE in this dark sci-fi adventure. In a world without sun and a world without heroes, four young friends embark on a dangerous mission - to uncover the truth about the mysterious Council of Elders and their underground home, the city of Blackwell. But first they need some help from the past... Amy Chu reflects: "What is the power of KISS? I was having breakfast recently with the fabulous writer Kelly Sue DeConnick. When she found out I was writing this series, it was like firecrackers had been set off in the restaurant, she was so excited. So I'm doing this not just for the hardcore fans (like Kelly Sue) but also the new ones, like her children. It's a huge challenge for me. KISS is iconic. Legendary. It's global and cross-generational. So much has been done before with KISS in comics, a LOT of fun and crazy stuff. So for this series, I thought, why not go more serious? For research, I hunkered down and listened to the 1981 album Music from The Elder several times. Like the movie Blade Runner which came out around the same time, people didn't know what to make of it. If this album came out now, I think it would be entirely different reception. So this storyline is more focused on mythology, heroism, and legend, and inspired by themes, lyrics, and song titles from that album.' Band co-founder Gene Simmons expressed his excitement over the project in a recent interview printed by The Hollywood Reporter: "The wonderful thing about the Dynamite team is that we are all of like minds," he says. Everyone involved wanted to take our personas and do a classic KISS comic book, and to include deep fanboy references to [Music from] The Elder, our one and only concept album." Dynamite will also print a KISS: The Demon solo series in January: "Before Blackwell, before Morpheus, there was the MUSIC. In a small town in Iowa, three young KISS fans meet at a concert and form their own band, unaware they are about to embark on a journey that will not only change their lives, but also the fate of the world. A prequel to the ongoing series!" Check out some of the cool covers coming our way. One sports the KISS Army logo and features a blind-bag chance at limited-edition art by John Cassady. Enjoy!