KISS #1
Written by Amy Chu
Art by Kewber Baal
Colors by Schimerys Baal
Letters by Troy Peteri
Covers by Goni Montes, Francesco Francavilla, Kewber Baal & Schimerys Baal, Shouri, Fernando Ruiz
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: October 19, 2016
Cover Price: $3.99

Would you look at this, I’m getting to review a Kiss comic. Usually Empress Eve is the one who gets the pleasure of reviewing Kiss items, but as luck would have it, she’s extraordinarily busy right now and I didn’t hesitate to jump on it! So here is Dynamite Entertainment’s KISS #1!

The setup is this: The world reached a point where civilization was in jeopardy and war threatened to exterminate mankind, once and for all. The Great War, as it is now referred to 468 years later, forced a large group of people underground. They pieced together a new society, saving what they could from the surface in an attempt to preserve at least some of their history. For almost five centuries, these survivors have lived in the subterranean city of Blackwell in peace and solitude. But nothing lasts forever.

Four teenagers find themselves discontent with the status quo. And, as is so often the case, they seek a greater sense of freedom than what has been provided for them. When one of them discovers a clue that could potentially lead them to a new adventure, they act immediately and impulsively. What they find is nothing short of amazing, they seem to have stumbled upon a building of historically significance. Continuously seeing the same drawings and signs, they inadvertently find themselves face to face with something that could very well change their entire outlook on life! Unfortunately, that’s where the premiere issue ends and readers will be forced to wait until the next installment to watch as it plays out.

This creative team is all new to me and I am happily impressed. Writer Amy Chu has started me down a path that is both familiar and mysterious at the same time. Her ability to slowly immerse the reader into this futuristic Earth has seemed flawless from the start. Couple that with the artistic team and it makes this a particularly exciting first issue. With art by Kewber Baal that accentuates the story, coloring from Schimerys Baal that explodes off the page, and crisp lettering provided by Troy Peteri, KISS #1 was set up for success from the start!

I have long been a fan of this band. As a matter of fact, KISS was the first band I ever saw live, way back in 1977. They were also the headliners for the first show I ever went to without adult supervision — that one was sans makeup in 1984. I’ve seen them a few other times, but those two concerts will always be the ones I remember most vividly. This first issue has a plethora of symbolism in it, but only lightly touches upon the band itself, seemingly elevating them to mythical levels. Which, truth be told, isn’t too far off the mark. Fans of the band will undoubtedly make this a must-have, but it isn’t just for members of the Kiss Army. There’s far more to it than that, anyone with a sense of adventure will surely enjoy this series and it’s a beautiful thing to start reading a comic run at its origin. Grab it, folks. You know you want to!