KISS Solo #1: The Demon
Written by Chris Ryall
Art by Angel Medina
Colors by Romulo Fajardo
Covers by Romulo Fajardo, Keith Leroux, Angel Medina, Tone Rodriguez
IDW Publishing
Release Date: April 10, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

If there was ever a band that was destined to live beyond their years of rockin’ and rollin’ all night into a comic book legacy, then it has to be KISS. From almost the beginning of their career they were seen as larger-than-life superheroes, and it was inevitable that Stan Lee from Marvel would open the gates to them entering comic book history – complete with vials of their own blood added to the red ink.

Now, in the 21st century, as the band continues with their new album release Monster and consequent world tour, IDW continues comic book KISStory – and this time claiming new ground. Just like 35 years ago when the individual members released their own solo albums, IDW is releasing “solo comics,” each chapter focusing on one of the individual four-who-are-one.

The first installment of KISS Solo focuses on Gene Simmons, or rather The Demon, in KISS Solo #1: The Demon. Continuing on from previous issues of the IDW KISS line, The Demon finds himself in a city terrorized by potential war. He is intrigued by humanity, a species capable of such wide ranging emotional states that he has never experienced in his existence as one of the four warriors of the Elder.

Remember Muppet Babies? I loved that show. And being KISS fans, we’re thrilled with the announcement from IDW that they have ANOTHER new comic book about KISS coming out: KISS Kids.

Coming this Fall, KISS Kids will focus on the KISS Characters as children as they take on nemeses such as Principal Elder, and Wicked Lester. A preview of KISS Kids will on the back cover of all four issues of the upcoming Kiss Solo series, starting on April 10, when Kiss Solo #1: The Demon is released.

You can check out the one-page preview strip here below.

Hard rock and heavy metal veterans KISS announced today, April 1, 2013, that founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are leaving the band and going into retirement at the end of this year, while the band will go on as KISS II, a lineup featuring NO original members, beginning in 2014.

Before Simmons and Stanley, who formed the group in New York City 40 years ago, can officially begin their quiet rock and roll-free nights and party-less days, they must fulfill their current record company contract for one more album. Therefore, the long-time musical partners have agreed to finally do the sequel to The Elder with Bob Ezrin, stating that the original 1981 album now has a cult following, and they are thinking “long-term” for the fans. The sequel will be called The Elder Reloaded.

The Hal Leonard Corporation has put out tons of guitar instructional videos over the years, and the 34th Volume in their Guitar Play-Along series will help you learn to play some KISS songs!

The Kiss – Guitar Play-Along Volume 34 DVD has 8 KISS songs that you can learn to play on guitar, which believe me, is a worthwhile endeavor. There’s various ways to watch and learn each tune; there’s a lesson given by a professional teacher, then the teacher performs each entire song along with recorded backing tracks. In this 100-minute DVD, you can play along with or without the guitar turned on, and there’s multiple viewing options as well: fret hand with tab, wide view with tab, pick & fret hand close-up, as well as other views.

I’m a KISS fanatic, so I’m pleased to have a most excellent reason to write about the band here and now: Amazon is currently selling a bunch of KISS albums for only $5 each in their MP3 album sale, 2,000 MP3 Albums For $5 Each, as well as several CDs for under $5 from their extensive catalog.

I’ve included all of the band’s studio albums released from 1974-1979 (all worth owning!), as well the amazing, awesome, must-have Ace Frehley KISS solo album (the only of the four solo albums really worth owning) as a few from the 1980s. All the listed CDs are “AutoRip,” which means if you purchase the CD, you’ll ALSO get the MP3 version for free; therefore, if the CD is cheaper than the MP3 version, then definitely get the CD, so you’ll get both formats for less. (Note – not every format for every title is on sale, but I’ve listed it here for consistency.) I’ve also included for each album the release date and some of its most famous tunes.

Kiss (1974)
CD $4.99 | MP3 $5.00
Strutter, Firehouse, Cold Gin, 100,000 Years, Black Diamond

Hotter Than Hell (1974)
CD 4.99 | MP3 $8.99
Hotter Than Hell, Parasite, Got to Choose, Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll

Dressed To Kill (1975)
CD $4.99 | MP3 $8.99
Rock and Roll All Nite, Rock Bottom, C’mon and Love Me, She

Destroyer (1976)
CD $4.99 | MP3 $9.49
Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder, Beth, Shout It Out Loud

Rock and Roll Over (1976)
CD $4.99 | MP3 $8.99
Calling Dr. Love, I Want You, Ladies Room, Hard Luck Woman

Love Gun (1977)
CD $8.50 | MP3 $5.00
I Stole Your Love, Christine Sixteen, Love Gun, Shock Me, Plaster Caster

KISS – Ace Frehley (1978)
CD $8.99 | MP3 $5.00
New York Groove, Rip It Out, I’m in Need of Love, Snowblind

Dynasty (1979)
CD $7.54 | MP3 $5.00
I Was Made For Lovin’ You, 2000 Man, Hard Times, Sure Know Something

Creatures Of The Night (1982)
CD $7.34 | MP3 $5.00
I Love It Loud, I Still Love You, War Machine, Rock and Roll Hell

Animalize (1984)
CD $8.99 | MP3 $5.00
Heaven’s On Fire, Thrills in the Night