Each and every week, I, “Harder, Better” Henchman21, and “Faster, Stronger” Empress Eve read a lot of comics. Seriously you guys, a lot of comics. Maybe too many comics. I mean, it is possible”¦ theoretically. Naturally, we look forward to some more than others. I mean, who doesn’t? So, let’s take a look into the depths of our pull lists, grab some comics, and we’ll let YOU know what the top books to look forward to are for the week of April 24, 2013. Single issues and trades, they’re all here.

There is one company on the old Henchman’s mind this week, and it’s Image Comics. There are roughly a million and a half new issues from them this week and most if not all of them are worth your time. Fortunately, the Empress is here to diversify your bonds, err, comic selection, and she’s bringing the hottest band in the world with her. So, prepare thine-self, because here we go with this week’s GoD List!

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.

Bob Ezrin, who has produced some of the more seminal music records of our age, Pink Floyd‘s The Wall and KISS Destroyer to name a few of the more higher profile ones, celebrates his 64th birthday today.

The Canadian-born Ezrin, employs a style which is mired in a magisterial, booming, bombastic one, which gives a larger than life sonic quality to the records he produces. Kind of a cross between Sir George Martin and producers who have made opera house acoustically styled classical albums, Ezrin has taken many genres, mainly the rock and roll one and turned it on its collective ear, bringing a kind of aural respect to the genre, and the result of which has spawned some of the all-time great albums.