Archie #627 is the first of four parts guest-starring the rock group Kiss. Cap posted a preview on the “Sneek Peeks” forum, and as the discussion there indicates, the fact that Sabrina is a teenage witch is evidently common knowledge. Either that, or it could just as easily be that the Riverdale gang is playing at being witches and warlocks and casting spells. In any case, Veronica interferes with Sabrina’s spell of “protection” making it a spell of “projection.” A werewolf, mummy, vampire and monster come through a dimensional portal and somehow cause the townsfolk to turn into zombies. Kiss follows to deal with the threat and hilarity, as they say, will no doubt ensue.
I really have to wonder two things:
1) Does the Archie target audience even know who Kiss are?
2) Do I file this with my Archie comics or my Kiss comics?
Replies
I'll read your reactions, Jeff. I dislike Gene Simmons so much (especially after the infamous Fresh Air interview) that I'm not picking any of these up.
Fair enough. Let me say up front that I did not grow up listening to Kiss, and I started to sample their music only after the release of the Image comic book series. Having said that, Gene Simmons is probably my favorite member of Kiss. I don’t think he’s a deep thinker but I do think he’s smart. Having said that, I also admire Terry Gross and enjoy “Fresh Air” on NPR, but I was unaware of the interview you mention, so I just now listened to it online here: http://www.erim.net/archives/gene-simmons-and-terry-gross-interview
Gross was obviously uncomfortable in spots but I think she held her own and never let Simmons get the better of her. Many of the comments on that page I linked excuse his behavior as just “Gene being Gene,” and I think that’s true. I also think he was trying his best to fluster Terry Gross, but she was having none of it. The more professional she became, the harder he tried and the worse he looked.
File them with your Archie comics, of course.
"1) Does the Archie target audience even know who Kiss are?"
When I went to see KISS back in 1979, the mob at Philly's Spectrum was mostly KIDS-- and their parents. Apparently, by the time the DYNASTY album came out, their fanbase was getting younger by the day. (Only show in a huge stadium I went to with the infamous "festival seating". This made it impossble for me to find a seat anywhere in the place except all the way up near the ceiling. Grrrrrrrrr.)
I remember, when I first picked up DYNASTY and the folowing year's UNMASKED (the one with the comic-book style cover), I jokingly referred to the sound of the band as "Deep Purple meets The Archies". : D
"2) Do I file this with my Archie comics or my Kiss comics?"
Let's see... where does one file ARCHIE MEETS THE PUNISHER ? : )
I have Archie Meets the Punisher filed with Archie.
ClarkKent_DC said:
Archie it is, then!
Kiss have managed to stay in the public eye whether they're putting out music or not, so I think that most kids would at the very least have seen the band in a commercial for Dr. Pepper or something along those lines.
And didn't Gene Simmons have his own reality show for a while, too?
It is still on the air actually: Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E
Jeff of Earth-J said:
...Kiss , early on , did only cover versions of song with " Kiss " in the title...Bobby Rydell's" Kissin' Time " and the Crystals' : And Then He Kissed Me "_The Archies had a song titled " Kissin' " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that a comic company brave enough to cover feature a wedding between two gay characters in Riverdale doesn't sweat using KISS at all.
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