This October, Dynamite Entertainment will be launching a new ongoing series about the band, KISS from writer Bryan Edward Hill (“Detective Comics”) and artist Rodney Buchemi (“Death of Hawkman”). Together, the pair will tell the story of KISS as they set out to defeat an immortal cabal. Although there’s a slight problem for KISS: they’re dead. In order to return to Earth with their souls intact, they will have to make a deal with a demon.
In a statement about “KISS: Blood & Stardust,” writer Bryan Hill described how he relates to the band and their music, with KISS being the “soundtrack of a time in [his] life where [he] had tons of ambition and few rules.” He added that “[He has] always wanted to tell a story about a band that saved the world” and now he has the chance to do that.
Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment was “thrilled” to have Hill on board for a new KISS series, which continue to be a “staple in the comic book industry” since their first appearance in the medium in 1977, when they appeared in “Howard the Duck” #12, and “Marvel Comics Super Special: KISS” the following year. Dynamite Entertainment have become the home for KISS in comic books for a while now, with several other series including “KISS: The Demon” and “KISS/Vampirella.” As for the band, musically they have released 44 albums and sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
Hill remarked that “Fans can expect to relive that magic, terror, and power” from the classic KISS comics as well as the “ the mystical occult power that weaved itself into pop culture.”
For the first issue of the new series, there will be multitude of variant covers, with artwork from Stuart Sayger (“The Walking Dead”), Rodney Buchemi (“Legenderry Red Sonja”), Maria Sanapo (“DC Bombshells”), and a classic KISS photo cover.
“KISS: Blood & Stardust” #1 will be released this October. The full press release is below:
Dynamite is thrilled to announce a new comic book series featuring the hottest band in the land, KISS! Writer Bryan Edward Hill (Detective Comics, Postal) and artist Rodney Buchemi (Death of Hawkman) crank the volume high as they bring you the KISS series we have all been waiting for this October!
In KISS: Blood and Stardust, an immortal cabal is taking the lives of innocents and the only ones who can stop them are KISS! The only problem…they are dead. And now they have to make a deal with a demon to save their souls and return to Earth to fight evil!
“KISS was the soundtrack of a time in my life where I had tons of ambition and few rules. Endless nights in dive bars in New York City, watching sunrises on the rooftops of Brooklyn. I might have discovered them in the aughts, but I was filled with the spirit of the 70’s,” remarked author Bryan Hill. “The 1970’s was a special decade, a decade of fame and magic where guitar riffs and drum solos were your co-pilots and the devil MAY have cared, but he couldn’t stop your shine.
“As one of rock’s most celebrated bands, KISS continues to be a staple in the comic book industry,” said Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment. “Bryan Hill has really built a name for himself, so we’re thrilled to have him penning KISS: Blood & Stardust as part of our fall lineup.”
The origins of KISS comic books date almost as far back as the inception as the band itself, having been an integral part of comics culture since their 1977 appearance in Howard the Duck #12 and 1978’s Marvel Comics Super Special: KISS. Today, nearly 40 years later, Dynamite Entertainment is the proud home to the comic book series KISS, KISS: The Demon, KISS/Vampirella, KISS/Army of Darkness and now KISS: Blood & Stardust.
“Fans can expect to relive that magic, terror, and power in these pages. They should prepare to see the mystical occult power that weaved itself into pop culture, characters in league with it, celebrity-filled with it, and a story of the innocent lives caught in the balance. I’ve always wanted to tell a story about a band that saved the world. Now I have my chance,” added Hill.
The debut issue of KISS: Blood & Stardust features a wide selection of cover variants, providing fans and retailers a chance to collect the whole set! The cover artwork features the talents of Stuart Sayger (The Walking Dead), Rodney Buchemi (Legenderry Red Sonja), Maria Sanapo (DC Bombshells), and a classic KISS photo cover, respectively. Two Atlas Editions will also be available for fans wishing to have their issue signed by writer Bryan Hill or signed by rock legend Gene Simmons!
As America’s #1 Gold Record Award-winning group of all time (in every category), KISS is easily one of rock’s most iconic and influential bands. The Rock N Roll Hall of Famers have released 44 albums and sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.
KISS: Blood and Stardust #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ August 2018 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in October 2018. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies of KISS: Blood and Stardust #1 with their local comic book retailers. KISS: Blood and Stardust #1 will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, Madefire, and Dark Horse Digital.
