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From: WizardUniverse.com GENE SIMMONS knows comics. Long before KISS' charismatic, long-tongued "Demon" became a rock 'n' roll icon, he was writing and "publishing" a slew of fanzines for industrious teens like himself. Thus, when Marvel released the first KISS comics (Marvel Comics Super Special #1 and #5) in 1977 and '78, Simmons was beside himself with fanboy glee. "To fall in love with Marvel books," says Simmons, "and then to finally become a Marvel superhero and see myself battling Dr. Doom in the very first KISS comic book..." Other KISS-related comics followed throughout the years including KISS: The Psycho Circus (1997-2000) from Image and Dark Horse's KISS (2002-03). And now, Simmons has teamed up with Platinum Studios to form the KISS Comics Group, which will release KISS 4K (written by Richard Sprague) in May as well as KISS Girls, a female-driven spin-off, next summer. Instead of not-so-subtly "ignoring" the previous incarnations, 4K will allow the foursome to actually travel between the universes first seen in the earlier Marvel, Dark Horse and Image versions. Platinum will launch this new venture with a special $50 "Destroyer Edition" of the book which will be a massive, non-bathroom-reading 30-by-18 inches. (Check out KISScomicsgroup.com for availability.) From his home in California, the star of A&E's "GENE SIMMONS Family Jewels," which returns March 25 for a second season, spoke with Wizard about all things comic, the status of KISS today and whether he's ever turned down sex to read a comic. WIZARD: Is it safe to say that the name "KISS Comics Group" is a nod to Marvel's former moniker, "Marvel Comics Group"? SIMMONS: Absolutely. Marvel changed the landscape. I was an immigrant who came to America [from Israel] and could barely speak English, and through Marvel Comics, television and a few other things, my imagination just soared. The magic of Marvel is to see the tragedy and heartbreak of being a superhero. You can be Spider-Man and have pimples and be hunted by the cops and the bad guys, be alone living in your [aunt's] house and not even be getting laid. I mean, for a short time I taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem [in 1972] and I brought in Spider-Man as required reading. Was it just Spider-Man, or were there other titles? No, just Spider-Man. [My students] didn't want to read Jane Eyre. Their mom was on crack, their dad was out pimping or whatever and there was drugs and violence, and so they couldn't relate to anything. So I was trying to just get them to be literate. Here was a guy who was hunted by the cops, but he was really a good guy and that's what they felt like, you know? What was the first comic you bought as a kid that really had an impression on you? Amazing Fantasy. I quickly picked up all the Lee/Kirby monster books and became a fan. Loved Ditko and all that stuff. I bought every single book. Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, anything with "Tales" in it. Anything with Marvel on it. Did you actually buy Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Spider-Man, off the shelf? Oh, yeah. And you held onto these books and made a nice profit for yourself later. I did. I used to buy comic books by the pound. A dollar a pound. Every once in a while you'd find a Golden Age book in somebody's attic. I used to make a fortune. I paid for my college education with comic books. How else have comics inspired you? My wings [for the Demon] were completely stolen from the Jack Kirby/Joe Sinnott Black Bolt. [And] the big lizard boots were certainly a cross between Godzilla and Dragon Man. What will your role be in the creation of the KISS Comics Group? "Oversee" is kind of the right vibe. In the same [way] that Stan Lee [did], once he stopped writing the books. [He] just wanted to see the pages before they went, but every once in a while would send it back. What are your character's powers in 4K? A combination of [super-strength] and spitting fire. I can leap, but not fly. And I am closer to Ben Grimm than Elongated Man in tone and temperament. Although, with your giant tongue, you could almost be the Elongated Man. No, his wiggles too much. Mine is firm and lifts and separates and can whip up a good goddamn froth. Elongated Man's is much too flaccid. ‘"Elongated Man" was one of the stupidest [names] for any comic book character. Why would you have a long name like "Elongated Man"? Is it true that KISS deposited their blood in the ink at the production plant for the 1977 Marvel comic? That's true. We all flew up in a DC-3, by the way. And Stan Lee was with us and we were in full KISS makeup, and we arrived and went to the printing plant in Buffalo. We literally had doctors draw blood out of our veins and poured it into the red ink, so there were, in fact, KISS comics that came out with our DNA. You once met Jack Kirby and his daughter Lisa at a KISS concert. Did he have any idea how big a comics fan you are? I made sure. I was very "heart on the sleeve." [I said,] "I can't tell you how much your books have meant to me, both the monster and the superhero books. The idea of punching somebody and having them fly out of the panel made me understand what a punch really was in comic book terms." The idea that a panel can stop your reality from going somewhere is really sort of analogous to what life became for me. Everybody corners themselves into "these little rules that are my life." And ever since those Marvel books, I never listened to anybody. Always broke through all kinds of panels. What was his daughter's reaction? His daughter was just a big KISS fan. It's funny - you were in awe of her dad and she was in awe of you. It's happened many times. In the late '70s I was in Beverly Hills, I was living with Cher at the time, and there was a roller skating party where all the stars got on roller skates for charity. I didn't roller skate, so I was watching from the side and these two teenagers came over to me and one was wearing a KISS T-shirt. They went on and on about being fans, and over the shoulder I saw Ringo [Starr] coming towards me and I started to stammer. He was talking at the same time the teenagers were talking, and I wanted to slap them and tell them to be quiet. "We've got a Beatle in back of you!" Finally I understood what was [happening]. Ringo said, "I hope me boys don't bother you." So here were these teenagers who were ignoring the fact that their dad was a Beatle and were talking to me about KISS. Are you out of your f---ing mind? Ringo Starr's your father! Did you ever encourage Cher to read a comic book? No. Ever turn down sex to read a comic book? No, all the geeks, and I'm one, would immediately put the comic book down to get serviced. If you could play any comic book villain on screen, who would it be? Oh, Darkseid. He just has this kind of quiet "I hate all living things" manner about him. And I often feel that way. You may want to leave that quote off the cover of the new comic. Anyway, on your reality show "Family Jewels" - Oh, you mean "GENE SIMMONS Family Jewels"? Yeah, "GENE SIMMONS Family Jewels"... Well, you notice the way it's called "Walt Disney Pictures," not "Pictures." Or "Geffen Records." So if those guys can get their name up there, why can't I? Also, "GENE SIMMONS Family Jewels" just sounds better. That's true. I was just using shorthand for our discussion. When the second season premieres, will it detail your facelift, which was discussed at the end of last season? Oh, yes. It's all filmed. You'll see all of it with my face off, literally. It's pretty striking. When the show was conceived, was there an intent to make your public persona appear more "cuddly" and personable? No, I've always been who I am, it's just that people haven't seen both sides of it. It's not changing anything, it's just opening the door a little bit further. KISS has had several lineups with you and PAUL STANLEY. What did you learn the hard way as the band's players changed? Give somebody a second chance, but that's it. I should have loved ACE FREHLEY and PETER CRISS more by giving them tough love. In those days there were no interventions. I love those guys to this day and I'm saddened that I never stood up that first time they were high or drunk and just said, "That's not going to fly in this band." And we let it go for decades. And what is the current status of KISS? In terms of personnel? To be blunt, we will decide who's in the band, just like every band decides who's in the band. Before you become famous, members come and go all the time. Anybody can be replaced. I can be replaced; it just depends who the replacement is. You and Cher, since you lived together, should team up for an "Ultimate, Ultimate Farewell Tour." And then after that do the "Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate Tour." KISS is bigger and more complex than ever. We have, as you know, the KISS Comics Group happening, the first KISS coffeehouse, the "KISS: Alive" box set just came out and is doing gangbusters. I've been meeting with a film company about a huge KISS film project. We're in the middle of discussions for a KISS casino in Las Vegas, a KISS hotel in middle America, and a KISS theme park and there's just nothing we can't do. While all the other bands keep saying "What's our next song?" we're building a KISS world. Every breath of air you take should be "KISS air" and we should charge you for every breath you take. Catch GENE SIMMONS and PAUL STANLEY of KISS at this year's Wizard World Los Angeles - http://wizarduniverse.com/conventions/la.cfm |
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