By Comix
KISS is one of the rare bands to have survived more or less intact for over forty years. From performing to an audience of a grand total of three people to selling out arenas around the world, they have left a legacy that has touched every facet of entertainment, including comic books. Though KISS Kids is definitely not the first comic to come their way, it is by far the cutest. I know, you don’t usually hear KISS and cute in the same sentence, but when your near rock star immortality lies in writing catchy rock and roll tunes that kids are listening to now because they’re parents raised them on it, well, you’re going to have to sell to a younger audience. That being said, while KISS Kids is written for the star child in all of us, it reads very well and can be enjoyed by even the most hardcore of fans. Full of hi-jinx and low-fives, it’s a giggle a minute raucous.
To be fair, I didn’t start with the first issue, but with the comic written in short quip format, a reader can pick up any issue and go from there. The latest, issue #4, follows our young adventurers, now redubbed Lil’ Demon, Cat Kid, Spacey, and (still) Starchild, as they hop and skip in and out of ridiculous adventures! The boys go to the mall to ask Santa for presents, Lil’ Demon attempts to bring the power of Thor’s thunder, and a battle of the bands turns into a battle for their lives! Throw in KISS robots, crazy girls, and a dragon and you got yourself a rockin’, jockin’, piece of illustrated literature! Hide yo’ kids, hid yo’ wife!
There’s really not much to say about KISS kids that can’t be figured out from the cover. With short, mini-stories perfect for brains with short attention spans, it does a good job of creating a work with little children in mind. For an industry that was once cast-off as a “kid’s stuff,” comics have really gone over-the-top in attempting to get away from that label and unfortunately, left behind a whole slew of potential readers. That’s the reason why I dig stuff like KISS kids, Lil’ Hellboy, Tiny Titans, ect. It’s a fun and easy way to get young readers into the wide world of graphic novels without tossing them headfirst into a Garth Ennis-induced nightmare. Also, it’s cool to see comics not take themselves so seriously all the time. Everything is super gritty and a bummer nowadays, which is nice (makes my job easy), but sometimes, you just want to chill out and see your favorite characters, I don’t know, get into a snowball fight or something. Throw a pie! Crack a smile! Take a break from saving the day and relax.
KISS Kids is the brainchild of writers Chris Ryall and Tom Waltz along with artist, Jose Holder. Ryall, who is the Editor-in-Chief of IDW, has been pumping out comics since 2005, mostly horror and bizarre themed, giving him an easy transition to the wacky antics of the KISS army. Waltz, a lot like Holder, appears to be an in-house writer for IDW and has worked on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, and Silent Hill, basically, a lot of franchise adaptations. Reading his bibliography, it’s a no brainer why Holder picked him to spice up the kiddie book. Holder, on the other hand, is a new hand at comic art, with only about a dozen issues under his belt, but his cute, big-headed art style is perfect for the fun theme and keeps the jokes rolling.
Out just in time for whatever holiday you celebrate, pick up some of these stocking stuffers and give your kids the gift of comics! Merry KISS-mas!