Our friend Bruce Kulick discusses being in KISS with both Eric Carr and Eric Singer in a new interview with Legendary Rock:

You worked with both Eric Singer and Eric Carr. What are some of the biggest differences musically and personally between the two “Erics”?

BK: Well, certainly Eric Singer came into KISS at a real turning point for the band with getting ready to record with Bob Ezrin again for REVENGE was a really exciting, big step for the group especially considering the success that Bob has had with the band before. Ironically, Eric Singer realized that that was kind of an awkward thing. At the time Eric Carr was sadly lost and gone and that was Eric Singer’s role to take over and be the drummer in the band, that was his job and Eric Singer did his job.

Playing-wise they are a little different but they are both really strong rock drummers. Eric Singer has not always wanted the biggest drum kit in the world but he always still had a really big sound. Eric Carr had a much different approach and would say “the more drums the better, I don’t care if they can’t see me” (laughs). I still think there were some REALLY funny things about Eric Carr’s approach, especially his approach to stage gear, he really liked a big, big, big, BIG drum set. As far as personal differences there are many, but the most important thing for me was that I really enjoyed playing with them both, and I think that both of them absolutely did exactly the right thing for whatever record or tour they were asked to be a part of.

Interview by John Parks

Are you one of the KISS NAVY members eagerly awaiting more details of the 2012 KISS Kruise? Here's a video that will take you back to the great times we had rockin' at sea in October -- "Room Service" live on the Destiny, filmed from the front row!



Video by Spiro Papadatos for KISSonline.

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

An Australian newspaper has a fun feature today about a local music collector who keeps a life-size mannequin of Gene in his living room! Here's an excerpt from the story:

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Mike Mau's wife doesn't mind the jukebox in the kitchen but she's had enough of the one in the lounge room. She also has to contend with a 2m Gene Simmons mannequin and hundreds of old records.

Mr Mau admits his collecting habits are starting to stretch the capacity of his Koondoola home but says he is not ready to give it up just yet. His obsession with records and music memorabilia only took hold in the past two years, which is just as well because he has already poured tens of thousands of dollars into it.

Read the full article at The West Australian
Photo by Ben Crabtree for The West Australian.

By Steven Scott

Yesterday was the day we’ve all been waiting for – The debut of Archie Meets KISS! To kick off this exciting occasion, writer Alex Segura and artist Dan Parent were joined by KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley for a signing in LA in what can only be described as unforgettable. The fans were lined up down the block outside Golden Apple Comics, some having camped out overnight, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the rock legends. Sporting KISS shirts and a few with tattoos signifying their allegiance to the KISS Army, the star struck crowd got their comics signed and posed for pictures with the talented gentlemen.

The fans weren’t the only ones who took notice of the occasion. Several news outlets reported on the premiere of this soon-to-be-classic crossover event including Comic Vine who scored it 5 out of 5 stars and proclaimed “It's the most fun I've had with a comic in quite some time. I highly recommend this issue.” CNN Geek Out wrote “This book left me wanting to know what happens next,” and Kotaku spotlighted it on their list of This Week’s Most Interesting Comics! MTV Geek also highlighted it as one of the best titles coming out this week and remarked, "This should be fun," and calling it "essential reading." Things From Another World called Archie Meets KISS “a blast” and “a really fun romp!” iFanboy included the Francesco Francavilla's variant cover as one of the best covers of the week. Big Shiny Robot praised it with, "The awesomeness dial is turned up to 11!" IGN acknowledged the comic by stating, “There's definitely something to be said for an Archie story that works outside the box like this one,” and finished with, “Archie has never rocked harder.” CraveOnline sums it up with, “something no true comic book geek could walk away from,” and “It’s just too awesome to not be in love with.” All that plus an interview on CBR TV with Gene and Paul to round out the wave of press!

By Johnathan Hardick

It's a very Scooby-Doo issue of "Archie Comics" No. 627 when the rock band Kiss comes to Archie's home town of Riverdale to stop a group of monsters from turning everyone into mindless zombies.

"Archie Meets Kiss Part 1: Riverdale Rock City" was released Wednesday.

The Riverdale Monster Society decide to protect the town by having Sabrina the Teenage Witch cast a spell to ward off any monsters. It all goes wrong when Veronica interrupts the spell and causes a wormhole to open up, letting a group of monsters through.

Then Kiss shows up to stop them. Each member of Kiss has superpowers, but instead of using them to fight the monsters their plan is to defeat them with rock 'n' roll.

The monsters want to suck all the fun out of the town and make it lame and boring and also turn everyone into zombies.

This is a very strange, silly and entertaining comic.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from a crossover between Archie and Kiss, but writer Alex Segura wrote a really fun comic.

Segura keeps all the wholesomeness of Archie and the gang and adds a new level of campiness with a version of Kiss that's very similar to how they were portrayed in the really terrible made-for-TV movie "Kiss meets the Phantom of the Park."

But Segura's story has a Saturday morning cartoon feeling to it that I really like.

Reinforcing that Saturday morning cartoon feel is the art from penciler Dan Parent and inker Rich Koslowski. Parent and Koslowski's art has a more modern look that manages to still retain the iconic look of entire Archie cast.

"Archie meets Kiss" is a very bizarre comic that should not work but does in a very strange and charming way that is hard to describe. It's really one of those books you have to read for yourself to understand its weirdness.

Here are some photos from Friday's KISS Fan Expo in Modena, Italy. Fans of all ages from across Italy attended this great event that featured special guest Eric Singer. Eric spent the evening signing autographs, posing for photos, and visiting with the Italian KISS Army before holding a lively question and answer session. Fans shopped for KISS merchandise and rocked with Paul Stanley tribute band LIVE 4 WIN and KISS Tribute band JULIET KISS.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by the KISSOnline booth... we had a wonderful time talking KISS with you! Special thanks to our friend Fabio "Deuce" Mainardi & his crew for putting on another great KISS fan event!

Here are some more great photos from the recent KISS Expo in Italy!

Here's KISS on the cover of the new "KISS Edition" of Germany's Rock Hard magazine! KISS Army member Wolfgang Snijders sent us this image of the cover and writes, "Greetings from Germany. Here is the brand new KISS edition from German Rock Hard magazine. This KISS-only magazine features 116 pages of classic and new interviews and 8 giant KISS cover posters. (debut cover, Dressed To Kill, Alive!, Destroyer, Love Gun, Dynasty, Creatures Of The Night and Sonic Boom) I bought 2 copies to hang all 8 posters in my KISS room."

Thanks for sharing this with KISSonline!

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Look at the KISS Army inspired shirt just released at Chuy's Restaurant (a Mexican style restaurant chain in Texas and the South!!) KISS is everywhere!

Aaron, Nashville

LETTERS

KISS Navy member Steve F. had so much fun on the KISS Kruise in October that he recently gave up his longtime KISS Army-themed license plates. We think he's the first in the nation to sport these awesome "KISS NAVY" plates on his vehicle! They look fantastic in the official Navy colors too!

Thanks for sending the photo to KISSonline.

KISS Army member Dennis Palmen shows off his brand-new Eric Singer autograph tattoo! Eric signed his arm on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Dennis had it made into a tattoo! Thanks for sending the photo to KISSonline.

Here's the promotional video for the ARCHIE MEETS KISS comic book series. We first premiered this clip in early October...here it is again to celebrate this week's debut of the first issue in the four issue series.

The KISS Kruise - Halloween 2012

Clear your calendars, because you have plans with KISS!

More information coming in the next few weeks.

www.thekisskruise.com

Though they may be known for their blood-spewing theatrics and hard rock riffs, the leaders of chart-topping band KISS also have a long legacy in comic books -- one that continues today with "Archie Meets KISS," the four-part story that launched this week in "Archie" #627. In celebration, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley showed up in the CBR TV Studios in LA earlier this week (sans makeup) to discuss the project and their long-standing connection to the comics medium.

"This whole comic book thing was invented in America. It's really an art form," Simmons said in a wide-ranging conversation where he name checks legendary creators from Bob Montana to Vince Colletta to Jim Steranko (much to his partner's consternation).

"This KISS thing of ours has grown by leaps and bounds, and we like teaming up and co-branding with iconic brands that have existed throughout the ages," he continued. "Archie has been around for over 50 years. And if you're going to point at something iconic that goes at a slightly different audience, you've got to respect something that stands the test of time. And it's a wacky idea -- KISS and Archie?"

Stanley added, "Since we did the Marvel comics, there have been many permutations of KISS through the comics -- starting with Marvel and starting with Howard The Duck. That's where we made our initial introduction into comic book world."

And the rockers don't plan on letting their four color legacy end with the gang in Riverdale. The pair teased plans for a project with IDW Publishing involving superhero comic books and Simmons noted, "At the same time I was talking with Jim Lee and the DC folks about doing something with 'KISS DC' -- Superman meets KISS and all that kind of stuff, which would be exciting." When reached for comment, a DC Entertainment spokesperson confirmed there are no plans for a project with Gene Simmons or KISS.

For the full scoop, check out the video and find "Archie Meets KISS" part one in comic shops now!

In October, the Jumpin' Jammerz crew boarded the KISS Kruise to throw the largest KISS pajama party in KISStory! Here's a video chronicling their adventures aboard the ship... and if you were on board at the party, you just might be in their video too!

KISS Jumpin' Jammerz are sold online at Jumpinjammerz.com, Kissfootedpajamas.com and Amazon.com