Thread "The print comic" in forum "KISS 4K Webcomic: Feedback"

Posted at 1:11AM, Nov. 23, 2007

I just bought and read issue 4. I must say it is getting better. The first two I hated the third one was okay. This one fourth one is actually good. Maybe I'll have to re-read them all now that the plot is a bit more obvious and all. I'll let you know if the first three improve after reading it again.

What are your thoughts out there of the print comic?

Posted at 4:11PM, Nov. 28, 2007

I had a hard time getting through them the first read, and thought it was just me reading it like an old man–I started reading comics in 1974 and got tired of looking at them during the ugly, ugly 90s. I'm used to more establishing and "beat" panels, and the feel of the first 3 issues seemed to move at a constant, fast pace because there weren't enough of those. At least not for me.

Been reading them over again, though, and I like 'em. Ricky did a good job of giving each 4K member their own voice and personality, and the little verbal catfight between Lester and Lolita was great, albeit brief. And Jason's colors are (always) fantastic. I'm really gonna have to eat his brain and steal his powers one of these days.

With all that said, I'm guilty of all the things I touched upon above. I'm trying to put an establishing shot on every page–a 3-day a week webcomic needs that sort of thing, I've noticed. And I promise: no more big buildup to a one-page fight scene. ;)

Posted at 2:11AM, Nov. 29, 2007

I've reread the first three and they are better once you understand a bit more about what's going on. But, in my opinion, they should have been great from the first read. I don't think many readers hang around for 4 issues waiting for a series to become good.

I also think I know what is coming. Next issue, She will travel to the Psycho Circus dimension to kill the Elder and abduct the Starbearer. Next issue, She goes to the Dark Horse universe to kill the KISS there and take the Beast King with her. Finally she'll try to kill the 4K and take the Celestial.

Then the Destroyer cult have a KISS member from each dimension and they'll sacrifice them to rid them of the curse. That's the plan anyway. It'll be interesting to see how it'll play out.

And seeing how the print series improves after you understand more about what's going on, it has to be noted that your comic improves even more, Adam. I already liked it more then the print series (which I thought sucked at first), but now it is great to see how you've been putting in these small hints to the print series over the last 7 months. I hope your four stories about the 4K in earlier manifestations will get a release in a big fat trade paperback in the near future.

Btw, once your done with Shaka story in January, you are done with the stories of the 4 members (and we'll also have had the December KISSmas special). What have you got planned after that? You've mentioned a new Casanova story which focuses on one of his spy stories, but with a Starchild though to it. But what else? Or will it all be a surprise ;)

Posted at 9:12AM, Dec. 2, 2007

it is great to see how you've been putting in these small hints to the print series over the last 7 months. I hope your four stories about the 4K in earlier manifestations will get a release in a big fat trade paperback in the near future.

Thanks! This webcomic reads much clearer and makes a lot more sense when you're reading the print book at the same time, that's for sure. I've been dropping little hints here and there almost since I started. I like a comic story that you can read and re-read and find something new every time, and that's what I try to write.

I don't know if there are any concrete plans yet to collect the webcomic into a trade paperback, but it's been brought up a few times.

As for future plans for the webcomic: I do indeed have another Casanova story in the works, as well as a possible Constantine story. The Casanova story is more light-hearted and fun than the story I told in May and July. I also have plans to tell the story of how this curse came to be, waaay back in the days of ancient Egypt.

I'm also playing around with a possible story about the last time the 4K were in the same place at the same time: Los Angeles, 1929. You can see a brief treatment of that in issue 1 of the print book. There are three pages towards the end where they're playing cards and everything goes to hell.

And, at some point, I'd like to do a little side-story about Cuelebre and Saint-Germain, but I don't know if I will or not. They're not the main characters, after all.

Ultimately, though: I'll tell whatever story you guys want to see. The webcomic is reader-driven. That was one of the stipulations of the job. So, if I get enough people saying that they'd like to see Kiss In Space (or something), it'll happen.

Posted at 3:12AM, Dec. 3, 2007

Thanks for the response. Looks like some great stories in the coming months. The La '29 story seems cool. As do the Casanova and Constantine story.

Will the story of the curse feature Vinnie Vincent's character? Since it is taking place in Egypt and Vinnie's character is the Pharaoh/Egyptian Warrior, I think that would be cool. The Fox already had a small role in the Psycho Circus comic, so it would be cool to see Vinnie in a comic.

Posted at 10:12AM, Dec. 5, 2007

That, sir, is a DAMN FINE IDEA.

Let me look into that.

Posted at 4:01PM, Jan. 30, 2008

Just got KISS 4K #5 and KISSmas 4K 2007. The KISSmas story was good and I liked the art, but I liked the webcomic on this site a whole lot more.

KISS 4K #5 is also good. The story keeps flowing forward and keeps getting better. I also like the new artist. But I also hope to see some of the previous artists again.

Looking forward to issue 6, because the final page in 5 read: 'Next: Psycho Circus (Remastered)'. Psycho Circus was my first introduction to KISS and I love that comic to this day. So I'm really excited about the next issue. It would be cool if they would get one of the original artists to do that issue: Angel Medina, Clayton Crain or inkter Kevin Conrad (he can draw pretty good too).

Hey, here's a cool idea, Adam: the Marvel series, Psycho Circus series and the Dark Horse series never got a good last issue, one that offers closure on the series. Maybe it would be a cool idea to do that in the webcomic. If you are allowed to t do it and have the room in your planned out schedule of stories.

Anyway, anybody any thoughts on KISS 4K #5 and KISSmas 4K 2007?

Posted at 10:02PM, Feb. 3, 2008

Hey, here's a cool idea, Adam: the Marvel series, Psycho Circus series and the Dark Horse series never got a good last issue, one that offers closure on the series. Maybe it would be a cool idea to do that in the webcomic. If you are allowed to t do it and have the room in your planned out schedule of stories.

Anyway, anybody any thoughts on KISS 4K #5 and KISSmas 4K 2007?

That's a damn fine idea.

I dug both of those comics. My wife liked the "North Pole" tattoo on Santa's belly in the Kissmas special.

Posted at 11:02AM, Feb. 4, 2008

Yeah, that tattoo rocks.

I also noticed that KISS 4K #5 had a different writer. Is he to stay or is he just for that one comic? Just want to know if Ricky Sprague left or not.

Posted at 1:02AM, Feb. 6, 2008

Ricky's not writing for the print book anymore.

Posted at 2:02AM, Feb. 6, 2008

Ricky's not writing for the print book anymore.

Well, judging from issue 5, his ideas are left behind.

Posted at 8:02AM, Feb. 11, 2008

Some of them definitely are. But the main thrust of the story will remain, from what I've seen.

March's webcomic will shed some light on all this.

Posted at 5:05PM, May. 24, 2008

Adam, will issues 7 and 8 be going to print? PLMK I'm an avid collector and I love this latest incarnation. Psycho Circus was Ok, the Dark Horse issues were a little lame but your comic ROCKS! I have all the print issues to date and plan on buying at least a couple of the first issue collectable comics (B&W Variant & Gold Foil). Keep up the good work! Rob

Posted at 9:05PM, May. 25, 2008

Thanks, Rob! I'm sincerely glad you're diggin' it so much.

Issues 7 and 8 (and all the way up to 12) will be offered in print form at some point. I'm not exactly sure when, though.

They'll also be collected into PDF format and offered as a free download on wowio.com. The first six issues (and the Kissmas special) are already on Wowio.

Eventually (read as: when I get some time to work it), the K4K Webcomic backstories (Casanova, Yoshiie, Constantine, Shaka, and the "Kiss saves Santa from the Disco Vampires" thing I did in December) will be up on Wowio as well.

That might take longer, though. The girl I was working with at Platinum to make that happen doesn't work there anymore, and I still haven't had time to connect with her replacement.