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Kevin Keller Comic Comes To An End, So What's Next?

KevinKeller_15_PhilJimenezVarLOGO's website NewNowNext has an exclusive interview with well-known Archie Comics artist Dan Parent about the ending of the Archie's Pal, Kevin Keller series. Keller debuted in Veronica #202 back in 2010 and became the first Archie Comics book to go to a second printing. From there the outed character went on to his own miniseries and then on-going series. But now that series is coming to an end with issue #15 and Parent explains why to Logo's Alex Nagorski.

Why is Kevin Keller being cancelled? 

To be clear, we're not canceling the book: It's ending so we can take a minute to plan a relaunch for the character. In the meantime, Kevin will continue to be a big part of the other Archie titles— including Afterlife with Archie.

It's about direction for the character. I've had some ideas for Kevin that I have discussed with the powers that be at Archie, and these ideas would work better as a relaunch rather than as a continuation of the current book.

On a larger scale, what do you think Kevin adds to the Archie mythos?

He's added a layer of reality and diversity to Riverdale that was never there before. And I think we've treated the character with respect and honesty—which is why he's become a fan favorite and permanent fixture in Riverdale.

As Kevin's creator, have you noticed a change in the response to the character from when he was introduced in 2010?

People were surprised at first that we were introducing a gay character, but once they got to meet Kevin, they liked him and welcomed him with open arms to the Archie-verse. Gay fans tell me how much Kevin means to them, and how their lives would have been different had Kevin existed when they were growing up. And straight fans like him because he's another cool kid in Riverdale!

For the full interview go to the NewNowNext website.


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Dan WicklineAbout Dan Wickline

Has quietly been working at Bleeding Cool for over three years. He has written comics for Image, Top Cow, Shadowline, Avatar, IDW, Dynamite, Moonstone, Humanoids and Zenescope. He is the author of the Lucius Fogg series of novels and a published photographer.
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