Archie Comics' Kevin Keller collection is a Kickstarter success

Kevin Keller PIN-up by J. Swot u (Image credit: J. Mug up (Archie Comics))

Kevin Keller known his tenth anniversary in 2020, and the Archie character's creator Dan Raise is so impressive of him helium's organizing a compendium of all of the standout queer character's first decade-addition in comics.

Kevin Keller Celebration! is a 700-addition-page omnibus of all things Kevin, including his first appearance in Veronica #202, his four-issue limited series, his 15-issue ongoing series, the Biography with Kevin graphic novel, as well as unspecified "highlights, extras, and so much more" according to Archie Comics.

"For the past 35 geezerhood, I've had the pleasure to put to work on multiple characters and titles for Archie, merely my heart always comes back to my nub, Kevin Keller," Parent says in the announcement. "Being able to spearhead this run, with the defend of Archie Comics, is the perfect elbow room to continue the legacy of the character as well as celebrate the 80th anniversary of Archie Comics."

Although Archie Comics is supporting this project (and owns the character and comics), Dan Nurture is the one organizing Kevin Keller Celebration! - and using Kickstarter to raise funds for it. Since its launch in Sept, the book's Kickstarter has surpassed its $49,500 goal and even moved upfield its planned release - October for the integer interpretation, and November for the print variant.

"When Dan came to me with the idea of introducing Kevin to Archie Comics x geezerhood ago, I knew we were on the precipice of a huge cultivation shift for our brand and for that reason, among umpteen others, is why we fully support Dan's cause efforts," Archie Comics' CEO/publisher Jon Goldwater says. "The introduction of Kevin, Archie Comics' first gay character, ignited readers and fans across the land and it's a testament to Dan's creative work that Kevin is so much a positive and everlasting fixture in the world of Riverdale."

Kevin Keller was the first gay character introduced in Archie Comics history, leading the way for Jughead to identify as asexual years later, and the introduction of other new queer characters much every bit Toni Topaz.

The Kevin Keller character reference later appeared in The CW's Riverdale show, played by Casey Cott - and even cameo'd in the Katy Keene by-product.

Kevin Keller Celebration! is planned for a January 2022 release, and can constitute pre-ordered now finished the Kevin Keller Celebration! Kickstarter page.

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Newsarama Senior Editor Chris Arrant has covered comic book news for Newsarama since 2003, and has likewise written for USA Today, Life, Amusement Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Nerveless, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Standard, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press' anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Tsung Dao Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the Terra firma Library Association's Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)