"The Advocate" announced today that "Life With Kevin" will premiere in June as a digital series. It will feature story and art by Dan Parent, with inks by J. Bone:

QuoteKevin Keller burst onto the comic book scene back in 2010 in Archie Comics' Veronica number 202. Since he was the first gay character in the storied history of Archie Comics, Kevin's first appearance made worldwide headlines, and his explosive popularity propelled him into his own mini-series followed by a long-running solo series. Though he's been featured as a supportive player in the recently rebooted Archie flagship comic title, Kevin will once again take center stage starring in his own comic book — this time as a special digital series, Life With Kevin, debuting in June.
The Advocate sat down with Kevin's creator, writer-artist Dan Parent, to find out what's Kevin's been up to and where he's going.
The Advocate: How does it feel to have Kevin Keller back in his own solo book again?
Dan Parent: It feels great ... he's been missing for too long, but of course, I'm biased.
What can you tell us about Life With Kevin?
The new series explores Kevin's life after high school and college, as he enters the real world. And we can explore all the career and romantic challenges that he has an adult.
Will we see Kevin's husband from Life With Archie, which took place in an alternate reality?
Not yet, but who knows down the line?
It appears Kevin has a new supporting cast. What can you tell us about them?
We have a couple new potential boyfriends for Kevin, as you can see, plus we have Shrill, who has been seen in the regular pages of Archie before. And of course there's Veronica, the only major Archie character to appear in this series. As Kevin's BFF, she's a natural in this storyline.
Would you call this a more "mature" series than Kevin's previous comic book?
It's more mature since we can deal with more serious subject matter, but the book is a comedy book first, and I want humor to be the most important element.
As a straight writer-artist, Dan, does it help to have out inker J. Bone on the book? Does he offer any insights or points as needed?
Well, I consider myself more "fluid" than straight. J. Bone is so pivotal to the book, because he draws sexy characters so well — both men and women — and gets who Kevin is. And his art and inking have that whimsical style that is so much fun.

Why digital and not print?
Digital is more instant and easier to produce. And the digital art can easily be collected later to print. My goal is definitely a print collection at some point. I'm still old school and like to hold a book in my hand.
The comic takes place in New York. Can we expect lots of romance? Adventure?
As far as romance, there will be lots of that. Adventure? Well, living in NYC can be an adventure, so I'll say yes.

I'm excited. So if you like Dan Parent story and artwork, as well as classic Archie stories, this is the book to get! 

I really like Dan Parent's art and have just recently gone digital so this is really exciting to me. I will be looking forward to this.

Well, good for Kevin Keller fans.

Well, if we want to support stories in the classic Archie design and if we want to promote writers and artists tied in with the classic Archie design such as Dan Parent, then this is a good opportunity for fans of classic Archie.

Quote from: JonInIowaCity on April 12, 2016, 12:47:44 PM
Well, if we want to support stories in the classic Archie design and if we want to promote writers and artists tied in with the classic Archie design such as Dan Parent, then this is a good opportunity for fans of classic Archie.

That is the main reason I am looking forward to it. I am seriously looking forward to some more new Classic Archie art work and from Dan Parent is even more of a plus.

I wonder why they decided to keep it in the Classic Archie style.

Quote from: 60sBettyandReggie on April 12, 2016, 01:44:27 PM
I wonder why they decided to keep it in the Classic Archie style.

Maybe they want to find something for Dan Parent to do since he is the only Classic artist left on the payroll. I really don't know, but I am glad it is in the Classic style.

Well, I'm glad they decided to keep Veronica around, but I was sort of hoping that Kevin's childhood friends Wendy and William would be in the supporting cast, too. I will miss the chemistry between Kevin and Jughead, though.

Sorry to hear it's digital only again; I was hoping for a print comic. I guess maybe I can still hope for a trade paperback, but that possibility is iffy even if they eventually manage to solicit one (the last two KEVIN TP collections were cancelled, too).

Dan Parent is The Man!!

Quote from: DeCarlo Rules on April 12, 2016, 03:04:06 PM
Well, I'm glad they decided to keep Veronica around, but I was sort of hoping that Kevin's childhood friends Wendy and William would be in the supporting cast, too. I will miss the chemistry between Kevin and Jughead, though.

Sorry to hear it's digital only again; I was hoping for a print comic. I guess maybe I can still hope for a trade paperback, but that possibility is iffy even if they eventually manage to solicit one (the last two KEVIN TP collections were cancelled, too).

Dan Parent is The Man!!

They said from the get go that the Kevin Keller reboot was destine for digital and that is the case. I am also very glad that Dan Parent is doing this in the classic art style.

Quote from: 60sBettyandReggie on April 12, 2016, 01:44:27 PM
I wonder why they decided to keep it in the Classic Archie style.

Dan Parent created the character.  It would take huge stones to tell him to draw it in the new Riverdale style. 

Quote from: The Bee on April 12, 2016, 03:40:03 PM
They said from the get go that the Kevin Keller reboot was destine for digital and that is the case. I am also very glad that Dan Parent is doing this in the classic art style.

They waffled on it a couple of times. Last summer Dan told me they'd reconsidered and were going to do print as well, then they backpedalled again.

They REALLY want to force people to buy digital comics, don't they? It's that or nothing.

Quote from: spazaru on April 12, 2016, 03:41:16 PM

Quote from: 60sBettyandReggie on April 12, 2016, 01:44:27 PM
I wonder why they decided to keep it in the Classic Archie style.

Dan Parent created the character.  It would take huge stones to tell him to draw it in the new Riverdale style.

Let's just say I'M convinced that Dan Parent is the main reason the company is still publishing anything but reprints for the last 5 or 10 years.

Quote from: spazaru on April 12, 2016, 03:41:16 PM

Quote from: 60sBettyandReggie on April 12, 2016, 01:44:27 PM
I wonder why they decided to keep it in the Classic Archie style.

Dan Parent created the character.  It would take huge stones to tell him to draw it in the new Riverdale style.

I think Dan said awhile ago he had already drawn it he was just waiting for ACP to solicit it. So that's why it's in the classic style.

Quote from: DeCarlo Rules on April 12, 2016, 03:47:12 PM

Quote from: The Bee on April 12, 2016, 03:40:03 PM
They said from the get go that the Kevin Keller reboot was destine for digital and that is the case. I am also very glad that Dan Parent is doing this in the classic art style.

They waffled on it a couple of times. Last summer Dan told me they'd reconsidered and were going to do print as well, then they backpedalled again.

They REALLY want to force people to buy digital comics, don't they? It's that or nothing.

I don't know if that is all completely true about them wanting us to buy digital and leave the rest. I think they'd like more people to buy the hard copies of the Archie and Jughead reboot series as well. It just seems to be declining.

Quote from: The Bee on April 12, 2016, 04:03:47 PM

Quote from: DeCarlo Rules on April 12, 2016, 03:47:12 PM

Quote from: The Bee on April 12, 2016, 03:40:03 PM
They said from the get go that the Kevin Keller reboot was destine for digital and that is the case. I am also very glad that Dan Parent is doing this in the classic art style.

They waffled on it a couple of times. Last summer Dan told me they'd reconsidered and were going to do print as well, then they backpedalled again.

They REALLY want to force people to buy digital comics, don't they? It's that or nothing.

I don't know if that is all completely true about them wanting us to buy digital and leave the rest. I think they'd like more people to buy the hard copies of the Archie and Jughead reboot series as well. It just seems to be declining.

So essentially ACP is slowly but surely becoming a publisher of webcomics, not all that much different than PixieTrix, SitComics, or AstroComix...