Exclusive! First Look at Archie Comics' "Kevin Keller" Issue #1 by Brent Hartinger of AfterElton.com
I was a big fan of Archie Comics' introduction of the longtime comic's first out regular gay character, Kevin Keller, who first appeared in Veronica 202 last fall (to big headlines and huge success). I thought it was a pivotal moment in pop history, which I said the strip's author, Dan Parent, handled just right.
Now Parent, and Keller, are back with a special four-issue series, Kevin Keller, wholly devoted to the character. And I think it's even better than Kevin's introduction.
Kevin's old friends, Wendy and William (the friends he was texting in Veronica 202), come for a visit, and we flashback to how these three friends became "the Three Muska-Dweebs." Kevin, who had not yet blossomed into the handsome guy he is today, sticks up for Wendy, who is the target of harassment by some local bullies. Not surprisingly, she falls fast in love.
Months later, after Kevin loses his geeky braces and his acne clears up (but he still chooses to sit at the "loser" table at lunch despite entreaties from the "popular" kids), Wendy continues to be smitten — until he has to tell her, "I think David is more my type."
It's incredibly sweet — and quite funny in places.
http://www.afterelton.com/print/kevin-keller-archie-comic-preview(On edit - There's 2 pages of the comic at the link, including Kevin's coming out to his military father.)