6. A different fantastic four

The band gets its own comic when “A Marvel Comics Super Special!: Kiss” is released June 30, 1977. The four musicians do more than just star in the comic — they also add their own blood to the ink at the printing press.

The band returns to the well that has served its so nicely and releases arguably its most powerful album — “Alive II” — on Oct. 14, 1977, a two-LP offering recorded mainly during a run of shows earlier in the year at the Forum in Inglewood.

All four members release eponymous solo albums Sept. 18, 1978. None of the records reaches the top 20 on the album charts, yet all of them still go platinum.

The feature-length TV film “Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park” is aired by NBC on Oct. 28, 1978. The movie — filmed mainly at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia — is widely panned, especially by the band. Simmons reportedly compares it to Ed Wood’s cult classic, “Plan 9 From Outer Space.”

Hard-rocking Kiss fans cringe a bit when the disco-happy “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” is released on the “Dynasty” album May 23, 1979. Everybody else just dances and sings along to what is surely one of the best Kiss songs of all time.

Original drummer Criss leaves the band not long after “Unmasked” is released May 20, 1980. Eric Carr quickly takes over on the kit, making his concert debut with the band July 25, 1980.

Known at least as much for their makeup as their music, the Kiss guys finally show their faces on MTV on Sept. 18, 1983. Once the novelty fades, basically everyone agrees

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