Content: Super-Awesome. Other than 1 or 2 of the McFarlane action figures and a handful of the McFarlane comic books, I really have never owned any of KISS's stuff. I neither loved nor hated their music, but admired their merchandising strategy and as someone who spent the 90′s working in a Heavy Metal record store, we made sure to order every crazy KISS item we could.
But after watching this movie it is hard to not be a KISS fan. I found myself singing Rock N Roll All Night while cutting open the packaging. KISS songs are peppered throughout the movie and they all sound great. The cartoon versions of the band are thinner and younger than their real-life counterparts and possess super-powers. Everything the band does in this movie is mind-blowingly cool.
The Scooby Doo end of this movie is spot on and done to perfection. And when Shaggy and Scooby take The Demon's advice, I cheered very loud because it was super-cool. Fred and Daphne have some great stuff with 2 love triangles involving The Star Child and the scientist lady that makes Fred pull out his creepy evil smile at one point. Velma gets some one-on-one time with The Spaceman as she grips tightly to hold on to her skepticism.
Only having read a few of the Psycho Circus comics, I am not sure what lore other comics created for KISS, but this movie expands the mythos surrounding the band in exciting, imaginative and fairly logical ways. The titles of Songs, Albums and more take on deeper meanings. The movie keeps pushing the boundaries on what you could possibly expect from it.
Bruce Kulick did tweet a post about how this movie does give a shout out to past members of KISS. There is a screen-shot and if you are familiar with the lore of KISS, it is right there.
Special Features: Good. KISS Cut-Ups is just out takes of KISS doing some promotion for this movie. The finished version of which is not on this release. These bloopers are not really funny.
Are You A Scooby or a Shaggy? is KISS, Abby from NCIS and Jay & Silent Bob saying if they relate more to Scooby or Shaggy. Points to Thayer for his out of the box answer, even if he can't land on the exact name.
Trailers: Nothing new. Opens with Legos: DC Heroes: Attack of the Legion of Doom. (first seen on Tom & Jerry vs Jonny Quest) and Tom & Jerry vs Jonny Quest. In the Special Features section trailers for Scooby Doo vs WWE and Lego Dimensions which may be a video game, but the trailer features Joel McHale. (Amazon has 2 different trailers, one feat. Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown.) (BTW DC Lego movies have more action and less dumb comedy than Star Wars Lego movies.)
Blu Ray special features also include 2 episodes from the 3rd season of Scooby Doo Where Are You (Part of the Scooby Doo/Dynomutt Hour) S03E04 To Switch A Witch and S03E11 The Diabolical Disc Demon.
Buy/Don't Buy: Yes. Buy. This movie does not disappoint in any way. I want more. This is a great format for KISS. Our passport to the KISS realm is the Scooby gang so KISS gets to be mysterious. I would love it if Warner Animation created a Hanna Barbera-style cartoon series for Cartoon Network with a group of Mystery Solving Teens who summon KISS whenever they find themselves in trouble. Like the Godzilla Power Hour with the trouble alert.
