Zipper will be very much as a stranger in a strange land piece, ultimately tying in elements of the immigrant experience with true heroics – not the Superman pie-in-the-sky variety, but more of a grittier, reluctant "it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it" variety. In this case, that someone, initially, is Xeng Ral (who will later be dubbed "Zipper"), though as the series progresses, Zipper's actions spark heroic deeds from those around him.

Series mastermind Gene Simmons credits a sci-fi classic as part of the inspiration for Zipper, as well as his own personal immigrant experience.

"The sense of ZIPPER came to me from Heinlin's Stranger In A Strange Land," says Simmons. "A human being, who was born on Mars and was raised by Martians, comes to Earth. The (Silver) Surfer is an alien, who comes to Earth. I was born in another country and came to America. All of us share a sense of being from the Outside. We are all Outsiders. Though I speak English well enough to have taught it in 6th Grade in Spanish Harlem (as well as all the other subjects), I still chuckle when I hear words like HOT DOG. I still envision a...'hot dog'. Literally. I find myself musing about how bizarre people are. 'What fools these mortals be'...Indeed.

"Zipper is not from here," Simmons continues. "He is from the Nether Ether. A place Not Here. A place with different values -- in fact, if you take Nietzche's take 'there is no universal good or bad' it's simply a cultural point of view, then you might understand some of the areas we will deal with. What I mean is, for head hunters in the Amazon, killing and eating a human being is perfectly fine. But here, if you're Jeffrey Dahmer, you are a monster and depraved. It's all a point of view. Zipper is not from here and the suit he wears is what we might wear when we do very deep into the depths of the ocean. The pressure would crush us, if we didn't have 'protective outer covering'...and that's what Zipper has. Picture Spider Man's outfit and inside is Venom."

As Gene states, Xeng Ral/Zipper is from a place called Etheria, which is part of an other-dimensional realm known as the Nether Ether. The Nether Ether exists in stark contrast to our Earth. Etherians exist in a kind of automaton type state of being, where there is no individualism, where all the inhabitants fulfill specific responsibilities. As Gene points out in his notes, their vocabulary is very distinct. All Etherians speak as "We", i.e., "We must serve... We must fulfill our duties." Though there are names on Etheria, they are rarely used or acknowledged. Again, there is no individualism... just duties and responsibilities to the collective "We."

For his part, Xeng Ral is a soldier-type Etherian whose sole purpose is to serve in defense of Etheria. Xeng Ral is not an elite soldier, by any means – rather, he is simply one amongst many. But something happens to Xeng Ral while performing his duty – as has happened to others before him: he begins to question his purpose and contemplate his individualism and autonomy. He is affected by this... changed. He realizes his own capacity for individualism and wishes to explore it further. He begins to speak of himself as "One." Obviously, in Etheria's collective society, this will not do. The Etherian solution to individualistic behavior is to "recondition" the Etherians who attempt to break away from the collective mentality. All Etherians serve a purpose, and the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Therefore, none are destroyed – only reconditioned to better serve the whole. However, Xeng Ral does not want to be conditioned, and is able to escape reconditioning by donning a protective zippered dimensional suit (which will become the character's trademark look and claim to fame) and entering a wormhole that eventually lands him on Planet Earth.

This is where the adventure truly begins...

On Earth, Xeng Ral/Zipper will cross paths with a diverse group of humans. The main cast of players (including our hero) are:

• ZIPPER/XENG RAL – In natural form, Gene describes Etherians this way: "...closer to VENOM...they are often humanoid, but don't wear clothing and can MELT...THE WAY ICE IS SOLID AND HAS A SHAPE, BUT WHEN IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH HEAT, IT BECOMES WATER AND MELTS. His protective zipper suit covers him in black from head to toe, with white eyes (eyes that glow red when he is angry)." As Gene explains it, the suit has zippers "up and down the legs, sides and especially the back... there are zippers... long ones... short ones... fat ones... thin ones." Each zipper serves a purpose – for example, the ones at the wrists of the suit hold the long chains that Zipper releases as weapons during battle. In his human camouflage form, Zipper looks like a plain/ordinary white male, with short brown hair, brown eyes, and very normal looking clothes. However, there is always an element of strangeness about him – the way he moves, acts, reacts. The camouflage may hide his alien physical features, but it can't hide his innate "alien-ness."
• FOSTER H. DEVEROUX – Deveroux is our story's Kingpin-type character, though Gene envisions Deveroux as a fit, charismatic man, with gray hair that looks classy in a mature/sophisticated manner. He has striking blue eyes and a permanent smile on his face that is both intoxicating and intimidating. He is always dressed stylishly in the most expensive suits and ties. He is like a superstar TV evangelist... but much more.
• RONNIE J – Ronnie J resembles Jay Jay from the TV program "Good Times." A wise-cracking, jive-talking, man of the street, who, at his heart, is a good person, but a person who does what it takes to survive in the mean, mean world. He has a large afro and wears the latest hip-hop fashions. He is in his late-twenties.
• OFFICER LINDA MAKI – This 32-year-old vice detective has long, dark, straight hair, dark eyes, an athlete's body, and a hard-nosed cop's attitude. She is almost always in tight jeans, white tennis shoes and a t-shirt. She's a tough, sexy cookie with a badge and a gun... and an honorable sense of justice.

• Silver Bullet Comics gives Zipper #1 the Sunday Slugfest Treatment

• BUY NOW Zipper Subscription
• BUY NOW Zipper #1
• BUY NOW Zipper #2
• BUY NOW Gene Simmons Zipper #3