You don't get as big as KISS got and stay around for as long as they have just because you threw on some makeup.
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That's EXACTLY what they did.
Saw them in concert in their "heyday".
Good theatrics...lousy music.
It was nothing more than over amplified noise & indistinguishable vocals.

Interesting that you didn't read this part...

"Kiss's critics would have you believe this. They like to ignore the fact that KISS removed the makeup in the 80s and continued to have platinum selling albums. (When most other 70s acts were forgotten.) "

...Because you did the same thing. The 80s is a big problem for those who want to claim KISS had nothing behind the gimmick. Now I personally didn't care for their 80s output, but that doesn't give me the right to claim that success did not happen (as you apparently want to do). While other acts faded, KISS continued on...WITHOUT the gimmick. ...Kind of a big middle finger to the critics like yourself.

And let's not forget their performance on MTV's "Unplugged" (in the 90s! They just wouldn't go away, would they?). Without the makeup...without the stage show...without the amplifiers....they played a great show that was one of the most popular in that series. ANOTHER middle finger to the critics.

Long after "one hit wonders" and other acts that made a name based on a gimmick have faded away, KISS remains popular to this day. "Detroit Rock City" and "Calling Dr. Love" are popular songs on RockBand, for instance.

A lot of KISS critics forget what great rock and roll is all about when they talk about KISS. A band like AC/DC (also great) and the Ramones (also great) are just basic, in your face rock bands....and that's a good thing. But KISS critics somehow miss this quality about KISS. ...Their loss.