Let G be a finite group and k be a field of characteristic p. We investigate the homotopy category K(InjkG) of the category C(InjkG) of complexes of injective (= projective) kG-modules. If G is a p-group, this category is equivalent to the derived category D dg (C * (BG; k)) of the cochains on the classifying space; if G is not a p-group, it has better properties than this derived category. The ordinary tensor product in K(InjkG) with diagonal G-action corresponds to the E ∞ tensor product on D dg (C * (BG; k)). We show that K(InjkG) can be regarded as a slight enlargement of the stable module category StModkG. It has better formal properties inasmuch as the ordinary cohomology ring H * (G, k) is better behaved than the Tate cohomology ringĤ * (G, k). It is also better than the derived category D(ModkG), because the compact objects in K(InjkG) form a copy of the bounded derived category D b (modkG), whereas the compact objects in D(ModkG) consist of just the perfect complexes. Finally, we develop the theory of support varieties and homotopy colimits in K(InjkG).