Our run on Assassin's Creed is coming to an end...
Like all good adventures, our ongoing run on Assassin’s Creed is coming to an end.Two weeks ago Conor and I submitted our script for Assassin’s Creed #14. We knew at the time it was our final issue in the current run and made sure to jam it (as well as the previous Issue #13) with as much character and action moments as possible (and a couple very jarring deaths, too). And when the final words “The End” were typed on the final page, I sat back and reflected upon how much fun it had been to bring these characters to life.It was both a melancholy – and proud moment.In early 2015 we were approached by Titan editor Lizzie Kaye asking if we’d be interested in pitching on a video game property license. She didn’t tell us which one but would after we signed an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). As I was signing it I was singing to myself, like some sort of mantra: “Please let it be Assassin’s Creed… Please let it be Assassin’s Creed…” And, well, you know what the end result was.From our release last year at New York Comic-Con (with rave reviews) through to a panel at FanExpo Canada a month ago, it’s been a wild ride.Conor and I are proud of what we’ve been able to create. Our main character, Charlotte de la Cruz, has been so fun to create and write for. Like all great characters, she’s flawed – a little too impulsive, a little too argumentative and stubborn – but she’s also determined, caring an idealistic. We’ve also enjoyed writing for the time periods she’s delved into, especially the Salem Witch Trials (I read a half-dozen books about the era before writing a single word of the script).
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed creating within a world that has such a HUGE fanbase. So many followers on social media and at shows help to bring this property to life. And it’s only natural! It’s such an amazing world Ubisoft has been able to create! The reason I really loved the video games in the first place is that it’s both entertaining and enlightening. It’s an incredibly immersive world in which you get to travel back to times like Renaissance Italy and Revolutionary France and feel like you’re almost there.
There are so many people to thank and give props to. Our original editor at Titan, Lizzie Kaye, who had the confidence that we could create some great stories within the world. She’s a superstar and a great editor (and even came to my talk at the Globe Theatre in May, 2015) to cheer me on). She passed the baton on to the uber-cool Tom Williams, who has helped shepherd the final few issues and is tasked with keeping our tale alive. The others at Titan Comics - Andrew James, Chris Teather, Lucy Ripper, Will O’Mullane, Ricky Claydon – who have created a fantastic support system for us. Fred Van Lente, the writer of the companion Templars series has been a great confidante that I could discuss ideas and characters with (very convenient since we’re only a ten-minute ride away from one another). And there’s the squad at Ubisoft – game writer (and guitarist supreme) Richard Farrese, the worldly superpower Anouk Bachman, and the silent but deadly Clemence Deleuze. And Ubisoft’s Aymar Azaizia, who I always seem to be on panels with and we start talking about the coolest immersive media projects out there!)I must give props to my two collaborators. Neil Edwards has been our artist since day one and he’s been great to work with. He’s the one that designed Charlotte’s look and I think he really brought a little bit of her Latin flair to the mix. And of, course, my co-writer Conor, who brought his trademark humor, dialogue and scripting skills to each and every issue.
And thanks to all of you that read the series. I know that as time goes on more fans will discover our books and it’s great to chat with those that have, asking questions about specific characters and situations.I’d like to wish the upcoming creative team – Dan Watter, Alex Paknadel and Jose Holder – the best as they take the reins. I know you’ll love working with the squad and enjoy it! It’s an amazing sandbox you get to play in.
There are some ideas and worlds that we didn’t have a chance to delve into (I had an amazing Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-esque storyline that would have been amazing!) but I’m happy with what we’ve been able to create in our three arcs. And I’m sure you’ll see us back in the Assassin’s Creed world at some point in the future.
In the meantime, enjoy our final three issues. Issue #12 is released this week (I’ll have some for sale at New York Comic-Con this weekend) and, as I said, our final two issues are rocking fun times.Much like Charlotte de la Cruz, I’m really happy to have been selected for this mission. And I’m excited to see what comes next.Anthony
I'll be at New York Comic-Con this week!
Hello fans!Things have been busy here in Kill Shakespeare Land with lots of work and deadlines of late. Many things to announce in the coming months...But first, I want to announce that I'll be attending New York Comic-Con this upcoming week in my adopted city!I'l be at Table 1249 the entire weekend, along with some helpers at the table. I'll have copies of all Kill Shakespeare volumes, our board game, our ShakesGear t-shirts, and copies of Assassin's Creed (Volume 1 and issues 6-12) and Sherlock Holmes vs Harry Houdini. And you'll be able to find out more about our future projects as well!
I'll also be attending a few panels and signings. These include:Dynamite Comics' Panel - Thu, Oct 6 @ 7:45pm (Room 1A02)How to Self-Publish - Fri, Oct 7 @ 11am (Room 1A02)Assassin's Creed Signing - Sun, Oct 9 from 12 noon - 1pm (Titan Comics' Booth)So come by and visit me - it's gonna be a great show!
Assassin's Creed: Volume 1 Released this Week (with signing at Barnes & Noble!)
It's been a while since I've posted anything on this site. Again, my apologies... but today I will take a moment to post a great new piece of information!ASSASSIN'S CREED VOLUME 1: TRIAL BY FIRE is released in book stores across the world this week!
“It’s a fantastic video game based title., it really captures a lot of spirit of Assassin’s Creed…captures your imagination from the get-go” - The Mary SueThis first volume collects the first five issues of our series, which introduces us to Charlotte de la Cruz, an over-educated and under-employed millennial that is recruited by a mysterious organization known as the Assassins to go into the memories of her ancestor using the Salem Witch Trials.To celebrate this launch, I will be doing a signing at the Barnes & Noble at Union Square, Manhattan (33 East 17th Street) this Friday (June 10th). You can get some details here but swing by anytime between 7 - 9 to pick up a copy, say hello, and have some fun!
Assassin's Creed #6 Released This Week!
Sorry I've been so silent on this end. Things are really busy with a LOT of projects on the go, and some really cool developments and announcements coming in the near future.But let's not get ahead of myself... I'm here to talk about Assassin's Creed, as our title suggest.ASSASSIN'S CREED #6 is released in comic shops (and online) this week - Wednesday, March 16th. It's the beginning of our second arc, which means we keep some characters (our modern-day tale with Charlotte de la Cruz and her teammates) and introduce new ones. For the latter, it means that we talk Charlotte to the Last Days of the Inca Empire, circa 1536. It's an amazing time in history - and an incredible society - and we focus on a new historical character called Quila, who is a "Chasqui" (a messenger) who is responsible for bringing messages back and forth between locales. The Inca society was quite developed and had created their own form of composed communication, and it's one of these messages that Quila must deliver when she discovers it features dangerous information.You can access a preview of the pages here.The great artist Paul Pope does our A cover for this issue: it's a great one:
So pick up your copy this week!
New York Comic-Con!
Hello! It's been a while as I've been quite busy over the last month with lot of stuff going on and lots of news to announce in the coming months. It's a little frustrating as I love to be able to post information regularly for our readers but, alas, I also need to make time to do, well, actual creative work that I will be able to write about!But today I write about this weekend... The New York Comic-Con!Yes, we will be attending the New York Comic-Con this weekend (Oct 8 -11) at the Javits Centre. It's the second-largest comic convention in North America and seems to grow bigger and bigger each year (with attendance hitting about 150,000, from what I've been told). It's always our biggest show of the year and this year it'll be just as big for us!
WHERE WE'LL BE (OUR BOOTH)We'll be at the same spot we've had for the last three years - BOOTH #1249, locating in Small Press area and close by the Marvel and Image booths. It's a great spot and we're happy to return. Conor will be overseeing the operation this weekend and I will be there on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. And joining us this time around is our amazing Marketing Coordinator Keith Morris! So swing by to pick up copies of Kill Shakespeare (including our recently-released hardcover book), Sherlock Holmes vs Harry Houdini (now available in graphic novel!), our board game, our t-shirts, and the first issue of Assassin's Creed (being released on Wed, Oct 14th!).ASSASSIN'S CREED - PANEL AND SIGNINGSTo celebrate the release of Assassin's Creed #1, we'll be taking part in a number of signings and a panel talk with Titan Comics. Our signings will be:Thur 3:15 - 4:15 - Titan Comics Booth # 2142Fri 1:30 - 2:30 - Titan Comics Booth # 2142Sat 2 -3 - Titan Comics Booth # 2142And our panel is:PANEL: ASSASSIN’S CREED COMICS PANELTime: 1:45PM – 2.45PM - Room IA24Guests: Richard Farrese (AC Scriptwriter at Ubisoft), Aymar Azaizia (AC Head of Content), Anthony Del Col (writer), Conor McCreery (writer), Dennis Calero (artist), Fred Van Lente (Templars writer), Andrew James (Executive Editor) So come by and say hello - it would be great to see you!
FanExpo, here we come!
It's that time of year! No, I'm not referring to cooler weather or the purchase of backpacks and pencil cases... I'm referring to FanExpo Canada in Toronto!Conor and I will be attending this year's show for our fifth straight year. Wow, it's been five years! Maybe six? I've lost track by now. It's always one of our best shows and this year we're excited to have it serve as the official launch pad for our new book SHERLOCK HOLMES VS HARRY HOUDINI! Though the book hits stores on September 10th you'll be able to find a limited number of copies at the show this year.
This year's FanExpo runs from Thu, Sep 3 - Sun, Sep 6th at the Metro Convention Centre. Conor and I will be located in Artist Alley at Table P59 all weekend.
HOLMES VS HOUDINI released next week!
I apologize if I haven't been able to post a firm release date for the collected SHERLOCK HOLMES VS HARRY HOUDINI but a number of overseas printing/shipping problems have kept everything up in the air. But we now know for certain when it is...SHERLOCK HOLMES VS HARRY HOUDINI: VOLUME 1 will be released next week (Wed, Aug 26th) in comic shops around the world!We're excited to see our tale in one complete book. We've made a couple small corrections and additions to this final product which we think you'll enjoy reading through. So check out the book when it's released.
(Please note that the book will be released at book stores around the world two weeks later - Wed, Sep 9th.)
Pre-Order Your Copy of Assassin's Creed #1 This Month!
Last week Conor and I spent two days in Montreal, meeting with the key content brain trust for Assassin's Creed. It was a creatively energizing time for me, finding out more about the immersive world of the franchise, future plans, and how we can add to the lore of the world. See photo below...Artist Neil Edwards is busy at work on the art and what we've seen thus far has been great - we're excited to show you artwork when we can.As for the first issue, it's scheduled for release on October 14th. And you have a chance to pre-order your copy this month at all comic shops!Here is the two-page spread in Previews magazine (the ordering catalogue for comic retailers), which highlights the series and some art:
Go to your local comic shop and as for them to pre-order this book. The order code is AUG151704 (regular cover) with alternative covers available as well.We'll post more information over the coming weeks.And here's a photo from Montreal from last week, with Conor and I and the creative brain trust (along with editor Lizzie Kaye and writer Fred Van Lente):
We're writing the new Assassin's Creed comics!
We're excited to announce that we are the writing team picked to write the new Assassin's Creed comics book series, debuting this fall from Titan Comics!Announced late yesterday by our amazing editors Andrew James and Lizzie Kaye at a panel at San Diego Comic-Con we were upset to have missed, we will be overseeing a new story arc for the game franchise that has sold millions of copies worldwide. When we were first approached months ago by Lizzie, she labelled it as a "mysterious video game franchise" and the first thing I thought was: "Please let it be Assassin's Creed... Please let it be Assassin's Creed..." I've been a fan of the world and mythology that Ubisoft has created and I'm quite excited to be playing in their sandbox.Our first adventure will be taking place in a very interesting time period: The Salem Witch Trials in the late-17th century, which will parallel a modern-day espionage tale. It's a very fascinating historical time period where the US was really starting as a country and people suddenly stopped trusting one another - and sometimes themselves. A great world to delve into and tell the story of some of the accused and the people trying to save/hurt them. We've created great new characters and have been doing quite a bit of research into the time period to bring it to life.Here is some of the preview artwork by British artist Neil Edwards, who we are quite excited to work with:
And you can find coverage of the announcement here.The first issue will be released in early October and followed up monthly. You can pre-order copies (there will be 5-6 variant covers for the first issue) in comic shops later this month and all of August. We'll get you the order code as soon as we receive it. And stay tuned here for more information as we move towards this great new series.
New Yorkers, learn how to write comics!
Now back from my West Coast mini-vacation with my uber-lovely wife, I'm hitting the ground running. For those curious, we are not attending San Diego Comic-Con this week but in our absence expect one or two announcements about forthcoming projects (no hints - yet)!And once all of that is done, I'm happy to announce that I'm putting together a comic book writing workshop in New York City next week! The Screenwriters' Collective has asked me to come in and do a seminar on how to turn your idea into a comic book. The details are:GRAPHIC NOVEL WRITING SEMINAR & NETWORKING HOUR BAM! POW! BOOM! HOW TO TURN YOUR IDEA INTO A COMIC BOOK The NYC Screenwriters Collective is happy to present Graphic Novel Writing with Anthony Del Col. With the success of the Marvel Studios films and TV series like The Walking Dead blazing trails in pop culture, comic books have never been bigger. And comics are not just superheroes these days - it’s everything from historical drama to romance. But what does it take to write a comic book series? Acclaimed comic book creator Anthony Del Col (IDW Publishing’s "Kill Shakespeare") teaches this seminar on how to turn your ideas into a comic book. He will address the process behind the creation of a comic, how to write a comic book (it’s not just word balloons!), how to navigate the industry, and everything in between.
WHEN: Thursday JULY 16th -- Seminar 6:30p-8:00p, Networking 8:00-10:00pmWHERE: At the People's Improv Theater at 123 E 24th Street.Price: $25 discounted to $15 with NYCSC promo code. FREE NETWORKING EVENT. If you can't make the workshop, please attend our free Monthly Networking Evening 8pm-10pm...cash bar… located in the bar at the People's Improve Theater. Partnered with the M/E/T. Tickets can be purchased here. This is a non-profit venture - all funds go towards covering costs for the venue and event.So come on out!
Appearing at London's MCM Show this weekend!
Just got back from a whirlwind two weeks in Europe - and now I'm going back there!In addition to my Inspired By: Shakespeare talk at the Globe Theatre this Thursday evening at 7pm, I will be attending the London MCM Comic-Con this weekend (Fri, May 22 - Sun, May 24) at the ExCel Centre in Southwest London. I am located in the Comics Village section, Table #CB1 (map can be found here).
It'll be my fourth time appearing at the show and I'm excited to return to what is always an amazing show. And this year I'll have our new hardcover Kill Shakespeare book and some other special things.So if you're in London this weekend - or know anyone that is - come by and visit me!
Killing Shakespeare in his own city!
I returned just over 24 hours ago from a whirlwind trip to London where I took part in the London Comic-Con (the weekend of Oct 24-26th). This was my third time over the pond for a show and I'm growing more and more attached to the city. In addition to the show I swung by the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Globe Theatre. Both incredibly inspiring spots.Here are some pics from this weekend.
- Shocked by the content of Holmes vs. Houdini!
Kill Shakespeare in London!
Though I'm still recovering from the melee that was the New York Comic-Con this past weekend, I am now preparing for one final comic-con (for me) this year. And is it not fitting that it'll be in the place that Shakespeare became famous - London, England?
Yes, I'm heading to London next week for the London MCM Comic-Con. Conor attended the show back in May and I attended a couple of the show last year and they were all great. It's an amazing city with a huge appetite for anything geek (and Shakespeare). There are a great group of organizers involved and the crowds are huge and wild.The show takes place next Friday (October 24) until Sunday (the 26th) and I will be there all three days. Once I have my exact table number (and panel info) I'll post them online but it shouldn't be too hard to find me at the show.So if you're in London please spread the word - the Canadian is invading! The Canadian is invading!
New York - A Hell of a Town!
Well, what has quickly become the busiest convention of the year for us has just ended... The New York Comic-Con! Some reports indicate that the show is now bigger than San Diego in terms of attendance; I don't know if this is the case but I do know that it's a really big show.We had a great time in the city this year - meeting with fans, finding new readers, seeing the board game for the first time, and selling our new Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini series as well. We broke sales records and look forward to winding down the year with only a couple more.Here are some pics from the weekend:
New York Comic-Con
We are now only a week away from our biggest comic-con of the year... The New York Comic-Con!It was five years ago that we attended this show and secured ourselves a publishing deal with IDW... and now we're back with not only the fourth volume of Kill Shakespeare but also the debut of our new Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini series.
We will be at Booth #1249 the entire weekend so swing by say hello, check out our final issue of Kill Shakespeare: The Mask of Night, the first issue of Holmes vs. Houdini... and our board game! You can find a floor plan here. Andy will also be at the show at Table N11.We will also be doing signings at some other booths over the span of the weekend. These will include:IDW Publishing (Booth #1844) - Fri (Oct 12) - 6 - 7pmDynamite Comics (Booth #2022) - Thu (Oct 11) - 2-3pmDynamite Comics (Booth #2022) - Sat (Oct 13) - 4-5pmDynamite Comics (Booth #2022) - Sun (Oct 14) - 11am - 12pmSo it'll be a busy weekend for us but do come and visit!
Two books released next Wednesday (October 1st)!
Well, when it rains, it pours...Next week is going to be a busy one for us as we are releasing on Wed, Oct 1st not one but TWO comic book issues on the same day!First off, we are releasing the fourth and final issue of our latest Kill Shakespeare mini-series, THE MASK OF NIGHT. Betrayed by the vicious cannibal Captain Lucius, Viola and Hamlet must undertake an odds-defying mission to punish a murder most foul. It’s an ending that features adventure, romance, revenge, amazing art (by Andy Belanger) and death – all the good parts of a Shakespearean tale.And we're quite proud to release the debut issue of our new series with Dynamite Comics, SHERLOCK HOLMES vs HARRY HOUDINI. In this first issue, famed detective Sherlock Holmes and brash showman Harry Houdini must combine forces to defeat a mysterious mystic dedicated to destroying Houdini’s career and anyone who gets in his way.We quite enjoyed the ability to bring these two larger-than-life figures together and see what happens when they first meet. Do they become BFFs? Do they get under each other’s skin? And who is worthy of doing battle with both (if there is anyone at all)? We are working with talented Carlos Furuzuno and the talented team at Dynamite Comics to bring our story to life.
To read a preview of the first couple pages of Holmes vs. Houdini, click here. So go to your local comic shop next Wednesday and check out both issues!
Rose City, here we come!
It's going to be a busy September for us as between Conor and I we attend three comic conventions. Conor is attending Montreal (Sept 12-14) and Edmonton (Sept 26-28) and he'll be posting information about those shows soon... And for me? I get to make Kill Shakespeare's first attendance at a show... The Rose City Comic-Con in Portland (Sept 20-21)!
(Yes, cue jokes about Portlandia...)I'm quite excited to check out the show. I've heard great things about Portland and have a few friends/colleagues in the city so it'll be great to catch up with them. I've heard amazing things about the comic scene in the city so am looking forward to tap into that while visiting.I will be at Table V-12 (you can find a map here). Come to the show and say hello!
Kill Shakespeare @ FanExpo this weekend!
While I refuse to acknowledge that the summer will be ending soon and the autumn beginning, I do recognize that one of the events that marks the countdown to fall is one of my favorite comic-cons, FanExpo Canada in Toronto. It's our hometown crowd and we always have a blast catching up with fellow Torontonians as well as meet our fans and earn new ones along the way.And yes, we will be attending this year's show, which is this weekend (Thu,Aug 28 - Sun, Aug 31) at the Metro Convention Centre in downtown Toronto.You can find us at Table P31 all weekend with books, issues, tshirts, stories and jokes. Yes, jokes! Come and say hello!
"It's a Hah-vahd bah." Pics from Boston Comic-Con!
I got back from Boston on Sunday night after a whirlwind stop through one of my favourite cities in the U.S.This was my third time attending the Boston Comic-Con and every time I go it gets bigger and better. It was great to see so many fans from the previous shows as well as meet new ones, sell/sign books and have people check out our swag.And thanks to everyone who attended my "How to Pitch Your Comic" workshop on Sunday. The vibe in the room was great and I enjoyed chatting with those that stopped by my table afterwards.Here are some pics from the weekend:
Three Days in Boston (this weekend)
It's a busy week for us with prepping the final issue of The Mask of Night (Andy Belanger's artwork is really amazing, and the issue should really allow for colorist Shari Chankhamma to shine as well), putting together the hard cover Backstage Edition, doing some work on our upcoming Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini series, and a bunch of other things. As well, I'm gearing up for one of my favourite shows...Boston Comic-Con 2014!
I will be at Table D709 the entire weekend. It's great as I'll be seated next to fellow Canuck creator Ramon Perez and amazing artist Marcio Takara. You can access a floor plan for the show here.I am also reprising my How to Pitch Your Comic workshop on Sunday at 11am in Waterfront Ballroom 1 (full event schedule here). It was a packed crowd last year and I received a great response and they asked me to return, which I am honoured to do. If you're trying to break into comics it's a great way to learn the ins-and-outs of the pitching process.So if you're in Boston please come and visit - last year was a great time and this year should be even better!