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!
Covers for Assassin's Creed #1
Here are the six covers for the first issue of Assassin's Creed coming out next month with Titan Comics. Which cover do you like best?
Sherlock Holmes vs Harry Houdini #5 - next week!
Well, it's been a while since I've posted on the site. I must apologize - things have been quite busy here in New York with a number of new projects on the go. Nothing that can be announced quite yet, but look for more information in the coming months.In the meantime, we do have one announcement - the final issue of our SHERLOCK HOLMES VS HARRY HOUDINI series is released next week!
We'll be putting up more previews of art in the next week here but in the meantime here's the description of the issue:The thrilling conclusion to the critically acclaimed series sees two become the sign of the one… Rasputin, the mad Russian monk, has forced either Holmes or Houdini to take their final bow, leading our remaining adventurer to rally his spirits to combat the man who cannot be killed.
HOLMES VS HOUDINI #4 in Comic Shops Today!
We're happy to announce that the penultimate issue of SHERLOCK HOLMES VS HARRY HOUDINI hits comic shops today around the world!Sherlock Holmes is one of the world’s most famous literary characters, one of the most controversial aspects of this character is his drug addiction, something debated and discussed by his fans over the last hundred years. Some interpretations ignore it, some briefly mention it, and a brave few tackle it head-on.We like to take no prisoners.It is Holmes’ drug addiction that we delve into in this issue, with some cool visuals by artist Carlos Furuzono.
Our previous issue found Sherlock Holmes and Harry Houdini defeated by the mysterious and powerful Rasputin. Now the two must rally to save London but to do so they must face their own demons – for Holmes this means a trip into the darkest corners of his mind through his major vice.
The improbable has become the impossible! With magician Harry Houdini arrested after a blood bath that has left his wife at the edge of death, detective Sherlock Holmes must overcome his suspicions – and his demons – to free Houdini and overcome a powerful enemy that commands the unholy powers of the spirits.So run out and grab a copy today - you'll enjoy it!
The Mask of Night collected edition is out next week!
I'm excited to announce that the collected trade paperback of THE MASK OF NIGHT is being released next week in comic shops around the world (and bookstores will be the following week). So if you're looking for a great holiday gift idea for that comic and/or Shakespeare fan in your circle, our fourth volume could be it!
This collected book includes the original four issues, a new backup story detailing the backstory of our protagonist's brother Sebastian (tying it into our Kill Shakespeare universe), and a page-by-page dissection of script-to-artwork.We're excited to see the final product when it arrives (after LA port delays) and we know you will too!
Cover B of THE MASK OF NIGHT #2 Revealed!
Yesterday I posted the first cover THE MASK OF NIGHT #2. Today I'm posting the special sub-variant cover (aka really rare), created by artist J.K. Woodward for our upcoming Kill Shakespeare board game.Guilty or innocent? What says you?
Our new series is around the horizon!
"Though know'st the mask of night is on my face..."Yes, it's been a while since I've posted an update on our new upcoming series but that's because I've been quite busy (working from New York) and we've got a lot on the go. The thing I'm most excited about, though, is our brand new comic mini-series, KILL SHAKESPEARE: THE MASK OF NIGHT. And great news - the series debuts this month!I'll be posting art from the first issue over the next two weeks but the current release date of the first issue is Wednesday, June 18th! Yes, in just over two weeks from today!And here is a look at our first cover of the series, by series artist Andy Belanger (the B cover is by J.K. Woodward, based upon art from our upcoming board game). One of the central characters, the pirate Captain Cesario, is defined by his mask, which appears on Andy's first cover.
So keep checking for more information - we'll be posting quite a bit in the next couple of weeks!
First Character of Board Game Revealed!
Though I haven't been posting many updates in the last couple weeks it's because things have been pretty busy on this end, with some big announcements coming in the future.The item that is public knowledge, of course, is our upcoming board game, slated for release in late-May of this year. We're excited about it and the progress has been a blast to be a part of.IDW has just released the first character teaser for the game (created by artist J.K. Woodward), which is right here:
Surprised? Not really, I'm guessing. Hamlet is our main character in our story so it would be inevitable that he would be featured as a character in the game.Over the next few weeks we'll be revealing more characters so stay tuned to this site, our Twitter account, or our Facebook page (and we should also have a Tumblr page up in the next week or two as well).
Board Game Enlists Two Murderously Talented Artists
It was announced yesterday by IDW Games that award-winning artists J.K. Woodward and Dave Dorman have signed on to serve as artists for the KILL SHAKESPEARE BOARD GAME. We're excited to work with these talents on the design of the characters and worlds as we move forward with the game. We're currently in the design process of the game and have enjoyed working with everyone thus far - IDW Games, Pandasaurus Games, designers Thomas Vande Ginste and Wolf Plancke. It's going to be a really fun game and experience!
You can read the IDW Games press release here.
Prospero attacks Shakespeare (sneak peek)!
Last week we posted a preview of Page 1 of The Tide of Blood #5, the final issue in our mini-series. Here you'll find Page 5 of the series, as Prospero prepares to take all of Shakespeare's knowledge from him...
The issue comes out next Wednesday (the 28th). Be prepared to be shocked by our ending...
Tide of Blood #5 Cover!
Though we've been a little more silent than usual with our blogging and updates this summer, the entire Kill Shakespeare team has been pretty busy with a number of cool things that we'll hopefully be able to share at some point in the near future. One of those things, though, we're quite happy to announce - the release of the final issue (#5) of The Tide of Blood!We haven't received an official release date from our publisher IDW yet but we expect that it will be either Wed, Aug 14th or 21st - which is great as it'll be just in time for Toronto's FanExpo (the biggest show for us every year). Once the official release date is confirmed we will announce it here.And in anticipation of this release, here is the official cover for Issue #5, done by British artist Simon Davis (who did our wildly-popular The Tide of Blood #1 cover).
Yes, the cover hints at a number of things that will take place in the issue - books, blood and... Prospero (I couldn't think of something else that starts with a "b"...). So keep coming back and checking for more information and sneak peeks of the issue!
Preview Pages of The Tide of Blood #4
Just completed a full day of meetings and story activity here in London and head to the MCM London Expo tomorrow for the weekend...In the meantime, here are a couple preview pages of The Tide of Blood #4, to be released next week (Wed, May 29th)... As usual, all artwork is by Andy Belanger and colouring by Shari Chankhamma.
First Page of Issue #3 of The Tide of Blood
Yesterday we posted the cover for The Tide of Blood #3. Today we're going to do something different by posting the first page of the issue - with lettering.The issue begins with a significant character (hint: his name is in the title...) in hiding as as fool at a bar. What happens when he is discovered by two mysterious figures?The artwork is by Andy Belanger and coloured by Shari Hess.
Cover for Issue #3 (to be released next Wednesday)!
We have just received word from IDW Publishing (our publisher, obviously) and Diamond Comics (our distributor) that Issue #3 of The Tide of Blood (titled "Darkness Which the Blind Do See") is being released next Wednesday (the 24th of April). It's a fitting release day as it's the day after the anniversary of Shakespeare's birth/death (April 23rd).Here is the cover for Issue #3, created by our series artist Andy Belanger:
The write-up for Previews magazine for the issue is the following:"With Hamlet in the clutches of Lady Macbeth, Juliet and Romeo grapple with the island’s powers - and their past - to save him and themselves. But another, even greater, threat has entered the stage: Prospero, the mad wizard whose dominion over the island promises a deadly end for our heroes."Look for it next week at all comic book shops and online!
Beware the Ides of March (preview of first page of Issue #2)
Soothsayer:Beware the ides of March.
Caesar:What man is that?
Brutus:A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
So goes one of Shakespeare's most popular lines. And yes, today is The Ides of March (the 15th of March). To recognize this day, I am posting a preview of the first page of our The Tide of Blood Issue #2 ("To Hold the Mirror Up to Nature"), which will be released in comic book shops March 27th. The art is, of course, by Andy Belanger, and features Miranda leading the group (Juliet and Romeo on this page) onto Prospero's Island.
First Page Preview of The Tide of Blood #1
Here is the artwork for Page #1 of The Tide of Blood mini-series, debuting later this month (either the 20th or 27th, depending on when they are shipped). The issue starts off with this page, the beginning of a dream sequence that will set the tone for the rest of the series...Amazing art by Andy Belanger, as always (see his layouts and inked versions of the page here). As well, it's a great introduction to our amazing new colourist, Shari Chankhamma, who was discovered by Andy and Becky Cloonan and is doing fantastic work in the new series (her colours in Issue #2 are off-the-charts!).
Glimpse at the process behind Andy B's artwork
With Issue #1 of The Tide of Blood being released later this month (either the 20th or 27th) I thought it would be cool to tease out previews of our first page. But what's cool about this is that it gives a really cool insight into how our amazing artist Andy B works.Featured below are two pages - the original thumbnails sketch for Page 1 of the series. I wanted to post the interim step - the penciled version of the page - but for some reason Photoshop wouldn't open up the file properly.So here are the pages. Tomorrow I'll post the coloured version of Page 1.
Check out Andy B's amazing variant cover for Issue #1!
Last week we gave you a sneak peek of our Cover A for the first issue of Kill Shakespeare: The Tide of Blood. Today we present our variant cover, created by series artist Andy Belanger - and it's amazing!Heavily influenced by the covers of Hellboy artist Mike Mignola, Andy has put together a visual treat that highlights the dangers of Prospero's island (the setting of our new series) as well as the main characters of Romeo, Hamlet and Juliet.
This cover is available as a retail incentive cover, which means that they are rare - if you can get your hands on one then do so immediately. We will also have a limited number of issue with this cover available at comic conventions this spring (but don't tell anyone that...).
A preview of our Cover for Issue #1 of The Tide of Blood
We are now one month away from the release of our first issue of The Tide of Blood mini-series and we're getting excited to get it into the hands of our fans as well as new readers. We're quite happy with the story - and the numerous twists and turns that it takes throughout. Just as great for us is the artwork for the series. Andy Belanger has gotten even better in the two years since the last series ended - some of his layouts and characters designs are amazing in this series.Over the next couple of weeks we'll be previewing a number of pages of artwork for the series to pique your interest.
Today we start off with the lead cover for the first issue. It's a great piece of art created by British artist Simon Davis. Simon is a fantastic comic and visual artist who we were introduced to through Richard Starkings (who has been a great mentor to us over the last couple of years). His work on this cover is amazing and really sets the tone for the entire run.
Preview Pages from Issue #1 of The Tide of Blood
Here are a number of (non-lettered) pages from the first issue of The Tide of Blood. Entitled "The Winter of Our Discontent", the issue finds Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet, Othello and the rest of the Prodigals defending their newfound freedom from opposing forces but then discover a greater danger - the wizard Prospero's goal to destroy the entire world.The artwork is by Andy Belanger, with colours by Shari Chankhamma.You can access the two covers for the issue here (Simon Davis' Cover A) and here (Andy Belanger's retailer incentive cover).
