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 Released to Great Acclaim!
Thanks SO MUCH to everyone in the last week that has purchased, read, reviewed, enjoyed, commented on ASSASSIN'S CREED #1, released last Wednesday. We were so happy to hear about how great the pre-orders were and the early reviews. Some reviews are here, here and here. We, along with Ubisoft and Titan Comics are thrilled with the response. Thanks so much!
We have some great story coming up for you so keep following us and keep reading Assassin's Creed!If you haven't read it yet, you can find a preview of the first issue here.
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.
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!
This is why we do this...
I received an email from an old high school friend of mine last week, who I haven't heard from in almost 20 years (don't do the math, please...). He's now living in Europe (he moved back during high school) and discovered Kill Shakespeare in his own journeys. It was a really nice thing to receive out of the blue.
We spend so much of our lives working on our stories and one of the best things is to know that people are reading what we've written - and more importantly, that it helps bring people together. It makes all of the long hours and doubts completely worth it.The letter reads (I've edited out one line in the opening paragraph):Hello Anthony.You may not remember me, but we went to school together back in South Porcupine. We had mutual friends... and back then I used the name Matti. Only after moving to Finland have I started using my real name. But as to the reason of this letter. It is nothing more then a letter from an acquaintance from long ago congratulating you on your achievements. I literally stumbled onto Kill Shakespeare while working. A few years ago I was working as a child and family counselor in the university hospital of Tampere in the pediatric oncology and hematology unit. I walking into a patients room, and as I said literally stumbled on this book. I was immediately intrigued, as was the patient due to my English language. It turned out to be just the right "ice breaker" that was needed to start the process I went through with the family for what turned out to be a long, painful and sadly final trip to the hospital for this family. But it wasn't until now, years later I once again came across this series that I looked a little closer at it and realized that it was the Anthony that I knew back in Porcupine. I now live with my family close to the Russian boarder in a small town/village called Kiihtelysvaara,close to Joensuu in North-Eastern Finland where I am going for my masters in theology to become a pastor at the university. As such, from time to time I do work with the youth group and young adults. One of youth group kids brought your comic on a camping trip that we were on and he asked that I read it to them as my pronunciation is somewhat better then theirs.So congrats to you Anthony, you have a following way over here in Finland too. I wish you all the best. Kindest regards,Matti
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!
August FanExpo County
Well, it's been just over a week since FanExpo ended and things have been quite busy. But I've finally(!) been able to go through some of the photos from the weekend and here they are!But first, thanks to everyone who made it an incredible weekend - our established fans, the new ones, the people that came to our Live Graphic Novel impromptu reading on Saturday night, the volunteers from the crowd that served as our "FanExpo Kingsman Players", our friends, the people that tabled beside us and were forced to hear our pitches every days, etc...And look for us at shows this fall - everywhere from Montreal, Portland, Edmonton, New York, London and Miami.
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!
The winds blowing back from Chicago!
I know that it's been two weeks since I've posted anything on the site and I profusely apologize. I've been quite busy with a number of personal things (including moving!) and I am only now catching up on correspondence and follow-up on events of the last few weeks.Three weeks ago I attended C2E2 in Chicago and it was - as usual - a great time. Chicago is a great theatre town and it's great to see the amount of knowledge and enthusiasm about Shakespeare, the arts, theatre and everything else. We sold out of all of our book early on Sunday and almost out of tshirts as well.Thanks to everyone that attended - you made it a great show for me. I've been to Chicago at least once a year and I really like the city and look forward to visiting it again sometime soon.Here are some pictures from the weekend:
Wondrous WonderCon!
I'm in the midst of a move (details to come soon!) so I've been pretty swamped the last couple of weeks. But I wanted to take a moment to post some photos from our appearance at WonderCon in Anaheim two weeks ago (March 18 - 20).As usual, it was a great show for us - we sold out of books, sold a whack of tshirts, and gained a whole new legion of fans. Thanks so much to everyone who came by our booth as well as those that helped us out - Alex from WonderCon, Mimi Cruz from Night Flight Comics, and everyone from IDW Publishing, especially Dirk Wood, Chris Mowry, Mike Ford and everyone else.Here are some glimpses of our time at the show:
Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks in the Windy City
After a great weekend at WonderCon (more on that in the next day or two - with photos!) Conor and I have returned to Toronto for a brief stopover before heading out this weekend. While Conor heads to Calgary (he'll post more on that) I'm heading to Chicago to take part in what has quickly emerged as one of the top comic conventions in the world, C2E2.
This will be the third year in a row that we've attended the show and it's one of our best shows. Chicago, being the theatre-centric town that it is, has really embraced our series and at last year's show Strawdog Theatre mounted a small production of their acclaimed Kill Shakespeare theatre show.
This year I'll be at Booth 126 (close to Marvel and the other comic publishers) and will be selling/signing books and our ShakesGeare all weekend. So swing by to say hello and find out more about our upcoming projects, including the board game, the new The Mask of Night series, and everything else!
WonderCon here we come!
I believe that I've written this before but WonderCon has a very special place in my heart. Back four years ago it was at this show (in San Francisco) that we officially launched Kill Shakespeare - doing some signings, meeting with media, and sitting on a panel.Four years, three volumes (with a fourth on its way), too many conventions to count and we're coming back again - and really looking forward to it! I've had the privilege of representing us at this show the last two years but this year I'm joined by Conor. With our hectic schedules it's actually rare to see us at the same show - mainly it's only New York Comic-Con and FanExpo in Toronto.
We will be selling and signing books and ShakesGeare all weekend at Booth D-13. Come by and visit us and we'll sing a song, crack a joke, or give you a Canadian-ism.Conor is also sitting on an IDW panel (details TBA) so look for that as well.Anaheim, here we come!
Hamlet embarks to the Emerald City!
I returned from attending the Emerald City Comic-Con Monday night but have been swamped with work and a major IT issue the last two days. So I'm only now posting these pics and update.Emerald City this year was one of my favourite shows to attend from two years ago and returning (Conor attended last year) made it even better. It was great to meet up with fans who saw our stage show at the con last year, as well as people that I met two years. Thanks to everyone who came by the table to pick up a book, get a book signed, say hello, tell me how much they love the series, or anything else.Thanks also go out to those that attended by How to Market Your Indie Comic to the Masses on Sunday. And a big thanks to Stephanie Cooke, Bryan JL Glass David Petersen and Sean E. Williams for conducting a panel on Are Literary Comics the New Superhero on the Saturday.I should also thank Ben Hsu and Elaine Tipping (ET!) of Tiny Blue Dragon Studio (based in Portland) who helped out over the course of the weekend with our sales. Check out their really cool Licensed Heroes series.Here are a collection of pics from this weekend!
