Bonus Sneek Peak of Issue #4
With the skies pretty dreary here in Toronto and the temperature being a jerk and dropping from the lovely 20 degree days we'd enjoyed a week ago to as low as nine (seriously?). I know that I really need a pick-me up.So, I thought I'd share that impulse with the rest of you. Normally we only toss out four preview pages from any given Kill Shakespeare installment, but with issue #4 due out tomorrow and such a grey day around me I thought, what the heck? Go nuts.So here I am, going nuts (I'm a wild man, you should see me eating full-fat yoghurt... bad!).Enjoy! (As always all pencils and inks are by Andy B. while Shari Chankhamma turns in another superlative colours job).
Caption Contest!
Issue #4 of The Tide of Blood is being released this week (either Wednesday or Thursday, depending on your country) and in anticipation of this we are running another caption contest.Please insert a caption for the image below (one of Juliet meeting a new opponent in her quest to find Hamlet and Romeo) and we will randomly select two winners on Wednesday (the 29th) for those that give us a caption below, our Facebook page, or our Twitter feed. Winners will receive a signed copy of the issue (or any back issue from The Tide of Blood).
Captions can be funny, serious, or anywhere in-between.And don't forget to pick up a copy of our series when it's released this week!
Anthony in London this weekend (UK)!
I will be traveling to the home country of Mr. Shakespeare himself this week. Departing tomorrow, I will be attending the MCM London Comic-Con this upcoming weekend (May 24 - 26) in London this weekend. I will be in the Comics Village the entire weekend so if you - or anyone that you know - will be attending swing by to say hello and pick up a book or issue (or two).
I will then be heading over to Oxford to teach a Shakespeare class and take in some other meetings.I'm looking forward to revisiting England. Last year's trip was amazing - attending the Bristol and Kapow! shows, visiting Oxford and, of course, Stratford-upon-Avon. And it'll be great to reconnect with friends from last year's show - and make new ones.Check out the video that Conor and I shot at Shakespeare's Birthplace last year...
Conor's Con Pix Galore! (And an ANDY B. retrospective: "A Man and his Beard")
The past few weeks have been a pretty busy time for the K.S. boys. You've seen Anthony jet off to exotic far-flung locales like... Ottawa and... Calgary...But while Anthony was enjoying the high-life, poor lil' ol me has been stuck doing AMAZING SHOWS in Chicago and right here in Toronto -- TCAF 2013.I've been quite the shutterbug as I learn to play with this new Galaxy Tablet and I even took a bit of video of the Kill Shakespeare stage show that played at C2E2. I wanted to share some memories of the events and thank all the amazing fans and friends who came out and supported us in both places. I had SUCH a good time talking with all of you.We've said it before, but I don't believe that any other book has such diverse and interesting fans as K.S. does!Now let's see some photos!Below are a few from the stageplay that went on at C2E2 and was put on by the amazing Strawdog Theatre. I've already posted a few on our Facebook account, but these are a few samples that I took of the show. The rest you can find in this album.
Of course C2E2 was more than just theatre -- we also had fans and cosplay galore. To get a flavour of the delightful madness here are a few shots to whet your appetite. You can see more of C2E2 in this album.
This past weekend was TCAF -- a more "refined" comics experience. While cos-play isn't really a "thing" at TCAF it was a great chance to see old friends and to steal a ukele
For more TCAF click here.And finally, for those of you who haven't seen Andy B. for awhile you may not know that he now owns the 1,965th best beard of ALL-TIME. He just passed this guy and is closing hard on these guys.Andy graciously agreed to pose for a series of photos so we can commerate a time when life was simpler, and all that mattered was a man, his beard, and how many birds could nest within it.
For the entire, surely to be award-winning, collection - click here... if you dare!
Images from Ottawa
Despite a severe allergy attack and a really bad cough, I was able to take part - and quite enjoy - the Ottawa Comic-Con this past weekend. It was only the show's second year but it was a really big one and the organizers - the same ones who put together the Montreal Comic-Con - have done a great job.I was really fortunate to be placed beside some amazingly talented (and really nice) artists - Yanick Paquette (Swamp Thing, the upcoming Wonder Woman), Pia Guerra (my favourite series of all time, Y The Last Man) and Ian Boothby (Simpsons Comics) - they were great to chat with and share space with.And thanks to everyone who came to the show and swung by to chat, learn more about KS, pick up some books/ShakesGeare, etc. It was great meeting/chatting with all of you!Here are some photos from the weekend. You can find more on our Facebook page.
Anthony in the (Canadian) Nation's Capital this weekend!
After finally having a weekend off, I become a weekend warrior again this upcoming one as I attend the Ottawa Comic-Con from Fri, May 10 - 12th. This is our first time attending the event, run by the amazing organizers of the Montreal Comic-Con, so I'm excited to see what it's like.I will be at Table #A600 the entire weekend, which is plum in the middle of some of the top artists today - beside Pia Guerra (co-creator of my favourite series of all-time, Y The Last Man) and superstar artist Yanick Paquette (DC's Swamp Thing relaunch). You can find a floor plan of the show at this link.I am also conducting a workshop "HOW TO CREATE AND MARKET YOUR OWN COMICS" on Saturday at 2pm in Meeting Room B. I have put on this workshop at almost a dozen conventions so if you're at the show and would like to find out how to get your comic off the ground come by and pick up some tricks of the trade. The workshop description is:
Issue #3 is released today!
The day has arrived! Issue #3 of The Tide of Blood is in comic book shops around the world today!
We're quite excited about this issue. The continuation of the saga of Juliet, Romeo, Hamlet, Miranda and Prospero continues in this issue and not only are we happy with the story but Andy Belanger's artwork is amazing. He has a great take on the look of Prospero but also the mad wizard's setting.The early reviews are quite positive as well.Keith Silva from Comics Bulletin writes: "As aesthetics go, Kill Shakespeare: Tide of Blood comes as close to perfection -- to some sort of golden ratio of comic books -- as any art aspires to achieve. "Lyzard from AintitCoolNews.com writes: "What Belanger chooses to do with Prospero’s “study” works as both an homage to the source material and a giant leap from anything put to paper, canvas, stage, or film."Samantha Roehrig from Comic Bastards writes: "I love how raw the pictures are in this comic. It draws me into the play and I can’t stop thinking I should drink poison or stab myself with a dagger in order to fit in. I can’t wait for the big fight scene. I love Shakespeare and I am wondering why it took me so long to pick up this comic. So don’t miss out on this newest installment."
We're in both Calgary and Chicago this weekend!
It's a busy weekend for all of us as we're all at comic conventions this weekend!First off, I will be attending the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo in Western Canada this weekend. The show runs on Fri (12 - 8), Sat (10 - 7) and Sun (10 - 5) at the BMO Centre. The convention is one of the fastest growing conventions in the world - if not the fastest. I attended two years ago (Conor attended last year) and we sold out of everything by the middle of the day Saturday.I will be at Table P-10 all weekend. I will also be hosting a panel "How to Pitch Your Own Comic" will be on Saturday, Apr 27 @ 4:30pm in Palomino FG. Check it out for pointers on how to get a publishing deal, put together a pitch package, etc. It's been standing room only at numerous other conventions so this one should be good.
Whilst I'm in Calgary, Andy and Conor will be attending Chicago's C2E2 convention this weekend. I attended last year and it's another fast-growing event. The two will be positioned at Table 1037 all weekend.On top of that, Chicago's Strawdog Theatre will be doing a free preview/review performance of their acclaimed run of KILL SHAKESPEARE: LIVE GRAPHIC NOVEL at the show this weekend. It will be held on Fri, Apr 26 @ 3:15pm on the Variant Stage. If you're attending the show be sure to check it out
Caption Contest! Win an autographed copy of Issue #3!
To celebrate the release of The Tide of Blood #3 this Wednesday (April 24th), we are running another CAPTION CONTEST this week. Suggest a caption for this image of Miranda and Lady Macbeth entering the mad wizard Prospero's library for an opportunity to win an autographed copy of the issue! Winners will be selected randomly.You can also enter by suggesting a caption on our Facebook page or through our Twitter feed.
Boston Comic-Con Cancelled This Weekend
Just arrived in Watertown (yes, that Watertown) and en route to Boston today we discovered that the Comic-Con this weekend has been cancelled due to the recent events and city-wide lockdown. I'm disappointed that I won't be attending the event this weekend but hope to be able to take part when it's rescheduled at some point this year.For everyone that is in the Boston area please stay safe and we'll see you at a future event.
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!
Boston Comic-Con is still on (and we will be there)
Like everyone else, I was quite shocked and upset by the bombing yesterday at the Boston Marathon. As someone who used to take part in many road races the idea of someone attacking at a moment/place like that is completely reprehensible.The incident also put into question whether this weekend's Boston Comic-Con will still be taking place. They just earlier today announced that it will be, and as they are looking to use the event as a shine of light in a dark time I will indeed attend the event (as had previously been planned).
So for those attending the convention, I will be at Table #AA333 the entire weekend. I will also be doing a workshop ("How to Pitch Your Comic to Publishers") on Saturday from 3 - 3:45 in Panel Room 110 (a mash-up of sold-out workshops we've done in the past).
Happy Birthday to Andy Belanger!
Just a quick note whilst in Anaheim for WonderCon (booth #608!)... Today I take a moment to celebrate the birthday of the heart and soul of Kill Shakespeare... artist Andy Belanger!
I wish I was in Montreal right now to celebrate with him (and perhaps recount our amazing April Fool's Day joke of three years ago...) but I know that he's having a great time today - probably doing some work, having a beverage or two, having a great time with his fiancee Becky Cloonan, and enjoying life.Happy birthday, man! Here's to another great year of accomplishments and achievements!
Issue #2 Delayed Until Next Week
We were excited that the release of our Issue #2 was scheduled and expected to be yesterday (Wed, Mar 27th). However, upon announcing it on our Facebook page we discovered from some retailers and readers that it hadn't arrived in stores yet.We have just found out that the release has been delayed until next week - Wed, Apr 3/13. The official notice from our distributor Diamond Comics is: "KILL SHAKESPEARE TIDE OF BLOOD #2 (OF 5) will be out on 4/3 due to a duplicate bar code issue."We apologize to those readers (and retailers) that were expecting the issue out yesterday and we look forward to hearing what you think about it when it is released.
Appearing at WonderCon this weekend!
It's been a really busy few days for me, with our appearance at FableTown and Beyond in Rochester and now in L.A. for meetings. I'll be posting some photos from FableTown in the next couple days (and more video footage of us!).
The real reason for me being in L.A, though, is to attend WonderCon this weekend in Anaheim. I'm quite excited to attend the show; one major reason is that it was WonderCon in San Francisco three years ago that we launched our series, premiering the first issue of Kill Shakespeare there.
We will be located at Table #608 all weekend. A map of the convention centre is here. Swing by and say hello, pick up copies of our books/issues and enjoy the weekend!
Sleepless (with excitement) in Seattle.
This past weekend was a hum-dinger for the Kill Shakespeare crew.While Andy, and Anthony did a whirlwind tour of Southern Ontario I was off in the Pacific Northwest getting a chance to enjoy the hospitality of the great folks who run the Emerald City Comic Con.The show was a HUGE success. Yes, we sold all our books, oodles of t-shirts, buttons, and prints, but that wasn’t what made the show work for me. What made EmCity so amazing were the legions of people we met who came by to express their support, to talk comics or Shakespeare or Canada (especially the Canadian sorry dance).It was also a real treat to see so many people come out to my writing and business panels as well as to over one-hundred people who saw the Kill Shakespeare Dramatic Reading performed live at the convention. The actors were great, the crowd even better (they even laughed at all my post-show ‘jokes’) and I can honestly say I haven’t been as proud of Anthony, Andy or my work as I was in that moment.Seattle, I salute thee.And next year I have to come in a day early so I can tour the underground city. I didn't know this but Seattle is basically a double decker city down by the water - how cool is that?Below are some photos from the weekend. To see more surf on over to our Facebook page (Kill Shakespeare).
The Tide of Blood is Released Today!
After a year of work and preparation, our new mini-series The Tide of Blood debuts today in comic book shops in the United States, Canada and the U.K.!We've already received a great number of emails, tweets and Facebook messages and posts (from readers, fans and retailers) telling us how excited they are to see the issues on the shelves. And we received these photos earlier today:
We are, of course, celebrating today's release with a signing at Toronto's Paradise Comics this evening from 4-7pm. We are also signing at The Silver Snail on Saturday (the 23rd) from 1-4pm and then our Toronto Launch Party is next Friday from 8-11pm at The Comic Book Lounge and Gallery.
And check out this review of the first issue, which gives the it a 5 out of 5, from Comics Bulletin's Keith Silva, praising the story and the art.Please send us images of the book as you purchase them - we're excited to post as many of them as possible!
Caption Contest!
We ran a successful Caption Contest last week so we figured we'd do it again this week!Leave a caption for the image here either on this site, our Facebook page, or our Twitter account, and we will randomly select two winners this week to win autographed copies of Issue #1 of The Tide of Blood.This is an image from Issue #1 of the series, a moment in which Romeo, Lysander and other members of the Prodigal forces are on the look-out. What do they see?
New Toronto signing announced! Silver Snail next Saturday (Feb 23rd)
We just confirmed late this week that we will be doing a third Toronto signing this month to celebrate the launch of our new The Tide of Blood series.One week from today, we will doing a Saturday afternoon (February the 23rd) signing at Toronto's The Silver Snail. It's our first signing at their brand new location, right at the busy intersection of Yonge/Dundas. We'll be there from 1-4pm.In addition to that, it will be the premiere of the Silver Snail exclusive cover of the issue. We - along with the Snail - commissioned Toronto artist Maya Nord to create a Silver Snail-centric cover, available only to those that purchase the issue through the Snail. It features the old and new locations of the store, and Kill Shakespeare characters helping Silver Snail employees with the move.
For those in Toronto that want this limited cover, visit the Snail beginning on Wednesday the 20th. For those from outside of Toronto that want to order it, you'll have to contact the Snail (you can find their website here).I'll also post more information about the cover in the next week.
Toronto Launch Party on March 1st!
Another day, another Toronto signing notice...We're excited to announce that the Toronto Launch Party for The Tide of Blood will be taking place on the evening of Friday, March 1st at The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery. It's a great space and not only will it be a signing but also double as an art gallery showing of the work of our artist Andy Belanger and Becky Cloonan. Yes, that means that Andy will be in attendance, making his return to Toronto! Unfortunately, Conor will not be attendance as he will be at Emerald City Comic-Con that weekend.Also taking place that weekend will be an afternoon signing at Guelph's Dragon Comics. Times are TBA.Here is the poster for the Launch Party (click on the link to go to the Facebook invite):
