CBR: What Are You Reading?
ComicBookResources.com has a segment in their popular Robot 6 column regularly where they ask current comic creators what books and series they are currently reading and/or collecting. On Sunday they posed the question to Johnny Zito and Tony Trov of South Fellini Studios, creators of Zuda Comics' Black Cherry Bombshells and the recent series Carnivale De Robotique.
Johnny Zito says that the series he likes to read is Kill Shakespeare, saying the following:"I read Kill Shakespeare month to month. However, it’s new so it didn’t immediately spring to mind. It fills the void that Fables and X-Men used to, full of drama and romance and fighting. Comics are at their best when they aspire to be Shakespearean. Men and women running around the night, wearing masks, fighting for love or revenge or whatever. Kill Shakespeare has all of that for obvious reasons and capitalizes with clever twists on old standards. The art lends a real gravity to the source material, it feels real. Or better yet it feels like a play, a world built out of set pieces and cardboard trees. It’s a surreal brain treat that I can’t recommend enough."It's always great when other comics creators read your stuff and give you a shout-out and we really appreciate it! We urge everyone to check out Carnivale - it's a fantastic series!
iFanboy: "Comics worthy of a showing at the Globe!"
We have received a lot of positive coverage from most comic book websites since the launch of our first issue in April. Yesterday we received a great deal of love from one of our favourite sites, iFanboy.com. It's a great site for devoted fans of comics that not only posts news but great insights as well as a very active comments sections. If you don't read the site regularly I would highly recommend it. Of course, we would be remiss to not mention that our book has been debated heavily amongst those placing comments, some heavily praising our series and some attacking us (check out some of the comments from a podcast back in April).Reviewer Ryan Haupt read through our graphic novel - and really likes it, comparing it favourably to Fables. He says some of the following:
"Every time I sat down to read a bit more I was engrossed by the experience and couldn’t believe I still had more left to read from a single trade...""Belanger is who makes this book have action movie level stunts while the writing keeps it from feeling action movie level dumb...""I can’t wait to see where things go from here and am definitely in it for the long haul. So don’t be intimidated, just trust the Canadians and enjoy some comics worthy of a showing at the Globe!"You can read the full review by clicking on the iFanboy logo.
Profile in Maclean's Magazine
When I was a teenager growing up in northern Canada (Timmins, to be precise) I wanted to get a better understanding of the world around me - both nationally and internationally. To get this I signed up for a subscription to Maclean's magazine, Canada's general interest weekly magazine exploring news, culture, politics, science and everything else. For a span of almost three years I read every single issue cover to cover.And now, many years later, we are profiled in Maclean's (click the cover image to go to the article)!
An issue hitting newstands this past Friday featured a full-page article by Claire Ward analyzing the project - its origins, present triumphs, and its possible future. It's a very well-researched piece in which Ms. Ward contacted Shakespeare scholars James Shapiro and Stephen Greenblatt to comment on it (spoiler: one likes us, one doesn't). It's a great piece and I recommend that you check it out if you're in Canada (it's on the issue featured above, page 58).
BBC: "A Controversial New Comic"
We were profiled on BBC World Service's The Strand yesterday. The Strand is a daily arts and culture radio show that goes out worldwide with a HUGE listenership (is that a word?...). It was a fun interview (conducted at the CBC studios back in December) that discusses the creation of the project, our interpretation of the characters, the response from academics and scholars, and some fun things about the project.You can listen to the interview by clicking on The Strand logo (it's the fourth chapter of the show).
The BBC website has also posted a number of photos from the comic book. You can check out their slide show (with interesting captions) by clicking on the BBC World Service logo below. I'm not really sure where they got the Ryan Gosling bit from, though - perhaps they saw the Stephen Holt interview earlier this month?
Kill Shakespeare on CBC Radio's Q
Yesterday, Conor and I sat down for an interview on CBC Radio's "Q", an arts, entertainment and culture show on Canada's public broadcaster. The show is always informative and it was great to chat about the series and get people excited about it.The regular host, Jion Ghomeshi, was on vacation so filling in for him was Zaib Shaikh, best known in Canada for his role on the popular Little Mosque on the Prairie. This was actually a welcome change as Zaib is himself an actor and a huge fan of Shakespeare who also directed a television production of Othello a few years ago, and it also spared the world Conor's Billy Bob Thornton impersonation...To listen to the interview, you can click on the link and go the January 4th episode. Our interview starts at the 53 minute mark of the episode.
One thing that I'd like to mention is that the interview focused mainly on Shakespeare and the Kill Shakespeare story and thus we weren't able to have a discussion on the artwork and our excellent artist team (of Andy, Ian and Kagan), which we always like to do.
Shania Twain and... Anthony Del Col?...
I was born and raised in Timmins, Ontario, a small mining community in Northern Ontario, Canada. Well, technically I lived in Porcupine, Ontario, which is a sort-of suburb of Timmins. The first newspaper I read was the Timmins Daily Press (which was the first newspaper created by future media mogul Roy Thomson) so last week I received a thrill when I was listed as a front page story subject!
Entitled "The Bard Faces Danger", the article talks about Kill Shakespeare, my upbringing in Timmins, and plans for the future. Thanks to writer Kate McLaren for the profile and her interest in the story. You can read the article by clicking in the Daily Press logo.
As Conor said, I'm now in the running to become one of the most popular entertainers to emerge from Timmins. I'm running a very, very, very far distance behind someone else, though... Shania Twain...
A round-up of reviews for Issue #8!
Although Issue #8 (Journeys End in Lovers Meeting) has only been out for three days we've already received a number of reviews for the issue, all of them positive! Here is a sampling of them:
"This week’s issue features an awesome twist with Hamlet and Juliet that has me chomping at the bit for next issue in addition to more solid craftsmanship from all involved. You really should not miss this comic!" - Weekly Crisis"Kill Shakespeare" #8 introduced a big surprise on its last page after building up the romance of two literary protagonists and turning allies into enemies. Very interesting stuff here, and if you're well versed in the characters, this is wonderful and vital material. Those less immersed in the Bard's intrigues might find this less compelling." - The BuyPile"“Kill Shakespeare” is a smart comic that knows how to be fun, and vice versa. Here we get plenty of preparation for the coming troubles but our characters are given a last moment to breathe and enjoy the company of one another." - ComicBookResources"This issue proves more than any seen so far that these characters actually could co-exist and interact and indeed that they SHOULD do so. In showing this type of interaction, I think this series has finally found its voice and I could not be happier with it. Plus, WHAT a cliffhanger!" - Multiversity Comics"I can’t stress enough how bad of an idea it is NOT to read this series. It’s enticing and exciting, shining better than any other series in the world of comics. The only series I would say meets Kill Shakespeare’s level of quality, it would be the Secret Six." - The Heretics Blog
Lovable Badass - Ian Herring!
Many of you probably have no idea that on the Kill Shakespeare team there are several passionate basketball fans (though we're die-often being Raps fans). Perhaps the most passionate is our colourist Ian Herring.Ian is an exceptional artist in his own right (fans have seen his work in the bonus gallery of the trade paperback -- his is the awesome King Richard/Hamlet mash-up), and he was recently invited to be part of a phenomenal event organized by another Kill Shakespeare friend, Steve Manale.The event, "Lovable Badass, Artists on Artest" was a multi-media ode to Ron Artest one of the most unusual and candid athletes of our generation.
Ian's piece looks into the future; showing Artest relaxing during his post-playing days and eating his favourite cereal (Froot Loops). Apparently Ron-Ron is interested in buying Ian's work -- so huge kudos to one of the oft under-appreciated members of Kill Shakespeare.We love ya Ian!POSTSCRIPT: The event was a huge success -- you can read one of the MANY pieces of coverage here. And to me, what was even more interesting is that many of the artists who took place had no idea who Ron Artest was before they were invited to join the project.But "Tru Warrier" is such an interesting figure that after a few minutes of Googling him everybody wanted in. So, for those of you who are saying "Ron, who?" look him up, he's fascinating. OR for a primer check out Manale's work here. (it's the last of 23 photos from the event, so scroll left to see the rest).And the sharp eyed readers will notice another member of the Kill Shakespeare team featured in one of those links. I offer as a bounty a signed copy of #8 for the first person who tells us who it is, and what they made for the exhibition!Keep taking those open jumpers everyone!
Another Top Grade from Best Comics for Kids List!
Earlier this summer we were named on the 2010 Summer Reading List by Good Comics for Kids (hosted by the School Library Journal website). Just hours ago we discovered that we have now been named on the 2010 Best Comics for Kids list! This is a great honour for us and something we are incredibly proud of - we have loved it when teachers, librarians and students approach us and tell us how much they've enjoyed the series. It makes the memories of so many boring high school classes for us just disappear...You can check out the complete list (we're in the Teen category) by clicking on the image.
Dear University Students: forget studying -- curl up with a good graphic novel
A couple of weeks ago Anthony and I were interviewed by The Cord, our Alma mater's student newspaper. It was a great chat and we were able to speak to how much our education at Wilfrid Laurier University served us in this project.Well, now we have gone viral in the student world as the Canadian University Press (the only student press co-op on the continent) has picked up the story.
So to all of you students busily studying in your dorm-rooms, or perhaps preparing for an "ironic" toga-party (as if - we all know that all toga parties are free of irony), we hope you take a minute or two to enjoy something with REAL educational value.And hey, maybe your English prof will dig it too...
Julie Taymor talks up Kill Shakespeare on The Colbert Report!
The clip from last night's The Colbert Report in which Julie Taymor talks up Kill Shakespeare is now available online!
For American viewers you can see the clip at this link to the ColbertNation website.For Canadian viewers you can check it out on The Comedy Networks' website here.
Julie Taymor on The Colbert Report!
I was just flipping the channels and saw that Julie Taymor was being interviewed on The Colbert Report. And as they talk about The Tempest and then Spider-Man Colbert asks a silly question about what Shakespeare character would be the best superhero... And she begins to tell him about our series!More information - and a link to the segment - tomorrow!
ComicBookDaily: 'Conventions energize Kill Shakespeare creators"
A good interview of Conor, Andy and I conducted by Andrew Ardizzi from ComicbookDaily... He visited us at two events last week (our signing at The Beguiling and then the Fall Toronto Comic-Con). Andrew is a really smart reporter who is good at getting us to give honest answers (he researches and put together good questions for us) and the article captures both the highs and lows of our recent signings and art gallery tour...You can read the interview by clicking on the image.
CommandN loves them some Kill Shakespeare AND Hal-Con
As many of you have read Kill Shakespeare had a GREAT time at Hal-Con:
The people were amazing, and the event was as much fun as I have had at any convention in my life.In fact I bet a lot of you are thinking "man, I'm sorry I missed that".Well... the people at CommandN thought so too, so they have put together a FANTASTIC special on the event -- which you can check out right here!We're scattered throughout the special -- but the whole thing is well worth your watching while.And, if you haven't had your fill of Kill Shakespeare, Halifax and Conor -- then check out Haligonian.ca where Conor was interviewed by a gentlemen who had an English accent - for no discernable reason...Click on interview #27.
"A tour de force of the storytelling marriage of words and art"
My last post for the day (actually have to sit down and do some writing)... This might be the best review that we've gotten thus far, and may ever get. ComicBookResources has just posted a review of Issue #7 and it is amazing. They praise the story, the art, the characters and the series. The best section:"This issue is a tour de force of the storytelling marriage of words and art that make comics the perfect medium for this tale. It also feels like this tale has jumped from being some sort of pastiche homage to actually being its own beast. This isn’t imitation; This is evolution. This comic is serious and fun and emotionally draining in all the right ways; a pure pleasure to become immersed in."We're really happy to receive this review but also happy for Andy - he put so much time and effort into this issue. The artwork really is amazing.Click on the link below to read the full review.We were also listed in the site's The Buy Pile this week as well as a "Buy", the top ranking. You can read it here.
Andy's Dream Comes True
We found out earlier this week that Andy's dream came true as Kill Shakespeare was reviewed by Fangoria magazine! Andy has been a reader of this publication for the last 20+ years and it was great to see that not only did they review us but they REALLY LIKED the book! A review of four skulls is pretty good and they describe Andy's artwork as:"Andy Belanger’s artwork is vibrantly exaggerated, and unflinching in the violence department; Belanger does not hold back when Richard III savagely gouges a soldier’s eyes out. You’ll be covering your face after you see Juliet hurl a spear through a man’s nose."Click on the logo to read the full review.
WE'RE NEW YORK TIMES-WORTHY!
We received a VERY pleasant surprise in our Google Alerts folder the other day, a notice that the New York Times had mentioned the series.
"Hmm," we thought. "Perhaps some intrepid reporter has found out about the series and tossed us in a larger story about the Bard and his relevance in today's society. Maybe someone in NYC is mounting an 'edgy' staging' of one of Shakey's plays?"But no, it was even better than that -- we're a NEW YORK FREAKIN' TIMES GIFT GUIDE recommendation.Click here to see what has us all hot and bothered... and again thanks to all of our supporters for buying the comics and now the trades which have given us the legitimacy to get people like the Times interested!
EATSLEEPGEEK says: "Kill Shakespeare: 'All the Goodness of the Bard, none of the suck'"
With the first trade starting to proliferate across stores (comic shops have had it for one or two Wednesdays depending on their locale, and bookstores join in the fun this Tuesday), we're starting to see reviews that come from areas that are less comic-focused.While EATSLEEPGEEK certainly knows their comics they are more of a general pop-culture site - so it is great to see that they too think there is a little bit of awesome to be had within the comics pages.It's also one of the better critiques of the art -- and Andy and Ian both come through with flying colours (appropriate for Ian, no?)So click here for the review, and pass it on to some friends you know who may still be on the fence on the series.
I want my MTV!
We were interviewed by MTV Geek last month during the New York Comic-Con and they have just posted the video on their website. A fun little interview with sharp editing that cut up the ramblings of the three of us...Click on the MTV image to check it out!
Crashing the Forbidden Planet in New York!
We arrived in New York yesterday and started setting up everything for our gallery show beginning this evening at Chair & The Maiden. The artwork looks great and I'll hopefully be able to post some pictures later today or tomorrow.On Monday night (the 8th) Conor, Andy and I will be stopping by Forbidden Planet (840 Broadway) for an hour-long signing. Forbidden Planet has been a great champion of our series (we visited them back in May for a bit) and it's great to be able to set up shop there for a while. If you're in New York stop by and visit us!
