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.
Development for TV
For the last few years our fans have been asking if we plan on developing Kill Shakespeare for film or tv. Well, today it became official!You can read the official notice here on Deadline.com.We are developing Kill Shakespeare with Universal Cable Productions, the studio responsible for the current hit MR. ROBOT (a favorite of mine) for television. While we're still in the very, very early stages we hope to be able to announce some other cool developments for the television project. So stay tuned!
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!
I'm bringing my heart to San Francisco (for librarians)!
I'm off this evening for San Francisco - my first time there since attending WonderCon in April, 2010 to launch Kill Shakespeare. Why am I there? To attend the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference - one of my favorite shows of the year!
I will at TABLE #147 in Artist Alley at the Moscone Centre from Fri - Mon so please come by and visit!(And I'm looking forward to checking out the Pacific Coast Highway trail after the show with Lisa - my first time!)
A Jolly Time in London!
I apologize that I haven't posted anything of late. It's been a really busy month with recovery from my European honeymoon with Lisa (we so desperately miss Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast...) as well as work on a number of projects. Expect some big announcements in the next month or so.In the midst of all of this I travelled to London last month to do a talk at Shakespeare's Globe, attend the MCM London Comic-Con, have some meetings about these secret projects, and meet up with friends, of course.Here are a few photos of my appearance at the Globe and the MCM London Comic-Con. Thanks so much to everyone who made the show possible, but especially Gary Howe from MCM, Mike Holman and everyone at Diamond. And for the talk at the Globe, so many people to thank - Adam Sibbald, Phoebe Gardiner, Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper, Meghan Cole, Rebecca Casey and Emma Pizzey.(If I took a photo of you and it doesn't appear here I apologize - not all of the photos turned 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!
Appearing at Shakespeare's Globe next month!
Look out, London!I am quite excited to announce that I will be doing a talk the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, UK next month. I am the first speaker in their SHAKESPEARE: INSPIRED series of talks in the brand-new Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, a new candle-lit theatre that replicates what the first inside theatre were like in Shakespeare's time.It will be one-hour talk about the process behind the creation of Kill Shakespeare, the Bard in comics, inspirations, and everything else. It'll be different than any other presentation I've done for a number of reasons, two being that IT'S THE FREAKIN' GLOBE THEATRE(!) and also I won't have the safety net of a PowerPoint presentation behind me. That's right, I'm going rogue for this talk! Who knows what will happen? Anything could happen!The exact details of my talk are:Thursday, May 21st @ 7pm @ Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.Tickets are 15 GBP, 12 GBP for students - available hereOfficial Link hereThere will be book signings afterwards. 
In addition to the Shakespeare's Globe talk, I will also be appearing at the MCM London Comic-Con from May 22 - 24th. It's a show I've attended three times in the last few years and I'm excited to return. I'll post more information about this in the coming weeks.
SHERLOCK HOLMES VS HARRY HOUDINI #5 - In comic shops today!
Today (Wed, Apr 22) is the release of the final issue in our fun Dynamite Comics' series SHERLOCK HOLMES VS HARRY HOUDINI. It's a cool final issue to this story and I think you'll really enjoy it - it features some cool London architecture and monuments, deals with the possible death of Sherlock Holmes, the impatience of Harry Houdini, and what happens with the other historical character introduced in our tale, the Russian mad monk Rasputin!
You can check out a preview of the first five pages of the issue here.And you can get the issue at any comic book shop in the world!
Sherlock Holmes vs Harry Houdini - Page Preview!
With the release of Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini #5 next week (Wed, Apr 22nd), I thought I'd celebrate by posting a couple pages.Here is the first page, an establishing scene in 1900 London (art by Carlos Furuzono):
And here, exclusively, is Page 9, a great fight between the mad monk Rasputin and Harry Houdini:
- Holmes vs Houdini #5 - Page 9 Preview (art by Carlos Furuzono)
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!
Early Sneak Peek of Holmes vs. Houdini #4 cover
Don't tell anyone I posted this, but... this is one of the covers of SHERLOCK HOLMES vs HARRY HOUDINI #4 (artwork by Colton Worley)... Isn't it great?More info about the issue coming soon!
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
Help boost the Kill Shakespeare Game's Rating!
Hey Bardolaters and Holmesians!We're back beating the gaming drum again and hoping you can help us get a bit more love for our board game baby 
Board Game Geek is a very influential corner of the internet when it comes to talking games. Right now Kill Shakespeare's rating is lower than we think the game deserves. We're asking you to go out there and rate the board game (obviously with what you feel it deserves), the more votes and comments we get, the more attention we can bring to the game -- and the more "frenemies" you can find to play with you!You'll need to register for a BGG account first, but if you like board games you'll want one of these anyway.Once you are a member rating a game is a bit tricky so let us walk you through it:a) At the top left of the screen, beside your log-in name, there are a series of drop-down menus. Click "My Geek"b) Choose "Collection"c) On the top left is a button "Add Games'. Click that.d) Type the name of the game you want to add in the dialogue box and click it when it comes up.e) Once the game title is listed in your collection you can click on the N/A button below the heading Your Rating to add a rating and then click on the empty space below "Comments" to add a comment. Be honest. If you're frustrated with the game let us know, if you think it's great, let us know.Thanks again for being the best group of fans in comicdom! (and gamedom now too!)C&A
Helpful files for the Kill Shakespeare Game HERE
Happy New Year (again) everyone!
Many of you have been reaching out to us on social media to let us know you received a copy of the Kill Shakespeare Board Game for the holidays. Thank you so much for supporting us. We want to hear everything we can about how you are liking the game, what you think can be improved, and what you'd want to see in expansion packs for the game.For those of you who didn't realize we had a game out you can go here for a great review and discussion of how it came to be (And if you have the game? Ah, go ahead. Click anyway!)This was the first time making a game for us and for IDW who spearheaded the project. While we're VERY proud of the game that Wolf and Tomas designed for us, it's incredibly thought-out and meticulously play-tested and put together, we know that some of the peripherals are a bit lacking.But IDW isn't the kind of partner to shrug their shoulders and say "oh, we'll get'em next time!" They've been working their butts off with a few different folks around the internet - including David Minken of ConnectMore - who posts amazing play-throughs of tons of great games. Together they have made a collection of bonus materials, rules, a turn description, a summary sheet of how each round works, etc... to make your game playing (or giving) experience easier - and we want to share those with you.To access the folder with all these goodies click here.Now go, play and have fun!All the best,Conor & Anthony
Holmes and Houdini Celebrate the New Year with a New Issue!
Last year was an amazing year for us with the release of a new Kill Shakespeare graphic novel (The Mask of Night), the Kill Shakespeare Board Game (great reviews) and our new Dynamite Comics series, Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini.And the New Year starts with a bang with the release of our latest issue of the clash of the world’s greatest detective and escape artist, SHERLOCK HOLMES vs HARRY HOUDINI #3. The issue is released next Wednesday (the 14th) at comic shop around the world.It’s time for us to introduce the villain of our piece, someone who has become legendary over the years, in song, literature and media, and who we think is just as clever (if not more mysterious) than the famous Dr. Moriarty.What grand, bearded villain will appear in our tale?
Detective Sherlock Holmes’ and magician Harry Houdini’s refusal to investigate the attacks on Houdini’s shows together leads to a horrific attack on a loved one and puts Holmes and Houdini face to face with a deadly force that defies death…
Game Launch? Check! Beer Drank? Check! Good times had? Check!
In the immortal words of the Bard: "that was a hell of a night."
Thanks to EVERYONE who came down to Snakes & Lagers last night to be part of the official game launch. Beer was drank, dice were rolled, backstabbing commenced (for the table I was at it came on the very first turn from a particularly feisty Juliet), and all in all it was very Shakespearean.Thanks also for the feedback you gave us. We really appreciated hearing what you loved about the game (the depth, the replayability, the awesome design) and what you thought could be improved (a rulebook that was easier to understand).We're happy to say that IDW is busy working on a new version of that slightly wonky rulebook. For those of you at the event you got to work off of some of the new cheat sheets they created(created by the amazing David Minken at Connect-More.ca, thanks David!) you could see how much they helped - we'll have a full set of those ready to go to Kickstarter backers soon.But if you have the game through non Kickstarter means, or are going to order it, give us a shout at muchado@killshakespeare.com and I can get you those files ASAP. While the game itself works amazingly well there are a FEW confusing bits in the rulebook that make the first turns a bit longer than they need to be.
But even with that minor challenge, I was amazed at how people tackled the game and kicked some Ricardian ass!Now if you're sad you missed the event, have no fear, TONIGHT (December 10th) at 6PM on SPACE's news journal show, Innerspace, you can see the whole thing and geek out as if you were right there WITH US!
Now of course I need to say a HUGE thank you to Aaron, Ben and Kayla at Snakes & Lagers. You guys were fantastic hosts and we couldn't have asked for a better venue to unveil the game. I also want to say thanks to Barry and the MacAuslan team for putting together the beer prize packs. And of course a big thank you to Doug and Matt from Paradise Comics who shocked everyone by DEBUTING VOLUME 4 of Kill Shakespeare at the event.
(I also want to nod towards John at 401 Games and George at the Silver Snail who generously allowed us to grab their stock to make sure we had enough games to meet demand.)
If you missed the event but NEED some Kill Shakespeare in your games cupboard and you don't see it at your local game or comic shop the Snakes folks can help you there too -- they send more games around Canada than anyone else. So you can buy your copy here: http://www.snakesandlattes.com/shop/What a great night -- we can't wait to do it all again!
Snakes & Lagers Clue #2
We're just under a week away from the big KILL SHAKESPEARE BOARD GAME launch at Snakes & Lagers and we wan two of you to win seats at the head table to play Kill Shakespeare with SPACE's Ajay Fry (the Lord of all that is Geek), and me.We released the first clue two days ago -- which I'll put down below here, but since we only have one winner (and he can't make it to Toronto) the table is still open.So, to help out, since Andy took some artistic liberties with the traditional shapes of the pieces of the game, is a photo of the "traditional" game.If you think you know the answer send us an email at lendusyourears@killshakespeare.com
And a reminder of the launch details:WHAT: Kill Shakespeare: The Board Game launchWHERE: Snakes & Lagers, 488 College St. W, ToronoWHEN: Tuesday December, 9th, 5 pm until you get tired of gaming.WHY: Because gaming with friends is awesome!
You're Invited!
Alright you guys, it's time to come out and celebrate with us!
The K.S. Board Game is FINALLY out and has been delivered to almost all of our Kickstarter supporters as well as to game shops across North America. We're patting ourselves on the back and throwing a launch party with the help of the amazing people at Snakes & Lagers - 488 College St.
The whole thing goes down next Tuesday, December 9th from 5 PM until your brains explode from awesome gaming.
AND we want two of you, are dedicated fans to win the chance to play at the head table against Conor and our special MYSTERY GUEST (shhhh, it might be Ajay).
To do that you need to tell me WHAT GAME IS FESTE playing here in Issue #3 of The Tide of Blood?
This is a tough one, so keep an eye on our social media, twitter, Facebook and tumblr for more clues.
For all the details on the launch read on below!
Kill Shakespeare and Snakes & Lagers team up to launch KILL SHAKESPEARE BOARD GAME
Lucky fans will get chance to beat Kill Shakespeare co-creator Conor McCreery at his own game and meet SPACE TV’s Ajay Fry.
Toronto: Fans of both ‘Bardicide’ and brews will get a chance to combine their passions as Toronto’s #1 gaming bar, Snakes & Lagers hosts the official release party for Kill Shakespeare: The Board Game— based on the award winning Kill Shakespeare comic series.SPACE TV’s Ajay Fry will host the evening, and portions of the event will be shown on Hyperspace, SPACE’s flagship news program for all things in Geek culture. Kill Shakespeare co-creator Conor McCreery will also be at Snakes and two fans will get a chance to beat him (and Fry) at his own game by winning seats at the head table with Conor and Ajay.The evening begins at 5 p.m. on Tuesday December 9th at 488 College St. West. To help celebrate the launch Snakes & Lagers will offer special deals to gamers on a host of their craft beers.Kill Shakespeare: The Board Game is the first release from IDW Games. Designed by Tomas Vande Giste and Wolf Plancke, the creators of the cult classic strategy game Yedo, Kill Shakespeare is a semi-co-operative game in which you and up to three friends each play as one of Shakespeare’s legendary heroes: Hamlet, Juliet Falstaff, Othello or Viola. Together you must overthrow the oppressive duo of Richard III and Lady Macbeth.But, as in real life—only one of you can be the hero of the revolution—and the ultimate winner of the game. This forces each player to constantly balance their actions between what’s good for the rebellion, with their own desire to be crowned the new King or Queen of Illyria.“I’m looking forward to teaming up with two passionate gamers to take down Richard and Lady Macbeth, but of course I’m going to be forced to backstab them in the end,” says McCreery. “What else would you expect from a guy who always plays as Falstaff?”To get your chance to play at the head table follow @KillShakespeare and @SnakesandLagers and “like” the Kill Shakespeare and Snakes Facebook pages for contest information.For more information contact:Kill Shakespeare Snakes & LagersConor McCreery Aaron Zack416.844.4122 647.748.4004Muchado@killshakespeare.com aaron@snakesandlattes.com Kill Shakespeare (IDW Publishing) is an award-winning comic book series created by Conor McCreery & Anthony Del Col. The original series has spawned two sequels, a live stage show that has played everywhere from New York to Dubai, a board game, and is currently being developed for television and other mediums.Snakes & Lagers is the late-night playground for Toronto’s gaming aficionados. Located in the heart of Little Italy, Snakes & Lagers offers 19 craft beer taps, an internationally inspired menu and hundreds of games for your eating, drinking and playing pleasure.
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!