'Kill Shakespeare' creators hit the UK for signing tour

The Canadian creators of IDW Publishing’s Kill Shakespeare comic book series look to court controversy this month by bringing their take on Shakespeare and his characters to the birth country of the Bard himself this month – on a two-week signing and convention tour of England.

“Colonists” Conor McCreery and Anthony Del Col will be appearing at the Bristol Comic Expo as well as the Kapow! Comic Convention this month, along with a number of store signings in London, Manchester, Leeds and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Series artist Andy Belanger will be joining the duo for the Kapow! Convention and a London signing.

The trip to the UK is the final leg of their spring 2012 convention tour, which has seen them make appearances all over North America as well as at the Middle East Film & Comic-Con in Dubai last month.

One of the covers of
Kill Shakespeare #12

To prepare for the tour IDW Publishing has also announced that they are releasing a fourth printing of Kill Shakespeare Volume 1: A Sea of Troubles.  Originally released in April, 2010, this is the first half of the series that pits the Bard’s greatest heroes against his most menacing villains in a quest to track down and kill – or save – a wizard by the name of William Shakespeare.

Del Col and McCreery recently received their second straight Joe Shuster Award nomination for Best Writing in a comic series.  The duo is pitted against such talents as Jeff Lemire and Kathryn Immonen in the category.

“We’re quite chuffed to see what people in England think of our take on the Bard,” says McCreery.  “We expect some nay-sayers but we’re eager to show everyone that this project is just as vital a reflection of the Bard’s work as anything coming out of the Globe Theatre or Stratford-on-Avon.”

Kill Shakespeare has been in hot water before, after Shakespearean scholar Kimberly Cox denounced the series as “bull****” and said that “these guys really are helping to kill Shakespeare.”

However, the adventure series, which incorporates Hamlet, Juliet, Othello, Richard III, Lady Macbeth, Puck and others, has received high praise from media such as the New York Times, NPR, BBC, CBC and Fangoria.

The series has also spawned a 90-minute stage show that debuted in association with Toronto’s acclaimed Soulpepper Theatre company in November of 2011 and is scheduled to tour to various locations across North America this autumn.

The current signing schedule includes:

• Bristol Comic Expo - Saturday 12th - Sunday 13th May
• Travelling Man (Manchester) - Wednesday 16th May
• Travelling Man (Leeds) - Thursday 17th May
• Forbidden Planet London Megastore - FRiday 18th May
• Kapow! - Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th May

• Published by IDW Publishing, more information about the series can be found at www.killshakespeare.com. The graphic novel is available at all major comic and book stores and digitally through iTunes or ComiXology.