Now you too can Kill Shakespeare!
What’s fun is finding something geeky at the ground floor and watching it grow? While I missed the very first convention appearance of the Kill Shakespeare team when they discussed their business plan, I did see the first issues, the first trade and the second trade.
Last night, at Snakes & Lagers , a licensed gaming cafe with a focus on micro-brews and gourmet fare, the Kill Shakespeare team launched both the fourth trade Kill Shakespeare: The Mask of Night and Kill Shakespeare the table top game. The event filled the second floor of the gaming cafe, and I had a chance to try some of Snakes & Lagers snacks including their Charcuterie and Local Cheese Boards, and handmade chips with roasted garlic and chili pepper dipping sauce. Paradise Comics was manning a sales table with a wide selection of t-shirts (including the Justice League of Shakespeare, the Shakespeare Legion of Doom, and [my favourite] Super Shakespeare Fighter II).
The New Trade!
I had the chance to talk to one of the co-creators, Conor McCreery, about both launched items. I asked if the original artist had been involved with the game design: “No he wasn’t, but designing and working on the game influenced the latest story arc”. In fact, the variant covers for the four issues contained in the trade all come from art in the game. Another fun detail is that the character Violia became the narrative focus of the comics because they realized they wanted more female playable characters for the board game. Once they landed on Viola, the story ideas began to percolate leading to the story.
A board in action.
The game was funded by a Kickstarter campaign which raised over one and a half times its initial goal. Speaking of the game, it is a two to four person playable table top game that combines cooperative game play with Shakespeare’s traditional backstabbing. There is a land acquisition aspect, personal points aspect, quest aspects; let’s just say that you should probably learn the rules before drinking your way through it. Speaking of drinking, the symbol for health is a goblet, armies are represented by axes and information comes in the form of stolen letters or scrolls of city plans. There is also a wheel of fate and daggers which have all sorts of negative consequences. Based on the board, you can move from the Forests of Arden to the Isle of Prospero, among other places many people only see on stage or in English class.
How long should it take? Connor suggests allowing a couple of hours for the first few times, but as you get familiar with the rules a game should be able to play in 90 minutes.
A new trade, a new game, and holiday time to indulge in both! You can buy both items on Amazon, or your local Comic Book or gaming store! PS If you’re in Canada, see InnerSpace’s coverage on this event tonight (December 10).
