London, Ontario (March 28, 2018) - For over four hundred years, Macbeth has been known as one of Shakespeare's bloodiest tyrants, a figure so cursed that many actors dare not speak his name outside of performance. But the truth about this early 11th century Scottish monarch suggests a wholly different king: a strong and effective ruler with a more legitimate claim to the throne than the man he overthrew. Shaun Manning and Anna Wieszczyk, the creative team behind the popular webcomic Hell, Nebraska, tell the story of a noble king's rise to power and heroic last stand in Macbeth: The Red King, an original graphic novel published by Lucha Comics.

"I've always loved Shakespeare's tragedies, and I was fascinated by the idea that Macbeth was based on real historical events -- very loosely based, as it turns out," Manning said. "He ruled for 15 years in a tumultuous era, he traveled to Rome to meet with the pope, he had a stepson who would have had very good reason to hate him. None of that's in play in Shakespeare’s work, and it all adds up to a really fascinating story that's been lost to history. That's the story Anna and I are telling with this book."

A Kickstarter campaign for Macbeth: The Red King launched Monday with a goal of printing sufficient copies to bring this story to both educational and retail channels. Backers can choose a digital copy of the book, a paperback in the oversized European format, or a Kickstarter-exclusive hardcover that also includes Shakespeare's play and other bonus materials. For as little as $10, supporters can be part of this unique project

"Once I saw the first promo page for this book, I knew that I had to publish it. Graphic novels have the power to inspire literacy and creativity in our youth, and it was clear to me that Macbeth: The Red King was an excellent example of this.” said Lucha Comics publisher Rodolfo Martinez.

Macbeth: The Red King is available via the Kickstarter campaign through April 19. Readers, educators, and retailers can visit the campaign at macbeththeredking.com.

ABOUT THE CREATORS:

Shaun Manning and Anna Wieszczyk are the creators of Interesting Drug (BOOM! Studios/Archaia); Hell, Nebraska (LINE Webtoon); and Macbeth: The Red King (Lucha Comics). Separately, they have worked with Dark Horse, IDW, Black Mask Studios, and other fine indie publishers.

ABOUT LUCHA COMICS:

Lucha comics was founded in 2014, building on Rodolfo Martinez's love of comic books nurtured over 35 years. Constantly on the search for exceptional stories that may be overlooked by larger publishers, Lucha Comics has previously funded The Kursk via Kickstarter and has several titles available on ComiXology.

Apart from Macbeth: The Red King, a historical fiction starring Muhammad Ali - The Fight We Never Saw is forthcoming.

For more information, please visit http://macbeththeredking.com/

Media Contact
Shaun Manning & Rodolfo Martinez
[email protected] / [email protected]
macbeththeredking.com

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