Thank you! AHHH
AND WE ARE DONE.
30 days ago I started this Kickstarter for my little Hamlet book, and honestly believed it could reach $20k. I thought, absolutely best-case scenario, we'd get near $100k near the end of the pledge drive. I wrote up a bunch of stretch goals up to that point, hit "submit", and crossed my fingers.
Original Hamlet character sketch by Kate Beaton.
We hit that goal of $20k in less than three and a half hours, and thirty days later we've stopped with a grand total of $580,905 from over 15 thousand backers. The book has gone from a black and white dealie to a fully-illustrated, full-colour volume and the extras have grown to include multiple-path bookmarks, books going to schools, AND of course the Squishable Yorick skull. We blasted through five complete sets of stretch goals and then some. We became the single most-funded publishing project in Kickstarter history.
Also I promised to explode something.
It's all thanks to you, and your support of this crazy project. I've said this every day for a month and meant it every time: thank you so much. We've got a schedule to follow from here on out to bring the book to production, and I'll be posting updates here often - at least once every two weeks - so you'll know how far along we are. I've seen other Kickstarters not post anything after they close and it results in sad people instead of awesome fun times! I THINK YOU KNOW WHICH OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS I PREFER.
If you pledged above $30 - with or without shipping - and want the Kickstarter-exclusive ecard with art by Noelle Stevenson be sure to fill in this form right now because the first emails will be going out tomorrow!
Finally, here's a video of me thanking everyone, and here's that same video touched/exploded up by Andy Vatter and also my dad blew me up as well. EXPLOSIONS. EXPLOSIONS EVERYWHERE. CHOOSE WHICH EXPLOSION YOU WISH TO WITNESS.
More soon! You are awesome!
<3,
Ryan
15,352
Backers
$580,905
pledged of $20,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Nov 21, 2012 -
Dec 21, 2012
(30 days)
- First created · 0 backed
- Ryan North 385 friends
- Website: breadpig.com
Pledge $15 or more
795 backers
ONE FUTURE BOOK, PLEASE: You'll get a DRM-free digital copy of To Be Or Not To Be as soon as it's completed, that will last as long as we've got electricity and computers. This is the fastest and cheapest way to get the book!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $20 or more
4635 backers
ONE PHYSICAL AND FUTURE BOOK, PLEASE: You'll get a SIGNED paperback copy of To Be Or Not To Be AND a digital copy. For non-US donors, please donate at least $30 total to accommodate shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $10 to ship outside the USPledge $25 or more
5490 backers
TOTALLY SWEET: The physical and future book (signed book and digital copy!) plus some Kickstarter-only temporary tattoos! One is of T-Rex saying "Sup?" and the other is of Utahraptor saying "WHATEVER". Don't you want these on your skin? Probably?? For non-US donors, please donate at least $35 total to accommodate shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $10 to ship outside the USPledge $50 or more
1421 backers
AMAZINGLY RAD: You'll get a SIGNED limited edition hardcover copy of To Be Or Not TO Be AND a digital copy. For non-US donors, please donate at least $60 total to accommodate shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $10 to ship outside the USPledge $55 or more
313 backers
SUPER AMAZINGLY RAD: Everything in AMAZINGLY RAD (signed hardcover book and digital copy) plus some Kickstarter-only temporary tattoos! One is of T-Rex saying "Sup?" and the other is of Utahraptor saying "WHATEVER". Don't you want these on your skin too? Probably you do?? For non-US donors, please donate at least $65 total to accommodate shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $10 to ship outside the USPledge $55 or more
271 backers
IS IT ALLOWED TO READ ONE BOOK MORE THAN ONCE, WHAT IF IT'S NOT: 3 paperback copies of the book, signed. Please give at least $15 extra in shipping for non-US orders.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $60 or more
825 backers
I WANT TO PUT THINGS ON MY BODY AND WALLS: Everything in the "TOTALLY SWEET" pack (signed book, digital copy, rad tats) AND a giant, gorgeous poster featuring an annotated flowchart for the entire book. You'll be able to go through the story just by staring at your wall. That's what living is all about, my friend.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $75 or more
1009 backers
BEST BUDS FOREVER: a signed paperback copy of To Be Or Not To Be, PLUS a signed hardcover version too. And you get all the goodies in "SUPER AMAZINGLY RAD" tier twice! That means two bookmarks, two copies of the prequel, twice the tattoos, and so on. I hope fighting over who gets the hardcover version will not destroy your friendship :( Add $15 to ship outside the US.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $90 or more
508 backers
SUPER I WANT TO PUT THINGS ON MY BODY AND WALLS: Like I WANT TO PUT THINGS ON MY BODY AND WALLS (book + poster + rad tats + digital copy), but with a hardcover copy of the book instead. International donors please donate at least $100 total to accommodate shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $10 to ship outside the USPledge $250 or more
11 backers
GIANT ADVENTURES, GIANT POSTERS: Everything in SUPER I WANT TO PUT THINGS ON MY BODY AND WALLS (hardcover book, rad tats, digital copy, poster) but with the poster printed both regular (large) sized and TREMENDOUS-SIZED. You'll get 4 posters that combine, Voltron-style, to form a poster that is larger than your body in every dimension except thickness. International donors please add at least $15 to accommodate shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $15 to ship outside the USPledge $1,000 or more
5 backers All gone!
WHAT ABOUT ME THOUGH: Everything in the Super I Want To Put Things On My Body And Walls pack (hardcover book + poster + rad tats + digital copy), PLUS I'll write and sign and sketch a dinosaur in a separate pamphlet book containing a 100% all-new gamebook adventure starring YOU. Just tell me a bit about yourself and what sort of adventure you'd like to go on! You are now a patron of the arts with a custom minibook written about your wacky times! Put that on your epitaph, baby.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $1,000 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
PATRON OF THE FRIGGIN' ARTS: Everything in the Super I Want To Put Things On My Body And Walls pack (hardcover book + poster + rad tats + digital copy), PLUS I'll write a Dinosaur Comic on the subject of your choosing that will appear on the site. Just don't make it a terrible subject ("Sam eats poops, I saw it, I was there") and we'll be good. You will have the power to create an actual comic on any topic you choose. This will make you a literal patron of the arts. This is amazing. Also it would make a nice present for someone I'm pretty sure.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $5,000 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
ULTIMATE CHAMPION IN ALL POSSIBLE TIMELINES: Everything in the WHAT ABOUT ME THOUGH reward level, plus I'll paint a painting of T-Rex that you'll get to have in your house. This is a thing you can make happen. NOTE: I am not a very good painter is the thing. Thank you for supporting the book and in exchange I will make you the best painting I can but let's both go into this with our eyes open.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $5,001 or more
1 backer All gone!
ULTIMATE CHAMPION IN ALL POSSIBLE TIMELINES 2000: Everything in "ULTIMATE CHAMPION IN ALL POSSIBLE TIMELINES", plus your painting will be on a sexagonal canvas which makes it better and more valuable, plus you and I will have a nice conversation on the phone during where I'll ask you what T-Rex should be doing in the painting, and then we'll just talk about our feelings, during which time you will be given SEVERAL opportunities to choose where the conversation goes next.
Estimated delivery: May 2013
Comments
Creator maya lowy on December 25
Is there a way to watch the videos on youtube? Dropbox isn't working and I really want to watch the dadsplosion.
Creator David Farnell on December 23
Congrats! But man, I didn't realize that for only $5 more I could've gotten so much more stuff! There were so many long, detailed updates that I couldn't read them all--just not enough time! And the final one that mentioned I could get all those extras came while I was asleep here in Japan--by the time I got up, it was too late to upgrade. I wish all that had been more clearly spelled out.
Creator Daeshin Kim on December 22
CONGRATULATIONS Ryan! Your campaign was so much fun to follow - you deserve all your success!
Creator Laurence Kerr on December 22
Whoops, I totally intended to pledge enough to buy a second copy. Will you be selling these in stores later?
Creator KevinR on December 21
@Christine -- Ryan won't even get your (mailing) address until the survey comes through Kickstarter in coming days or weeks, depending on how soon Ryan wants the info.
Creator Dave Baldwin on December 21
How do I change the mailing address for this project? It was meant to be a gift.
Creator Dave Baldwin on December 21
I need to change the mailing address on this project... it was intended to be a gift. Now everything is in my name and not the intended destinee.
Creator Christina Squitieri on December 21
YES
Creator Jamie Tang on December 21
Will the updates include more explosions? I think Shakespeare the 1st was missing adequate explosive resources.
Creator Paul Baxter on December 21
I now have ten cents (U.S.) in my bank account because of Ryan North and Hamlet... And it is totally worth it! May both these names live on in English literary canon forever and ever and ever. I can't wait for the day that "Ryan North's Hamlet" becomes more well known than that other fellow's version! You know, what's his name. Robert Waggsticke? Something like that. :P
Creator Webster Ballard on December 21
Damn i wish i could have gotten an hardcover book. But didnt have enough well i did the $25 pledge which is still aweso e
Creator wrapto on December 21
Thanks for the non-Dropbox links. Well worth the observation!
Creator Paul Marzagalli on December 21
Ryan, I pledged at $20 only to discover today that I missed out on all sorts of goodies by not having $25. Is there any way I can pitch in more to get those extras? As happy as I should be feeling right now, I'm totally bummed.
Creator Ryan North on December 21
I didn't know there were DB limits! HUH
Anyway here's the two videos!
http://youtu.be/KWgkzDeoSBU = Andy's version
http://youtu.be/Ko7W6PG9CQQ = my dad's version
Creator Octavio Arango on December 21
... I think we killed your dropbox account >_>
Creator Angela Forrest on December 21
Looking forward to seeing the fruits of this labor. Can't wait for May!
Creator amiked on December 21
Don't think we forget about you making and eating a hamlet-inspired pizza, Mr. North. I didn't pledge money to this endeavor just to be denied my rewards!
P.S. Congratulations, this has been lots of fun - can't wait for the book!
Creator Terence Chandler on December 21
That's an interesting question Caroline, but if you look at Kicktraq (http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/breadpig/to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-adventure/#chart-daily) this project raised $180k-ish in the last three days, well after that whole issue was resolved. Plus I don't think that was responsible for any of the earlier success either. It was just a great project put on by a TOTALLY AWESOME DUDE!!
Creator Stephen Reeves on December 21
Hey Ryan, this was an interesting adventure. Looking forward to getting the goods!
Creator Mitch Gustav the Robot on December 21
You know what you should do? You should DIE AND HAVE YOUR REMAINS EXPLODED IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. Also, will the whole "temporarily doing something that Kickstarter doesn't want you to do" come up when other people eventually start competing for Kickstarter's most funded project? I sure hope not...
Creator Annabeth Leong on December 21
OK, those explosions are awesome. I, for one, feel you have totally fulfilled your contractual obligation in that regard.
Thanks for the great ride! As others are saying, this has been a very fun, well-done kickstarter.
Creator Tyme on December 21
Thanks Ryan! This was the first Kickstarter I've backed, and I think it will be a really tough act to follow. I guess I'll have to wait till you do it again for the sequel!
May feels SO FAR AWAY!
Creator T.J. Brumfield on December 21
This was a very well ran Kickstarter.