Update 2!
Hi everyone: here are some more EXCITING UPDATES!
IS IT TOO LATE TO BUY THE BOOK: I've gotten a few emails asking about this and the answer is, unfortunately, yes. For now! But once the book is ready it'll be available for purchase in all sorts of places, so if you missed out on the Kickstarter y'all gots to WAIT. It'll be worth it!
PROGRESS: Most of the art is in! There's still some we're waiting on, but I've got sketches for most pictures there too. They're all so great. This book is gonna be nuts. Poor Yorick's second draft is done and edited, and To Be Or Not To Be is in the final stages of editing. I'm working on selecting audiobook actors and will begin work on the eBook versions soon.
So far everything still looks to be on course for the deadline!
Oh also, for the posters we MAY be building a computational model of the book because it'll be awesome and make the posters more awesome. Also my head is being 3D printed as we speak and we're going to blow it up soon. I will post pictures and video. OF COURSE I will post pictures and video.
Finally, here's an illustration from the book by Tyson Hesse. It features Hamlet and ghosts. Is it not the best?

I can't wait to be able to send the whole book to you!
15,352
Backers
$580,905
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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 Robert on February 5
Does the may deadline include the Yorick plushie, since that's being produced by a different company?
Creator Joel Bernstein on February 4
I don't suppose you have a copy of Tyson's illustration at wallpapery sizes?
Creator SolTiger on February 2
Tyson being involved in this project was certainly a big factor in me backing, glad to see my confidence wasn't misplaced and I'm sure the work by everyone else will be just as good.
Creator Lesley Vamos on February 1
Unreal!!! Great Character Design!
Creator Hannah on February 1
Well take a lesson from Hussie's homestuck kickstarter about getting the rewards out. He ended up having 24k backers, so it's taken almost 3 months to get all the rewards out.
Creator Thaddeus on February 1
Ryan, you are a gentleman and a scholar! Keep up the good work, I can't wait to get those books and see all y'all's great work!
Creator Shelton Windham on February 1
I too would love to provide voice talent for this project (as a backer, improviser, writer, and actor (mostly voice acting and some theater work- whic includes a couple of productions of Hamlet, by the by), but sadly my home recording studio has been converted into a nursery.*
If you need anyone though, I could figure out a way to make it work, I'm sure. I've only got one credit on my IMDB page, but most of my anime credits can be found at: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php…
*Who knew babies needed someplace to sleep?
Creator Shannon Barrett on February 1
Hi Ryan, Is it too late to up my pledge from the paperback reward to the hardcover reward (i.e. $20 to $50)?
Creator Christina Squitieri on February 1
I love these updates!!
Creator Margo Rowder on February 1
Hi Ryan,
Do you need more voice talent to choose from? I'm a backer (W00t!), an improviser, a fellow writer, and I'd love to help. I record other people's writing all the time in this FB group I cofounded: http://bit.ly/ReadersAloud
Thanks for the update!
Margo
Creator Joshua Carmody on February 1
Yaaay! I am backing 25 Kickstarter projects and this one is by far the one I'm most looking forward to receiving.
Creator Sean Mottram on February 1
Awesome! That is what I had guessed as it seemed like a reasonable amount of time and also May was in caps in that update? Clearly it was a clue somehow.
Creator Ryan North on February 1
We have estimated delivery date of May 2013 on the rewards, so that's what I'm shooting for!
Creator Sean Mottram on February 1
Man, out of curiousity, when's this deadline you mentioned? I know you're on course which is good and the book will be done when it's reached COOL ENOUGH TO PRINT SEVERAL THOUSAND BOOKS status, which is good take your time, but I never did look into when it was originally deadlined for.
Creator Juan Miguel Expósito on February 1
This is great! We miss you... Couldn't you just post some fake updates in the mean time? XD