If you’re a gay comics fan, you
probably already know that Jeff Krell’s pioneering humor strip “Jayson” debuted
in the Philadelphia Gay News in 1983 and
graduated to acclaimed runs in Gay Comix
and Meatmen.
What you may not know is that,
for a number of years, Krell also produced a weekly syndicated version of the
“Jayson” strip. Krell often serialized adventures over a span of weeks, which
he later submitted to publishers as complete stories. However, he also produced
a number of standalone gag strips that have never been reprinted.
In fact, in 2003, all of
Krell’s original art went missing, never to be recovered. He kept copies of all
his stories, but many of his gag strips were lost forever. Until now.
Issue 5 of Jayson Comics,
titled “Jayson’s Joke Book,” represents a years-long effort to track down
copies of those missing gag strips. In a few cases, the printed versions were
in such poor condition that it was easier to trace and redraw them than to
clean them up. In the end, Krell believes he has recovered all but three
strips.
Debuting in July 2016 at San
Diego Comic-Con, “Jayson’s Joke Book” is a treasure trove of rarely seen
“Jayson” strips from 1984 to 1997, including some unpublished strips and
brand-new material.
As a bonus, the center spread
of this issue contains the “Jayson” board game Krell has always wanted to
manufacture. Get together with your friends, pour some smart cocktails, and
“Help Jayson out of the closet!”
“Jayson’s Joke Book” (24 pp.,
$4.00) is available for digital download and print-on-demand through
IndyPlanet, as well as through Prism Comics, which represents Krell’s work at
comic-book conventions. For more information, visit http://ignite-ent.com.
