In Review: Krazybov Issue 3

By John Freeman on September 30, 2010

Krazybov is a polished, entertaining comic anthology title with a very 21st Century approach to publication. Freely distributed in shops and at events around central London and sent around the world to subscribers, once all the printed copies have been given away it’s made available to read online or download for free.

Described by the creators as a ‘zine with delusions of grandeur’, the aim is to provide a platform for creators and inspire others to experiment. To keep the comic free it’s heavily reliant on the adverts that appear in the book and it also has a classified section at the back (which, as well as paid inserts, includes some funny gags, too).

There’s a lot to like about this title: wrapped in a stunning cover by British artist Simon Dominic, Issue 3’s highlights, for me, are the creeping horror of ‘The Children Of Rungholt’ by Seb Kempke and Dirk Juergens from Germany (StudioSunderland.com), worthy, in my opinion, of comparison with the stories of MR James; ‘Grey Days’ by Nik Neocleous from England, a tale of alternate universes and a very unlucky office worker; and ‘Pic Nic’ by Alberto Pessoa from Brazil, a fun, wordless and joyous re-telling of Red Riding Hood’s encounter with the Big Bad Wolf.

There’s always things in an anthology that won’t gel with some readers, but there’s plenty in Krazybov 3 that will, including the work of Brandon Palas and Adam Atherton, so head over to the web site or try and track down a copy if you’re a metropolis-dweller.

• Check out the content of Issue 3 here on the krazybov web site

• A preview of issue four can be read at krazybov.com/004.

• Web: krazybov.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.