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Last Days to Back ILYA’s amazing “Romo the Wolfboy” graphic novel

By John Freeman on June 13, 2025 • ( 1 )

Still seeking crowdfunding support on Kickstarter with five days to go, there’s good news this week for ace comic creator ILYA‘s Romo the Wolfboy project, offered as a physical edition in the UK, with an option of a digital edition for fans of his work in the Rest of the World.

I feel very privileged to have seen the full story ahead of hoped for publication, and thoroughly enjoyed reading this beautifully told adventure story. The book is complete – it just needs further backers to cross over the line and into production.

Ace independent bookshop Page 45 in Nottingham are so impressed with the look of ILYA’s book – a 256-page hardback graphic novel offering an “All Ages” action-adventure spooky character comedy – that they have made an advance order for 80 copies!

“I’ve played the video ten times now,” enthused Stephen L. Holland, proprietor of Page 45 and former Comics Laureate. “Almost every single image I saw made me squeal out loud, whether the exquisitely arranged crowd scenes, coloured to subtle but entrancing perfection, or single shots of the young feral lad with a face so contagiously expressive. The compositions are to kill for, the draughtsmanship and figure work… Plus some of what I read was very, very funny.”

Stephen is well known for having a great eye for a good graphic novel. so head over to Kickstarter now to see what the fuss is all about.

Romo The Wolfboy in “Strange Case of Cackle and Hide” by Ed Hillyer/ ILYA

ILYA’s project – hopefully just the first book of many – is in its final days on Kickstarter, described by downthetubes reviewer Luke Williams as “a beautiful looking book which deserves a physical edition, and, hopefully a sequel“.

Romo the Wolfboy is the story of the titular youngster who suffered a disturbed young life, raised by wolves before joining a travelling circus. The graphic novel includes not only the story but plenty of “Making Of” background, too, complementing this extraordinary project.

“A great big thank you to proprietors Stephen L. Holland and Jonathan Bricks’n’Mortar for showing such huge faith in both me and my hairy little baby, for his upcoming adventures,” says ILYA. “… “Hopefully this being just the start of many more!”

Overseas graphic novel adventure fans can support ILYA’s project by pledging for a Digital Edition (the physical edition only available to UK backers due to shipping costs). Just choose the “CLOWN” Reward Tier for this.

• Check out Romo the Wolfboy on Kickstarter here

Outside the UK? Select the Digital PDF option (‘CLOWN’ Reward Tier): this does include the whole 256-page book

• Read Luke Williams advance review of Romo the Wolfboy on downthetubes

• Ed H ILYA’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication

Internationally published British writer, artist and editor, Ed Hillyer, aka ILYA’s solo books include End of the Century Club (AmazonUK Affiliate Link), Skidmarks (find copies on eBay or the back issues section of your Local Comic Shop), Room for Love (AmazonUK Affiliate Link), Time Traveller, and Manga Shakespeare’s King Lear (AmazonUK Affiliate Link), plus the prose novel, The Clay Dreaming (AmazonUK Affiliate Link).

• Listen to an interview with ILYA conducted by Alex Fitch

The recording of a radio interview with the estimable Alex Fitch for Resonance FM 104.4 originally broadcast during May. This is a longer edit of the broadcast edition, ILYA talking frankly of his experiences as a creator and other behind-the-scenes news and views.

• Page 45 are online at page45.com

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as 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.