Jeff Krell

Jeff Krell created the groundbreaking comic strip "Jayson," which debuted in the Philadelphia Gay News in 1983. By 1985 "Jayson" had achieved national prominence in Gay Comix, where the strip was named Most Popular Feature. "Jayson" then became a staple in Leyland Publications' Meatmen series of gay male comics anthologies, gracing nearly twenty volumes. In 1990 "Jayson" debuted in national syndication.

Krell also translated and published English versions of two works by famed German gay cartoonist Ralf König. "Maybe...Maybe Not" and "Maybe...Maybe Not Again!" were the basis for one of Germany's highest grossing comedy movies.

Krell collaborated with singer/songwriters Ron Romanovsky and Paul Phillips to produce an off-Broadway "Jayson" musical at The 45th Street Theatre, which The New York Times praised for its "tart, keenly observed humor." The show ran for 10 weeks in the summer of 1998.

Krell's first collection of "Jayson" cartoons, "Jayson: A New Collection" (1997), contained all of the stories that inspired the musical. In 2005 Krell published two new retrospectives, "Jayson: Best of the 80s" and "Jayson: Best of the 90s," which were so well received that Krell announced plans for a new series of "Jayson" graphic novels.

On the eve of "Jayson's" 25th anniversary in comics, Krell unveiled "Jayson Goes to Hollywood" (2008), his first original graphic novel. This milestone was celebrated at the San Diego Comic-Con, where Krell was a featured guest on the 2008 Gays In Comics panel.

"Jayson Goes to Hollywood" received the Full Five Tonys (highest rating) from Tony Isabella in the Comics Buyer's Guide and garnered nominations in the 2009 CBG Fan Awards for both Favorite Writer and Favorite Graphic Novel. Krell followed that up in 2012 with his second original graphic novel, “Jayson Gets a Job!”

Krell also translated and published English versions of two works by famed German gay cartoonist Ralf König. "Maybe… Maybe Not" (1998) and "Maybe… Maybe Not Again!" (1999) were the basis for one of Germany's highest grossing comedy movies. These works proved so successful that Krell has since published English-language versions of two other graphic novels by Ralf König, "The Killer Condom" (2009) and its sequel, "Down to the Bone" (2011).