The 13th of Never

By Crab Scrambly and Aamna Qureshi

Book Overview

Cursed with bad luck and trapped in a monotonous life, an unfortunate young man named Zazil longs to escape from the drudgery of his waking life and the troubled thoughts that haunt him. A good luck charm that Zazil finds in a dusty curio shop proves to be his ticket away from the mundane, but it brings him everything but good luck. When soul-stealing creatures called Charnocks pursue Zazil through strange lands and ghost trains, he must use his wits and courage to escape them - and finally face his past.
The 13th of Never is filled with detailed ink drawings that ring of a modern Edward Gorey, and a storyline filled with dark fantasy.
Crab Scrambly, the artist known to Slave Labor Graphics readers from his paintings in the storybook Everything Can Be Beaten, written by Chancre Scolex (sometimes known as Jhonen Vasquez), now has penned and illustrated a storybook of his own, The 13th of Never. The 72-page novella features more than 30 full-page black-and-white drawings by Scrambly.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0943151902
• ISBN13: 9780943151908
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: SLG Publishing
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.5" x 7.2"
• Age Range: 13 to 16 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 11

Customer Reviews

some people have glaucoma

First, this is a wonderfully and intricately drawn book. The illustration are NOT simple as every reviwer minus one can attest to. I can not think of one person who could draw like this, in this original fashion.not one I could compare to. The story may be a bit brief and quickly ended but I felt that it made me want to see more...a second book perhaps, maybe?? It makes sense and considering the publisher..who has put out horrible books last year like {pirate club, egg story, that horrible ghouly boys} I am very glad that they have put out something of real original talent and quality..not just stapled pamphlets of mediocre work. Thank you Mr. Scrambly and could we please have more sir...our generation NEEDS it!

why are you not witnessing this?

why, why I say, are you not in ownership of such a great thing? All I have to say is that once in a great while we stumble upon something that will be considered greater later than it is now. Gorey has such a following that is almost cult-like. This is what mr. crab scrambly will become, I know this. We just need to see more books and sadenning tales such as this and the public will see. mr. scrambly, if you read this, know that you have a grand following already and the meek and followers of what is trend worthy will eventually wake to see such a book and your artwork. Excellent illustrations, all should see these, this book, if only for the illustrations, it is well worth a few dollars.

worth the price and wait

It took me over a month to get ahold of this book. I had seen it a couple of times in comic book stores and pasted it over. I wished i hadn't . When I went back to get it, it was sold out, more than once. It takes about a week to get it from here which isn't bad and those who complain of the roughly 8 dollars, don't. It is well worth it. It is not like the other slave labor books I have read. For one, it is not a comic and two, I wish more publishers would take a risk with people like this. i wish to draw close to this one day. There is no one out there alive who draws like this. If anyone goes to con {san diego} crab scrambly is supposed to show. Best illustrator slave labor has on that lable. Also heard he is doing some collaboration work, forgot with whom, but that is a wise idea. I know a few people that would like crab to illustrate their books. who knows? That's my two cents. I recommended this highly and get more than one copy because everytime i lent it out {three x } someone snaked it. figures.

This is Slave Labor???

I have to agree with the other review. I collect slave labor and other trade papers, usually comics, but this is no comic. I have to call it a short story or novella as slave labor calls it: it is just more elaborate in story line than any short story I have read and at around 75 pages, it is quite the read. Once you get sucked in by the pictures, and they will, it takes much longer to finish because the picture are so detailed and have so much to look at that you always find something you missed. I want more from crab and hope he reads this, I think I shall email him today. Thanks.