People at imago: Karel Krajča

In this interview, we introduce you to imago.blog editor-in-chief Karel Krajča, a geek from birth and a man of many roles here at imago. He edits and shoots videos, handles graphics, writes blog posts, and builds spaceships. In his free time, he gardens, and outside of the gardening season, he’s also interested in artificial intelligence and astrophysics.

Did I forget anything?

We’d be here for a long time if I listed everything. :) I’ve always been interested in many things and tried to keep a broad overview. I’m not exactly an expert on anything specific, but I have at least a clue about a lot of things. Besides my interest in physics, mathematics, and space, I consider myself a typical nerd – board games, wargaming, comics, books, music… I try to lead my daughter in this direction as well. I’m also a new, passionate dog owner, though I try to keep our furry monster away from all of that. I definitely don’t want her eating it all!

There’s a decent pile of your articles on the blog. What do you like writing about the most?

I prefer writing about what I enjoy. That’s probably not much of a surprise. I’m happy to take on anything related to Middle-earth or sci-fi. But I’ve done so much by now that I can put anything together in the end. I most enjoy writing about topics where I can bring a bit of perspective and levity. My writing is quite a paradox. Throughout elementary school, I only managed to write one essay well enough to get a D! My grammar wasn’t any better. It wasn’t until a high school teacher showed me that content is what matters most, and that form can always be polished thanks to a tamed proofreader. With that realization, I fell in love with writing.

Who would you like to interview?

I have to admit, interviews were never my strong suit. I’m a quiet and shy boy by nature (when sober…) and often nothing comes to mind that I’d want to ask. And it has to be at least somewhat original! But to have the chance to chat with Mr. Tolkien, that would be interesting. Even though respect and admiration would probably paralyze me completely and nothing would come of it. An interview with Terry Pratchett would be interesting. Unfortunately, my favorites are mostly dead, so that will remain just a wish. Currently, my dream is to go for a beer with a physics professor and brag to them that I might have solved the whole loop quantum gravity problem. :)

You’re responsible for an article about collecting. Do you have any collecting vices?

An empty wallet always kept me away from collecting, which got complicated once I started earning money. I have these waves. One day I’m collecting comics, then books, then a period of figures or board games comes along. Currently, I’m pretty calm, but something will come along again, that’s for sure. I probably won’t give up on taking care of my library anytime soon.

You made models of Red Dwarf, the Shire, and Saruman’s tower, which our customers can see at the store. Are you planning any other projects?

That was a period when I discovered EVA foam and was testing what it could do. We probably have this in the family. My father built model airplanes, my grandfather carved anything out of anything. A bit of manual work is never a bad thing; it’s a great way to relax. I’d still like to build a Borg Cube. I want to fit it with LED lights and create something like a decorative chandelier.

You’re a member of the Fantastická Ostrava festival team. What are you in charge of, and can you reveal anything about the program for the upcoming year?

Fantastická Ostrava Festival is my baby. A few years ago, a friend and I were sitting over a beer and saying we could try something like that in Ostrava. In the end, it was perhaps quite a coincidence that the idea turned into an event that thousands of mostly enthusiastic people attend today. The team of people that formed around the festival production is also to thank for that.

The 2024 edition will definitely be bigger. The program will grow to include a second hall, and we want to expand the computer and console games section. I’d leave the biggest things for later, though. After all, not everything is 100% confirmed yet. This year, I’m in charge of the entire board game section.

What character would you choose in a classic fantasy RPG?

The older I get, the more often I choose female characters. I’m quite curious about why that might be. I’d probably choose a mage, or more precisely, a sorceress who isn’t afraid to take a classic weapon into her hand.

What book are you reading right now?

I was recently wandering through Middle-earth with Beren and Lúthien and I’m just finishing Professor Petr Kulhánek’s book How the World Was Created or Thirteen Stories About Cosmology. I like alternating fiction with books full of quanta that give you a headache. Right after that, my favorite Alan Moore and his short story collection Illuminations will have their turn.

Rumor has it you’re quite a competitive type and like participating in various pub quizzes. What was the last quiz you were at, and what question caught you off guard?

Ha! It’s actually the opposite. I’m the least competitive person I know. I play even board games mainly for fun and I love the interaction with others. Ending up last doesn’t give me any wrinkles. But I would be quite pleased if I started winning more in Hearthstone, which is a game I’ve been dedicating my free evenings to for the last few years.

I go to pub quizzes mainly for the fun and beer with friends. The fact that we probably end up winning is more of a coincidence or the merit of others. At the last quiz, the question that surprised me the most was: “How old was Aragorn at the time of the events of The Lord of the Rings?” We were embarrassingly off by a few years.

It’s also rumored that… You’re friends not only with MidJourney but also with an AI chatbot. Ask the AI for a celebratory epic featuring your favorites: heroes, food or drink, a book, or a game.

At imago, I’m in charge of graphics and texts, so I started working with AI relatively early, and it makes my work much easier. I don’t belong to the skeptics claiming that artificial intelligence will destroy humanity, but it’s a fact that it will have a huge impact. And people today have a tendency to misuse anything immediately and create a bad mood in society.

A poem is exactly the kind of format that even ChatGPT doesn’t handle very well. Especially in Czech. But judge for yourselves:

In the autumn at the pub, where beer flows like a stream,
Tolkien sits with Pratchett, a joke in every word.
"Let’s argue who has the better world," says Tolkien proudly,
"Middle-earth - epic, serious, to the marrow of the bone."

Pratchett laughs, "Oh come on, my friend,
Discworld has humor, it’s like a merry ride on a cart!
Where else would you find frozen wizards or a villain with a hat?
Middle-earth is serious, but Discworld is simply top!"

Tolkien frowns, "Elves with bows, dwarves with pickaxes,
Middle-earth is like a symphony, full of heroic deeds."
Pratchett chuckles, "But we have talking foxes!
And cats who consider theft an art!"

"Aragorn, Frodo, Sam - those are names we know,"
Tolkien continues, while pouring himself a beer.
"Fairy, orc, dragon flight - stories that won hearts."
Pratchett nods, "But we have Death, always with a scythe for the evening curfew!"

So they debate until the morning light,
each of the worlds has its charm that sets those two hearts ablaze.
Middle-earth and Discworld, each with its own magic,
but we all know that the best world is one where they both drink beer together!

This could be a merry debate, even if I don’t know why Death would have to deal with a curfew… But when I think about it, it would suit him. “SO CURFEW, IT IS TIME TO CLOSE.”

What would you like to say to our fans and blog readers in conclusion?

Read, play, enjoy yourselves! Take life with a grain of salt. And I’m not just saying that because your spending keeps me alive. :)

author Pavla Žižková