Monthly Archives: December 2014

Year In Review

Posted by Jim Zub on December 31, 2014 1 comment

Here we go again, a look at my year in review. I’ve been doing this on my blog for the past few years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) and it’s a nice way to sum up my thoughts on the year that was and take in the ups and downs that came with it.

Stacy and I continue on our wedded adventure, juggling work and play, social time and alone time. It’s filled with challenges but, like everything else we’ve tackled, it always goes better because we’re together. Having Stacy in my life is a joy and an honour.

Between replacing the stove, the car, our porch and façade, and a new laptop it was an expensive year, that’s for sure. As Stacy mentioned, we’ve replaced almost every appliance in the house over the past 2-3 years so hopefully everything runs a bit better from here on out.

Travel-wise it was another busy time, with 12 conventions in total, but almost every location was somewhere I’d been previously while on the ‘ circuit’ (with Washington DC and Phoenix as the two exceptions), so it felt familiar rather than hectic.

Last year I scripted over a 1000 pages of comics and that was a hell of a milestone but I said I probably wouldn’t be able to do that again this year. Yeah well, it happened anyway. I had a slew of comic writing projects in 2014 and, once I realized how close I was last month, I hunkered down and made sure I hit the 1k mark again. Admittedly, I took it right to the line (finished the last set of pages this morning) but it’s done. Whew~

I know in the grand scheme of things it’s about quality, not quantity, but I’m incredibly proud of the work and feel like I’ve learned a ton. Pushing myself to meet intense deadlines and deliver stories I’m proud of both on time and as kick ass as I can make them is crucial.

Skullkickers, Samurai Jack, Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors, Figment, Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons, Munchkin, Conan-Red Sonja, and a bunch more, some of which won’t be out until next year… So completely crazy.

Oh yeah, and that other one – Wayward!

Working with Steven Cummings to launch a brand new Image creator-owned series and having it well received by readers and retailers alike was a complete rush. Everyone on the creative team is pumped for the new chapters we have planned. Can’t wait for people to read it!

2015 is shaping up to be another exciting year.

At Seneca College we’re making the biggest changes to our Animation curriculum and facilities since I took over as Coordinator of the program in 2006. We’re reworking the flow of courses, updating assignments, and incorporating more technology to match the changing industry. It’s a lot of work but the end result should make us more competitive and deliver even better education to our amazing community of students.

On the creative and freelance front I’ll be continuing with Wayward and wrapping up Skullkickers. I don’t want to get into the whole farewell thing with SK just yet but, suffice to say, it’s going to feel strange reaching the end. A bunch of my other freelance comic writing projects are wrapping up but I have a few proposals in the hopper I’m waiting to hear back about. It’ll be interesting to see if any of them pop or what other opportunities emerge as the year rolls on. I wrote a bit about my thoughts on the comic industry in 2014 over on The Beat.

Other meditations for 2015:
• Less stuff, more experiences: Stacy and I have been talking about the stockpile of ‘things’ we’ve accumulated. Having things is great but once you hit a certain threshold it just piles up in ridiculous ways and you stop appreciating what you have. We want to pare back on the rampant collections of things and focus on experiences – new places, great meals, and better time spent with people we care deeply for.

• Art for art’s sake: Although I did some drawing in 2014, it definitely took a back seat to my writing projects. I’m hoping to sketch more outside of school demonstrations and put more fun ideas down on paper visually in 2015.

• Empathy, honesty, and communication: Thinking carefully about others, reaching out to people who matter, staying in touch with those close to me and making sure they know how much I appreciate them.

I know 2014 was a rough year for many people and that the world at large was filled with tumultuous news and heartache. I hope your year was a good one despite any difficulties and that if it wasn’t you can close the book on the season and start fresh in 2015.

Thank you for your love and support. All the best to you and yours!

Skullkickers Minis Now Part of the Rum & Bones Kickstarter!

Posted by Jim Zub on December 22, 2014 No comments

The Skullkickers have just been announced as part of the Rum & Bones board game Kickstarter! They’re an exclusive set of 5 figures (complete with their own character-centric rules) only available as part of the Kickstarter pre-order process.

Rum & Bones is the new pirate-themed board game by Cool Mini Or Not, creators of ‘Zombicide’, one of my absolute favorite board games. I’ve been singing the praises of Zombicide for a couple years now and when I had a chance to meet the Cool Mini crew at Gen Con we talked about the possibility of teaming up in the future. Once they started work on Rum & Bones, we both felt it would be a great way to use the SK cast, especially since we had a pirate story of our own in Volume 3, ‘Six Shooter on the Seven Seas’.

As you can see, the character archetypes from Skullkickers marry themselves well to the Rum & Bones play style and the miniature sculpts look awesome!

If you’re a board game fan or Skullkickers fan I hope you’ll click through to check out Rum & Bones (which wraps up pre-orders on December 28th) and tell your friends about it too. I can’t wait to battle it out with our very own skullkicking pirate crew!

Wayward #5 Reviews

Posted by Jim Zub on December 22, 2014 1 comment

Wayward #5 arrived in comic shops last week and we pulled out all the stops to deliver an action-packed and emotional finish to our first story arc. Here’s what reviewers had to say…

• 13th Dimension: “The issue manages to combine constant action with some genuinely heart-rending moments, and continues to build on what has been to date a very enjoyable series.”

• All-Comic: 4/5 “Continuing the clever blend of Miyazaki-like wonder with mythological horror, ancient mysticism and even superheroics, this concluding chapter to the series’ opening arc is as delightfully boggling and awe-inspiring as its predecessors.”

• Big Glasgow: 5/5 “A brilliant conclusion to a great story-arc.”

• Cold Beer and Comics: 5/5 “Wayward is the best new comic of the year.”

• Comic Book Bin: 10/10 “Zub and Cummings leave us with a beautifully drawn and exceptionally told series, and while they leave us with many questions, they also leave us caught in the weave. We want to be Wayward. With each new issue, Wayward expands its scope without losing its great sense of mystery.”

• Comics Bulletin: “The first arc of Wayward is complete and is one of the best ongoing series out right now. It’s a story filled with magic and the supernatural perfectly blended with the familiar.”

• Comics Online: 4.5/5 ” Wayward is an epic in the making, and an excellent example of the variety of well-written, drawn, and colored series in the comic book market today.”

• Comics the Gathering: 8/10 “Overall, this issue is a blazer. It’s fiery and explosive. It takes no prisoners, and doesn’t slow down, whether you like it or not. All you can do is go along for the ride.”

• Comicosity: “This story stepped up and became so powerful. So much emotion and amazing art. This is one to read.”

• Con Freaks & Geeks: 9/10 “The art is spectacular and the story is one of the best I’ve read this year. If you’re not reading Wayward, get on it! I promise you that you won’t be sorry.”

• Fandom Post: “This opening arc has been straightforward overall as it teases its own questions and uncertain aspects and the way it’s blended the east/west storytelling and art has definitely been its strength”

• Four Color Bullet: “Jim Zub’s writing has been fantastic. Spooky and fun without losing intelligence. Wayward is easily one of Image’s new best.”

• Game On Comics: 4.5/5 “This wonderful issue reinforces that Wayward is an epic in the making, and an excellent example of the variety of well-written, drawn, and colored series in the comic book market today.”

• Horrror Talk: 5/5 “Wayward is a healthy mix of action, emotion, and damn good storytelling. The comic continues to explore a supernatural area of Japan that is increasingly terrifying.”

• Moar Powah: 4.5/5“Wayward #5 is an amazing instalment to read through.”

• Nothing But Comics: “This was really just a fantastic issue all around. The characters found what they are really capable of both physically and emotionally which is the one two punch when it comes to comic books. I can’t wait for more.”

• Omni Jer Bear: “I stick by my guns. Hands down, this is one of the best storylines I read all year.”

• Outright Geekery: “The story is building momentum now and this issue shows no signs of slowing down.”

• Paradox Comics Group: 8/10 “a dramatic twist that sets things up brilliantly for the instalments to come.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 10/10 “Wayward is one of the best and most consistent of all the new series that have launched this year. Big thumbs-up!”

• Sound On Sight: “There should be high praise for this creative team, respectfully creating a genuinely fun, emotional, and educational book all at the same time.”

• The Telltale Mind: 4.5/5 “Wayward is definitely one of those books that you know is something special when you turn to that first page and it is one that will hopefully stick around for a long time to come.”

• TM Stash: 10/10 “Jim Zub has developed this storyline exceptionally well, with a setting that makes one feel transported to Japan and characters that seem like they could step right out of the page.”

• Unleash the Fanboy: 8.5/10 “Wayward #5 is without a doubt a gem that needs to be unearthed by many curious fanboys and fangirls. “

• We The Nerdy: 10/10 “Steve Cummings nails every aspect of the choreography, creating sequences that are both awesome to look at and easy to follow.”

Wayward #6 Solicitation

Posted by Jim Zub on December 19, 2014 No comments

Arriving in March…Pre-order now!

WAYWARD #6
story: JIM ZUB
art / cover A: STEVE CUMMINGS & TAMRA BONVILLAIN
cover B: TAKESHI MIYAZAWA

MARCH 25 / 32 PAGES / FC / M / $3.50

DIAMOND ORDER CODE:
JAN15 0719 (cover A)
JAN15 0720 (cover B)

IMAGE’S SUPERNATURAL SENSATION CONTINUES!
The second story arc begins!

After the traumatizing finale of the previous issue, everything has changed. Who is Ohara and how does she fit into the great pattern of destiny and power?

“It’s not a fluke. Wayward is one of the best new titles of the year.” – Comic Book Bin

Featuring a variant cover by fan favorite TAKESHI MIYAZAWA (Runaways, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Code Monkey Save World).

NOTE: This issue arrives the same day as the value-priced WAYWARD, VOL. 1 TP!

Skullkickers #31 Solicitation

Posted by Jim Zub on December 19, 2014 No comments

Arriving in March… Pre-order now!

SKULLKICKERS #31
story: JIM ZUB
art: EDWIN HUANG & MISTY COATS
cover: JAMES GHIO
MARCH 25 / 32 PAGES / FC / T / $3.50

“INFINITE ICONS OF THE ENDLESS EPIC,” Part One

This is it, the beginning of the end. Beer, blood, and battle. Get on board now so you can say you were there when it all blew up.

“Skullkickers is one of the smartest comics out there.” – Newsarama

Legends of Baldur’s Gate #3 Reviews

Posted by Jim Zub on December 15, 2014 No comments

• Comic Crusaders: 4/5 “If you are a fan of DnD, or the [Baldur’s Gate] video games you owe it to yourselves to pick up this book.”

• Fanboy Nation: “Recommended for all of those who enjoy adventure, swashbuckling and miniature giant space hamsters.”

• Geeks With Wives: “Having Jim Zub writing (acting as our dungeon master), we are provided a story that doesn’t feel like it is on rails but flows naturally and changes with the action.”

• Kastor’s Korner: “The characters actually act like an adventuring party, and as a huge gaming enthusiast, I found these elements were incredibly effective at capturing the true essence of playing a tabletop campaign, while still telling a multifaceted linear tale.”

• Merric’s Musings: “Once again, Max Dunbar’s artwork is superb, drawing both characters and architecture in beautiful detail.”

• Nerdy But Flirty: “I’m pretty much in love with all the art in this – the characters are consistent, and the world is very colorful and detailed.”

• Reading With a Flight Ring: “Not only is this perfect for anyone who likes to game but it’s great for people who don’t either because it’s a story about friendship through adventure.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 9.5/10 “As things progress further for the characters, we are starting to see some things fall in place, and it is a pretty exciting time to get on this comic if you haven’t yet.”

Samurai Jack #15 Reviews

Posted by Jim Zub on December 15, 2014 No comments

Samurai Jack #15 arrived in comic shops last week, wrapping up our “Quest of the Broken Blade” story arc. Andy Suriano, Josh Burcham, and I put our all into this one and it seems to be resonating strongly with fans of the original cartoon as we put Jack through the wringer.

Starting from what was only supposed to be a five issue mini-series, we’ve extended our run multiple times, adding new characters and plot lines to the award-winning cartoon. I’m incredibly proud of the work our team has done on Samurai Jack and, if you get a chance to give it a read, I hope you enjoy our tale of redemption.

• IGN: 8.8/10 “This is a mostly action-oriented tale, and one Andy Suriano renders with fenetic grace and energy. It pays homage to the show while also lending its own texture and darkness to Jack’s world.”

• Comic Bastards: 5/5 “I shall be keeping up with the story and you should start reading this comic as well.”

• Major Spoilers: 4.5/5 “I highly recommend you get into this comic! It’s like Samurai Jack never left!”

• Rock! Shock! Pop!: “I keep waiting for this series to drop in quality or do something to shatter the idea that this is a continuation of the gone but not forgotten animated series. Fifteen issues in and that hasn’t happened yet.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 10/10 “Team Jack is all about exploring the hidden corners of Genndy Tartakovsky’s masterpiece for Cartoon Network. They have done a pretty good job so far and, as they close out the current arc, they show once again just what the incredible potential of their work really is.”

Conan-Red Sonja Interview on Dynamic Forces

Posted by Jim Zub on December 2, 2014 No comments

Over on the Dynamic Forces site they’ve just posted an interview with me all about Conan-Red Sonja. I talk about working with Gail Simone and Dan Panosian and writing two of the biggest characters in sword & sorcery.

Wayward #4 Reviews

Posted by Jim Zub on December 1, 2014 No comments

Wayward #4 arrived in comic shops last week and the reviews are really strong once again. If you haven’t gotten on board the series yet, please consider giving it a try. Many shops still have 2nd printing copies of our first issue.

• Big Glasgow: 9/10 “Another brilliant issue for Wayward, definitely worth buying and enjoying.”

• Black Ship Books: “Wayward continues to be one of my favorite series Image is putting out.”

• Cold Beer and Comics: 5/5 “I can’t put this comic down. It reads just like a movie and I bet this is adapted within the next couple of years.”

• Comic Attack: “Steve Cummings has consistently supplied Wayward with some of THE sharpest artwork around. The same amount of detail and great work you get on the cover is what you can expect when you open the issue up.”

• Comic Book Bin: “Wayward offers a mystery that is as unknown as it is alluring. Like Rori following the glowing threads that guide (or lead) her, we don’t know where this mystery will take us, but let’s follow!”

• Comix I Read: 5/5 “I cannot recommend this book enough to everyone.The story is fantastic and the art is some of the best in comics today.”

• Fandom Post: “This issue is heavily focused on the action and it’s warranted as it lets the creative team really show their stuff in a great way – and beautifully colored at that.”

• Major Spoilers: 4/5 “Wayward #4 is an awesome issue and the series is helmed by two creators who know exactly what they are doing and how they want events to play out.”

• Mind Capsules: 9/10 “Wayward is a truly wonderful and beautiful book on every level, one that deserves a place on your pull list.”

• Moar Powah: 4/5 “Though mostly a transitional piece, Wayward certainly makes an impression.”

• OmniJerBear: 10/10 “The best arc of the year. Period.”

• Outright Geekery: 4.5/5 “The issue was an absolute blast to read from beginning to end.”

• Panel Patter: “This is such an amazing creation, one of the best new series of 2014, and pretty much a slam-dunk for my favorites list.”

• Reading With a Flight Ring: “The moment you hit that two page spread you realize what’s going down and it pumps up the adrenaline. This could be the next big thing.”

• Third Eye Spotlight: “Jim Zub takes an incredible tale of supernatural horror and blends it with slice of life drama to make for one heck of an awesome read.”

• TMStash: 10/10 “You cannot read this tale without being drawn in – it is a totally captivating story.”

• What’cha Reading: 8/10 “Good writing, good art, this book is just a solid piece of storytelling all around.”

• What’s On The Table: “If you are interested in a modern day Japan setting with supernatural adventures, go read this comic!”

Creator-Owned Sales – Nov 2014 Update

Posted by Jim Zub on December 1, 2014 4 comments

Just over a year ago I put together a second pretty extensive post all about how long term sales were going on Skullkickers. I wanted to give people an understanding of the economics of what I’m doing without revealing the exact dollar figure amounts involved (that information is between Image Comics and the creative team).

Since then I’ve received two more accounting accrual statements from Image and also had a chance to dig deeper into the numbers and chart them a bit more accurately.

Here’s an updated look at where we’re at and some of my thoughts. I’m not going to repeat the same info from before, so feel free to check the earlier article for analysis of 2011 Q2-2013 Q2.

Here’s how Skullkickers has performed from our launch back in 2010 through to the first half of 2014:

2013 Q3-Q4: As I expected in my previous update, printing the deluxe Treasure Trove 2 hardback ratcheted up our expenses, but print sales are pretty much neck-and-neck, with digital keeping us slightly ahead.

2014 Q1-Q2: Reprinting our Volume 3 softcover built up some cost but we’ve been able to stay ahead with accrual sales. Digital sales are now becoming a larger factor overall as well. How much so? Well, let me show you in more detail.

Keep in mind the above is profit, not sales.

Digital sales continue to grow. Since there’s no print run or storage limit with digital they continue to build profitability over the long haul (particularly with the early issues as new readers sample the series during comiXology sales). Many issues that lost money in their initial print release have been able to make back their losses thanks to digital.

You can also see the effect our goofy reboot promotion (where we released five new #1’s in five months) had during issues 19-23. We’d never be able to do that sort of thing again, but it was a nice way to extend the life of the series a bit. I can see why Marvel and DC hit the relaunch button so often. Fans may say they’re sick of new #1’s, but the truth is that it can stir interest/sales.

Let’s look at the current state of the collections.

In my update a year ago Skullkickers Vol. 1: 1000 Opas and a Dead Body and Skullkickers Treasure Trove Vol. 1 weren’t profitable but now, thanks to longtail sales and digital, they’re making some money.

Skullkickers Vol. 3: Six Shooter on the Seven Seas sold through its initial print run and needed a reprint, so it’s back in the red (but will hopefully recover over the long haul).

Skullkickers Vol. 4: Eighty Eyes on an Evil Island hasn’t been out very long so there are more copies in stock than have currently sold. Thankfully digital sales are helping.

The deluxe Skullkickers Treasure Trove Vol. 2 hardback is, like the first one, very expensive to print and will take quite a while to make its money back. Even still, with a higher cover price it’s a great archival item to have available. The deluxe volumes sell well for me at conventions and, although it looks brutal right now, I think it will climb its way out of the red just like Treasure Trove 1 did.

A year ago our print expenditures had finally popped into a tiny bit of profitability. How are things looking now?

Okay, so that tiny breath of profitable fresh air in the green was temporary, but that’s okay. Things actually aren’t as dire as it may look, given all the data.

First off, Image paid us an accrual cheque based on digital sales in 2013, so when they had to print Treasure Trove 2 and Volume 4 and reprint Volume 3 that put them back in the red. Keeping the series in print and available is crucial for our long term viability.

Secondly, notice that digital sales continue to climb and that profits from digital are actually keeping pace with losses incurred through print. Digital is keeping us skimming along the break even line. I’m still hopeful that, once the series ends in 2015, we’ll end up in the black.

Compare the current situation to the low point of the first half of 2012. I can’t state enough that Image has been a rock through all of this, making their base amount and sticking with us, paying printing/distribution bills while we looked towards longtail sales for the series.

Keep in mind this is just analysis of one creator-owned series. As interesting as it can be, I can’t speak to anyone else’s sales or their financial situation. This sales cycle does not correspond to all creator-owned books. Please don’t make your own financial decisions based on what I’ve done. Everyone’s risk threshold and situation is different. You may end up throwing good money after bad. Wayward, my new creator-owned series that launched in August, has a completely different sales/profit situation and, if I have time, I may analyse that as well once we have our first trade release.

Note that this is not the full financial picture. The above charts don’t include convention sales, which are still going strong. The money made from direct convention sales, sketch covers, commissions and selling original page art has helped keep us going and viable. I exhibited at 11 conventions this year and, even though it was exhausting, it paid off in terms of sales and visibility for the series. It also doesn’t include money made from web ad revenue generated at our webcomic site.

Also note that none of the above takes into account freelance work that’s come from working on Skullkickers. If you factor in money made from the writing jobs I’ve done for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, IDW, Valiant, Dynamite, and UDON since the series began, it has turned a substantial profit in that way even after paying the art team out of my own pocket (which is not factored into the above. The charts above represent only Image Comics’ profit/loss). Skullkickers has been the foundation where I’ve built a 2nd career as a professional comic writer over a relatively short period of time.

Most importantly, we put out a comic that stands favourably beside some of the best titles in the industry and I’m incredibly proud of that. As we head towards our sixth story arc we’re going to have over 30 issues, which is pretty rarefied air for a creator-owned series in this day and age.

If you find my sales and tutorial blogposts helpful, feel free to let me know here (or on Twitter), share them with your friends, and consider buying some of my comics to show your support. Thanks!