Zubby Newsletter #165: Monkey’s Paw

Posted by on July 6, 2026 1 comment
Invader Zim cover art by Dax Gordine.

Imagine getting to contribute to something amazing, but you find out there’s an unfortunate catch.

Last week I announced I’m part of a new INVADER ZIM comic series launching later this year from BOOM Studios. As I mentioned there, I’m a huge fan of the show and was ecstatic to get the chance to build new stories and contribute a variant cover to this brand new comic…

…But what I didn’t know was that Jhonen Vasquez, the creator of Zim, didn’t know about the new series at all and feels really awkward about new material being built on his team’s hard work without any involvement or communication. I understand how crappy that would feel, even if it’s legally allowed.

Over a decade ago, when I wrote the SAMURAI JACK comic series published by IDW, the “Samurai Jack team” knew it was happening and were directly involved. Character Designer Andy Suriano drew the book and we collaborated closely on stories and visuals, Series Creator Genndy Tartakovsky and Art Director Scott Wills illustrated variant covers, and Jack voice actor Phil LaMarr raved online about how much he enjoyed the comic series. I knew Genndy was probably too busy working on other projects to personally review every script, but we had his blessing and he could give us feedback or veto ideas whenever he wanted.

Samurai Jack comic covers by Genndy Tartakovsky and Scott Wills.

Working on Samurai Jack was an incredible experience – creatively fulfilling and a huge boost to my career.

When I was approached by BOOM and they asked if I wanted to pitch stories for a new INVADER ZIM comic series, I jumped at the chance. 20 years ago, I literally created a bunch of fan art for the show for fun because I enjoyed it so much.

Invader Zim fan art by Jim Zub, circa 2006.

But this time is different from working on Jack. I was told the “Invader Zim team” would be approving our material, but found out after the fact that it wasn’t Jhonen, Eric Trueheart or anyone originally involved in the show’s production. Approvals have gone through a Paramount licensing team who I’m sure mean well, but also don’t have any personal stake in Zim’s creative vision or future.

And sure, I’ve written stories for DC and Marvel where creators of characters weren’t consulted, but those are also shared superhero universes built by hundreds of contributors. Invader Zim is Jhonen’s ideas and humorous flare with contributions by a tight knit group he curated and approved.

So now I’m in a strange spot. I’m incredibly proud of the work artist Dax Gordine and I have done on this new Invader Zim comic. It’s been put together with lots of love for the source material, but not in a slavish way that just repeats the same gags and doesn’t offer any surprises. Dax’s visual storytelling starts strong and gets snappier each issue. We produced it with what we thought was enthusiastic support from the original team, but that was not the case and now we know. No matter what happens next, I want to be as open and honest about that so there’s no confusion.

BOOM’s editorial team has assured me they’ve reached out to Jhonen and believe this can all get sorted out. I hope that’s true, but if not I’ll need to evaluate what to do next. Whatever happens from here, I deeply appreciate your support and understanding.

Your Final Chance For Pirate Gold!

FINAL ORDER CUT-OFF for CONAN THE BARBARIAN #33 is TODAY, so make sure you pre-order NOW at your favorite comic shop! We want to show retailers that this new pirate adventure is worth investing in.

Afterlives of World Building

A couple weeks ago, I was a panelist in the Afterlives of World Building: The Legacy of Robert E. Howard online conference hosted by MacEwan University. The panels and interviews are now all uploaded to the new Dark Man Journal YouTube channel, so you can check them out there.

Howard’s Writing Room

Speaking of Robert E. Howard, Evan Todd from Stygian Dogs and I chatted in the room where sword & sorcery sprang to life when I was at this year’s Howard Days festival.

More Shenanigans

I was a guest again on Comic Shenanigans with Adam Chapman. This time, he and I chat up a storm about being “Grim Jim”, Stacy’s writing career, productivity, imposter syndrome, being like Bob Ross, parasocial relationships, the Glass Cannon podcast, livestreaming, collected editions, and more – Give it a listen!

You can also listen to our previous conversations here: Episodes 368, 794, 986, 1022, and 1087.

Current + Upcoming Releases

  • MAD About DC – 2nd printing – released June 3.
  • Conan the Barbarian #32 – released June 24.
  • Conan the Barbarian #33 – releases July 29.
  • Conan the Barbarian #34 – releases August 26.
  • Journey to the West: The Beginning – releases September 15.
  • Savage Sword of Conan #16 – releases September 16.
  • Conan the Barbarian vol. 4-6 Slipcase Set – releases September 16.
  • Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #1 – releases September 23.
  • Savage Sword of Conan vol. 1-3 Slipcase Set – releases September 23.
  • Wayward Compendium – releases September 29.
  • Conan the Barbarian #35 – releases September 30.

Upcoming Appearances


Stacy and I are visiting IRELAND for a few days in August and will be signing at Dublin City Comics & Collectibles on Wed, August 19th from 5-7pm! If you live in the area, hope to see you there!

Jul 11, 2026 Dungeon Comics – Signing 1pm-4pm Oakville, ON, CANADA
Jul 23-26, 2026 San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 30-Aug 2, 2026 Gen Con – Booth 1349 Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 15, 2026 Comics Assemble Gloucester, England, UK
Aug 19, 2026 Dublin City Comics – Signing 5-7pm Dublin, IRELAND
Aug 27-30, 2026 Fan Expo Canada Toronto, ON, CANADA
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• My friend Lenore Soleil has a new comic crowdfunder for FRANKLY, a gothic fairytale by way of metaphor for disability. I’ve read the first 20+ pages and it’s off to an engaging and atmospheric start.

• Seth Skorkowsy has a new video that covers great ways to get players invested in a TTRPG game. Simple, actionable advice you can immediately use at your own table.

• Witch House Media‘s lastest podcast covers The Phoenix on the Sword, the first Conan the Barbarian story from 1932, with my friend RPG designer Ken Hite.

Jim

Zubby Newsletter #164: Zim Jub

Posted by on June 29, 2026 No comments

Another busy week coming up for me as June ends and the real sprint begins. My personal goal is to get all my July and August writing done in the next three weeks so I can relax when I’m on the road for late July and most of August. Will it happen? I’ll let you know as the weeks countdown.

My Canadian and American readers have Canada Day and Independance Day coming up, meaning that most people have a shorter work week, but for me they’re probably going to be regular working days. That’s the way it goes when you’re freelancing and deadlines loom. It’s okay though, because I’m working on some wonderful projects right now. Speaking of which-

BOOM Studios’ announcement.

Last Thursday, IGN had the exclusive reveal that there are new INVADER ZIM comics in the works at BOOM! They teased some covers and you can see the variant I drew and colored in the mix there.

When the Invader Zim cartoon ran on TV 25 years ago, I was working at an animation studio and wished I could be part of a show so fun and subversive. Unexpectedly, now I get my chance.

A lot more details weill be revealed in the coming weeks and I’ll keep all of you up to date as that happens. All I can say for now is that our team is amazing and we’re putting our all into it. Tell your fellow earth-monkeys!

Covers by Troy Little and Dax Gordine.

A Pirate’s Life

Conan the Barbarian #34 cover art by Esad Ribic.

Now that the Ghosts & Echoes story arc has all wrapped up (and fans seemed to really enjoy our done-in-one adventure issue) our attention turns toward our 9th story arc Cursed Shores Beyond, set in the period when Conan was part of the Red Brotherhood, a pirate crew looting ships on the Western Sea alongside the beautiful and deadly Valeria.

Fernando Dagnino is back on art after absolutely crushing it on A Nest of Serpents and The Conquering Crown, so expect top notch art and visceral action throughout. The words are pretty good too. 😉

The way this storyline syncs up with Monolith‘s next Conan board game and TTRPG crowdfund campaign is a wonderful bit of unexpected synergy, and I couldn’t be happier.

Conan the Barbarian #33 line art by Fernando Dagnino.

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Animated Conan the Barbarian

Speaking of synergy, man oh man, keeping this a secret was tough, but we can finally start talking about it. As announced at Annecy, Genndy Tartakovsky, the creative mind behind Samurai Jack, Primal and Hotel Transylvania has signed on to create a new Conan the Barbarian animated series for Amazon Prime!

Yes, it’s really happening. The teaser artwork by Genndy, Stephen DeStefano and Scott Wills is official and it looks awesome.

Back in 2014, I had the incredible honor of writing 20 issues of the Samurai Jack comic series, building on Genndy’s world and ideas inbetween season 4 and season 5 of the animated series alongside director designer Andy Suriano. That comic swept in and changed my career, putting my name in front of thousands of readers and bolstering my spirit when I genuinely thought my time working in comics was coming to an end.

Seeing Genndy and his team finally sign on to do this animated series, a dream of his for decades, is really wonderful. I don’t have any other production details I can reveal at this point, but you can read more over on the official Conan website.

Amazing Digital Insight

The Amazing Digital Circus is the most Gen-Z piece of media I have ever seen.

I don’t mean that as an insult.

It’s a genuinely insightful look at a specific cohort. Their fear of hopelessness and insignificance in a world that uses and abuses them while they try to figure themselves out.

Parts of it were great, other parts messy and unfocused, but it’s a postmodern whirlwind of conflicting messages and emotions that encapsulates people growing up in a time where everything feels wrong and no one is coming to save them.

Not all of it worked for me, but it wasn’t made for me and that was clear from the start, so I managed to enjoy most of it.

Okay, “enjoy” is the wrong word, because it’s 9 episodes that bathe in neurotic trauma wrapped in a colorful candy shell, but I appreciated the craftsmanship.

As with any piece of media I read/watch/play, I can’t help but think about what I would have changed but that would shift its intent, so I’ll step back and just say that at the right age it probably would have affected me deeply.

Also, I’m genuinely curious how the next generation builds their stories when every trope has been played-replayed-remixed-regurgitated and their parents have sold out the future for a quick buck.

Current + Upcoming Releases

  • MAD About DC – 2nd printing – released June 3.
  • Conan the Barbarian #32 – released June 24.
  • Conan the Barbarian #33 – releases July 29.
  • Conan the Barbarian #34 – releases August 26.
  • Journey to the West: The Beginning – releases September 15.
  • Savage Sword of Conan #16 – releases September 16.
  • Conan the Barbarian vol. 4-6 Slipcase Set – releases September 16.
  • Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #1 – releases September 23.
  • Savage Sword of Conan vol. 1-3 Slipcase Set – releases September 23.
  • Wayward Compendium – releases September 29.
  • Conan the Barbarian #35 – releases September 30.

Upcoming Appearances

Jul 11, 2026 Dungeon Comics 1pm-4pm Oakville, ON, CANADA
Jul 23-26, 2026 San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 30-Aug 2, 2026 Gen Con – Booth 1349 Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 15, 2026 Comics Assemble Gloucester, England, UK
Aug 27-30, 2026 Fan Expo Canada Toronto, ON, CANADA
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• My friends John Layman and Rob Guillory (the team behind CHEW) have a crowdfunding campaign roaring for their new creator-owned comic called Ghostbrawler and it looks like a ton of fun. Check it out!

• My friend Samwise Didier, best known for his art and design that defined the look of Warcraft at Blizzard, has a fantasy artbook coming out in October called The ABC’s Of Fantasy that you can pre-order now.

Jim

Conan the Barbarian #32 Reviews

Posted by on June 29, 2026 No comments

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #32 arrived in stores last week, a done-in-one sword & sorcery story called “A Sacred Task”, built in the style of the original Robert E. Howard Conan stories from Weird Tales magazine. What did the critics think? Let’s find out-

• 9 Panel Grid: “Really cool, really great artwork here…You think it’s just action, but no, there’s always Lovecraft and horror aspects that get interwoven into the mysteries of this book. And that’s what this issue does in a really perfect way.”

• Comic Book Addicts: 8.8/10 “A haunting, brutal, and beautifully illustrated Conan issue that gives nostalgic fans classic sword-and-sorcery power while giving new readers an accessible road into the Cimmerian’s world.”

• Comic Book Clique: 9.5/10 “Zub is the master of the Howardian tale—his narration and dialogue are sparse and to the point, never using more or fancier words than necessary, much like Conan himself….The artwork by Braithwaite is always as sharp and true as Conan’s blade, and this issue is no exception. “

• Comic Culture: “I am absolutely blown away by whatever this creative team is able to do with this character. It’s something new and fresh and unique every single time…As always, the interior artwork is absolutely incredible. The coloring is fantastic as well.”

• Comic Patrol: “As a one-shot, this was absolutely fantastic. You don’t need any other issues, you can just pick this up and go for it. Gorgeous art and incredible storytelling…It’s the best book on the shelves.”

• Conan Fans: 8.9/10 “This tale is full of beautiful, contrasting colors. I love the vintage-esque feel, yet it’s modern…Nice job guys. Buy a copy.”

• Cool Thunder: 9/10 “Simply put, this is exactly what you want from a sword-and-sorcery comic. Doug Braithwaite’s artwork and Diego Rodriguez’s colors have not missed a beat throughout this entire run…If you’ve been sleeping on this series, this issue is the perfect jumping-on point.”

• Cupcakes Comic Reviews: “[Conan] has been crushing it, probably the best sword and sorcery ongoing book on the stands. It’s on issue 32 and it’s been amazing the whole time.”

• Eternal Crusader: “Doug Braithwaite’s artwork is, unsurprisingly, another visual feast. His intricate linework, rich detail, and expressive faces elevate every page…Diego Rodriguez’s colors beautifully complement Braithwaite’s pencils, while Jim Zub’s rich, almost baroque prose continues to feel like a perfect match for the Hyborian Age AND the artwork.”

• Fanlight Zone: 10/10 “Thirty-Two issues in, what more can we say about how awesome Conan from Titan and Heroic Signatures has been? Jim Zub is absolutely slaying it on this book. This is the best work of his career…These are the types of runs on comics that you dream about. Grab it, love it, read it.”

• Gaming Trend: 8.5/10 “Zub gives a full fantasy quest in a single issue without feeling rushed or unsatisfying”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “The colors by Rodriguez in this one are off the charts beautiful. He makes things glow that should glow and allows others to simmer in darkness when appropriate…This book was perfect for me and I’ll remember it for quite a while.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “Jim Zub’s standalone story was a welcome treat, I enjoyed it. And Doug Braithwaite’s art was top-notch. He’s doing very well with the artwork…Not one thing wrong with this issue.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “A really great, solid story. I feel like Jim Zub has settled into the perfect Robert E. Howard groove to continue the story of Conan the Barbarian and Doug Braithwaite’s artwork is magnificent!”

• Stygian Dogs: “A satisfying one-and-done adventure. It’s succinct, pulpy, and packed with bone-splintering action wonderfully depicted by Doug Braithwaite…It’s a nice break from the longer arcs and the Black Stone journey.”

• Thinking Critical: “It’s a strong recommend for Conan the Barbarian for me. It continues to be one of the best in in the industry…Jim Zub, has nailed down this character.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “You could pick up an issue like this and it just blew me away – The completeness of the story and the brevity of it in one comic and how rich it was. It was so beautifully crafted…The artwork is just breathtaking.”

• Unc Blerd: “When I read Conan books I seldomly get emotionally attached to the characters, but this was so well written that you really felt empathy for this mysterious woman by the end of it”

Zubby Newsletter #163: Self-Contained

Posted by on June 23, 2026 No comments

This week is a bit of a sprint. Stacy and I have a manuscript due for the next D&D Young Adventurer’s Guide (yes, more are in development, but titles haven’t been announced yet – The book market works really far in advance) and other comic writing deadlines loom in the foreground of my To-Do List. The month leading up to San Diego Comic Con is usually a rush and this year is no exception.

Conan the Barbarian #32 cover art by Nick Percival.

In stores on Wednesday is CONAN THE BARBARIAN #32, a done-in-one story I’m really proud of, built to feel like a classic Weird Tales-era Conan story. Back in the 70’s and 80’s, these kind of self-contained adventures were the norm on a book like Conan, which also meant it was easy to bring new readers on board, giving them a complete reading experience for the cover price of a single issue.

So, if you follow this newsletter and haven’t had the chance to read the series yet, do me a favor and check this one out. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised, and Doug Braithwaite‘s line art mixed with Diego Rodriguez‘s colors is always a winner.

A mysterious woman with an even more mysterious mission hires Conan to be her bodyguard on a sacred task across forbidden lands. Is any reward worth the risk? The Cimmerian is about to find out…

Conan the Barbarian #32 art by Doug Braithwaite.

This Interview is Truly Disturbing


I spoke to Sam at Truly Disturbing all about my ongoing commitment to Conan the Barbarian – Discovering Conan, misconceptions people have about the character, writing sword & sorcery stories, and more!

Using AI

The discourse about AI use in creative projects is a steady thrum now. Is it “inevitable”, as the AI companies want people to believe, or will it pop like NFTs and other tech trends that had limited useage but weren’t as transformative as the market assumed? Only time will tell, but in the here and now I know how it affects my current workflow – not much at all.

When Midjourney first launched free online, I typed in a half-dozen image prompts and thought the output looked creepy. That’s the only time I sought it out.

I’ve never used AI to make text for my writing or correspondence. I don’t have any Ai-dedicated programs installed and turn off AI features I find in tools I use.

Once I found out that AI was predictive text not actual knowledge and that platforms were being trained on material without permission or compensation, I knew that using it for writing would both be a copyright minefield and morally bankrupt.

Because AI systems are being injected into so many programs and platforms, I’m sure it’s a background presence as I work (AI summaries on research that I don’t trust until I dig deeper, AI generated captions on audio, etc.) but I do not want generated material in my plots, descriptions or dialogue.

I know large language models and neural networks can be useful at sifting through data and have powerful applications in science and medicine, but think that its use in creative art and writing robs creators of personal analysis and growth.

Storytelling and making art is more than just output, even when it’s a commercial endeavor. They’re time capsules of who you are at that moment – Your skill and development. Your priorities and influences.

Offloading that to the randomness of those systems closes you off from that growth.

I want a glimpse at the people who made that story/art, I want to see their specific choices and collaborations, not a random homogenized product they pasted together and put their name on.

Less ‘perfect’, possibly, but far more insightful and tactile.

Building a Beautiful Brick


Speaking of self-contained time capsules, late last week I finished laying out and uploading print files for the upcoming WAYWARD COMPENDIUM, the 904-page softcover compilation of the creator-owned series Steven Cummings and I published at Image from 2015 to 2018. Going back through all 30 issues brought on a rush of great memories and reminded me of how proud I am of what our team put together.

This Compendium arrives in September and will give readers who never had the chance to discover the series when it first came out an easy way to read it all, and retailers an even easier way to keep it in stock since this book will be one beautiful value-priced brick instead of six separate trade paperbacks.

Buy one for yourself, got another as a gift for someone you know. It’s gonna be a beauty.

Current + Upcoming Releases

  • MAD About DC – 2nd printing – released June 3.
  • Conan the Barbarian #32 – releases June 24.
  • Conan the Barbarian #33 – releases July 29.
  • Conan the Barbarian #34 – releases August 26.
  • Journey to the West: The Beginning – releases September 15.
  • Savage Sword of Conan #16 – releases September 16.
  • Conan the Barbarian vol. 4-6 Slipcase Set – releases September 16.
  • Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #1 – releases September 23.
  • Savage Sword of Conan vol. 1-3 Slipcase Set – releases September 23.
  • Wayward Compendium – releases September 29.
  • Conan the Barbarian #35 – releases September 30.

Upcoming Appearances

Apologies for the last minute change, but I’m unable to attend Fan Expo: Anaheim this week. Personal stuff has come up and I need to be here at home. Thanks for your understanding.

Jul 11, 2026 Dungeon Comics 1pm-4pm Oakville, ON, CANADA
Jul 23-26, 2026 San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 30-Aug 2, 2026 Gen Con – Booth 1349 Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 15, 2026 Comics Assemble Gloucester, England, UK
Aug 27-30, 2026 Fan Expo Canada Toronto, ON, CANADA
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• My friend David Pepose has a new crowdfund campaign for his creator-owned comic series The O.Z., an alternate world survivalist take on The Wizard of Oz.

• The Dark Man Journal is moving online, and the first two videos on their new YouTube channel are interviews with Arlene Stephenson and Jacque Chidress from the Robert E. Howard Museum and Rusty Burke, who started Howard Days 40 years ago.

Jim

This September, The TIDES Roll In!

Posted by on June 18, 2026 No comments


Titan Comics and Heroic Signature’s BRAND NEW Conan Crossover Adventure Starts This September!

Teased on Free Comic Book Day 2026, a new Conan event miniseries launches this September – TIDES OF THE TYRANT-KING! It’s the perfect opportunity for new readers to dive into a huge and exciting new adventure for the Cimmerian! Written by the legendary JIM ZUB and illustrated by the incredible JÉSUS MERINO, issue #1 features a range of variant covers by artists ROBERTO DE LA TORRE, UTSAB CHATTERJEE, GERARDO ZAFFINO, JÉSUS MERINO and STUART SAYGER.

CONAN OF CIMMERIA believed that THULSA DOOM’s evil had been banished forever, but the Atlantean necromancer’s dark power stirs once more and, if it cannot be stopped, the dead shall overtake the living! The Tyrant-King of Atlantis returns and all shall suffer, unless Conan and his brave allies can turn back the tide!

The story follows Conan the Barbarian and Stephen Costigan, warriors in different times – their battles mirrored, as both are connected by a familiar evil that seeps its way into each tale…

On September 23rd, readers can pick up the debut issue of CONAN: TIDES OF THE TYRANT-KING and dive fully into this brand new adventure and, a week before that release, on September 16th, readers can prepare for Tides of The Tyrant-King with a special issue of THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #16 that will have three thrilling tales written by JIM ZUB.

Featuring a mesmeric Conan tale of corrupted memories and creeping madness with artist NICOLA SCOTT, a return to the weird western world of Howardian gunslinger Steve Corcoran in a sequel to the classic Robert E. Howard tale “Vultures of Whapeton” with artist CHRIS CAMPANA, and a descent into the shadowed past of mini-series femme fatale Zuleika with artist SEAN IZAAKSE, all of it bolstered by an array of pin-ups and incredible covers from JOE JUSKO and NICK PERCIVAL!

Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures released a FREE preview of this story on Free Comic Book Day 2026, which is available to read right HERE on the Titan website!

Zubby Newsletter #162: Post-Texas

Posted by on June 16, 2026 1 comment
Sitting at Robert E. Howard’s writing desk is surreal and amazing.
Worlds poured forth from this humble spot.

When I attended Robert E. Howard Days in 2024, I was incredibly nervous. Even though Jeff Shanks reassured me that I’d fit in well with the deeply dedicated fans who gather in Cross Plains, Texas every June to celebrate Bob’s creativity and legend, I still wasn’t sure if I would be accepted or if the new Conan the Barbarian series published by Titan would last.

Two years later, it felt different in all the best ways.

The town of Cross Plains (population: 900) seems more comfortable with the legacy of their most famous son and I was also a lot more comfortable with where things are at with the comics and other future plans.

As a surreal example of how much the town has started to embrace their legacy as the birthplace of Robert E. Howard, last year the town’s high school marching band took 1st place in state competition with a Conan the Barbarian-themed performance!

Onward to 2026 – It was Texas in June, so the heat was intense and drive from Dallas a bit monotonous, but from the moment I arrived on Thursday afternoon, things were hopping. In 2024 I also arrived on Thursday and there were only three of us there filming interviews and B-roll material for the official Conan YouTube channel. This time, I pulled up to the house and there were at least 30 people already hanging out and a small cheer sounded as I walked over to the pavilion. That set the pace for the next two days – More people than expected and tons of positive energy.

I donated some sketch cover drawings to the silent auction.

I was a bit surprised when Jeff Shanks didn’t put me on any panels on day one, but he told me the best thing I could do was “be Jim Zub” – Stay near the house, greet newcomers, sign books, and chat. That advice worked out really well and there wasn’t a slow moment at any point. I signed hundreds of comics and collected editions, raising money for the REH House restoration fund and answered questions from readers about what it was like working with so many amazing artists on the series.

There were buses full of people going on tours of the town and surrounding area, discussion panels at local churches and cafes, and local restaurants were packed with visitors. From a quick show of hands at the banquet Friday night, I’d estimate around 20% of the people were attending Howard Days for the first time this year, and everyone I interacted with seemed to have a great time.

Orating REH poetry on the front porch of the house is a Saturday evening tradition.

A few people asked if I was going to be part of the traditional poetry reading on the porch Saturday evening so I finally caved and joined it. Like last time, I read an original poem from Savage Sword, this time Kinship of the Fallen. I’ll be honest, as I stood up there and people cheered, I got a bit verklempt. The excitement and engagement from everyone was really special.

Howard Days isn’t a convention or book festival in the traditional sense. It’s a gathering, a reunion, and a hangout with a lot of Texas hospitality and a bit of sword & sorcery flare. One of the people I chatted with told me that for him 50% of it was a celebration of Howard and the other 50% was about friendships he’d made, year after year. That sounded pretty much bang-on.

Meeting up with friends and fans before, during, and after the event felt great but it also zipped along so quickly that I’m honestly still processing some of it. Thanks to everyone who came out and all the enthusiasm you brought.

Want to help with the Howard House Restoration fund? Go HERE.

• I appeared in two of the REH Foundation video blogs, the first welcoming people to Day One, and second a short discussion with Howard Days founder Rusty Burke.

• The Conan Chronology has a video all about his first time attending Howard Days.

• Stygian Dogs has two videos from the weekend as well: a house tour and a live recording of our ‘What’s New in REH’ panel from Saturday afternoon.

The Legacy of Robert E. Howard


This SATURDAY, JUNE 20th: I’m one of the speakers for the Afterlives of World Building: The Legacy of Robert E. Howard online educational conference put together by East Texas A&M University that will run from Noon-5:30pm EDT (10am-3:30pm MDT).

The programming is FREE to watch, but registration is required, so check the link for details. There are 260 seats available for the livestream: https://lair.etamu.edu/tdm/

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

The D&D Weekend I’m Dungeon Mastering on November 12-15 in Georgia was sold out, but one of the players had to drop, so a single ticket is now available. If you want to play in a whirlwind 24-hour campaign over 3-days, get on board!

Jul 11, 2026 Dungeon Comics 1pm-4pm Oakville, ON, CANADA
Jul 23-26, 2026 San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 30-Aug 2, 2026 Gen Con Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 15, 2026 Comics Assemble Gloucester, England, UK
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• This video about a guy bonding with his father over video games and his Dad beating Dark Souls as his first game is ridiculous, amazing, and heartwarming.

• Speaking of video games, this rundown on the philosophy behind some of the design choices in classic platformer Mega Man 2 is pretty sharp stuff.

• Paizo has a new TTRPG coming called 13 Omens that seems to be very different from Pathfinder, their flagship game. Even though I already have dozens of games I don’t have enough time to play, I must admit I am intrigued…
Jim

Zubby Newsletter #161: Pre-Texas

Posted by on June 10, 2026 No comments
Lost Knob, Texas was a small town in REH’s stories modeled after Cross Plains.
Art from Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #0 by Jonas Scharf and Jao Canola.

It’s a bit of a mad sprint of productivity and packing today as I wrap up a script and then finish getting ready for my flight tomorrow morning to Texas for the Howard Days 40th anniversary, two days of discussion and celebration of the father of sword & sorcery’s legacy in the exact place where Conan the Barbarian‘s tales were first written. I attended the festival for the first time back in 2024 and you can read how that went HERE.

As with any convention or signing, I’m a mix of nervous and excited. Last time I attended it had been less than a year since our big relaunch at Titan and now it’s the third year of big swings and stories I’m really proud of, so I’m curious how all that’s been received by the intensely passionate fanbase who attend this event. I guess I’m about to find out.

I’ll arrive in Cross Plains late afternoon Thursday and be there through Saturday night. Looking forward to seeing friends and meeting new people coming in for the big anniversary gathering.

I’ll also be signing throughout the event. No charge, but donations encouraged, with all proceeds going to the Howard House fund underway to help with repairs. Same goes for items I’ll be donating to the silent auction.

No ticket is required to attend the festivities, so if you’re in Texas and able to make the trek, consider coming out to Cross Plains to celebrate with us or, if you’re closer to Dallas, come to my signing at Madness Games & Comics happening this Sunday from 11:30am-3pm.

Laudator Temporis Acti

Reading online posts that go on about how “my generation is the best because we persevered through [moment in time], had [pop culture things], didn’t fall for [current trendy pitfall] and life was better because [random item] only cost [cheap compared to now]!” always makes my eyes roll, especially when it’s about my generation.

Even more painful are the “my generation learned how to work hard because we didn’t have [current technology] or parents who [do current parental thing] and weren’t coddled with [respectful current social norm]!” posts.

Congrats, you’ve discovered nostalgia.

It doesn’t make you unique or your cohort some awe-inspiring generation better than all others.

Truly, the time you grew up in was the most special, you main character of your own story you. What an incredible coincidence.

Notice that every generation before or after you posts the exact same shit.

Nostalgia and remarking on how things have changed is fine (and can even be useful and important), just have enough clarity to realize it’s rooted in your personal experience, not a universal truth.

The big reason life felt simpler or more difficult is because you were a kid. You probably had more free time and less responsibilities. You were starting to self actualize and went through puberty.

It’s your story and it matters deeply to you, so you want it to matter to everyone else too.

As immensely fucked up right now is for adults, kids growing up in the midst of this will tell future generations it was the best time because now (the future) sucks compared to their youth.

I am thankful I grew up pre-social media and didn’t have to start my career in this current market, but that’s fortunate timing not generational superiority.

Script to Page

I’ve added even more FREE material to my Patreon page, including scripts for all the Conan Free Comic Book Day issues so you can see what I wrote and how that was interpreted by artists Jonas Scharf, Ivan Gil, and Jesus Merino over the past three years.

If you want access to well over 300 story pitches, scripts, and other resources in my Patreon archive, you can join for less than the price of a fancy coffee.

Survival in the Exiled Lands

My fourth liveplay session of Conan Exiles Enhanced was a relatively relaxed affair, rebuilding my resources and equipment after getting my butt kicked the week before. I answered some questions about writing and bantered with people who watched live.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

The D&D Weekend I’m Dungeon Mastering on November 12-15 in Georgia was sold out, but one of the players had to drop, so a single ticket is now available. If you want to play in a whirlwind 24-hour campaign over 3-days, get on board!

Jun 12-13, 2026 Robert E. Howard Days Cross Plains, TX, USA
Jun 14, 2026 Madness G&C 11:30-3pm Plano, TX, USA
Jul 11, 2026 Dungeon Comics 1pm-4pm Oakville, ON, CANADA
Jul 23-26, 2026 San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 30-Aug 2, 2026 Gen Con Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 15, 2026 Comics Assemble Gloucester, England, UK
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• David Brothers‘ short video essay about growing up playing video games and what he learned about defeat and persistence playing Sekiro really struck a chord with me. David’s a skilled comic writer and always brings thought and care into his observations about pop culture.

• Baffler has posted a series of essays from professional writers who have struggled to make a living through their writing, even after finding some success. The messy and awkward highs and lows of a creative career are on full display here and worth reading, even when they make you wince.

• Rabbit Hole has a surprisingly deep dive into where Lorem Ipsum came from, the ‘nonsense’ latin that designers use to drop temporary text into place before they have actual text ready for a page. It’s far more interesting than you might expect.

I hope my friends and fans in the LGBTQ+ community had a great start to Pride Month!
Jim

Zubby Newsletter #160: Jumping Into June

Posted by on June 1, 2026 No comments

May was a busy month with my big birthday and deadlines aplenty. I prepped for a bustling summer by getting a lot of writing done. From January to May this year I’ve already written more than I did for all of 2025, which is pretty wild. It feels good crossing off each deadline and building momentum, week after week.

The more torn up Conan gets, the more you know a story is gonna be gooood.

Now that Conan the Barbarian #31 is in stores and we’ve wrapped up our Son of the Tooth 3-parter, the focus of course now turns to issue #32, which I’m incredibly excited about.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #32 is a done-in-one sword & sorcery spectacle called “A Sacred Task”, built in the style of the original Robert E. Howard Conan stories from Weird Tales magazine. Our Cimmerian is hired as a bodyguard for a beautiful and mysterious woman on an important quest and their journey together will be memorable, to say the least.

I’m so proud that we’ve built enough trust with readers and retailers over the past 31 issues that we can do this kind of self-contained story as a breather between larger plot developments.

A classic adventure. An easy jumping on point.

In the current North American market, many series get cancelled outright or rebooted every 10-12 issues. I know how special this kind of extended run is, especially outside of DC or Marvel.

Great word of mouth got us this far and it’ll keep the adventure going, on and on, with reader support.

Where Should You Start Reading?


With all the excitement around Conan the Barbarian – movie rumors, the enhanced Exiles video game, new action figures, and publishing projects aplenty – it can be a lot to take in, especially if you want to jump into this world of High Adventure for the very first time.

Thankfully, Titan has officially released their Free Comic Book Day Conan promo issues online, no charge, so make sure you check them out and please share these links far and wide:

CONAN THE BARBARIAN Free Comic Book Day 2023:
https://titan-comics.com/news/download-the-conan-the-barbarian-fcbd-comic/

CONAN THE BARBARIAN Free Comic Book Day 2024:
https://titan-comics.com/news/download-the-conan-the-barbarian-fcbd-2024-pdf-her/

CONAN THE BARBARIAN Free Comic Book Day 2025:
https://titan-comics.com/news/download-the-conan-fcbd-issue-here/

CONAN THE BARBARIAN Free Comic Book Day 2026:
https://titan-comics.com/news/read-the-2026-conan-fcbd-issue-here/

Hubris By Name, Hubris By Nature

Last week’s livestream of Conan Exiles Enhanced was not what I expected, but apparently much closer to what the experienced Exiles audience thought would happen back on session 1.

Hubris lived up to his name and I spent 90% of the stream trying to retrieve my corpse and/or running from enemies. It was a rough ride in the ol’ Hyborian Age:

Trying to be entertaining on a livestream (banter, answering questions, keeping things moving) and being careful/methodical about playing a game do not go hand in hand. Especially on a game I’ve never played before and purposefully did no prep for in advance.

Glancing down at the chat and keeping that conversation going means I keep missing brain damagingly obvious stuff in-game. People watching must have thought I was incompetent, and I was, because it’s like trying to learn to drive with 50 people in the car with you giving directions and changing the radio station.

I definitely have a much different perspective on livestreamers who do this well. Playing a game you know and are good at would certainly make a huge difference. The learning curve and distraction is wild. At some point I may have to stream a game I know so viewers don’t think I’m absolute trash at video games in general. I’ve platinumed Souls games. I don’t mind a challenge.

Stacy: “How’d your game go?”
Zub: “Hyenas chewed on my gnards and I lost all my equipment.”
Stacy: “Did you have fun?”
Zub: “Sort of.”

Hubris was brought low and lost all of his spiffy equipment. I learned some of the game’s systems despite my foolishness and will return to lick my wounds and rebuild, more carefully this time.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

The D&D Weekend I’m Dungeon Mastering on November 12-15 in Georgia was sold out, but one of the players had to drop, so a single ticket is now available. If you want to play in a whirlwind 24-hour campaign over 3-days, get on board!

Jun 12-13, 2026 Robert E. Howard Days Cross Plains, TX, USA
Jun 14, 2026 Madness G&C 11:30-3pm Plano, TX, USA
Jul 23-26, 2026 San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 30-Aug 2, 2026 Gen Con Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 15, 2026 Comics Assemble Gloucester, England, UK
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• My dear friend and collaborator Troy Little has a new crowdfunding campaign underway for Levada, a graphic novel inspired by his trip to Portugal. I think Troy is one of the most amazing cartoonists in the industry and know that this introspective story is going to be special. If you enjoyed his work on Rick and Morty VS Dungeons & Dragons or Rick and Morty VS Cthulhu, make sure you check this out.

• Marcia Lucas, the Oscar-winning film editor on American Grafitti, Taxi Driver, and Star Wars, passed away last week. The work she did on Star Wars, in particular, is an absolute master class in refocusing and enhancing a production. RocketJump‘s video essay on How Star Wars Was Saved in the Edit is an amazing overview of how much editing changed pacing and intent to create a classic. Did you know that originally the Death Star was not going to destroy the Rebel Base at all? Watch this video and you’ll be impressed!

• David Finch‘s YouTube channel is packed with incredible drawing advice and examples from his own work and other top notch artists. His latest, all about drawing background tech, covers a lot of valuable techniques, plus you get to watch him draw in real time.

I hope you’re enjoying the Spring weather,
Jim

Conan the Barbarian #31 Reviews

Posted by on June 1, 2026 No comments

This week sees the release of CONAN THE BARBARIAN #31, the climax to our 3-parter all about a new villain called the Son of the Tooth, a supernaturally-charged assassin set on the trail of our Cimmerian. This issue is a 22-page knockdown, dragout fight. Let’s see what reviewers thought of it-

• 9 Panel Grid: “Everything was rendered beautifully and brutally and it was just the perfect end cap for this part of the arc. I love what they’re doing in Conan. It keeps building. It keeps also bouncing around too, but not in a way that’s jarring. Not every book can do that. Not every writer and artist can do that, but the creative team on Conan absolutely brings it every single issue.”

• Comic Book Clique: 9/10 “Jim Zub has established himself as one of the strongest voices since Robert E. Howard himself, and this issue is another example of why…An issue like this lives or dies on its staging and choreography, and thankfully [Doug Braithwaite] is exemplary. You can feel the brutality of each stab, strike, and kill.”

• Comic Book Corner 2.0: “This was an all-out brawl between Conan and the Son of the Tooth and the action in this issue was so good…I love when Conan uses all his resources and wits to try to win.”

• Comic Culture: “Non-stop action. It’s over the top. It’s violent. It’s gory. There’s lots of drama behind it…If you haven’t jumped into this series yet, I highly recommend doing so.”

• Cool Thunder: 9/10 “This is exactly what you want from a great sword-and-sorcery comic…Doug Braithwaite and Diego Rodriguez once again bring the Hyborian Age to life with art and color that practically leap off the page. Enough cannot be said about how strong this creative team has been on the title.”

• Cupcakes Comic Reviews: “Again, great artwork and one of the best Conan stories ever…Over 30 issues and never missed a beat. That’s how good this is.”

• Eternal Crusader: “A brutal, dirty, and grim fight, mostly grounded in reality, and I was pleasantly surprised that the story still left some room for quieter character interactions and moments to breathe…Doug Braithwaite is one of England’s finest comic artists, and his work on Conan already feels like a well deserved career highlight. “

• Fanlight Zone: 10/10 “One of, if not the best books on the shelf every single month. Nothing is worth your money more at the comic shop than Conan. Incredible art by Doug Braithwaite. The action is in your face, jumping off the page. It just kicks your ass…Jim Zub is doing the best work of his career on these books and it is incredible stuff.”

• Gaming Trend: 8.5/10 “Adding to the brutality displayed across issue 31’s pages is the artwork by Doug Braithwaite. The detail his illustrations provide allows us to feel every bit of the fight, from the physical exertion of both combatants, to Conan’s growing desperation and the assassin’s fervent determination and ruthlessness.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “The battle in this chapter is everything that makes the action side of Conan enjoyable, and Jim Zub has a deep understanding of how to make it compelling and exciting…This book was perfect for me and I’ll remember it for quite a while. “

• Old Man Hyborian: “A lot of violence, a lot of twists and turns, great fight scenes, and Doug Braithwaite did an excellent job. I really liked his art for this one.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “What a freaking great book right here. Amazing artwork from Doug Braithwaite and a really solid concluding chapter to this story by Jim Zub. He has taken Conan and elevated it for old school fans and new school fans into one of the best books on shelves today.”

• Read More Comics: “Titan’s been swinging for the fences on Conan and I’ll be honest, it’s been worth it. They have been doing justice to Conan in a way that I don’t think even original Marvel did…Highly recommended.”

• Scifi Pulse: 9.7/10 “Doug Braithwaite continues to flex his artistic muscles here…Packed with great artwork, brutal action, and a few intriguing story beats, it’s another strong entry in Titan’s Conan run.”

• Stygian Dogs: “The issue is indeed a 22-page fight scene, and it’s awesome…This was a thoroughly satisfying issue.”

• Thinking Critical: “It is an action-packed, bloody thrill ride from beginning to end, well illustrated by Doug Braithwaite…Conan continues to be one of the two or three best comic book series in the entire industry.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “This issue is a perfect example of why Conan is, in our opinion on this channel, the best comic that comes out on a monthly basis and has been the best comic for the last couple of years…This is an incredible issue I think everybody should check out.”

Zubby Newsletter #159: Fight, Fight, FIGHT!

Posted by on May 25, 2026 No comments

Huge thanks to everyone who reached out with birthday well wishes after last week’s newsletter. It’s a weird feeling hitting one of those milestone numbers that society perceives as getting old and still just feeling like me, but I guess that’s the trick of it all. It was nice hearing from so many old friends and fans.

Conan the Barbarian #31 cover art by Doug Braothwaite. Colors by Diego Rodriguez.

This week finally sees the release of CONAN THE BARBARIAN #31, the climax of our 3-part story centered on the new assassin called ‘The Son of the Tooth’. When I came up with the concept for this confrontation, I pitched it to editor Chris Butera in pretty simple terms-

“If manga can have fight scenes that stretch on for 100+ pages, we should be able to do a 22-page wall-to-wall fight issue of Conan.”

And he excitedly agreed, so get ready for a knockdown, drag-out, mano a mano battle of brutality between our supernaturally-charged killer and the world’s most famous sword & sorcery hero. Artist Doug Braithwaite and colorist Diego Rodriguez delivered another stunner that is viscerally violent right up to the finish line.

You obviously want to see how this sequence plays out, don’t you?

Head to your favorite comic shop this week and find out!

Catching Up in Collection


As if that wasn’t enough excitement, this week also sees the release of our CONAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT and SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN vol. 4 trade paperbacks. Couple that with last week’s release of CONAN THE BARBARIAN vol. 7: THE CONQUERING CROWN and you are set for sword & sorcery in the month of May, my friends.

Fun fact: This is my first volume 7 of any series I’ve written. Previous runs have all capped out at volume 6 or less.

Feels good, and there’s a lot more to come in the Hyborian Age. Huge thanks to the whole creative team and the crews at Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics. It’s an honor to be part of this team.

Conan is Running Out of Time

I had an amazing time chatting with Shawn Curley over on the official Conan the Barbarian YouTube channel all about the past, present, and future of our Conan publishing plans. Lots of anecdotes that cover planning and production, working with our team, and how exciting it is to have all this momentum while our third year of publishing roars onward.

I also put together a 1-minute sneak peek from the interview you can check out HERE.

Talk, Talk, Talk!

Lots of interviews popping up online last week.


I did a 60-min livestream interview with World At War Comics that was a lot of fun.


And then an interview I recorded a few weeks ago finally surfaced on the Dollar Bin Bandits YouTube channel as well.

Draw Your Weapons at Gen Con!


Last week also saw the announcement that I’ll be one of the special guest stars for DRAW YOUR WEAPONS Live at Gen Con in August, alongside wonderful gamer nerdlebrities Alicia Marie, Anjali Bhimani, and Jason Charles Miller with Game Master Josh Knapp! Want to get a feel for what it’s all about? Watch the trailer for the series HERE.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Jun 12-13, 2026 Robert E. Howard Days Cross Plains, TX, USA
Jun 14, 2026 Madness G&C 11:30-3pm Plano, TX, USA
Jul 23-26, 2026 San Diego Comic Con San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 30-Aug 2, 2026 Gen Con Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 15, 2026 Comics Assemble Gloucester, England, UK
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• Stacy and I have been thoroughly enjoying watching the new Witch Hat Atelier anime based on the incredible manga by Kamome Shirahama (who some of my longtime fans may remember from the incredible variant cover she illustrated for Wayward way back when). Bug Films have posted by a behind the scenes piece on their animation production for the series and it’s well worth checking out.

• Artist Hardy Fowler‘s rundown on memorable landmarks for drawing the face is both focused and helpful. I like the way he goes through the process with easy to remember visual examples to make sure they stick in your mind for future use.

• Want to save money on buying chicken at the grocery store? Learn how to break down the whole bird quick and easy with this process video from TriggTube. It’s a skill I learned when I worked as an assistant butcher at a grocery story back in college and I’m glad I did. The technique is easier than you think and really useful.

Have a great week!

Jim