Zub Tales

Our latest Conan event mini-series, Tides of the Tyrant-King, just hit the halfway mark with our second issue released last week. What did the critics think? Read on and find out-

• 9 Panel Grid: “I’m really enjoying this. We’re halfway through and I really can’t wait to see where they’re going to take this event and see where it all culminates.”

• Comic Culture: “As always, Jim has an amazing voice for the character. That narration that’s tried, true, and classic for Conan the Barbarian. The art style is always on point.”

• Comic Patrol: “Jim Zub does a great job writing but the artists really do so much to make these exciting and visually stunning…It’s all handled so expertly, I’m glad a book like this exists where I can enjoy the reading and enjoy the art.”

• Comical Opinions: 8.5/10 “Jim Zub’s eon-spanning tale takes Costigan and Thulsa Doom in interesting directions, and the art team’s delivery is top-notch.”

• Cupcakes Comic Reviews: “If you’re a sword and sorcery guy, this book is totally for you…The artwork is sublime.”

• Fanlight Zone: 9/10 “This run has just been legendary. Jim Zub is absolutely writing his name in stone as one of the best Conan writers ever…The book looks fantastic, the book reads fantastic, and it needs to be on everybody’s pull list.”

• Goodreads: 8/10 “The jumping from one era to another could be a bit jarring but Zub does a good job of mirroring the situations to show a connection beyond just a common evil.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 8/10 “Merino’s art pops. That scene of Stephen looking gaunt really caught my attention only to have him return to full health shortly after that. Great job showing the madness of what’s happening to him.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Howling Jesús Merino is the artist and I really love his art…I’m curious how it’s all going to culminate and finally wrap up.”

• Stygian Dogs: “There were obviously some great moments and I really do appreciate the imagination that Zub is throwing at his adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s Skull-Face…I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.”

The third part of our Cursed Shores Beyond story arc brought big action. Conan battles a twisted cult on a desolate island while Valeria and the Red Brotherhood discover the depths of darkness. What did critics think of it?

• 9 Panel Grid: “Jim Zub continues to write these really great story arcs that are really entertaining, really exciting. And the greatest part is that you can dive in at each and every arc and get a satisfying experience…Conan the Barbarian continues to be such a great read.”

• Comic Culture: “Dagnino on the art is doing a great job of capturing these crazy landscapes. We have outdoor scenes, we have cave scenes…Brilliant coloring as well from Rodriguez. It’s just a very atmospheric book and very much on brand for Conan.”

• Comical Opinions: 9/10 “Another winning issue in a winning arc. Jim Zub’s tale of Conan and his allies confronting a cosmic horror ranks up there with the best of Robert E. Howard’s stories, and the art is a gorgeous fit for the material.”

• Conan iAm: 9.6/10 “I think this is brilliant. This shows that rare emotional resonance that hasn’t been done since Howard, or at least since Roy Thomas adapted Red Nails. Here it is. This may be the issue of the year.”

• Cool Thunder: 10/10 “Jim Zub has written pure poetry, from the narration to the dialogue, delivering another thrilling adventure of the Cimmerian that feels right at home in the tradition of Robert E. Howard. Combined with the incredible artwork of Fernando Dagnino and colors by Diego Rodriguez, this is, in our opinion, the most sensational issue of the run so far!”

• Cupcakes Comic Reviews: “Great detailed artwork. If you love sword and sorcery, this is the book for you. Don’t skip Conan the Barbarian by Crom and Mitra, go read it and you will not be disappointed.”

• Dragon’s Cache: 9.8/10 “Conan is only a man. Yet his fierce determination to survive and his preternatural fighting abilities have seen him surmount overwhelming odds.”

• Fanlight Zone: 10/10 “Jim Zub is an absolute master on these books, just laying down a legacy at this point on the character. The art by Fernando Dagnino is just killing it. Action, gore, monsters. This is everything you ever wanted in a comic book.”

• Gary B, the Casual Comics Guy: “I’ve really enjoyed Dagnino’s art. The island art has been fantastic. It looks great. I’ve really loved all the places and locations he’s drawn in here, and the way he’s filled out the backgrounds has been exceptional…This is an A+ issue and a fun, exceptional read. Great storytelling, great art, and just what you want out of a Conan story.”

• Goodreads: 10/10 “I loved the story, loved the art, and loved how hard this leans into the horror side of sword and sorcery. One of those issues where everything comes together and I’m just having an amazing time reading it. Peak Conan.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “How does Jim Zub keep doing it? Everything feels constantly fresh and badass and it feels like you get a full meal every issue. The art was phenomenal as well; so many good pages and panels.”

• Lord Samper’s Library: “It says a lot more about the Hyborian Age when others can take centre stage and hold their own. Zub and Dagnino do a great job of that here…Everything is set up nicely for #36, I’m looking forward to it already.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “Best issue of the story arc so far. Lots of action, lots of good artwork. Looking forward to what’s to come…Another excellent issue.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Zub’s got his big event going on right now, but that’s not going to sway him from just telling solid Conan stories here in the pages of Conan the Barbarian…I really like this book.”

• Sci-Fi Pulse: 9.7/10 “This is perhaps the strongest issue of this particular story arc to date…Rodriguez really knocks it out of the park. The panels depicting the swordfight between Valeria and Morley are lush. The issue closes with a brilliant cliffhanger”

• Stygian Dogs: “Fernando Dagnino did a hell of a job depicting Conan’s calculated cruelty, returning once again to Valeria, and then the psychic release and promise depicted on that last page. It’s a wonderfully constructed issue…a definite high mark in this arc that leaves this reader eager for what’s to come.”

• Thinking Critical: “Conan the Barbarian continues to be one of the absolute premier books in the entire industry…This was incredibly well written and well illustrated. It has a little bit of something for everyone here – Action, suspense, horror, romance.”

• Unc Blerd: ” I love so much what Jim Zub is doing with this run, giving us a barbarian that is not just barbaric, but smart and cunning.”

Our third Conan event mini-series kicked off last week in epic fashion! What did the critics think of it?

• 9 Panel Grid: “As far as a kickoff issue, I feel like this could be the most effective one yet…The artwork is fantastic here. The writing was pitch perfect for the character.”

• The Beat: “This is a must read for sword and sorcery, pulp comic fans. Zub’s Conan comics are consistently some of the best comics on sale today and this is no different.”

• Comic Buzz: 8/10 “This story starts off at a different pace and point of view, which I think will hook the Conan readers to add this title to their collection.”

• Comic Patrol: “I love the line work so much. This is very much my kind of book…This is what I want from comic books. I encourage you to check it out.”

• Comical Opinions: 8.5/10 “Jim Zub has proven he’s the master of Robert E. Howard crossovers, and this issue confirms it…Jesús Merino has mighty big shoes to fill, and fill them he does. Merino delivers a fantastic set of visuals with familiar characters that look and act authentically, gritty action, creepy creature designs, and an excellent sense of flow.”

• Cool Thunder: 9/10 “Zub has been carefully building toward something, and this first issue makes it clear that the stakes are only getting bigger. Jesús Merino delivers a beautiful issue, with artwork that captures the essence of the story.”

• Cupcakes Comic Reviews: “It’s a good jumping on point. Even if you’ve never read any other Conan, you can just read this and get a full story.”

• Doc Lail: “I’m really digging this. The art by Jesús Merino is amazing. The colors, the letters, and the writing of Jim Zub and his purple prose at its finest. It’s great stuff. Highest recommendations.”

• Eternal Crusader: “Zub now takes these different yet somewhat connected pieces of Howard’s mythology and folds them into the larger narrative he has been building throughout his Conan run. And this is where the issue becomes particularly rewarding for longtime readers.”

• Fanlight Zone: “This book keeps being a 10/10 every goddamn month…By Crom, get to the comic shop immediately because this is just awesome.”

• Gaming Trend: 8/10 “It’s a riveting start to what promises to be yet another thrilling tale in Zub and Titan Comics’s growing Howardverse.”

• Kabooooom: 10/10 “Another hit for Titan Comics. The works of Robert E. Howard have never been blended or recreated so well. This is a must read book for all fans of sword and sorcery, weird horror and ripping yarns!”

• League of Comic Geeks: 8/10 “This is a setup issue, but it’s good setup…Jesús Merino’s art carries a lot of this issue. It’s detailed and moody and feels right for Conan.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Conan is in the best hands it’s ever been…This book is awesome.”

• Stygian Dogs: “With artist Jesus Merino and the vibrant color work of Jao Canola bringing it all to life, Tides of the Tyrant King is a visually strong book. Merino’s dynamic artwork pairs beautifully with Canola’s rich colors, giving the issue an almost fever dream quality that feels particularly apt, especially given the increasingly strange time-bending nature of Zub’s narrative.”

• Thinking Critical: “This is incredibly well written, well illustrated, well paced, and a fantastic opening chapter to a big event. This is my pick of the week and my strongest recommendation.”