Author Archives: Jim Zub

Zubby Newsletter #110: Slow & Fast

The past week has been simultaneously slow and fast – Slow to recover from jet lag and a head cold I picked up after traveling halfway around the world, and fast in terms of work still needing to get done, deadlines we had to meet before Stacy and I jump on a plane tomorrow to Calgary for the annual Comic & Entertainment Expo happening this weekend. Thankfully, those deadlines have been met and luggage is laid out behind me in a state of ‘mostly packed’ that will become ‘fully packed’ once the last load of laundry is done.

Even though my Seneca staff account shut down on Monday, quietly marking the end of an era, it certainly doesn’t feel like life has slowed in any way, shape, or form. If anything, things are busier than they have been in quite a while. Stacy has a couple new projects she’s excitedly diving into, which means both of us have been clickety-clacking away on keyboards here at home, touching base for morning tea, lunch, and dinner but otherwise focused on deadlines and deliverables.

I’d like to say that things will slow down in May but, when you scroll down to upcoming appearances you’ll see that isn’t true either…Right now, June looks reasonable, so we’ll go with that. 🙂


The Tale of Four: Zula in Conan the Barbarian


The official Conan the Barbarian website has a new article all about Zula’s return and how I’m weaving together multiple narrative sources to create a new version of a fan favorite character. Read on, adventurers, and make sure you snag issue #20, which came out last week!


Interviewed In India

While at Mumbai Comic Con, I spoke to PTI, India’s largest news agency. They used sound bites on TV and just posted the full interview on their YouTube channel. We talk about the entertainment industry, conventions, creating fictional characters, teaching, and AI.

I also spoke to Arindam at a YouTube channel called Indian Nerve and had a text interview all about the use of AI and creativity printed in India’s Economic Times.


Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – released March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – released March 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone TPB – released April 1st.
  • Rick and Morty VS Cthulhu – Deluxe Edition – released April 1st.
  • Conan the Barbarian #20 – released April 16th.
  • FCBD Conan: Scourge of the Serpent – Prelude – releases May 3rd.
  • Conan the Barbarian #21 – releases June 11th.
  • Street Fighter Masters: Elena one-shot – releases June 25th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #22 – releases July 9th.

  • Upcoming Appearances


    Thrilled to announce that I’m back at MCM Comic Con London on May 23-25, 2025 – Bring your Conan the Barbarian and other Zub books to get ’em signed in jolly ol’ England!

    Apr 24-27, 2025 Calgary Expo Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
    May 3, 2025 Third Eye Comics – Signing 9am-Noon Annapolis, MD, USA
    May 23-25, 2025 London MCM Comic Con London, UK
    May 26, 2025 Forbidden Planet – Signing 2-3pm London, UK
    Oct 16-19, 2025 Gamehole Con XII Madison, WI, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    • Over on the Proko channel, painter Erik Gist talks about how to illustrate covers – composition, clarity, and storytelling. A good look at important skills that help sell books.

    Matt Levin continues posting wonderful comic book content. This time he talks about the origin of Blacksad, one of the finest comics ever produced with animation-influenced art that is second to none. Just watching this video makes me want to go back and reread them all.

    LEEP Gaming has a solid video explaining how Bloodborne learns from and improves upon the core gameplay from Dark Souls to create a satisfying game experience. Bloodborne’s 10th anniversary was a few weeks ago and I’ve been thinking about jumping in for a replay. Check out my ramblings about why I like Souls games way back in Zubby Newsletter #8.

    • Dan at the Conan Chronology has a well-sourced long form article all about the legacy of Savage Sword of Conan magazine.

    Jim

    Conan the Barbarian #20 Reviews

    Conan the Barbarian #20 is the final part of arc 5, Twisting Loyalties, filled to the brim with action and intrigue. What did critics think of it?

    Comic Book Corner 2.0: Grade A “This book is really good…I love the action, I love the fighting, and I love how it’s just barbaric!”

    Comical Opinions: 10/10 “Jim Zub’s voice for Conan and reverence for Robert E. Howard style are in top form and Doug Braithwaite’s art is fantastic and maybe even better than we’ve seen before.”

    Cool Thunder: 10/10 “Jim Zub continues to prove he was born to write Conan. His work here stands among the best the franchise has ever seen—layered, character-driven, and true to the spirit of the Hyborian Age. Paired with Doug Braithwaite’s stunning artwork, which is nothing short of breathtaking, this issue is nearly impossible to put down. Every panel feels alive with grit, motion, and emotion.”

    Dragon’s Cache: 9.4/10 “Doug Braithwaite packs Conan The Barbarian #20 with furious action. Like fast cuts in a movie, the panels lead the eye from one camera view to another…Diego Rodriguez wields a series of limited color palettes in fight sequences.”

    Eternal Crusader: “I consider Doug Braithwaite’s work on this issue his strongest so far. He started at a very high level, but he has since refined his craft further. I was pleased to see him incorporate more shadows into his panels, adding depth and making the characters appear more three-dimensional. The issue is packed with intricate details, lavish panels, and dynamic action sequences.”

    Evan the Architect: “Another fantastic issue on this title…Jim Zub has made me a die hard fan of Conan and his world.”

    Goodreads: 10/10 ” Stellar and impactful art from Braithwaite, always captures the fury of battle and calm dramatic moments…It’s endearing, and in good hands.”

    League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “This issue is a masterclass in sword-and-sorcery storytelling. If you’re not reading Conan the Barbarian right now, you’re missing one of the genre’s finest modern runs.”

    Nerd Initiative: 10/10 “The best compliment I can give it is that it feels exactly like old school Conan comics you were buying off the spinner rack…Fantastic art, cool story, get it!”

    Professor Frenzy: “This has been an awesome book, an awesome run and, as long as it keeps doing this, I am absolutely in.”

    Stygian Dogs: “Conan the Barbarian #20 is a thunderous, sword-swinging spectacle with deep time-spanning lore that will be appreciated by fans of Robert E. Howard’s characters in comic book form.”

    Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “Doug Braithwaite did a good job with the artwork here, Rodriguez’s colors were pretty stunning this time, and I enjoyed the story a lot. I thought the twist with the Zula character were pretty nice, I enjoyed the exorcism aspect, I enjoyed the fact that they battled the spirit and I like where the story is going.”

    Thinking Critical: “Pick of the Week…I love it, it’s absolutely gorgeous and well told, and this is probably the best illustrated issue of Conan by Doug Braithwaite. He’s already a great artist, but I think his art in Conan is getting stronger.”

    Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “No matter what’s happening there’s such good action, such great art on each page from Doug Braithwaite in this comic book and it fully embraces who Conan is.”

    Zub at the Calgary Expo 2025!

    I’m at the Calgary Comics & Entertainment Expo on April 24-27, 2025. It’s one of my favorite shows each year so if you’re headed to the show, I hope to see you there! I’ll be set-up with the Comic Sketch Art crew at:

    BMO CENTRE – ARTIST ALLEY TABLE Section P20-P36


    The Expo started in 2006 and I have only missed one show across all those years. Watching it grow and seeing friends and fans, year after year, is always a pleasure.

    In addition to being at my table, I’m also on a panel Thursday:
    THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025 – 6:00pm – REINVENTING CHARACTERS – Theatre 5 (Room 209)
    Join our esteemed panel of writers as they explore the ups and downs of reinventing popular characters for new audiences. Panelists: Jason Aaron, Cecil Castellucci, Stephanie Gerk, Mark Russell, Jim Zub.

    Zubby Newsletter #109: Travel Changes You

    The Gateway of India in Mumbai.

    Travel changes you.

    I’ve told my students that for years and even now, after attending around 200 conventions all over the world, it still holds true. The moment you move outside the places you know and experience other countries and other cultures, you expand your understanding of our shared humanity and see how the place you grew up helped shape who you are.

    Traveling to India for the first time was wonderful, but intense. If my schedule wasn’t so stacked right now I would’ve loved to stay longer and see more, but even this quick tour and convention was still a real eye-opener. Mumbai is a bustling, vibrant city jam-packed with colorful sights. It’s also summertime right now, so the weather was extremely hot and humid, which slowed us down on our tour day, but it still made a really big impression on me.

    Great food, great conversations, and quite a few ‘How did all this even happen?’ pinch me moments. Six days across the world and back is a rough schedule and I know jet lag is going to have its grip on me for days to come, but it was worth it.

    My incredible booth set-up at Mumbai Comic Con

    Mumbai Comic Con was absolutely wild. It was one of the busiest and most passionate shows I have ever experienced in my 20+ years of conventions. I am gob smacked at the fandom there. The economics of everything in India is different from North America, so as a creator you need to adjust expectations on that front, but as a social and travel experience it was top notch and incredibly enriching.

    Unexpectedly, I was a huge draw at the show. I didn’t realize that the span of projects I’ve worked on would have such international appeal, but looking in the rearview mirror after the show it sort of makes sense – Marvel superheroes, Dungeons & Dragons, Conan the Barbarian, Rick and Morty, and Samurai Jack. Obviously I didn’t create those properties, but I’ve contributed to all of them and so fans from India came out in a big way to show their excitement and appreciation. In many ways, I was a one-stop shop for both younger and older fans. It was so crazy-busy on the show floor that volunteers had to form a human ring around Rob DenBleyker (Cyanide & Happiness, huge with the online crowd) and I to get us to our booths or out to the green room for lunch. I have never experienced anything like that before. I’m not stating that to brag, honestly, the whole thing was amazing and also mind-numbing.

    The Comic Con India staff worked their butts off to keep the event running smooth and I could see a lot of shared values and bonds between them that reminded me of the original Calgary Expo crew, a show put together by one of my closest friends that earned its excellent reputation. That’s the best compliment I can give – the hospitality and hard work in Mumbai reminded me of some of my favorite convention experiences and is now right up there with them.

    All in all, it was one heck of an adventure. I’m so thankful I was able to experience it and now have advice for other creators who might be interested in heading to India for conventions in the future.

    One of the many sketches I did for fans and staff at the show.


    Indian Comic Creators – Info and Links

    With Ravi Raj Ahuja, Bijoy Raveendran, and Utsab Chatterjee – The Technicolour Lovers team.

    One of the other nice surprises at the con was getting to meet other creators in India, both independant and commercial. I wish I had more time to explore and meet local creators at the show, but here are a few highlights:

    • The crew at Black Sheep Comics and Yali Dream Creations had copies of Technicolour Lovers at the show and it looks absolutely top notch. Make sure you check out the preview pages and, if you’re as impressed as I was, snag a copy for yourself.

    Vivek Goel was inspired by Marc Silvestri‘s company Top Cow Entertainment and, since India reveers cows as sacred, his comic company is called Holy Cow Entertainment, and they have a slew of original titles worth checking out.

    Rosh is an award-winning artist and colorist and his wife Lilo is a fashion designer. Together they have a fantastic selection of sketchbook bags and other art supplies at their website LILOROSH.

    Tadam Gyadu is the artist of Spider-Man: India, producing amazing artwork locally and abroad. Check his art out!

    Aparna Chaurasia gifted me a copy of Soul Contract, her manga-style graphic novel and it looks great!


    Twisting Loyalties and the Road Ahead

    Zula makes his Titan debut – line art by Doug Braithwaite, colors by Diego Rodriguez, lettering by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith.

    Today sees the arrival of Conan the Barbarian #20, the final part of our Twisting Loyalties story arc! Doug, Diego, and the rest of the team put their all into every damn page. I am so, so proud of our work here. Please grab your own copy and let us know what you think.

    Now that we’re a month removed from the previous issue, I can spoil that Zula is back. He’s a fan favorite character from the original Marvel run who was adapted into a female version in the Conan the Destroyer movie. Like with introducing the iconic Atlantean Sword into comic continuity, I’m working to merge pop culture visions of Conan together into a somewhat cohesive whole, so expect to see multiple versions of Zula work their way into the story in ways readers may not expect. Issue #19 even has tabletop roleplaying game stats for Zula included, a bit of cross promotion with the Conan: The Hyborian Age TTRPG.

    Twisting Loyalties is transitional in some ways, setting up chess pieces for future moves in the big mythic story I’m building in the monthly flagship book and yearly events, but I wanted to make sure that the adventures here also had pulpy power all on their own. That’s the tricky balance we’re trying to keep and so far readers are responding well.

    Conan the Barbarian #20 sneak peek.

    Current + Upcoming Releases


    With the sale of Diamond Distribution there have been shipping delays and hassles galore across the comic industry, but it looks like things are set to improve with new ownership and new options, including Lunar. We’ve been on time, production-wise, but to keep from having a gap mid-story arc as ownership changes hands, it looks like Titan is delaying the release of Conan the Barbarian #21 by one month, from May to June. Thankfully, with Free Comic Book Day we’ll still have a May release, our free Scourge of the Serpent Prelude issue. Don’t miss it!

  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – released March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – released March 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone TPB – released April 1st.
  • Rick and Morty VS Cthulhu – Deluxe Edition – released April 1st.
  • Conan the Barbarian #20 – released April 16th.
  • FCBD Conan: Scourge of the Serpent – Prelude – releases May 3rd.
  • Conan the Barbarian #21 – releases June 11th.
  • Street Fighter Masters: Elena one-shot – releases June 25th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #22 – releases July 9th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    Apr 24-27, 2025 Calgary Expo Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
    May 3, 2025 Third Eye Comics – FCBD Signing Annapolis, MD, USA
    Oct 16-19, 2025 Gamehole Con XII Madison, WI, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    • Stacy is over the moon for the upcoming Murderbot TV series coming to Apple+ next month and has been feverishly watching the new trailer. I hope it’s just as sharp as the novella source material by Martha Wells.

    Superman writer Josh Williamson has a great chat with Sal over at Comic Pop. His straight forward advice and practical understanding of how the business works is bang-on.

    • My buddy Ron Marz has a new campaign on Zoop for a Shinku comic series collection, a creator-owned book that came out not too long after Skullkickers back in the day. It’ll be nice to finally have as much of this story available as possible, with artwork by the late-great Lee Moder.

    Mike Dargie, one of my old friends from Calgary when I first started teaching animation, has a new book coming out called Brandjitsu all about creative branding and business.

    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #108: Globetrotting

    In the Delhi Airport waiting for my flight to Mumbai.

    16 hours travel time and I’ve arrived in India. I managed to get some sleep on the plane and feel a bit spacey but not too bad so far. I’m going to crash out early and try to reset in the morning to match local time as best I can. Fingers crossed.

    Every time I’ve been fortunate enough to go on one of these international convention trips, the surrealness of it all really hits me. Traveling the world because of comics, stories, and games. It’s the kind of thing I didn’t even dream about when I was younger because it never even crossed my mind that it might be possible to do this as a career. As far as I could tell back then, in order to do comics you either had to live in New York City or be brilliant and British.

    I’ve said it many times, but it’s still true – meeting the people who worked on superhero stories, or D&D, or Conan the Barbarian would have been mind-blowing enough for this kid. Actually doing this, year after year, and getting to meet fans and fellow creators in so many places – Let me never take this for granted.


    Swords & Larceny Arrives in September

    I have a short story in the upcoming prose anthology Swords & Larceny alongside a slew of amazing industry authors and friends, including John C. Hocking (Conan: City of the Dead) and Mark Finn (Blood & Thunder), with a cover by the amazing Todd Lockwood.

    Make sure you PRE-ORDER now to ensure you get your copy in September!


    Even the most flawless plans have a way of unraveling. When the stakes are high and the odds are stacked, only the cleverest and most daring will make it out with the prize. Thirteen daring tales of fantasy heists and high-stakes capers—where charm is as sharp as steel, and the score of a lifetime is just one misstep away.


    Conan Chatter at Comic Shenanigans

    Always wonderful to chat with Adam at Comic Shenanigans. This time we dive in deep on Conan the Barbarian, Battle of the Black Stone, Scourge of the Serpent, other Robert E. Howard characters, Free Comic Book Day promotion, working with Jonas Scharf, Ivan Gil, readers getting their money’s worth every issue, the intensity of Frozen Faith, doing conventions with Comic Sketch Art, Skullkickers, Thunderbolts, and more!

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


    Traversing Epic Realms

    I had a fun chat with Nick over at Epic Realms. We talk up a storm about growing up nerdy, how my love of comics and gaming are intrisincally tied together, Skullkickers, Dungeons & Dragons, the Thunderbolts movie and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, source material, Conan the Barbarian, and more!


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – released February 19th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – released February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – released March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – released March 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone TPB – released April 1st.
  • Rick and Morty VS Cthulhu – Deluxe Edition – released April 1st.
  • Conan the Barbarian #20 – releases April 16th.
  • FCBD Conan: Scourge of the Serpent – Prelude – releases May 3rd.
  • Conan the Barbarian #21 – releases May 14th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    Apr 12-13, 2025 Mumbai Comic Con Mumbai, INDIA
    Apr 24-27, 2025 Calgary Expo Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
    May 3, 2025 Third Eye Comics – FCBD Signing Annapolis, MD, USA
    Oct 16-19, 2025 Gamehole Con XII Madison, WI, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    • My friend Karl Kerschl has a new crowdfunding campaign coming up for his creator-owned comic called Death Transit Magpie and he and Andy Belanger also have a new YouTube channel where they’re discussing classic comics and their influences that is a lot of fun.

    • Legendary Dungeons & Dragons illustrator Jeff Easley has a big art book funding over on Kickstarter. His artwork for gamebooks through the 80’s and 90’s helped set the vision for D&D.

    • If you enjoyed The Expanse as much as Stacy and I did, you’ll definitely want to check out the continuation being put together in graphic novels, the latest of which is being written by my friend Andy Diggle.

    Jim

    Zub at Mumbai Comic Con 2025!

    I’m going on an international adventure, heading to India for the first time for Mumbai Comic Con 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre on April 12th and 13th!

    I’m one of two international comic guests for the show and am really excited to see somewhere new and meet fans of Marvel superheroes, Dungeons & Dragons, Rick and Morty, and Conan the Barbarian!

    In addition to signing times at my table, on Sunday, April 13th I have a panel on the main stage-

    2:45pm – Comic Con Special Session With Jim Zub – Witness legendary writer & artist Jim Zub take the stage as he brings his epic storytelling magic—from Marvel & DC to Conan the Barbarian to life!

    Conan: Battle of the Black Stone is Available Now!

    CONAN: BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE is now available in trade paperback wherever fine books are sold! This volume includes the complete 4-issue mini-series and our special prelude issue, along with essays about pulp storytelling and the works of Robert E. Howard.


    Conan of Cimmeria is haunted by shadows, living nightmares connected to a mysterious eye symbol etched in black stone.

    An unspeakable evil looms over the Hyborian Age and every age connected to it… and it will take more than a lone barbarian to stop its relentless march upon time, space, and sanity.

    Battle of the Black Stone is an epic new Conan event published by Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics, from Jim Zub (Conan the Barbarian, Dungeons & Dragons) and artist Jonas Scharf (Dark X-Men, Basilisk).


    9 Panel Grid: “I had a lot of fun with this series. This was really quick, really exciting, really action-packed, and I think the star of this has been Jonas Scharf and the colorist…It kicked the doors wide open for Conan to explore the cosmic horror side of his universe.”

    Comic Book Dispatch: 9.8/10 “Jão Canola’s otherworldly fire burns yellow and green, threatening to consume John Kirowan, Soloman Kane, and Brissa like Human torches. The fire tinges the forest orange and fills the background with darkness…When the Black Stone’s power proves too powerful for stalwart warriors to combat, a scholar’s thirst for knowledge and a writer’s imagination prove pivotal in defeating a mind-consuming power.”

    Comic Culture: “I loved it. It was handled so well…So many characters in the group had their moments, which I thought was really good…Well worth it if you’re not already checking it out.”

    Comical Opinions: 10/10 “It’s one thing to start a mini-series on a decent note and finish strong, but it’s another to start strong and end on a phenomenal note….Jim Zub imagines a battle for the ages that requires our heroes to fight, sacrifice, and die to save the world, and Jonas Scharf’s artwork is pulp magnificence.”

    Cool Thunder: 9.8/10 “The conclusion to the Battle of Black Stone is nothing short of spectacular, delivering a thrilling, action-packed narrative that seamlessly weaves together the interconnected stories of its characters.”

    DC Patrol: “This is amazing – they nailed it! Four issues and look at the story that’s told…I adored every moment of it.”

    Gaming Trend: 9.2/10 “It’s a perfect combination of fantasy action and mystery that I found almost impossible to put down. From intense fight scenes with an eldritch foe the likes of which none of our heroes have faced, to surprisingly tender moments between Conan and a long-lost ally, to shocking twists that genuinely caught me by surprise, this story has everything. “

    Good Reads: 5/5 “There is nothing but pure payoff here from page one. If you find yourself disappointed by other series having poor or unsatisfying conclusions, look no further than Conan mainline or Black Stone.”

    IPauleyxx: “…a love letter to fans of the Barbarian, offering something for newcomers and seasoned readers alike. Its perfect blend of legacy, innovation, and thrilling surprises makes it a must-read for anyone who relishes high-adventure comics.”

    League of the Comic Geeks: “Howard’s heroes bounce off of eachother surprisingly well and Scharf gives the book some incredible action.”

    Mighty Thorngren: “I had such a blast with this book. It was so cool. I have throughly enjoyed this series and I hope that we see the further adventures of all the characters in these books…This kicked as, all four of them together were wonderful and this was a great finale.”

    Mr. Multiverse: “The comic has this epic feel to it, and it is a massive love letter to the Howardverse…This event was really cool.”

    Quest Wise: “It is brilliantly told. It is wonderfully written. I truly believe that if Robert Howard were alive today, he would be proud of Battle of the Black Stone…The writing in this is amazing. The artwork is beautiful. It just flows very well. There are ups and downs and ‘Oh My God’ moments, all in four issues.”

    Stygian Dogs: “Fantastic stuff!…The awesome action and cosmic horror aside, the success of Jim Zub and Jonas Scharf’s event series has been the creative integration of Howard’s pantheon of characters into an exciting experiment of enrichment.”

    Super Hero Hype: “The Battle of the Black Stone comic was an event undreamed of…However, the comic still managed one last surprise for readers in the final chapter with the reveal of the series’ ultimate villain.”

    Thinking Critical: “This was a lot of fun. Action-packed, character building…If you’re not reading Conan and everything from Titan Comics, hop on the train, you will not be disappointed. These are truly great legacy characters.”

    Zubby Newsletter #107: Make It Happen

    Luc Forsyth‘s video titled “If You’re Creative But Lazy, Please Watch This” is BANG-ON.

    ‘Action Over Everything Else’ is a critical attitude to have. Watch and learn-

    This. This. This.

    My creative career leapt forward as soon as I started doing instead of stockpiling plans and looking for the ‘right’ moment to start. There is no inevitable success, but improvement and personal satisfaction comes from consistently doing and building good creative habits.

    I’ve known way too many people who paralyse themselves with learning about learning or planning the plan and never finish anything, because they’re afraid of being judged on the result and coming up short. It’s a self defeating cycle because actual improvement only happens with experience and if you don’t do the actual thing, over and over, you are not building that experience.

    Luc covers some absolutely crucial ways of looking at a creative skillset – finding time, setting realistic goals, building momentum and incremental improvement that leads to actual growth.

    A lot of people seem to understand the importance of practice and habit when it comes to physical pursuits, being an athelete or dancer, but they have a blind spot around the same mentality for other creative pursuits – art, writing, music, acting, photography, filmmaking. It is the same. The sooner you get into the habit of creating on a regular basis, the sooner you will be able to see progress, no matter where that path may lead.


    Deep Archives

    Excerpt from Conan the Barbarian #7 (2024) – Line art by Doug Braithwaite, colors by Diego Rodruiguez, lettering by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith.

    Speaking of seeing progress, over on my Patreon there are now over 320 scripts in the archive, work from almost every major comic publisher in North America that you can check out and compare my script to the published version to better understand how comics are created, step by step. All those scripts, plus Q+A’s and other resources all available for the price of a fancy coffee. Check it out!


    Upcoming Hyborian Adventures

    Conan the Barbarian #21 (2025) artwork by Fernando Dagnino, colors by Diego Rodriguez.

    Eagle-eyed Conan fans noticed that a few unlettered preview pages of Fernando Dagnino artwork were incuded with the pre-order listing for Conan the Barbarian Vol. 6: A Nest of Serpents and they’ve been excitedly posting them up on Conan fan groups, so I thought I’d put a link to those here so readers can see how wonderful the story arc coming in a few months is going to look.

    Fernando is a massive Conan fan, he’s bringing his absolute best to the series, and I can’t wait for you to see how this story kicks off! Just this morning he sent over character designs for an upcoming issue and they are stellar. I feel so fortunate that I get to work with so many phenomenal artists and that they’re just as passionate about these stories as I am.


    Talking to Black Gate


    I spoke to Ismail Soldan at Black Gate: Adventures In Fantasy Literature all about working on Conan the Barbarian and the importance of the character’s legacy in prose and comics.


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – released February 19th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – released February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – released March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – released March 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone TPB – releases April 1st.
  • Rick and Morty VS Cthulhu – Deluxe Edition – releases April 1st.
  • Conan the Barbarian #20 – releases April 16th.
  • FCBD Conan: Scourge of the Serpent – Prelude – releases May 3rd.
  • Conan the Barbarian #21 – releases May 14th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    Apr 12-13, 2025 Mumbai Comic Con Mumbai, INDIA
    Apr 24-27, 2025 Calgary Expo Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
    May 3, 2025 Third Eye Comics – FCBD Signing Annapolis, MD, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    • With economic struggles happening everywhere, we’re seeing more GoFundMe campaigns popping up for older American comic creators who have fallen upon hard times. I try to signal boost these fundraising campaigns when I can. Mike W. Barr (Camelot 3000, Batman and the Outsiders), Thomas Tenney (West Coast Avengers, Iron Man), and Peter David (Incredible Hulk, Star Trek) are all in need right now, so if you’re able to help and/or spread the word wider, please do so.

    Alex Segura, Sara Century, and Patrick Kennedy have a new comic online called The Forgotten Five, all about a strange new superhero group on the run from the government. It’s paced like a classic comic strip serial with a fun retro style to match.

    Bill Cavalier chats with the official Conan the Barbarian website all about how Robert E. Howard’s work influenced the creation of Dungeons & Dragons.

    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #106: Treasured Times

    Treasures on the Gary Con showfloor.

    Sprinting from event to event in March and it’s been exhausting and yet also energizing at the same time. Seeing so many friends, meeting so many readers, reminding myself how important human contact is to what I do and what I enjoy.

    Last year I thought I would attend Gary Con one time only, just a chance to celebrate 50 years of D&D and then I’d go back to my regular comic convention show schedule but Gary Con, Gamehole, and D&D in a Castle really sunk their hooks into me in ways I didn’t expect. Without trying to sound too dramatic – running games for friends and strangers, having that immediate feedback loop of entertainment at the gaming table, and making spontaneous memories and stories is absolutely core to me as a creative person and when I get too busy to engage that side of my life I am less inspired and less happy. So, yeah, adding tabletop gaming shows to my travel schedule makes things more hectic, but the benefit is worth more than the mileage for me right now.

    In other words, Gary Con 2025 went really well.

    Zub and Erik Mona after a successful Gary Con.

    Like last year’s whirlwind, I don’t have space to recount it all here, but some high points include:

    • Wonderful conversations with friends, just unabashedly telling people how awesome they are or how inspiring they’ve been to me and seeing them light up.

    • Talking with one of the head people at Titmouse animation about our shared excitement for Conan the Barbarian, though his fandom has gone to a level I won’t be able to match – one of his children is actually named “Conan!”

    • Hilarious tales of gaming and comic conventions before the arrival of smartphones and social media, with everyone involved quite thankful we couldn’t be instantly recorded and posted online back then.

    • Meeting a couple gamers who have already signed up for my D&D in a Castle sessions happening in November. They’re excited and now I’m even more excited.

    • Singing Mr. Brightside at the Chaosium 50th anniversary party while the whole room sang/screamed along.

    • Running the new Conan: The Hyborian Age TTRPG for fans of the comics, and bringing that same lyrical pulp sensibility to my descriptions of the environments, characters, and action scenes.

    • Running a frenetic and hilarious 9-player (!) pick-up game of the Mothership RPG for The Dungeon Dudes and a bunch of my other friends with B. Dave Walters stopping by to play a tragic and nihilistic NPC until he was brutally snuffed out.

    • Contributing to the Gary Con charity art jampiece-

    The Gary Con 2025 Charity Artist Jampiece.

    Young Zub: Some day you’ll get to sketch a piece beside the legendary Larry Elmore, Jeff Easely, Erol Otus, and more to raise money for charity because you’ll be part of the tabletop role-playing game industry! Pinch yourself, kid. The future is gonna be surreal.

    Modrons for the win!


    The new SKULLKICKERS Collection campaign on Zoop has crossed the funding line and there are ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT, so contribute while you still can!


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – released February 19th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – released February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – released March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – released March 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone TPB – releases April 1st.
  • Rick and Morty VS Cthulhu – Deluxe Edition – releases April 1st.
  • Conan the Barbarian #20 – releases April 16th.
  • FCBD Conan: Scourge of the Serpent – Prelude – releases May 3rd.
  • Conan the Barbarian #21 – releases May 14th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    Just announced – My good friend Ray Fawkes and I will be signing at THIRD EYE COMICS in Annapolis, Maryland for FREE COMIC BOOK DAY on MAY 3rd, 2025 from 9am-Noon! It’s a short drive from Baltimore or Washington DC.

    We’re signing FCBD CONAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT Prelude and THE PHANTOM #0 issues, along with any other Zub/Fawkes comics you bring to the event or buy at the shop!

    For Conan fans unable to attend – When CONAN THE BARBARIAN #0 came out, Third Eye had extra stock signed for mail order, and that will likely be the case here as well, so reach out to them directly to secure a signed copy.


    Apr 12-13, 2025 Mumbai Comic Con Mumbai, INDIA
    Apr 24-27, 2025 Calgary Expo Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
    May 3, 2025 Third Eye Comics – FCBD Signing Annapolis, MD, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    • The official Conan the Barbarian Youtube Channel has a great overview of Thulsa Doom, the original necromancer-skeletal badass – prose, comics, and in the movies.

    Matttt puts out another banger of a video. This rundown of Don Rosa‘s career drawing Donald Duck comics is informative, engaging, and heartbreaking.

    Jim

    Zub Comics Arriving in June 2025!


    CONAN BARBARIAN #22
    Story – JIM ZUB
    Artist – FERNANDO DAGNINO
    Cover A – DAN PANOSIAN
    Cover B – RICCARDO FEDERICI
    Cover C – VALERIO GIANGIORDANO
    Cover D – JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER

    WINNER OF ‘BEST NEW COMIC SERIES’ – TRIPWIRE 2024 AWARDS
    The Great Serpent’s influence twists and turns, pulling Conan into their deadly coils as the Cimmerian and his allies are lured into Stygia…What they find on this journey will make their blood run cold and set the stage for a conflict beyond their wildest imagination!

    In Shops: Jun 11, 2025



    STREET FIGHTER MASTERS ELENA #1
    Story – JIM ZUB
    Artist – GENZOMAN
    Cover A – GENZOMAN
    Cover B – JEFF ‘CHAMBA’ CRUZ
    Cover C – KEENBISCUIT

    Elena, the Capoeira kick-fighter, stars in her very own one-shot- just in time for her upcoming appearance in Street Fighter 6! Elena heads back to her home village in Kenya, with her fellow martial artists Ibuki and Makoto in tow! Are these three BFF fighters enough to put a damper on Vortex’s latest scheme…? YOU BET!

    In Shops: Jun 25, 2025