Category Archives: Substack

Zubby Newsletter #102: The Fangs of February

Toronto got walloped with multiple days of intense snowfall and the roads are treacherous, so Stacy and I have been bundled up here getting writing done and trying not to venture outside unless absolutely necessary – February definitely has its fangs sunk in deep!

Conan the Barbarian #18 cover artwork by Rob De La Torre.

January was the first skip month we’ve had since the new Conan series launched mid-2023 but now, finally, CONAN THE BARBARIAN #18 arrives in comic shops this week! It’s the second half of “Fangs and Foolish Thieves”, a Conan and Bêlit caper that will cast unexpected ripples out toward later stories I have planned, including SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT.

I’m already working on scripts for issues #26-28 and promotional plans around our extra-special issue #25 that I can’t wait for you to see. The Age of High Adventure is going strong!

On Thursday I fly out to British Columbia for Vancouver Fan Expo, which I’ve never done before, and a couple weeks after that is Emerald City Comic Con, which has always been a great show for me. February and March is absolutely packed and I know it’s going to be exhausting, but also a lot of fun.


Conan Panel at MCM Expo London 2024



Andrew Sumner from Forbidden Planet and I had a wonderful chat back in November at MCM Expo London and the video from that panel is now up the Forbidden Planet YouTube channel. We talk all about Conan the Barbarian – past, present, and future – Check it out!


Pathfinder Comic Bundle

If you enjoy Paizo’s excellent tabletop RPGs or just want more fantasy and sci-fi storytelling in your life, there’s a new Humble Bundle for Pathfinder and Starfinder digital comics and the three story arcs I wrote to launch Pathfinder back in 2012 are all in there for a ridiculously low price.


Skullkickers: The Digest Edition is Coming!

If you’ve enjoyed my work on CONAN THE BARBARIAN or DUNGEONS & DRAGONS or PATHFINDER but never read the original story that led to those projects, you’re about to get another chance to kick some skulls…thanks to ZOOP!

Compact/manga-sized volumes are all the rage right now with new readers and the animation-styled artwork of Skullkickers is perfectly suited to this form factor.

Sign up HERE to make sure you don’t miss it!


Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – released January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 19th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – releases March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone TPB – releases April 1st.
  • Rick and Morty VS Cthulhu – Deluxe Edition – releases April 1st.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 2 TPB – releases April 8th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #20 – releases April 16th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    More show announcements coming soon!

    Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
    Mar 6-9, 2025 Emerald City Comic Con Seattle, Washington, USA
    Mar 14-16, 2025 Toronto Comicon Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    Steve Jackson Games is bringing back the original Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks and I am ecstatic that a whole new generation of readers can discover these classic stories and art. The triumverate of my sword & sorcery influences are D&D, Conan, and FF. If I ever had the chance to write a Fighting Fantasy Gamebook it would complete an inspiration circuit in me that could light up a whole city.

    • Comic artist Yanick Paquette is covering the basics of Perspective Drawing in his newsletter and it’s a wonderful little introduction. These skills are always worth reviewing and perfecting.

    • Illustrator Tim Mcburnie has a great art tutorial series on his website: common pitfalls, composition, detail, professionalism, and more!

    Kieron Gillen‘s latest post about improving your tabletop RPG experience is bang-on. What do you need to know about Stars, Wishes, and CATS? Read on and find out.
    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #101: On the Mega-Move

    Three days after getting back from my vacation, I was on a flight to Orlando for MegaCon. It’s rare that I do any conventions in February, let alone a four-day monster like this one, and it was intense! Tons of signed comics, great interactions with fans, and fun conversations with friends. Even with the Comic Sketch Art crew doing set up and tear down, I was exhausted by the end of the show.

    Given the state of the world right now I wasn’t sure how the convention would feel, but it seems escapism is front and center on the minds of fandom, and I can’t blame anyone for that.

    Finally got the original Conan #1 for my collection.

    I don’t normally buy myself presents at conventions, especially on day one of a show, but I couldn’t pass up a stunning raw copy of CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 from 1970. The retailer who had it gave me a really good price so, after all these years, I finally have one!

    Fans at the show seemed really surprised to see me doing sketches, which makes sense since my writing career has been so prominent compared to my art and I don’t get the chance to draw as much as I used to. It was nice shaking off some of the rust and busting out a few new drawings.

    This is my first show of the year and the next month is jam-packed with travel, but if MegaCon is a sign for my convention appearances in 2025, I am both excited and intimidated. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!


    Conan Screening Intro

    Four Color Fantasies comic shop and the Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast organized a screening of the 1982 Conan the Barbarian movie at the Alamo Drafthouse in Virgina and asked if I could record a short intro to play before the film.

    Here’s what I put together for them – Some info about the character’s legacy and my memories of the movie and its impact:


    Skullkickers: The Digest Edition is Coming!

    If you’ve enjoyed my work on CONAN THE BARBARIAN and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS but never read the original story that led to those projects, you’re about to get another chance to kick some skulls…thanks to ZOOP!

    Compact/manga-sized volumes are all the rage right now with new readers and the animation-styled artwork of Skullkickers is perfectly suited to this form factor.

    Sign up HERE to make sure you don’t miss it!


    Current + Upcoming Releases

    If you are a comic retailer or press outlet and want to get advance PDFs of my upcoming releases, please reach out with your contact information so I can add you to my retailer or press mailing lists which are seperate from this newsletter.

  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – released January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – releases March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances


    More shows getting added to the schedule – February and March are going to be busy!

    Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
    Mar 6-9, 2025 Emerald City Comic Con Seattle, Washington, USA
    Mar 14-16, 2025 Toronto Comicon Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    • Comic creator Tyler Jenkins (Peter Panzerfaust, Grass Kings) could use financial help in these troubling times. Donate if you can and share the link around to help him meet his funding goal.

    • Best-selling fantasy author Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn) is posting lectures up from his Fantasy-Sci-Fi Writing class on his YouTube channel. There is lots of good writing and motivational advice here worth checking out.

    • The Sword & Sorcery Book Club channel has put together an extensive review of Battle of the Black Stone, with analysis aplenty.

    Nomination submissions for the 2025 Hugo Awards are now open, so if you have membership at WorldCon, make sure you submit your picks (and keep my work in mind).
    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #100: Something Special

    In Zubby Newsletter #1 (back in March 2023) I mentioned that this newsletter was a return to a format similar to the emails I used to send to friends and family when I moved away from Ontario way back in 1999. Those ‘newsletters’ were a way to stay in touch and let people know what I was up to, what I was thinking about, and movies, games, or books I was checking out. With the atomization of social media thanks to algorithms and ads, getting back to a more direct and dependable form of communication has been really useful, and the feedback and support I’ve been shown here after 100 ‘issues’ has been incredibly uplifting. However you know me, whenever you came on board, thank you for reading and sharing!

    I’m actually on vacation as I type this. Ever since Stacy’s Mom passed away we’ve talked about taking a vacation with her Dad, and back in the Fall we thought about booking a week away before conventions kicked into gear. January started filling up with deadlines and doomscrolling about the state of the world started taking hold…But the whole point of me stepping away from teaching was to free up more time for the people we care about, so a quick search for last minute vacation deals and, next thing I knew, the three of us were headed somewhere warm and sandy for 7 days.

    So, yeah! I’m celebrating 100 Zubby newsletters with a week away from Canadian winter. I’ll get writing done, only this time from under an umbrella at a beach bar. 😉


    20 Influential Comics

    Over on BlueSky there was a viral thread where people posted ’20 Comics That Influenced Them’ (much like the 20 Movies equivalent from last year that I also participated in).

    In the original thread people were just supposed to post the comic covers without any explanation but, since I have a lot more space here and it’s my 100th Newsletter, I’ve included a brief rundown of why these issues are special to me-

    Doctor Strange #55 (1982): A perfect issue that tells a dramatic and meaningful story that works within continuity but is also self-contained, with impecable artwork by Michael Golden. If you haven’t read this one, you are missing a hidden gem.

    G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #21 (1983): Another perfect done-in-one issue, the famous ‘Silent Mission’ story that doesn’t have any dialogue or sound effects. The storytelling is spot-on and it’s a fun ride from start to finish.

    Bone #1 (1991): In the early 90’s, Jeff Smith zigged with all-ages fun while the rest of the industry zagged with grim n’ gritty, and his enchanting black & white comic series became an instant classic. Every issue felt like uncovering buried treasure from a classic era of cartooning.

    Batman-Judge Dredd: Judegement On Gotham (1991): Before IP comic crossovers became played out and annoying, this one was an absolute thrill, a fully painted story that earned its prestige format and knocked me out when I first read it.

    The Tick #1 (1988): One of the funniest comic series of all time. There were parts of this original run that I struggled to read because I laughed so hard it made me cry. My brother and I could not get enough of this series and Skullkickers is deeply influenced by Ben Edlund’s sense of humor.

    Uncanny X-Men #205 (1986): Another unstoppable done-in-one issue, reminding everyone why Wolverine was (and still can be) ‘the best there is’. Barry Windsor-Smith’s artwork is haunting in this issue and he draws the most incredible beat-to-shit version of Logan ever.

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Collected Book vol. 1 (1990): I missed the debut of TMNT when it first arrived in comic shops, but the tabletop role-playing game brought me on board, this amazing omnibus-sized collection caught me all up, and from there I was hooked.

    Understanding Comics (1993): Scott McCloud’s comic about the comic medium is an evergreen must-read, a smart and accessible textbook that always entertains even as it educates. If you love comics and haven’t read this, I am baffled. Scott was also the first comic pro who treated me like a peer, so this book has even more resonance to me in the here and now.

    Akira #1 (1988): On a visit home from university, my brother brought fan-subbed anime tapes to show me and they blew my mind. We started collecting manga soon after, and Marvel’s color reprints of Akira became a must-read whenever a new chapter was released in English.

    Savage Sword of Conan #24 (1977): Arguably the finest Robert E. Howard adaptation of all time. The artwork and storytelling in this issue is top notch, with John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala working in perfect harmony. It felt like the story I read in prose leapt from my imagination to the printed page.

    We3 (2004): Gripping from start to finish, this wonderful self-contained mini-series plays with the comic medium and my heartstrings in ways that feel like a magic trick.

    Video Girl Ai vol. 1 (1990): Once my brother showed me anime and I became hooked on manga, this series grabbed me with its delicate linework, delightful designs, and surprisingly emotional ups and downs. I still have ideas for a romantic-comedy comic series and this series is a big reason why.

    Uncanny X-Men Annual #9 (1985): Taking the X-Men and New Mutants to Asgard and sending them hurtling through a sword & sorcery adventure was absolutely transformative for me, especially when paired with the incredibly detailed artwork of Arthur Adams. The Champions issues I wrote where the team go to Weirdworld and end up transformed into fantasy versions of themselves are my homage to this glorious story.

    Fantastic Four #243 (1982): The interconnected nature of superhero universes are one of my favorite things about them, but back in the early 80’s it was still relatively rare for major characters to show up in each other’s titles. This issue with Galactus facing off against the FF has guest apperances by the Avengers, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Daredevil! That feeling of a shared world with cause and effect really opened up my eyes to the possibilities and I could not get enough.

    Dirty Pair: Sim Hell #1 (1993): Adam Warren’s Dirty Pair series wiped away any misgivings I had about non-Japanese creators tackling manga-anime properties and, it might be blasphemous of me to say, but I think Adam’s version of the ‘Lovely Angels’ is even better than the originals. Sim Hell is jam-packed with wry humor, wicked action, and killer artwork.

    Amazing Spider-Man #231 (1982): A completely random issue that doesn’t have any particular story significance, but it’s personal for me in other ways. This is the first issue of Spider-Man I bought with my own money and from there I started collecting Amazing Spider-Man every month, from issues #231 through to #374. After a 17 year gap, I came back on board with the Big Time story arc and have been reading it ever since.

    Pride Of Baghdad (2006): Beautiful, relevant, and absolutely haunting, this is one of the best self-contained graphic novels I’ve ever read. It swept me along with its allegorical tale and speaks to cycles of history that humanity keeps falling into.

    By Chance Or Providence (2014): Becky Cloonan is a potent force in independant comics, charging forward with work that is highly personal and imminently engaging. Her commercial work is fun too, but I cannot get enough of the ‘pure’ stuff she does all on her own. It’s so damn inspiring.

    Heavy Metal Magazine vol. 1 no. 21 (1997): I’d seen a bunch of European comics over the years but hadn’t really dug into any of it, until Massimiliano Frezzato’s Maser series in Heavy Metal demanded my attention and would not let go. The world and characters are stunningly designed and incredibly appealing.

    Excalibur: The Sword Is Drawn (1988): When my brother and I collected comics, we split the Marvel Universe to get as much as we could, and the mutant end of Marvel was his to buy each month, until Excalibur. This incredibly fun series, jam-packed with Alan Davis’ brilliant artwork, held me spellbound, month after month, and it all started here with this prestige format story.

    Honorable Mention- The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: The Deluxe Edition (1986): Technically not a comic, so it didn’t make my list, but obviously comic adjascent, this extensive reference series – an encyclopedia of characters, teams and locations – solidified the Marvel Universe for me, clarifying a vast interconnected web of creativity that wedged its way into my brain and changed my life.


    Hyborian Sneak Peeks

    Since you made it here for our Newsletter #100 celebration, let me give you some art teasers for upcoming issues in the Hyborian Age:

    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #19 – Line Art by Doug Braithwaite, Colors by Diego Rodriguez

    CONAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025 – Line Art by Ivan Gil


    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #21 – Line Art by Fernado Dagnino


    Skullkickers: The Digest Edition?

    Speaking of sneak peeks – A new sign up page is now live!

    If you’ve enjoyed my work on CONAN THE BARBARIAN and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS but never read the original story that led to those projects, you’re about to get another chance to kick some skulls…thanks to ZOOP!

    Sign up HERE to make sure you don’t miss it!


    Free Scripts!


    You want even more? You people are insatiable…
    Okay then, how about this?

    My Patreon archive now has over 320 scripts and dozens of pitches for comics I’ve written over the years, but every so often I take one of those scripts locked behind the $3-$5 paywall and make it FREE for everyone to check out. Here’s a list of links to those freebies so you can get a closer look at how comics are written for $0.00, the same price you pay for this newsletter!

    SKULLKICKERS #1 – Full Script
    WAYWARD #1 – Full Script

    WAYWARD #6 – Full script
    RED SONJA AND CUB – Outline and Full Script
    SAMURAI JACK #20 – Outline and Full Script
    SUICIDE SQUAD: 20 Minute Marathon – Outline and Full Script
    OMEN-LACED – Script and Story
    CARGO: A Sci-Fi Short Story – Full Script
    LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT: Dr. Quinn’s Diagnosis – Outline and Full Script

    If you found those interesting and useful, you can access a whole lot more for the price of a fancy coffee.


    D&D in a Castle Documentary

    Over on the Orkenspalter YouTube channel, Mháire Stritter has put together a documentary all about D&D in a Castle. The whole thing is worth checking out, but if you want to zero in on her interview with me, it’s at the 35:40 mark.


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – released January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – releases March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances


    More shows getting added to the schedule – February and March are going to be busy!

    Feb 6-9, 2025 Mega Con Orlando, Florida, USA
    Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
    Mar 6-9, 2025 Emerald City Comic Con Seattle, Washington, USA
    Mar 14-16, 2025 Toronto Comicon Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    That should cover it for the big 100! Next week – back to our regular programming…
    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #99: January Journeys

    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in less than a week but my big announcement about stepping away from teaching after 20 years deserved its own post, so thank you to everyone who reached out with comments and kind messages. It meant a lot to hear from so many of you.

    Just to clarify – I’m not retired! I’ve been juggling two full-time careers for a long time and now just get to have one – writing and creative projects. This has been my dream for many years and I’m incredibly excited for 2025 and beyond!


    Rest In Peace

    From left to right: Jeff Shanks, John C. Hocking, Howard Andrew Jones, and me.

    Back in October I mentioned that my friend Howard Andrew Jones had been diagnosed with multifocal glioblastoma, an intense brain cancer, and we knew time would be short. I was gutted to hear that he died last week. His friends and family are in mourning and the sword & sorcery genre is more barren for his passing.

    I am so thankful for the time spent with Howard at Robert E. Howard Days back in June. Howard, John C. Hocking, and I were thick as thieves during the event, chatting about writing, fandom, and life, and laughing almost the entire time. So much of what we talked about was important then – shaking off rough spots in our careers and celebrating each victory, no matter how small – and those conversations are even more poignant now with his passing.

    2025 seems set for challenges and upheaval, but we carry on as best we can.

    Every day is precious. Hold your loved ones close and tell them how much they mean to you.


    Heroic Signatures Fundraising For Los Angeles


    Here’s what Heroic Signatures sent out last week:

    LA is far from just being our company’s home. It is where our kids play, where our friends live, and where our dreams have taken root.

    As fires ravage our city, we’re inspired by countless Angelenos facing this crisis with remarkable courage from everyday citizens to the LA Fire Department teams working tirelessly on the front lines.

    To support our city, we’re donating $10,000 to the LAFD Foundation.

    Here’s how you can help too-
    For the next three weeks, we’re offering limited-edition prints of Gerardo Zaffino’s stunning tribute art. All profits will be donated to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

    Let’s stand together for LA and show the world that our city’s spirit is unbreakable.

    With gratitude-
    Fredrik Malmberg, Jay Zetterberg, Steve Booth, Marcos Cronander, Mike Pepin, Chris Buterz, Ashley Hodgkins, Shawn Curley, Mei Ng, Lion Martinez, Gerardo Zaffino, Jim Zub, Doug Braithwaite, and Jeff Shanks.


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – released January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – releases March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    Feb 6-9, 2025 Mega Con Orlando, Florida, USA
    Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    • My friend and frequent collaborator Max Dunbar has a new online course he’s put together to teach Drawing Fantasy Characters and you can sign up for it over on his website!

    • Old webcomic friends of mine Dave Kellett (Drive, Sheldon) and Brad Guigar (Evil Inc., The Webcomics Handbook) have a new YouTube channel called “The Wrong Way” all about sketching copyrighted characters in a non-copyright way. It’s really fun stuff.

    • I made Stephen Cusato‘s Beef Stroganoff recipe over the weekend and it was amazing winter comfort food.

    Marc’s Brunet‘s use of digital layers here is almost identical to the way I was taught to color comics/illustrations at the UDON studio over 20 years ago. It’s a smart way of working that can emulate a bunch of different styles and is flexible for editing to a client’s needs.


    My next newsletter will be the big #100! What will I do to celebrate that wondrous third digit? No idea, but given the ‘cover price’ on these updates ($0.00), keep your expectations in check. 😉
    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #98: Big Change


    Here’s the letter I sent out to the Seneca Animation staff this morning:


    Hey Gang,

    I have some news.

    As you all know, Seneca offered the possibility of exit packages or early retirement for full-time staff members in order to minimize losses incurred due to changing international application policies across Ontario and, when that possibility came up, I realized it was a rare opportunity. I’m on a teaching sabbatical right now and was recharging my batteries to return in the Fall, but now my plans have changed.

    Yesterday, I received approval on my exit package from Seneca. Technically I’m still employed at the school until end of April but, since I’m on sabbatical, it means as of 5pm today I’m no longer a prof.

    I can’t fully explain to you how surreal this feels. For the past 20 years I’ve taught at Seneca and for 14 of those I was Coordinator of the ANI program. Teaching at Seneca has been the most consistent thing I’ve done in my adult life. Helping build the Animation program, watching it grow, and seeing so many students expand their skills and tap into their creativity while making lifelong friends has been an absolute privilege. My creative career is in a great spot right now and I’m incredibly excited to embrace that full time instead of juggling it with full time teaching, but the ability to do this in the here and now is because of my experiences at Seneca. The school and all of you have changed my life for the better in countless ways and for that I am eternally grateful.

    I’ll be around to visit and see the grad films, and wouldn’t be surprised if I come back at some point to teach again if the opportunity presents itself but, until then, I wish you and the rest of the team all the best.

    With lots of love,
    Jim


    So, yeah, there it is! I’m no longer a teacher at Seneca Polytechnic.

    It’s a big change, but also the chance to continue the more healthy work-life balance I’ve had since end of April last year when my teaching sabbatical began. I still have a lot to do and deadlines to handle, but now I can concentrate on my creative career without losing precious time with Stacy and the rest of my family and friends.

    Versions of this plan have been in the works for quite a while, but finally having the pieces come together and seeing it through hasn’t settled in just yet. Stacy joked that I’ll need to set up classes here at the house to make sure I’m feeding my teaching impulse because it’s such a deep-rooted part of me, and I know I’m going to miss it a lot, but in other ways I’m also relieved. I’d rather step away while I’m still passionate about teaching rather than let my excitement for it atrophy, get stuck in a rut, and stay there just because it’s the path of least resistance.

    However you know me – personally, professionally, or from afar as a reader – I want to THANK YOU for following along and being supportive of me and my work. It means more than you know.


    (Want to keep up with my creative career? You can sign up to receive these newsletter posts right here.)

    Zubby Newsletter #97: Ice & Fire


    Multiple blasts of snow here in Toronto over the past week has made for a surreal contrast with reports and footage of the devastating California wildfires.

    With so many of my friends who work in comics, animation, and games being in or around Los Angeles, a lot of them have been impacted by the destruction. Listed below are places providing aid to those affected or places to find aid if you are in need. Please help if you can.

    California Fire Foundation’s Wildfire & Disaster Relief Fund:
    https://cpf.salsalabs.org/disasterrelief/index.html

    California Community Foundation Wildlife Recovery Fund
    https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/

    Greater Good Charities:
    https://greatergood.org/disaster-relief/california-wildfires

    World Central Kitchen — Working to provide meals for affected families and first responders.
    https://donate.wck.org/give/654000#!/donation/checkout

    L.A. Food Bank’s map of where to find food and meals.
    https://www.lafoodbank.org/find-food/pantry-locator/

    California Department of Social Services Disaster Help Center:
    https://www.cdss.ca.gov/

    A spreadsheet of LA-based animators affected by the wildfires with links to fundraising pages:
    https://airtable.com/appugwkqKAVGDdeaJ/shrrujOu1GKwKAW0f/tblBTejpocYFoeauX

    Support for people displaced by LA fires — A new public Facebook group offering a place for people to share resources
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1162491225218312/


    Sandswept

    I saw this darkly sacrcastic book review back in August,
    when allegations first started to bubble forth
    but didn’t know what to say then…and I still don’t.

    New York Magazine‘s feature story on Neil Gaiman’s horrific mistreatment of women who moved in and out of his sphere of influence over decades is truly harrowing and disturbing. If you want to read it, make sure you’re braced for disgusting content and the shattering of any grand illusions you might have about the creator of beloved stories of fantasy and the supernatural.

    Allegations started bubbling to the surface last summer and, like most other people in comics and entertainment, I wasn’t personally involved and didn’t know what to say so I waited to see if the initial reports were corroborated. Even if he’s never charged in terms of criminal activity, I think we’ve passed the Rubicon now.

    Like so many other readers and writers, Neil’s work was an absolute game changer for me. Sandman and the first Death mini-series arrived at a formative time in my life and opened my eyes to the power that comics could have – lyrical, emotional, and relevant. I bought a first edition copy of Good Omens in hardback when it was first released and literally read it cover to cover in one night.

    Meeting Neil and chatting with him at a Comic Book Legal Defense Fund party in 2003 was one of the first times I felt like I had a meaningful interaction with a ‘celebrity’ and it gave me the confidence to be more fearless in approaching other creators.

    Of course, I’m framing this awful news in terms of how it affects me and a lot of other people are too because for so many of us it feels personal, the fucked up betrayal of the dreams and ideals shown to us by the man and his work. The bone deep assumption that someone who could craft those tales and speak so eloquently about our hopes and fears could not be the kind of monster he showed us could be defeated with the power of stories.

    And yet, here we are. More than a dozen women scattered along a trail of gruesome behavior in ways that speaks to a frightening lack of morals, empathy, or decency.

    There’s absolutely nothing I can type here that changes any of it, but this is my outlet and, even though I try not to let politics or other weights of the world intrude into this newsletter, you’re here for my thoughts, and the shadow of this shit looms too large to ignore. It’s abhorrent and, for better or for worse, teaches so many of us to be more wary of the larger-than-life people we put our faith in.

    It also speaks to an incredibly selfish and damaged ego who didn’t understand or appreciate the responsibility creators have to the people associated with them and their work. Yes, your name is on the cover of that book or prominently displayed in the opening credits of that show or movie, but that also means there’s a whole industry of artists, editors, actors, marketers, and other production people banking their faith, hard work, and livelihood on you and your reputation.

    Great power, great responsibility.

    That’s the baseline, you fuck.


    Robert E. Howard Award Nominations Now Open

    For the next month (January 13th-February 15th), fans can nominate their favorite Robert E. Howard-related material released in 2024 across 8 possible awards to make the final voting ballot.

    The ongoing Conan the Barbarian monthly comic series and Conan: Battle of the Black Stone are eligible for both The Costigan and Rankin awards, so if you agree that they have merit, please fill out the form and let your voice be heard.



    Comic Book Resources posted a list of 10 Best Dungeons & Dragons Comics Since 2015 and I’m stoked to have written 5 out of the 10 on their list!


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – releases March 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    The crew at D&D in a Castle have announced their Autumn 2025 line-up and I’m thrilled to be returning with an all new adventure called Dark Lords’ Gambit!

    Details on all the Fall sessions HERE.
    Pre-registration links are on my DM profile page HERE.

    Feb 6-9, 2025 Mega Con Orlando, Florida, USA
    Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
    Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK


    Other Links

    Joi Massat organized an incredible resource for people working in animation or who want to understand how cartoons are made – Every Cartoon Pitch and Writer’s Bible on Archive.org.

    Kieron Gillen and Jim Rossignol have a new blog where they talk about game theory and design and it already has some great material.

    • Here’s a fascinating archive of tabletop gaming – Early Collaborative Games of Fantasy and Imagination.

    • If you run a convention and have tabletop gaming in the mix, Chaosium will send you a Convention Support Pack of their games worth up to $500, including Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, and Pendragon as part of their company’s 50th anniversary!

    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #96: Year Of The Snake

    Conan the Barbarian #19 cover art by Rob De La Torre

    2025 is the Year of the Snake and, according to the Chinese Zodiac, the Snake brings “wisdom, transformation, calmness and creativity”. I don’t know if I believe that “calm” thing given all that’s happening in the world, but here’s hoping for the rest of it.

    Titan and Heroic Signatures are celebrating the Snake with a year of Stygian-themed stories and danger in the Hyborian Age. Our current storyline, Fangs & Foolish Thieves, tees up key plot points that will carry onward all the way to Scourge of the Serpent, which will rock your face starting on Free Comic Book Day – Do not miss this issue!

    Above you can see the superlative cover by Rob De La Torre for the recently solicited Conan the Barbarian #19 arriving in March, a 2-part tale illustrated by Doug Braithwaite filled with surprises and dangers aplenty. After that will be a 4-part arc illustrated by the wonderful Fernando Dagnino, who made a big splash with his story in Savage Sword of Conan #4 last year. The artwork arriving in my inbox every week from these artists is mind-bendingly good. What an absolute rush.


    The holidays wrapped up pretty strong. Stacy and I threw our traditional Zing (Zub + King) New Year’s Eve Party and there was a solid turnout, the best we’ve had since 2019.

    I ended up tipping a pot of boiling water on my non-dominant hand early in the evening, so I’m currently nursing a lobster-colored limb and trying trying to keep it slathered with aloe and free from infection, which is annoying but it could have been way worse.


    Party Time in the Hyborian Age


    Rob De La Torre sketched this quick New Year’s Eve Conan and, as always, his work has a wonderful balance of gesture and form, energy and structure.


    Quick Thoughts on 2024 + Hopes For 2025

    At ComicCompsCon a couple weeks ago, Truth North Country Comics asked me about how my 2024 went and what I’m looking forward to in 2025


    A Dystopian Document Thriller

    Over a decade ago I bought an indie video game called Papers Please during a Steam sale and played it for about an hour. You are an immigration officer in the fictional dystopian country of Arstotzka deciding whether people can cross the border or not in the midst of political unrest and an ever-increasingly obtuse bureacracy. The core premise and execution is dark, funny, sad, and awkward. It amused me a bit, but I put it away.

    In that odd liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s I spontaneously reinstalled the game, finally finished a full playthrough (about 4 hours), and will probably do a few more in the coming weeks to see how the story can change in the twisted narrative it weaves. You wouldn’t think checking data and stamping papers could ever be so engaging and entertaining, but it really does build an impressive amount of tension and pathos in a tight little package. Highly recommended.


    The Gothiest

    Stacy’s birthday is on December 30th, and her gothy heart wanted to check out the new Nosferatu, so we went to the movies for the first time in quite a while.

    Stacy loved it and I also thought it was really sharp. David Eggers’ directing was top notch, the entire cast went for broke, and the waves of revulsion at some of the awkward-horrifying parts felt like being part of a grand social experiment. The audience at our screening was uncomfortable as hell. At least four people left the theater because they couldn’t handle it, which was even more amusing as I glanced over at Stacy and saw a beaming smile on her face. My lady and her delightfully dark heart…I LOVE YOU!


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    Show announcements are starting to finally pop up – Orlando, Vancouver, and Lake Geneva are first out of the gate, with quite a few more to be announced soon. Spring is pretty much booked, Summer is starting to fill in, and there are already chats happening about the Fall. It is wild how much further in advance things are getting booked out nowadays.

    Feb 6-9, 2025 Mega Con Orlando, Florida, USA
    Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA


    Links and Other Things

    • This video on Proko TV covers a fundamental drawing skill that my drawing students and many professionals can find quite challenging – Drawing cylinders and ellipses in perspective. Stan walks through the process in a really clear way here.

    • Dan at the Conan Chronology has gone through all the Titan-published Conan comics so far and posits where they fit compared to the Robert E. Howard canon stories. His research is solid, but I can’t confirm or deny any of the stuff he has in this article.

    • A couple weeks ago I mentioned that one of my former students started a bar in Toronto called The Wych. Last night I finally had a chance to stop by and check the place out – a great vibe, well poured drinks, and this friendly companion named Orson is eager to welcome visitors. I’d say it’s a win all around. If you stop by, tell Aaron and the Proofessor I sent you.

    Orson awaits your arrival at the Wych.

    Okay, that’s it for this one. I hope the first full week of 2025 kicks butt for you and your loved ones!
    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #95: Year In Review

    For the past 14 years I’ve been putting together a ‘Year In Review‘ post on my website as a way to summarize my thoughts and feelings on the year that was. It’s nice to measure highs and lows, and help jog my memory as things carry forward.

    No pressure of course, but if you’re curious about what I was thinking in late December each year, here’s a complete link archive:

    2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.

    Stacy and I at Arthur’s Seat in Scotland, November 2024.

    2024 was an adventurous year on almost every front, but also one of the more balanced years I’ve had in terms of the personal and the creative. I got a lot done, but didn’t run myself ragged like I have in the past. A big part of that balance came at the end of April when I finally took the teaching sabbatical I was originally supposed to take back in 2020 before the world spun off its axis, we were plunged into lockdown, and classes moved online. After two years of online teaching and two more of things lurching back toward in-person classes and events, I finally felt ready to take an extended break from teaching. Having one career instead of two felt really strange at first, but with more time for myself it was also a much-needed exhale.

    I know Stacy was worried that my workaholic nature would kick in and I’d fill every schedule gap with writing work but, to her surprise, I didn’t write more this year. The pace I’m at now is right where I want to be – tackling projects I’m passionate about and giving each one the concentration it deserves while also leaving myself downtime so I don’t careen into burn out like I was rocketing toward by the end of 2019.

    Don’t get me wrong, I still did a lot and traveled a lot – Seattle, Lake Geneva, Calgary, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Dallas, Cross Plains, San Diego, Chicago, Indianapolis, Madison, London, Nottingham, Newcastle, and Edinburgh – but having the Comic Sketch Art team handling most of the event prep and not having teaching responsibilities to juggle while I hopped time zones meant that I could lean into each trip more fully and actually enjoy the ride.

    Our 2024 Japan travel crew: me, Stacy, Lindsay, and Kandrix.

    Finally getting back to Japan was glorious. Celebrating 50 years of Dungeons & Dragons in Lake Geneva with friends and fellow creators was incredible. Being part of D&D in a Castle and the Dungeon Master University program in northern England was amazing and surreal.

    There were setbacks, of course, but not being overloaded meant I could handle those challenges more effectively as well. Even when potential projects crumbled, the publishing industry shook, or Stacy and I caught Covid again as Gen Con was starting, we were able to pull together and persevere.

    On the creative front, this was the first time in a decade that I didn’t have a new comic release from Marvel or DC, but that break from superheroes certainly didn’t keep me off the board – As almost all of you already know, the new Conan the Barbarian publishing plan is roaring along and the Hyborian Age was my focal point in 2024. Every single release I had this year was sword & sorcery-related and 21 out of the 26 books I released were Conan-centric. To say that I was ‘on-brand’ is an understatement.

    Not to say that I don’t want to write superheroes anymore. I’m certainly interested in mixing things up in 2025 with different projects, but having a laser focus in ’24 was also nice, showing myself and everyone else that I could put out a strong monthly title and build an event in my wheelhouse. Note to Publishers – Give me a bit of room to cook and I might just surprise you. 🙂

    Speaking of Conan, in July we announced that I signed a long term contract commitment to the Hyborian Age with at least two more years of monthly Conan comics and events, which is the kind of consistency that feels all-too fleeting in comics nowadays. It’s a non-exclusive deal, so I can do work for other companies, but also a promise to carry through on big mythic plans we have bubbling away.

    In my previous Year in Review post I said “How do you catch second struck lightning in a bottle? I don’t know, but I’m holding this one as tight as I can and using its energy and inspiration like a lantern to light my way as we head into an uncertain future” – Thankfully, that lantern is still shining bright as we head into the great unknown that will be 2025.

    This newsletter has been a crucial outlet for me. I’m so glad I kicked it off last year and kept it almost-weekly through 2024. It’s been a really useful way to jot down things as they happen, point people toward creators, articles, and recipes on my radar, and mark each milestone on the big journey. Social media platforms are less reliable than ever and every platform has shown that it can change for the worse or be wiped away very quickly, so I’m extra-thankful I have my own website online, literally 25 years worth of blogposts and tutorials that aren’t under someone else’s umbrella and can’t be shunted away by algorithms.

    Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for your kind messages and support.

    Here’s my writing output for 2024:

    Wishing you and your loved ones an enjoyable new year filled with grand possibilities.
    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #94: Happy Holidays, Hyborians!

    I hope this CANDY CANE-O-MANCER finds you well and that your holidays look bright, with lots of downtime to visit loved ones – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    Deadlines have been met. Emails are getting wrapped up. It’s a good time to relax and reflect.

    Thank you for helping make 2024 so special, both creatively and personally. I’ll have more thoughts on the year that was in my annual Year In Review post next week.


    400 Fortresses

    Fortress Comics celebrated their 400th episode with a Zub interview!

    We chat up a storm about iconic characters, sword & sorcery vs other fantasy, making Dungeons & Dragons stories accessible to non-gamers, role-playing characters in stories, my Conan the Barbarian journey, Samurai Jack, Avengers Tech-On, passion projects, and more!


    12 Days Of Croms-Mas

    The official Conan the Barbarian Facebook page is running 12 days of sneak peeks of upcoming Conan-related material and a couple of my projects are in the mix.

    Here’s a script page from our 2025 Free Comic Book Day issue:

    And here’s a special Final Order Cut-Off variant cover for Conan the Barbarian #18 illustrated by Giada Marchisio.


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    My 2025 convention schedule is already starting to fill up, with lots of shows where I’m now signed on but guests haven’t been publicly announced yet. If you run a show or know anyone who does and want me to come to your spot on the map in 2025, reach out to Comic Sketch Art or drop me a line and I’ll put you in touch.

    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA


    Links and Other Things

    • If you get my newsletter you’ve almost certainly already seen it but, just in case, the new Superman teaser trailer does exactly what it needs to do – brings hope and builds excitement. Nice work, Team DC!

    ComicBook.com had a week of cover art reveals for the upcoming Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring mini-series by Patch Zircher, with cover art by Mike Mignola, J.H. Williams III, Andrew Maclean, and Dan Brereton.

    • One of my former students has opened a new bar & bistro in Toronto called The Wych and they have special Krampus promotion going right now around the holidays.

    Jim

    Zubby Newsletter #93: A Bit Unconventional

    Ryan North and Chip Zdarsky give readers what they want – cheap signed comics!

    The inaugural Comic Comps Con happened on Saturday at the RAID Studio in downtown Toronto and it was a blast. 10 Toronto comic creators sold off piles of extra comp copies they’d built up over the years at bargain basement prices and local comic fans came out in droves. The first few hours were absolutely slammed with people looking to get holiday gifts or fill in gaps in their collections.

    It really felt like an old school comic collector show, the sort of event that would have happened in a small hotel ballroom thirty years ago. People excitedly talking about comics and, even if they were there to meet one or two specific creators, they were also excited to browse it all and discover something new.

    I had a weird moment when things finally calmed down and I looked around and realized how many books we’ve all worked on over the years. Long boxes jam-packed with single issues and trades we’ve contributed to – hundreds and hundreds of stories. It’s the kind of thing I could never have imagined when I was a kid collecting my favorites, seeing the names in those credit boxes and assuming I’d never get to meet any of those people, let alone be one of them. Surreal.

    From Public Domain #9, by Chip Zdarsky.

    Normally I’m pretty burned out on conventions by late October/early November so I don’t book any events around this time of year, but seeing industry pals and touching base with local readers one more time before the holidays (while also getting rid of old stock) was surprisingly fun.

    Big thanks to Chip and the RAID crew, especially Ramon Perez, for setting this up.


    Livestreaming on World At War


    I recorded a livestream interview with Thomas Huls from World At War Comics all about Conan the Barbarian – We talked about cover artists, Conan’s legacy, big narrative plans, Solomon Kane, the Conan tabletop RPG, and lots of gratitude for where things are at in the here and now.


    Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    My 2025 convention schedule is already starting to fill up, with lots of shows where I’m now signed on but guests haven’t been publicly announced yet. If you run a show or know anyone who does and want me to come to your spot on the map in 2025, reach out to Comic Sketch Art or drop me a line and I’ll put you in touch.

    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA


    Links and Other Things

    Brian Lagerstrom‘s chili recipe was absolutely on target with the crisp winter weather we’ve had this week.

    • Has Matttt created a weak comic video yet? I don’t think he has and his latest, all about Jeff Smith’s BONE comics, a series which absolutely ignited my imagination when I discovered it, is just as compelling as any he’s done so far.

    • I’m looking to get some tabletop momentum going again at home by running some short self-contained adventures and one of the games I’m looking at is MOTHERSHIP, after playing a really fun one-shot session with Joel Hines at Gary Con earlier this year. This Quinn’s Quest video all about Mothership does a great job explaining its compelling features.

    Simon Sinek can sometimes be quite cliché when it comes to inspirational speaking, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t also have some damn good advice. This short clip about reaching out to friends and asking “Do you have 8 minutes?” really grabbed me.
    Jim