I did an extensive interview with Paint Monk’s Library all about CONAN THE BARBARIAN, along with my writing career, growing up as a sword & sorcery fan, and more.
Conan the Barbarian #13 arrives in February, beginning a new era of Hyborian Age Adventure!
Pre-order now.
I spoke to Fearless Fred on the Issue Zero podcast’s latest episode all about Conan the Barbarian. Fred does a great job summarizing the character’s history in prose, film, and comics. Give it a listen:
As revealed on the latest episode of the Marvel Pull List with Ryan Penagos and Tucker Markus, starting in February 2020 I’m the new ongoing writer of CONAN THE BARBARIAN!
Writing Conan again in Avengers: No Road Home was a blast, putting together Conan The Gambler and Serpent War was an unexpected thrill, and all of it has led to this, the chance to build all new ongoing stories of one of the most famous characters in sword & sorcery literature. It’s an absolute creative bucket list item for me, and I can’t believe all this has taken place over one year.
Rogê Antônio‘s line art is going to knock people out. It has a strong visual tie to the incredible work Masmud Asrar has been doing on the core title this year, but also manages to carve out its own distinct look. E.M. Gist‘s covers are classic pulp fantasy fare with all the grit and earthiness I could hope for. It’s a heck of a creative line up and I’m doing everything I can to live up to their top notch storytelling skills. Deep thanks to Mark Basso and C.B. Cebulski for this incredible opportunity and Jason Aaron for setting a high bar on the issues preceding mine.
My first issue is issue #13, the beginning of a new arc called Into the Crucible and here’s an advance look at the cover and solicitation for the first issue:
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #13
Written by JIM ZUB
Art by ROGÊ ANTÔNIO
Cover by E.M. GIST
A NEW ARC BY JIM ZUB & ROGÊ ANTÔNIO
INTO THE CRUCIBLE AS THE MARCH TO KHITAI BEGINS!
Conan has faced many foes since leaving Cimmeria, but the greatest challenge lies ahead! A perfect jumping-on point for new readers as Conan finds himself in a city in the mystical Uttara Kuru, further on the eastern border than the young barbarian has ever traveled. And with the new city comes new dangers! Unfamiliar with the language, Conan inadvertently agrees to be the latest entrant to the Great Crucible. The people of the city support their foreign champion…but what deadly traps does the Crucible hold, and what will Conan sacrifice to overcome his ordeal?
Writer JIM ZUB (SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME) and artist ROGÊ ANTÔNIO (CONAN 2099, X-MEN RED) lead Conan on an all-new journey, as we begin a new era for CONAN THE BARBARIAN into undiscovered country!
If you’ve ever enjoyed my comic work, especially my fantasy writing, I’m asking you to please consider pre-ordering issue #13 at your local comic shop – it would mean the world to me and the rest of the team. Then, get ready in February for Sword & Sorcery Splendor in the Mighty Marvel Manner!
• Comic Book.com: 8/10 “When you think of Conan, you think of him swinging his sword mightily at anything in his path, with almost the entire first half of the issue devoted to the entertaining bout. The final issue in this arc wraps up an engaging adventure featuring the Barbarian”
• ComicPOP: “A fun over-the-top story about a situation where a sword may not always be the answer.”
• Pop Mythology: “Swords and sorcery are really Jim Zub’s thing in this tale of Conan overcoming a gambling den with that which always sees him through: his powerful sword arm and an indomitable spirit.”
• Weird Science Marvel Comics: 8.7/10 “Readers will quickly enjoy an entertaining anecdote that steals their attention from page one and locks them in until the very end. The issue is well-paced, easy to follow, and emphasizes the true characteristics of the great, Crom-fearing, Cimmerian.”
Just announced in an exclusive interview on ComicBook.com, I’m writing a 4-part sword & sorcery epic for Marvel starring CONAN THE BARBARIAN, SOLOMON KANE, DARK AGNES, and MOON KNIGHT called SERPENT WAR!
If you’re a Robert E. Howard fan, then Serpent War is definitely for you but, even if you’ve never read a Conan story or don’t know any of the lore at all, I’m building Serpent War to act as a nice jumping on point for grand sword & sorcery adventure. Check out the interview, let that amazing artwork hit your eyeballs full force, and join us this December!
• Comic Book University: “I like this new Conan the Gambler story. It’s a new way of looking at Conan…Really good issue.”
• Kabooooom!: 10/10 “The artwork by Patch Zircher and the colors by Java Tartaglia does a fantastic job of establishing the setting and mood of the story, subtly building the tension in the environment as the games go on.”
• Outright Geekery: “After Jim Zub brought his A game last issue I have been eagerly awaiting the second part of this story. “
• Paint Monk’s Library: 8.5/10 “This is the Conan long-time readers have known since the days of Roy Thomas – and it’s the Conan that will get new readers invested in the stories.”
• Pop Mythology: “This story shows Conan is more than just brawn and blade and it also show’s Conan’s own awareness of his own gifts. It’s great character work and makes for a good story.”
• Weird Science Marvel Comics: 8/10 “A well-crafted middle issue that provides the right amounts of intrigue, drama, suspense, and action, this is an enjoyable Conan book. Zub’s narration is good and his plotting excellent; Zircher’s art is always clear and conveys suspense and violence with equal confidence and no little skill.”
• Comic Book University: “Let’s stick around with Zircher on this book because I’m enjoying the hell out of this.”
• Comic Crusaders: 9/10 “Jim Zub brings us an excellent story which combined with the talent of Patch Zircher make this title revive its great splendor.”
• Comic Watch: 8.8/10 “this issue by Jim Zub is undoubtedly one of the if not THE best Conan issue we’ve gotten since the Marvel relaunch and features all of the things that make Conan great.”
• Comicon: “Zircher’s line work is great. He uses a more sketchy style, which evokes Barry Windsor-Smith, while maintaining his own look. His action is clear, and his character acting adds a lot of personality to the story, both in establishing Conan, and in building up the supporting characters to come.”
• Kabooooom!: 10/10 “A great story, amazing art and a free game along with a short story. By Crom, this is the perfect Conan comic!”
• Paint Monk’s Library: 8.5/10 “If you haven’t picked up any issues of Conan since Marvel reacquired the property in January, I’d heartily recommend starting with this issue.”
• Pop Mythology: “Pick of the Week – Marvel has two perfectly suited creators for this story and in my book it’s a winner…This is the type of story that gives me faith in the resilience of the comic medium.”
• Weird Science Marvel Comics: 8.8/10 “If you’re not reading any Conan books, you need to start and this issue is a great place to start and dip your toe into the cold Cimmerian waters.”
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #7
JIM ZUB (W)
PATCH ZIRCHER (A)
Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
Variant Cover by PHILIP TAN
HITHER CAME…CONAN THE GAMBLER?!
A chance violent encounter in Shadizar lands young CONAN a position as a bodyguard for a wealthy merchant. But a twist of fate will put Conan in the hot seat — and no choice but to play the hand he’s dealt in a deadly game of SERPENT’S BLUFF! Conan will rely on his sword — and his wits — while navigating the seedy underworld of “civilized” gambling while making sure he stays clear of the deadly “Debtors Lounge”! Magic, mystery and action abound when writer Jim Zub (CHAMPIONS, AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME) joins forces with artist Patch Zircher (HULK; TERROR, INC.) for the first of a three-part epic — CONAN THE GAMBLER!
PLUS: The next chapter in the all-new CONAN novella “THE SHADOW OF VENGEANCE”!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99
Al Ewing, Mark Waid, and I chatted with Dave Richards at Comic Book Resources all about the new issue of Avengers: No Road Home where the Scarlet Witch adventures in Hyboria with the world’s greatest barbarian. Give it a read!
New York, NY–December 7, 2018–The all-new weekly Avengers event continues in March with an epic story from Al Ewing, Mark Waid, and Jim Zub, with art by Sean Izaakse and Paco Medina – and the famed barbarian himself is slashing his way into the Marvel Universe in AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME!
It all starts when The Scarlet Witch enters the Hyborian Age, and continues when the Avengers take their fight to the Queen of the Night! And while Conan and the Avengers will fight together, the question remains…whose side is Conan really on?
It’s an action-filled, jam-packed story that you won’t want to miss, and it all starts in AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME #6 – when the Marvel Universe will be forever changed, by Crom!
AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME #6
Written by AL EWING, MARK WAID, JIM ZUB
Art by SEAN IZAAKSE
Cover by YASMINE PUTRI
On Sale 3/20/19
Zub on Amazon
Zub on Buttondown
Zub on deviantART
Zub on Facebook
Zub on GoodReads
Zub on Instagram
Zub on Patreon
Zub on Tumblr
Zub on Twitter
Zub on YouTube
Follow this blog's RSS feed
Makeshift Miracle