Zub Tales

Um, WOW!

It’s hard for me to express how incredible last week’s whirlwind launch and overall response to Wayward #1 was. We’re still climbing out from underneath a mountain of fan mail, tweets, kind words, and support. Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart.

Without a doubt, Wayward is also the most reviewed comic I’ve worked on at this point in my comic writing career. Lots of new readers picked up the series and the overwhelming majority of reviewers really enjoyed our first issue. I feel a bit ridiculous trying to introduce this monster list, but here we go…

• Bleeding Cool: “If Wayward isn’t the next Saga, it will be a damn criminal shame.”

• Comic Book Resources: 4/5 “Bright, vibrant, and alive, Rori Lane’s world will enchant readers with its relatable protagonist, intense action and fascinating mythological allusions.”

• Newsarama: 8/10 “A delightful debut issue that be sure to please fans of Buffy and Manga.”

• Multiversity: 8/10 “Wayward shows signs of being the next runaway Image Comics series.It’s off to a great start.”

• Ain’t It Cool News: “Rori’s journey, the loss of her parents’ love for each other, how crazy Japan is for first timers…all told in masterful and authentic detail.”

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• 8CN: 8/10 “If writer Jim Zub can continue to strike a such a careful balance between these two tones, I think there’s a lot of entertainment to be had in this series.”

• 13th Dimension: “If the first issue is any indication, the series will be a vibrant coming-of-age story, steeped in monsters, magic and ancient lore that revels in predictable unpredictability.”

• Agustin Guerrero: “Wayward #1 does what any good first issue should do. It sets up the world, gives you the first hint of a story, and makes you want to learn more. “

• All-Comic: 4/5 “Wayward has pulled off a striking first issue that made for an incredibly fun read. A bright supernatural east-meets-west story has a little bit of something for everyone.”

• Alpha Comics: “The first issue of Wayward hooks you with bright, lively characters and Buffy-esque action that leaves you immediately wanting more as the last page puts a stamp on this first chapter in the mystical life of Rori Lane.”

• Biff! Bam! Pop!: “Strange powers, stranger villains and teen angst amidst a backdrop of Japanese mythology (and manga) – Wayward is definitely a series to be caught!”

• Big Glasgow Comic Page: 4/5 “All in all, an entertaining first issue that gives high hopes for what will follow.”

• Bloody Disgusting: 8/10 “Wayward #1 delivers a fun premise with a quirky protagonist. The first issue delivers a lot of promise”

• Broken Frontier: “It’s a strong debut issue in which the mundane and the supernatural reflect and reinforce each other.”

• Comic Bastards: 5/5 “…another fantastic entry in Image’s already staggering amount of knockouts.”

• CC2K: 4/5 “Wayward #1 is off to a good start and is sure to fulfill all your supernatural and fantasy needs.”

• Comic Book Bin: “…the Young Adult novel has finally made it to comics in the form of Wayward, and I think it will be one of the stand-out new titles of the year.”

• Comic Book.com: “Wayward is a beautifully told introduction to a brand new world that I cannot wait to explore.”

• Comic Book News: “The story from Zub and Cummings made me love Japan again. Now it’s your turn to be entranced!”

• Comic Book Tasting: “This initial offering was an intriguing one. An extremely fun read.”

• Comic Crusaders: 4/5 “This issue serves as a perfect introduction to Rori’s world and is a great read.”

• Comic Spectrum: “The coloring by John Rauch was impeccable, and captures what the back-up article in this issue calls the ‘shiny neon veneer of modern Japan.'”

• Comic Vine: 4/5 “it’s age-appropriate for a wide range of readers, and it explores Japan from a supernatural angle that isn’t often seen in Western comics. Zub, Cummings, and team have piqued my interest, and I can’t wait to see how a feisty half-Irish teen handles being swept up in Japanese myth.”

• Comicosity: 8/10 “The resounding note to take away from this issue is artist Steve Cummings’ ability to amaze in this issue. “

• Comics Bulletin: “Rori Lane is a strong willed young woman with uncommon and mystifying events in her future. Wayward will hypnotize readers for issues to come.”

• Comics the Gathering: 10/10 “The first issue of Wayward left me craving for more. I’ve barely even scraped the surface in this review.”

• Comicqlee: “Definitely a book worth picking up.”

• Comix I Read: “The story was fast paced and we got a good introduction to what future issues can bring.”

• Con Freaks & Geeks: 9/10 “The Comicfreaks out there need to get this book! I cannot say anything but good things about the story, the art, and the style.”

• Deadshirt: “My favorite part of this comic so far is the vibrant representation of Tokyo; the artwork nails the city’s aesthetic right down to the street grates and the ever-present vending machines.”

• Eat. Geek. Play.: “Something big is about to happen in the streets of Japan, and I can’t wait to see Rori become the hero.”

• Emertainment Monthly: 9/10 “Wayward establishes the main characters and the premise of the series, but still leaves the reader grasping for more. And that desire to know more about the world and the characters is exactly what will keep the readers coming back.”

• exPress News & Reviews: “This comic is creating its own world within a culture and I feel like this is going to be a series that many people will love.”

• Fellowship of the Geeks: “Adventure and humor go hand in hand in his books, and this one is definitely working. Jump on at the beginning.”

• Florida Geek Scene: 8.5/10 “This is one book that I will absolutely be following each month.”

• Front Towards Gamer: “Mind-blowing artwork grabs your attention from the first page and the story by Jim Zub makes Wayward #1 from Image Comics an instant hit.”

• Geek Sushi: “Without a doubt, “Wayward” #1 gets a high recommendation”

• Geeked Out Nation: 8.5/10 “Wayward #1 is great for a new series and Jim Zub shows that he wants to create a story that challenges what you believe to be real.”

• Geeksverse: “Wayward #1 is a first issue done right: It tantalizes with its novelty and promise while still delivering enough content to satisfy. Wayward may just be Image Comics’ next breakout hit if the creative team continues to deliver expert craftsmanship.”

• God of Comics: “The characters are quite engaging, it has a strong sense of humor and the art is phenomenal.”

• Graphic Policy: 8/10 “Wayward #1 is a solid debut, bringing us a new female heroine to cheer for.”

• Hex Dimension: “Nothing feels contrived and stereotyped, it just looks deep and wonderfully intricate.”

• Horror Talk: 5/5 “This is a damn near perfect first issue…writer Jim Zub gets right into the story and pulls you into this world head first to the point where you never want to leave.”

• Kliq Nation: 5/5 “Wayward #1 showed readers just enough to leave them wanting more.”

• Nothing But Comics: “Writer Jim Zub, artist Steve Cummings, and colorist John Raunch craft a great first issue with a compelling protagonist.”

• Okazu: 8/10 “It’ll make a nice change of pace from romance manga.”

• Omnicomic: “Wayward #1 is a pretty fascinating first issue that completely grabs the reader and brings them right into the world.”

• OmniJerBear: “It was a huge gamble, but it pays off. It’s amazing.”

• One Hundred XP: 8/10 “I’m excited to see where this series goes and to explore the fantastical Tokyo with Rori as my guide.”

• Outright Geekery: 4.5/5 “The vivid character emotions, great action scenes, and overall panel diversity in this first issue required a good artist, and Wayward has a great one!”

• Panel Pushing: “The art is really fantastic. Rich in detail and has a softness to it.”

• Panels and Pixels: 5/5 “Wayward is a fantastic comic book from a talented creative team that are doing the best work of their careers. Go get it.”

• Paradox Comics Group: 9/10 “Suffice to say that picking up issue two is no gamble for me; it’s a sure-fire thing!”

• Pop Culture Network: 5/5 “There honestly was not a single thing I could find to gripe about.”

• Readerly Geek: “Wayward‘s one of the most fun comics I’ve ever read. I absolutely loved it. The setting, bright colors, and it’s blue haired girl drew me in. I’m definitely excited to see where this story goes next.”

• Reading Pictures: “Steven Cummings hits every nail on the head. His style is perfect for supernatural Japan, and everything really jumps off the pages.”

• Reading With a Flight Ring: “It is a beautiful start to such an imaginative story of not only one girls journey of self-discovery but of a world people have no idea exists”

• Rhymes With Geek: 9/10 “Wayward #1 is an impressive beginning for a series that I feel is going to be huge. Jim Zub and Steve Cummings have a winner in Wayward.”

• Sequential Tart: 8/10 “Wayward is a terrific read, and the creative team of Jim Zub, Steve Cummings and John Rauch is showing some great flare.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 9.5/10 “Pretty damn fantastic first issue I’ll say!”

• Super Effective: “This is the best first issue I have read in such a long time.”

• Talking Comics: “Check it out! Wayward #1 is a promising start for a new coming-of-age story from Jim Zub and Steve Cummings. “

• Telltale Mind: 5/5 “Wayward is a really, beautiful book that cannot be recommended enough.”

• The Moon Is A Dead World: “Wayward looks like a promising new series, especially because it melds genres together and leaves questions for later issues and arcs.”

• TM Stash: “The artwork is breathtaking, and the story is riveting…do you need to know more? This tale is easily worth a 10/10.”

• Unleash the Fanboy: 9/10 “Wayward #1 is an engaging start to a title that looks to be something different than the norm, which is exactly what Image Comics represents and promotes. Highly recommended.”

• We The Nerdy: 9/10 “Even in this one issue, I feel like I get a strong sense of Rori, and I only want to know more. “

• What ‘Cha Reading?: 4/5 “It’s a set-up issue but all the pieces are put in place for a wonderful series. I’m definitely looking forward to watching Rori discover her new world.”