Zubby Newsletter #177: The City Never Sleeps, But I Need a Nap

Posted by on October 12, 2026 No comments
Stacy and I heading into NYCC 2026.

New York Comic Con 2026 was full blast. Stacy and I arrived in the city mid-morning, dropped our stuff at the hotel, then rolled right over to the convention center. The show was already underway and crowds were thick.

• Thursday night she and I ran an improv-style D&D session for four romantasy authors that was a lot of fun, an adventure-style double date with random encounters and skill checks to keep everyone on their toes.

• On Friday, I moderated the Matt Dinniman Spotlight panel, which was a packed house of over 800 Dungeon Crawler Carl fans eager to find out all about Matt’s career, his writing process, and future plans.

Matt Dinniman Spotlight panel at NYCC 2026.

• Later that afternoon, Stacy and I had a D&D Young Adventurer’s Guide signing at the Penguin Random House booth.

• On Friday night I met illustrator Joe Sutphin and, when we talked about the weird and wonderful progression of our careers, he mentioned that he’d been mentored by Tony DiTerlizzi, one of my absolute favorite fantasy artists. Then, on Saturday afternoon, Joe brought Tony by my table for a visit and I was pretty starstruck. It was wonderful getting to tell Tony in person how much his work means to me.

• On Saturday evening, we were part of the 3rd Annual PRH Murder-Mystery meet-up, a silly investigation game where the audience works to figure out who the killer is and then receive a free book to get signed by one of the authors who play the suspects and killer.

And, around all that, I was at my Artist Alley table promoting my new creator-owned comic series OMEN-BOUND with limited edition black & white preview ashcans, taking meetings, doing interviews, and heading to industry social events after hours. The whole weekend was a rocket.

We left early on Sunday to make it home for Canadian Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Years ago I was at NYCC eating a lukewarm Wendy’s burger while my extended family was all together having turkey and I promised myself I wouldn’t let the convention take that precious personal time, but by the time we got to my aunt’s place this year I did need a short power nap because the high energy convention mixed with a lot less sleep than normal took its toll.

Today we’re reorganizing and repacking before we start our trip to to Madison, Wisconsin for Gamehole Con XIII, a small but mighty tabletop gaming convention that will be well stocked with good cheer and great friends. I’ll also be a cast member for CALL OF CTHULHU LIVE in Madison on Thursday night with the Glass Cannon crew!

Accept the Challenge

I was asked about what the most challenging parts of working in comics are and thought other people might find it helpful if I reposted my response here:

Dungeon Dudes in the Hyborian Age – Part 2

Way back in March I posted a liveplay game I recorded with the Dungeon Dudes as they played the Conan: Hyborian Age TTPRG for the first time. To celebrate the new Conan TTRPG kickstarter campaign, they finally posted up part 2 of the adventure and part 3 should be out later this month – Enjoy!

Talespinner Talk

Back in early 2024, writer Kurtis Wiebe recorded an interview with me all about growing up nerdy, working on established worlds, juggling projects, and things we’ve learned over the years. The interview used to be behind a paywall, but now it’s up on his Talespinner YouTube channel.

REH Foundation Retrospective on Solomon Kane

A couple weeks ago I was part of a panel of pulp enthusiasts and experts discussing Solomon Kane stories put together by John Bulard of the REH Foundation. Bob Byrne, Bobby Derie, Jim from Mystery and Mayhem, Tim from Secret Fire Books, and I cover a series of stories, poems, and fragments of Robert E. Howard’s puritan paladin.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Con Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• Sly Flourish has a great bit of Game Master advice all around ‘reskinning’ statblocks when you need a creature at the table and don’t want to spend a crazy amount of time building everything – Just Use Bears.

Jim

Zub at New York Comic Con 2026

Posted by on October 5, 2026 2 comments

The biggest pop culture event of the Fall is New York Comic Con and I will be there, set up with the Comic Sketch Art team, at

ARTIST ALLEY TABLE I-33

In addition, at New York this year I’ll have a limited number of OMEN-BOUND PREVIEW EDITION, a black & white comic-sized advance look at my brand new creator-owned comic series that launches in March 2027!

Outside of signing times at my table, here’s my schedule during show hours:

THURSDAY, OCT 9, 2025
8:00pm-9:00pm – Roll for Romance: A Live D&D Love Story – Room 1B02
Roll the dice and shape the story. In this interactive event, the audience helps create a brand-new romance by choosing characters, tropes, and plot twists, all guided by chance. As the story unfolds live, authors build the narrative in real time, reacting to every unexpected turn. The result is a one-of-a-kind tale full of surprises, humor, and heart. Panelists: Kristy Boyce, Elizabeth Agyemang, Sarah Beth Durst and Barbara Perez Marquez. Moderated by: Jim Zub and Stacy King.
9:00pm-9:30pm – Roll for Romance- Post Panel Book Signing – Room 1A01
Join authors from the Roll for Romance panel as they meet fans and sign books in room 1A01. One book personalized, up to three total books signed, no posed photos. Books will be available for purchase in the room from Barnes & Noble Union Square, NYCC’s official show bookseller.

FRIDAY, OCT 10, 2025
12:30pm-1:30pm – Spotlight on Matt Dinniman – North-Room 405
New York Comic Con is excited to welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl) to our literary program. Matt will discuss the journey that led him to write apocalyptic fiction including the megahit Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

SATURDAY, OCT 11, 2025
7:30pm-9:00pm – 3rd Annual Penguin Random House Murder Mystery Party – Room 1C03
Who is the culprit? Penguin Random House invites you to find out! They’re bringing their popular Murder Mystery Party back to NYCC, where you can solve the mystery alongside acclaimed authors Madison Tyler Nelson, Clémence Michallon, Jim Zub, Insha Fitzpatrick, Sofia Warren, and Marshall J. Moore. Help solve the case! This separately ticketed event includes a surprise signed paperback from one of the authors and an open bar for one hour. You must be at least 21 years old to attend.

Zubby Newsletter #176: Omen-Bound

Posted by on October 5, 2026 No comments

SURPRISE #1: My next creator-owned comic series has just been announced – OMEN-BOUND, a dark fantasy series co-created with artist Alberto Alburquerque launches in March 2027 at Image Comics!

SURPRISE #2: Alberto and I will have a special limited OMEN-BOUND PREVIEW EDITION comic available this week at our tables at New York Comic-Con (Artist Alley Tables A-33 and I-33) while supplies last!

Head over to Image Comics for the full press release and watch the OMEN-BOUND announcement trailer right HERE:

In a dark medieval-fantasy world, a skilled group of warriors and priests from a strict religious order have been tasked with escorting a dangerous prisoner back to the “Fayral”, an untamed primal realm of perilous elemental energy.

Their sacred charge is a mercurial and mysterious princess of the fay folk and, the closer the group gets to the land that powers her magic, the more difficult it will be to complete their quest. Worse still, at each step of this perilous journey secrets will be revealed about themselves and the history of their world that may save or damn them all.

Pretty sweet, right? This has obviously been in the works for quite a while and I’ve been keeping it a secret. Once I confirmed that I’d be at this year’s New York Comic-Con, I knew it was a great opportunity to get Omen-Bound announced there and start beating the drum for our big launch in 2027.

When my writing career started to gain traction, I told myself I’d always have commercial and creator-owned projects running simultaneously, betting on myself just as much as building credits with existing properties, but it hasn’t always worked out that way. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been wonderful, but creator-owned projects tended to get put on the backburner while other deadlines loomed. This whole year, I’ve been feeling the creator-owned itch and want to bring everything I’ve learned over the past 8 years since Wayward finished.

Omen-Bound is dark fantasy, mysterious and emotional with an old school Dungeons & Dragons-style ensemble party and evocative narration familiar to readers enjoying my run on Conan the Barbarian. To say this is a passion project for our team is an understatement. I can’t wait for you to see how far Alberto is pushing himself on every single page and, when that’s coupled with Misty’s colors and Marshall’s lettering, it really is magic.

Image has always had the best deal in creator-owned comics and it’s also where I feel most at home charting my own path. Building this new series with Alberto, colorist Misty Coats (Skullkickers) and letterer Marshall Dillon (Street Fighter), dear friends I’ve worked with before, it makes the whole project even more special.

I’ve said it many times, but every creative project is a time capsule. When I look at Skullkickers, Wayward, Glitterbomb, or Stonestar I know where I was and who I was. It’s time to make new memories and show people what we’re capable of in the here and now. I hope you’ll join us on this grand adventure!

In 2027, Fate Tests Us All.

Upcoming Appearances

This week at NYCC 2026, I’ll be at Artist Alley Table I-33 and on 3 panels:
Thurs, Oct 8 at 8pm : Roll for Romance – a Live D&D Love Story
Fri, Oct 9 at 12:30pm : Spotlight on Matt Dinniman
Sat, Oct 10 at 7:30pm : 3rd Annual PRH Murder Mystery Party

Oct 8-10, 2026 New York Comic Con New York, NY, USA
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• With the announcement of Omen-Bound, now is the perfect time to check out the artwork of Alberto J. Alburquerque, my artistic collaborator! Alberto’s Instagram page is packed with incredible imagery and, now that Omen-Bound has been revealed, expect to see a lot more of that cast and world in the weeks and months ahead.

• A new digital comics platform called Sweet Shop launched just over a week ago and they have quite a few deals to kick things off. If you want to check out the Zub comics they currently have from several publishers, my profile is HERE.

• Host Shawn Curley, scholar Jeffrey Shanks, game designer Matt John, and author John C. Hocking have an extensive talk all about the classic Conan story The Tower of the Elephant. The deep dive they give the material helps contextualize why it’s such a staple of the sword & sorcery genre.

Jim

OMEN-BOUND Begins March 2027!

Posted by on October 5, 2026 No comments

SWORD & SORCERY SPECIALISTS
JIM ZUB, ALBERTO J. ALBURQUERQUE
TO UNLEASH DARK FANTASY SERIES
OMEN-BOUND IN MARCH 2027

A special limited preview edition will be available at NYCC this week

NEW YORK 10/02/2026 — After heading up fan favorite runs on Conan the Barbarian and Dungeons & Dragons, writer Jim Zub teams up with acclaimed artist Alberto J. Alburquerque (Letter 44) to launch the dark fantasy, Omen-Bound. The ongoing dark fantasy is set to launch in March 2027 from Image Comics.

Omen-Bound will see a steady stream of promotion that begins at this year’s New York Comic Con with a limited run of black and white Omen-Bound preview editions available to readers interested in a first look at the core cast of characters and perilous world of The Untaken Lands. The limited Omen-Bound Preview Edition will be available on a first come, first served basis at Artist Alley tables I-33 and A-33.

In Omen-Bound, a skilled group of warriors and priests from a strict religious order must escort a dangerous supernatural prisoner back to their realm beyond reality, but each step closer to that goal will test them in ways they never imagined and reveal secrets about themselves and the history of their world that may save or damn them all. The story blends classic sword & sorcery elements with the intense emotional stakes of comics like The Walking Dead. It is a perfect read for longtime fantasy fans and new readers alike, with soaring artwork that follows a fated journey filled with epic action and unexpected twists.

“I absolutely love writing stories in the many fantasy realms that sparked my imagination as a kid,” said Zub. “But I’ve always had concepts that didn’t fit there, other themes I wanted to explore and new characters I wanted to put through the wringer, so it’s time to bring those ideas to life. Getting the chance to return to Image and team up with Alberto, colorist Misty Coats, and letterer Marshall Dillon on this epic quest feels like both a homecoming and the start of something special.”

Alburquerque added: “When Jim said he had a new project he was developing, I was in from the start. When he said what it was about and sent me his first notes, I knew I’d hit the jackpot. This is a true passion project and I’m giving it my all on every page!”

Omen-Bound #1 will be available at comic book shops in March 2027.

Omen-Bound #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Apple’s iBooks, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, Scribd’s Everand, Kobo, Overdrive, Hoopla, Sweet app, Comic Plus, and more.

—

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States, and is the #2 graphic novel publisher in America. It is the publisher of such award winning titles as, Spawn, The Walking Dead, Invincible, Saga, Monstress, Deadly Class, Chew, The Old Guard, I Kill Giants, Criminal, The Department of Truth, W0rldtr33, Geiger, Descender, Gideon Falls, It’s Lonely At The Centre of The Earth, Do A Power Bomb, and more.

The company currently has six individuals on the Board of Directors: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, and Eric Stephenson. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor, and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit: www.imagecomics.com

Conan the Barbarian #35 Reviews

Posted by on October 4, 2026 No comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zubby Newsletter #175: Nostalgia

Posted by on September 30, 2026 No comments

This past weekend was flooded with memories.

• On Friday night, my old pal Dan came over and we grabbed dinner. It’s been almost 20 years since we were rommates here at the house and we’ve both been so busy that we didn’t realize how long it had been since we saw eachother in person. Great conversation followed, catching up on what we’ve been doing and how we’ve grown.

• On Saturday, Stacy and I met up with our dear friends Kandrix and Lindsay, the same couple we traveled to Japan with in 2024. Conversation around creative projects and possibilities was vibrant and when things rolled back to anecdotes about the late 90’s/early 00’s when I was living in Calgary, it was wild to think about how much things have changed.

Who are those strange children? Where the hell did 30 years go?

• On Sunday was the biggest nostalgia bomb, a reunion with friends from Sheridan residence 30 years after we lived together, trying to figure out that strange space between teenage angst and adulthood. We were messy, dramatic, ridiculous and wonderful then, and all those traits are still intact even if we hide it well in the here and now.

Digging through old photos, letters, and even printed out emails (that’s what we did if we wanted to save stuff when school email accounts went away) generated a blast of the familiar and the strange. Some moments I remember vividly and others that seemed incredibly important at the time I barely recall at all.

The hair is silver but spirit is still young. Or something like that.

Watching old VHS tapes also unearthed this wild piece of TTRPG history, a short news report in 1996 on the Vampire: The Masquerade LARP I was part of in downtown Toronto.

Yes, that is a 19-year old Zub talking to the reporter, and there are cameos from other dear Toronto friends as well. Some people I haven’t seen in many years and others, like Stacy, who are closer than ever.

Back then, I loved being in that ‘scene’, unleashing my creativity on game nights, making new friends, and building up my self-confidence, but I was still embarrassed to talk about it outside those circles. The RPG Satanic Panic of the 80’s cast a long shadow and I was afraid of the nerd stigma even though gaming, comics, and art meant so much to me.

I could never have imagined the effect those games and stories would have on my life or the way nerd culture would become mainstream culture. Comic book movies rule the box office, live tabletop gaming sells out stadiums, and comic cons and cosplay are a year-round way to celebrate the stuff we enjoy.

30 years ago gone in a flash but its influence is still felt in who I am and everything I do.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve finished outling some of my biggest stories on deck for 2027 and put the finishing touches on a major project announcement coming very soon. I’m nervous, excited and feel energized about the future. Whether you who have followed along with my journey for many years or have just started reading recently, thank you!

Major Discourse

Speaking of nostalgia, this interview with Comic Book Clique goes deep. There’s lots of talk around creator-owned comics, inspiration and research, TTRPGs, hard work and luck, and so much more! Give this one a listen, I’m really happy with how it turned out.

Here are some time-coded highlights:
• Wayward – How the series came to be and how rewarding it was to make.
• Taking risks and big swings with creator-owned books.
• The power of tabletop role-playing games.
• Being on a panel with Matt Dinniman and discussing shared influences.
• Glitterbomb – How I met Djibril and pitching it to Image.
• Failed movie pitches do not make good comics.
• Writing Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder – Worlds and characters.
• Conan the Barbarian – Lyricism and narration. Research and inspiration.
• Which fanbase is the most opinionated/passionate?
• Working with licensors and building confidence.
• Working with Udon on the manga adaptation of Journey To The West.
• Sharing comic writing knowledge and tutorials.

Cursed Shores Continues


Today, the third of our three Conan comic releases during Cimmerian September arrives in stores, CONAN THE BARBARIAN #35! Conan battles a twisted cult on a desolate island while Valeria and the Red Brotherhood discover the depths of darkness.

Fernando and Diego are on full blast artistically this issue and I feel really good about the mix of action, adventure and drama in this instalment.

Call of Cthulhu Live


Speaking of liveplay TTRPGs, I’m thrilled to announce I’m part of the Glass Cannon cast for CALL OF CTHULHU LIVE in Madsion Wisconsin, happening the Thursday night of Gamehole Con. If you’re at the con that weekend, grab a ticket for this separate event happening at the Atwood Music Hall. And watch some of their previous episodes to get a feel for how things might roll.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Next week at NYCC 2026, I’ll be at Artist Alley Table I-33 and on 3 panels:
Thurs, Oct 8 at 8pm : Roll for Romance – a Live D&D Love Story
Fri, Oct 9 at 12:30pm : Spotlight on Matt Dinniman
Sat, Oct 10 at 7:30pm : 3rd Annual PRH Murder Mystery Party

Oct 8-10, 2026 New York Comic Con New York, NY, USA
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• Monolith Games has unleashed their newest Conan Board Game/RPG Kickstarter campaign and it funded in minutes! If you haven’t played the amazing Conan board game or played the Conan: The Hyborian Age TTRPG, now is a perfect time to dive in.

• Andrew Wheeler, my friend and one of the co-writers of the D&D Young Adventurer’s Guides, has a pre-launch page up for a print version of his prose story The Thief of Secrets and Shadow. Check it out.

• D&D 5.0 designer Mike Mearls has a YouTube channel where he’s been discussing decisions that went into putting together the new edition in 2014 and how gameplay and math come together in TTRPGs. Well worth watching.

Jim

Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #1 Reviews

Posted by on September 28, 2026 No comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zubby Newsletter #174: The Gamble That Paid Off

Posted by on September 21, 2026 4 comments
Savage Sword of Conan (2018) #7-9: The Gambler

7 years ago, I was proud to have a Conan solo writing credit in Savage Sword of Conan (2018) #7-9 and thought it would be my last chance to be a Bard for the Barbarian. I never imagined how that story, The Gambler, would start a domino effect that would change my career in such incredible ways.

I’d written Conan twice before, in the Dark Horse Conan-Red Sonja mini-series with Gail Simone and in Avengers: No Road Home with Mark Waid and Al Ewing, but both of those were co-written team-ups and I was itching to show what I could do on my own in the classic Hyborian Age setting.

Editor Mark Basso approved The Gambler and Patch Zircher drew the hell out of it.

Conan is tricked into a gambling hall surrounded by mysterious enemies and his life may be forfeited on the turn of a card. I went for a Weird Tales vibe, hearkening back to the pulp roots of the character.

That story grabbed the attention of Fred Malmberg, the owner of Conan. He really liked that old school feel and so, what I thought would be my last chance instead became an audition for more. They asked me to write a crossover with multiple Robert E. Howard characters, which became Conan: Serpent War.

Conan: Serpent War, my first attempt at a ‘Howardverse.’

I envisioned multiple crossover mini-series over multiple years, a pulp epic that would incorporate as many of Robert E. Howard’s creations as possible, but it ended up being only 4-issues with a teaser at the end showing Kull the Conqueror.

Jason Aaron was writing the flagship monthly Conan series and was known for doing long runs on characters so I thought it could be many years before I might get the chance to write Conan again. Instead, Jason only had 12 issues planned so Marvel was almost immediately looking for a new writer.

I was offered the Conan flagship monthly series and my first issue, Conan the Barbarian #13, came out in February 2020.

After two issues, Marvel halted publishing on almost all their titles due to the pandemic and we were caught in that deep freeze midway through my first story arc. After an 8 month gap, Conan the Barbarian #15 came out in December 2020 and, with the world understandably focused on more important things, we lost most of our sales momentum. I managed to hold on for 9 more issues, but the Marvel series came to an end with Conan the Barbarian #25 in September 2021.

My first two and last two Conan the Barbarian issues at Marvel: 2020 and 2021.

I never had the chance to do any signings or conventions as the series came out during lockdown, leaving me with a weird feeling like it all happened in a dream. Fred Malmberg was sorry I didn’t get to go further and told me to stay in touch.

5 months later in February 2022, Fred told me they were negotiating a creative partnership with Titan Books and looking for pitches to relaunch Conan. It would be a “bake-off” competition with multiple writers. I told my wife I probably wasn’t even going to submit a pitch because there was no way I’d get it. No one would want a new Conan series written by the same guy who just did it and it didn’t sell. She bristled at how quickly I was giving up.

“Well, you’re definitely not getting it with an attitude like that.”

At the same time, Roberto de la Torre reached out to me after I bought a commission piece from him and we started chatting over Facebook Messenger. He’d gained a cult following amongst dedicated Conan fans for his stunning Hyborian Age commissions and had drawn a couple stories for Marvel but hoped to do more. Rob and I started talking about possibly doing a creator-owned series together, essentially doing a Conan-style pastiche.

A few days later, I put together an unusual pitch for Heroic Signatures/Titan: Things I’d learned about Conan and the fanbase, what seemed to be missing, and a plan for the future. It involved an olive branch for lapsed fans and a way for new readers to get on board.

To my absolute surprise, Fred put his chips on me. My pitch was the one they approved. I knew we were starting on our backfoot and had a lot to prove to a fanbase that, at best, thought they knew what my Conan would be like. We needed an undeniable artist to launch the series and Rob was it.

We waited until Free Comic Book Day May 2023 to relaunch. That gave fans time to miss the book, time for research, and time to build a publishing buffer on an ambitious monthly title.

Conan the Barbarian #1 arrived August 2023 and the New Age of High Adventure has been roaring ever since.

Conan the Barbarian (2023) #1-4: Bound in Black Stone

I was promised 12 issues to establish a new baseline for the Conan publishing line and, when we hit multiple printings on #1-4, we negotiated a longer contract to deliver a much larger version of the ‘Howardverse’ plan I had in mind back during Serpent War.

I proposed a 3-year/36-issue plan, and each year would culminate in an event.

When I verbally pitched the bi~ig story, they told me it was too much for 36 issues and wouldn’t have enough room to breath.

“How about 4 years instead?”

Since that would be a 48-issue commitment, I said we might as well round it up to 50 and, thankfully, they agreed.

This week, CONAN: TIDES OF THE TYRANT-KING #1 arrives in stores. It’s the third of four pillar event mini-series that make up the mythic story arc we’ve had in the works for a long, long time.

Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #1-4 connected variant covers by Jesús Merino.

Conan the Barbarian has changed the course of my creative career in ways I never could have imagined.

So few people get to write these iconic characters and no one gets a second shot at it after the first time failed. That it happened at all is unreal, and the second chance being a hit is impossible squared.

I got hit by lightning twice and caught it in the bottle on the second strike.

Cimmerian September Delivers Big Adventure


Last week, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #16 arrived in stores and the response was strong.

This week, CONAN: TIDES OF THE TYRANT-KING #1 arrives and Thulsa Doom’s evil returns.

Next week, CONAN THE BARBARIAN #35 arrives, continuing our swashbuckling Cursed Shores Beyond story arc.

If you’re not already reading, make sure you get caught up with this year’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY issue (which is also free online) and see what all the excitement is about.

Awesome Comics Conversation

I spoke to Vince, Tony, and Dan at the Awesome Comics Podcast all about writing Conan the Barbarian, channeling the source material, reigniting the core fanbase, inspiration, and upcoming plans for our “Howardverse.” Give it a listen!

A New D&D Comic Series

As the guy who’s written more D&D comics than anyone else, take my word for it- Dark Horse’s new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS comic series that launches in November starts the adventure strong!

Written by my friends Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, it’s ambitious, fun, and uses both lore and legendary characters with the confidence of a veteran Dungeon Master bursting with inspiration.

Today is the last day you can pre-order the first issue at your local comic retailer, so don’t miss out.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Oct 8-10, 2026 New York Comic Con New York, NY, USA
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• A couple weeks ago, I linked to an overview of Nate Simpson‘s comic Nonplayer and the way it lost momentum, so it’s only fair that I should also link to Nate’s personal reply to that video, talking about the work, his career, things he’s learned and hopes for the future.

• Sonny Hurrell‘s recipe for NY Halal Cart-style Chicken and Rice popped up in my feed, I made it and it was absolutely amazing. I can count on one hand the number of times Stacy has finished eating dinner before me and she absolutely wolfed down this dish. I didn’t make the spicy red sauce covered in the video (I swapped in sriracha), but if you’re not down for spiciness just skip that step and you’ll be golden. Highly recommended!

Jim

Savage Sword of Conan #16 Reviews

Posted by on September 21, 2026 1 comment

SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #16 kicks off the TIDES OF THE TYRANT-KING event with 3 stories that tie into the big story. Working with Nicola Scott, Chris Campana, and Sean Izaakse was amazing. Let’s see what the critics thought-

• Comic Book Clique: 9/10 “Jim Zub brings the same strong Howardian voice to all three of these stories that he does the ongoing Conan series each month…If the intent of this issue was to get readers hyped for the event, I can say that it definitely worked on me”

• Comic Crusaders: 9/10 “Savage Sword should feel like opening a forbidden drawer full of maps, monsters, doomed men, dangerous women, and stories somebody definitely told you not to read before bed. Issue #16 gets that vibe. It is muscular without becoming brainless, reverent toward Howard without becoming trapped by him, and visually varied without losing the magazine’s identity.”

• Comic Culture: “This is a great foundational book for things to come over in Conan proper…Savage Sword of Conan is one of the best books out right now.”

• Cupcake Comic Reviews: “One of my favorite titles out there…Jim Zub doing what Jim Zub does best, which is staying savage on this book. He’s killing every single issue.”

• The Dragon’s Cache: 9.8/10 “Nicola Scott steeps her epic scenes and heartfelt recollections with shades of gray, lending depth and reality to her art in The Savage Sword of Conan #16.”

• Eternal Crusader: “A strong companion piece to Tides of the Tyrant King…Zub’s Conan can always be more than blood, steel, and pulp spectacle when he decides to dig a little deeper and explore the humanity behind it all.”

• Fanlight Zone: 10/10 “Love it, absolutely love it. Jim Zub doing the best work of his career on this character…It is the combination of great art, great story, great character – It all comes together in one kick-ass package. What more could you want?”

• Gaming Trend: 8/10 “This jumbo-sized issue serves as a perfect prequel to Tides of the Tyrant King, with the trio of stories beautifully showcasing the ongoing machinations of Thulsa Doom while also establishing compelling new characters that promise to play big roles in the miniseries.”

• Gary B The Casual Comic Guy: “This is a A+ issue. There is a lot of greatness here. All the stories are a lot of fun and just as good the second time around reading them. They just really suck you in. And what Jim Zub does is fantastic. “

• Goodreads: 9/10 “This is clearly a setup issue, but it did exactly what it needed to do: delivered some great sword-and-sorcery fun and made me even more excited for what comes next.”

• Kabooooom: 10/10 “Zub’s stories are as engaging as ever and he is well-matched by his artistic collaborators. More than any writer to dabble in the Hyborian Age, Zub goes beyond emulating Howard’s style and truly expands his creations.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “I got more than expected. I am a sucker for black and white, especially on newsprint. The two tie in stories were fantastic and I am excited for the new series to begin…Overall, I am adding yet another Conan to my pull list from here on.”

• Lord Samper’s Library: “Jim Zub’s storytelling is as near as dammit masterful; re-establishing the legend of Conan, showing the bitterness that grows in those shadows and introducing a villain for the cross-over event, all at once…Savage Sword of Conan continues to get on with doing exactly what the original series did so well, telling gripping sword & sorcery tales and making sure that Conan remains as iconic as he always has been.”

• Major Spoilers: “I really like the black and white art. It is very conducive to this kind of pulp story and an anthology series…Jim Zub’s writing is really great. He understands the characters, the settings. He knows what he wants to do.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “All three stories were penned by Jim Zub and pretty decent, all three of them. You can see how he’s going to set up this new mini-series. The main story arc was drawn by Nicola Scott. Pretty decent art and I really liked that.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: 8/10 “I love how Jim Zub is not just taking Conan and polishing him off and bringing him fresh and exciting for a new generation of fans and appeasing the older generation of fans, but also putting the spotlight on some of the lesser known characters from the Howardverse.”

• Stygian Dogs: “The more I think about the story, the more I love it. It’s a success from both the writer and the artist…What else can be said? It’s just awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Add in three tremendous pin-ups and an exciting art contest and the issue is an absolute winner. A must read prior to next week’s release of the excellent Conan Tides of the Tyrant King #1.”

Zubby Newsletter #173: Quite Cromulent

Posted by on September 16, 2026 No comments

I drew Conan on a coffee cup at Ottawa Comiccon.

Ottawa Comiccon was a nice time, much more relaxed than the hustle and bustle of Fan Expo Canada, but that’s okay. I saw some family and friends, met a bunch of readers who hadn’t headed south for the big show, and chatted all about story ideas and creative consistency with Stacy as we made the trek to and from our nation’s capital.

We drove home Sunday night to make sure we were ready to start the week on a productive note, busting away on writing deadlines. There’s a lot to get done between now and Canadian Thanksgiving, and my To-Do List will prove critical over the next 3 weeks.

Savage Sword of Conan #16 cover by Joe Jusko.

In stores today: SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #16, our Tides of the Tyrant-King tie-in issue and I wrote it all! 64 pages of magazine-sized, black & white bombast, 3 tales ready to pounce with powerful pulpy panels from 3 potent partners:

• Nicola Scott unleashes dark visions of Conan’s past, including a moment readers didn’t realize was happening between the panels of Bound in Black Stone.

• Chris Campana brings his crisp storytelling in a supernatural-sent sequel to the Robert E. Howard cowboy classic The Vultures of Wahpeton.

• Sean Izaakse shows us a wondrous hidden side of Zuleika, the quiet servant girl in Robert E. Howard’s famous weird tale Skull-Face.

Getting to build and deliver another exciting ‘Howardverse’ event with our team is a joy. I’m neck-deep in research reading right now for my late 2027 story outlines and it’s both intimidating and amazing to realize that Conan the Barbarian #45-50 and our fourth event mini-series will bring all these threads together soon.

An excerpt from my intro in Savage Sword of Conan #16.

Watch the Comic Watchers

I spoke to Chad and Matt at Comic Watch all about our Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King event mini-series, writing different eras of the Cimmerian, procedural characters, pacing out stories and “the promise of the premise”, working with top-notch artists, working on long term storytelling, and more!

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Thrilled to announce that I will be at this year’s New York Comic Con from Thursday to Saturday – set up in Artist Alley, moderating several panels, and making a big new project announcement! I wasn’t sure I was going to be at the show at all, but now I’m there in a big way and it’s going to be packed.

Oct 8-10, 2026 New York Comic Con New York, NY, USA
Oct 15-18, 2026 Gamehole Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• Andy Belanger and Karl Kerschl have been doing a series of videos titled Falling In Love With Comics Again on their Lethal Comics newsletter and they’re great. Their excitement for classic comics is infectious and it does exactly what the title promises, reminding me why this medium grabbed my attention and has never let go.

Jim