Zubby Newsletter #180: The Needs of November

Posted by on November 3, 2026 No comments
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #37 cover by Roberto De La Torre

Good luck to my friends south of the border. I don’t want to Hopescroll or Doomscroll today, I need to focus my attention on the tasks in front of me I can affect and see how it all goes.

October ended strong, as Stacy and I have both been blasting away on writing deadlines and even started working out again. As much as I enjoy traveling and seeing people at conventions, I have to admit that a solid rhythm of work, play, and cooking here at home has been good for my brain and body.

Canadian Thanksgiving was almost a month ago, and this year it generated a series of thankful ripples I’ve been benefiting from lately. Good thoughts and observations. Grateful moments and reminders.

I’ve been writing comics for 20 years (my first professional writing credit was in 2006) and I’m happy to say that it still feels wonderful and surreal. Of course there are stressful days and frustrating projects but, on the whole, the positives absolutely body slam the negatives.

When I was co-writing Avengers, a close industry friend asked if I was still enjoying the work, if it was still fun. The question really surprised me – Yes, it was great.

Then they told me that the whole time they were writing [top tier Marvel/DC book] they hated it. It was way too stressful and the creative team was out of sync. They never felt comfortable with the series and couldn’t stop worrying about whether they could leverage that title to get something bigger or better.

That conversation helped remind me that who you’re working with matters just as much as what you’re working on. The importance of finding a working environment with strong communication and support that empowers the creative team to swing for the fences.

It also reminded me to celebrate the now instead of pining too much for what might come next. Make each current project the best I can and build strong relationships that can fuel future collaborations. Enjoying being part of a team, interacting with excited readers, and the legacy I get to be part of. Those aspects help pick me back up when there are setbacks or frustrations and refill my creative batteries, month after month.

I hope your November is reflective and gratifying. I also hope you get to enjoy some fine Fall weather. Autumn in Toronto this year has been spectacular-

Podcast Two-Fer


I’m on the latest episode of X-Men Horoscopes, chatting all about the craft of writing comics, the industry, and analysis of X-Men #99, the issue that came out closest to the month I was born.

And then, over on ‘Is That Some Kind of Japanimation Thing?‘‘s Halloween Special, Scott Wachter, Justin Mohareb and I chat about the original Vampire D movie from 1985 – The source material, the animation, and weird creative choices behind this particular adaptation.

Savage Sword Art Contest

Heroic Signatures has an art contest going right now in Savage Sword of Conan magazine that runs until November 15th. The selected winner will have their art in Savage Sword of Conan #18, arriving in early 2027, and also receive a full year of Conan comics. Check the site for all the details.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• My friend and former colleague Rui Albino has created his own tabletop roleplaying game called Seas of Infinity and it’s crowdfunding over on Kickstarter right now, so go check it out.

• My friends and gaming buddies Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing have been profiled by Men’s Health magazine, talking about the way they met and how they collaborate when co-writing on projects.

• Nomad Over Normal built a website called the Nomad Library where you can search your local library’s video collection as a way to cut down reliance on streaming video subscriptions and it’s pretty amazing.

Jim

Conan the Barbarian #36 Reviews

Posted by on November 2, 2026 No comments

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #36 arrived in stores last week, wrapping up our Cursed Shores Beyond story arc of supernatural pirate adventure. What did the critics think?

• 9 Panel Grid: “My god, it’s so good. Fernando Dagnino is one of the absolute best artists to take on the Conan property. I love the way that he’s rendering the action…If you’re not reading everything in the Conan world, I think you’re missing out on a lot of great comics.”

• Comic Culture: “It’s been one of the most consistent books on the shelf for over three years now. It’s been incredible. There’s not a single dud issue…It’s one of my favorite books on the shelf, month over month. You’ve got to be reading this one.”

• Comic Patrol: “This is maybe my favorite issue yet…It’s so well written, it’s so much fun and the book swings for the fences.”

• Comical Opinions: 9.5/10 “Banger among bangers. Jim Zub calls upon all his mortal powers to deliver a hammer blow of a finale to the arc…The art has to do a lot of heavy lifting to portray an eldritch being from beyond, making it tangible and intimidating while partly ethereal. Dagnino meets the task handily, with disturbing creature designs and a final battle that brims with mystical energy, clashing steel, and pulse-pounding visuals.”

• Doc Lail Talks Comics: “The level of love and support and understanding that Jim Zub has of the character of Conan is second only to Robert E. Howard, and the love and respect he shows the property can’t be denied.”

• Eternal Crusader: “By the time I reached the final page, I was left with a big, satisfied grin on my face. And honestly, that’s a pretty rare occurrence for me when reading comics. A major triumph in an already excellent Conan the Barbarian run!”

• Fanlight Zone: 10/10 “This is top-tier comic book work. This is a legendary run in the making that you’re reading in your hands, what it must have felt like reading Frank Miller’s Daredevil or something like that, where you know you’re reading something that will stand the test of time. An amazing book and it has been for 36 issues now.”

• Gary B the Casual Comic Guy: “The panel work in this particular issue is incredible and I’m going to be singing Dagino’s praises because everything he’s been doing through this arc has been fantastic…An A+ issue.”

• Goodreads: 10/10 “What a great end to this arc. I loved how Zub tied this back to Conan slaying Thulsa Doom, then brought those consequences into a story full of eldritch horror…Dagnino makes the sword fights and monstrous horror look fantastic, and I had a blast watching Conan fight his way through it all.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 10/10 “The battle is epic and worthy of legend. This is the kind of issue you give to a friend and say ‘Don’t worry about the story so far. Just read this.'”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “What Jim Zub does perfectly in this issue is take a story I thought was just a nice fun throwaway Conan tale and have it be an integral part of the entire tapestry built up across different stories, different eras, different characters into this giant Conan epic he’s been building ever since his first issue.”

• Thinking Critical: “Typically when you do recaps to an event inside an issue, it can be handled haphazardly, but here it’s incredibly well done…Strongest recommendations, my Pick of the Week and will be in the running for Series of the Year.”

Zubby Newsletter #179: Cursed Shores Climax

Posted by on October 27, 2026 No comments
Amazing Conan the Barbarian #36 art by Fernando Dagnino and colorist Diego Rodriguez.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #36 arrives in stores tomorrow, bringing our Cursed Shores Beyond story arc to a climactic conclusion. I wanted this storyline to channel classic Robert E. Howard pirate-swashbuckling with a supernatural twist, while also tying into the larger metaplot that’s been building since the start of the series. If we do our jobs right, each arc up until this point can stand on its own as a worthy adventure but also keeps building on the whole, rewarding readers who have stuck with us throughout.

Keeping that momentum going, Graphic Policy just posted covers and preview pages for CONAN THE BARBARIAN #37, kicking off our next arc called Pacts & Prophecies. A younger and more brash Conan, fresh from his caper in the Tower of the Elephant, tries to navigate newfound infamy in a city where everyone works an angle. Ivan Gil, our stellar artist from last year’s Scourge of the Serpent mini-series, is on board delivering stunning locales and big action.

In terms of story planning, all of 2027 is outlined and ready to roll, including epic story arcs and plot revelations we’ve been building toward for four years. The big thing that’s changing with the series is that once issue #41 hits we’ll be referencing a lot of my past stories, bringing together story threads from almost every arc and event up until that point, so now is a really good time to get caught up with trades or back issues so you’re ready for every explosive moment we have coming up.

Old Enough to Drive


Stacy and I celebrated 16 years married last Friday. It was a nice little night out – dinner and a couple drinks at spots we like with a quiet walk home, chatting about where we’re at and what’s coming up in the year ahead. We both love Autumn weather in the city, cool enough that you need a couple layers but still nice enough to wander without feeling too hot or too cold.

I’ve mentioned it several times, but I never thought I was the “marrying type”. When I was younger, I couldn’t foresee myself even settled in a long-term relationship, so having Stacy in my life is one of the most wonderful and rewarding aspects of getting older.

Compounding Interests

The Call of Cthulhu Live game I played in Madison, Wisconsin with the Glass Cannon Network a couple weeks ago premiered on YouTube last night. It was a blast being on stage alongside Jared Logan, Skid Maher, Erik Mona, Joe O’Brien, and Keeper Troy Lavallee. I played Father Giuseppe Carbone, a Catholic Priest from the rough side of Brooklyn. Check it out!

Following directions from the mysterious Quiet Horizons organization, five investigators enter a Manhattan bank intending to open a safety deposit box, take its contents, and leave. What could go wrong?

Shadowport Adventure

Also from Madison, a streamed game of Star Wars: Edge of the Empire that I played with Jim “Hawkimir1”, Josh Simons, Fen “Fenacinni”, and Game Master Jay/Neofett3. In this one, I’m playing a human Bounty Hunter named Gav Typhon.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• Brennan Lee Mulligan meets Garth Marenghi for a conversation called Skull Flusher, and it’s just as ridiculous as you might imagine. Garth Marengenghi’s Darkplace mini-series is one of the most amazing parody series I’ve ever seen, perfectly capturing the low budget sci-fi of early 80’s British television in a way that is hilarious and absurd, especially if you grew up on that era of TV. Seeing his blowhard character interacting with Brennan is quite the combination.
Jim

Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #2 Reviews

Posted by on October 26, 2026 No comments

Our latest Conan event mini-series, Tides of the Tyrant-King, just hit the halfway mark with our second issue released last week. What did the critics think? Read on and find out-

• 9 Panel Grid: “I’m really enjoying this. We’re halfway through and I really can’t wait to see where they’re going to take this event and see where it all culminates.”

• Comic Book Clique: “Jesús Merino has a more ‘traditional comic book’ art style—like you would associate with a superhero book. It seems like an odd fit for a modern Conan book, but it works well here…The contrasts between Conan and Steve Costigan are well-presented and drive the story forward.”

• Comic Culture: “As always, Jim has an amazing voice for the character. That narration that’s tried, true, and classic for Conan the Barbarian. The art style is always on point.”

• Comic Patrol: “Jim Zub does a great job writing but the artists really do so much to make these exciting and visually stunning…It’s all handled so expertly, I’m glad a book like this exists where I can enjoy the reading and enjoy the art.”

• Comical Opinions: 8.5/10 “Jim Zub’s eon-spanning tale takes Costigan and Thulsa Doom in interesting directions, and the art team’s delivery is top-notch.”

• Cupcakes Comic Reviews: “If you’re a sword and sorcery guy, this book is totally for you…The artwork is sublime.”

• Fanlight Zone: 9/10 “This run has just been legendary. Jim Zub is absolutely writing his name in stone as one of the best Conan writers ever…The book looks fantastic, the book reads fantastic, and it needs to be on everybody’s pull list.”

• Goodreads: 8/10 “The jumping from one era to another could be a bit jarring but Zub does a good job of mirroring the situations to show a connection beyond just a common evil.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 8/10 “Merino’s art pops. That scene of Stephen looking gaunt really caught my attention only to have him return to full health shortly after that. Great job showing the madness of what’s happening to him.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “Howling Jesús Merino is the artist and I really love his art…I’m curious how it’s all going to culminate and finally wrap up.”

• Stygian Dogs: “There were obviously some great moments and I really do appreciate the imagination that Zub is throwing at his adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s Skull-Face…I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.”

Zubby Newsletter #178: Good Games

Posted by on October 19, 2026 No comments
Swag and badges from Gamehole Con 2026.

We were only home from New York for two days before Stacy and I turned around and drove to Madison, Wisconsin for Gamehole Con XIII. It was one of those things that looked okay on the calendar but in reality was quite the marathon. Thankfully, we made the drive over Tuesday and Wednesday instead of all in one go and slept deeply on both Tuesday and Wednedsay night, giving us much-needed energy to carry through the rest of the week.

I ran multiple sessions of Shadowdark and Conan: The Hyborian Age, and played in games of Call of Cthulhu and Star Wars: Edge of the Empire in between great conversations with gaming industry friends and fans. As both a show and experience, Gamehole is pretty ideal. It’s robust enough that almost everyone in the industry you want to see is there, but still focused on gaming in ways that larger shows like Gen Con struggle with given their size and cost.

The annual Welcome Party at the Free Hold Pub was a highlight, the games I ran went really well, and being on stage with the Glass Cannon crew was extra special (I can’t wait for that video to arrive online so I can share it with all of you).

Tabletop roleplaying games are such an incredible way to bond with friends and strangers and I’m so thankful I get to have these kind of experiences and share them with other people. Spending time together engaging and interacting at the table has enriched my life in countless ways and every time I get to do it again I’m reminded how special it is.

By Sunday morning, Stacy and I had a wonderful time, but also felt current deadlines looming so we hit the road and pushed hard, getting us back home just after midnight. Today has been all about unpacking and reorganizing, hunkering down for an intense sprint of productivity needed between now and the end of the year. We thought about doing a bit more traveling in December but, realistically, I think we need to be here on a more dependable schedule to bring 2026 to a proper close and prepare for an intense 2027.

Stacy and I with Alex Kammer, the founder of Gamehole Con.

Solid Bronze

Dan Yergert of The Conan Chronology has put together an impressive rundown of the original 275 issues of CONAN THE BARBARIAN published by Marvel that includes thoughts and anecdotes from creators who worked on it then and others who carry on the legacy now. It was a blast to be a small part of this retrospective.

Dungeon Dudes in the Hyborian Age – Part 3

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 and they finally posted up the final part of the adventure – Enjoy!

If you missed the other two parts, here they are: PART 1 and PART 2.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Nov 12-15, 2026 D&D Weekend Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027 Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Philadelphia, PA, USA

Other Links

• Earlier this summer I decided I wanted to move away from the Playstation ecosystem and ordered an Ayn Odin 3 handheld and dock that finally arrived a couple weeks ago. With my current work schedule I haven’t had much time to pour into it, but even just the initial set-up and testing has been fantastic, especially with the arrival of the Droid Deck app to turn this Android powerhouse into a miniature Steam Deck. I have a slew of Steam games I’ve picked up on sales over the years that I’ve never played or finished and am looking forward to delving into those and other titles in the weeks and months ahead, especially since I can now seamlessly play them on my TV or while on the go.

Jim

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.”

• Conan iAm: 9.6/10 “I think this is brilliant. This shows that rare emotional resonance that hasn’t been done since Howard, or at least since Roy Thomas adapted Red Nails. Here it is. This may be the issue of the year.”

• 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.”

• Dragon’s Cache: 9.8/10 “Conan is only a man. Yet his fierce determination to survive and his preternatural fighting abilities have seen him surmount overwhelming odds.”

• 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.”

• Goodreads: 10/10 “I loved the story, loved the art, and loved how hard this leans into the horror side of sword and sorcery. One of those issues where everything comes together and I’m just having an amazing time reading it. Peak Conan.”

• 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.”

• Lord Samper’s Library: “It says a lot more about the Hyborian Age when others can take centre stage and hold their own. Zub and Dagnino do a great job of that here…Everything is set up nicely for #36, I’m looking forward to it already.”

• 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.”

• Sci-Fi Pulse: 9.7/10 “This is perhaps the strongest issue of this particular story arc to date…Rodriguez really knocks it out of the park. The panels depicting the swordfight between Valeria and Morley are lush. The issue closes with a brilliant cliffhanger”

• 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.”

• Unc Blerd: ” I love so much what Jim Zub is doing with this run, giving us a barbarian that is not just barbaric, but smart and cunning.”