The Dig Dug 30th Anniversary one-shot web comic strip I collaborated with Chamba on is now up at ShiftyLook!

Just as he does with our work together on Sky Kid, Chamba’s natural sense of appealing design and storytelling really propels my script to new levels. He is unbelievably skilled. I love working with him on projects.

I was interviewed on the Panel Culture podcast and over the interview we talk about online comics, writing technique, creator-owned comics, upcoming projects and a whole lot more.

Now that the news about me writing the upcoming Pathfinder comic series for Dynamite and Paizo has gone far and wide, I figured it was a good time to update my blog with some thoughts about the series and my overall plans.

For anyone who’s not aware, Pathfinder is an award-winning tabletop role-playing game and fiction setting that grew from the roots of the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition Open Gaming License. The Pathfinder fanbase is huge, dedicated and loves classic fantasy. Needless to say, with my lifelong love of RPGs and sword & sorcery storytelling, I’m a big fan of it as well.

The iconic characters at the heart of Pathfinder’s setting, a cast of diverse and well designed heroes, have never been fleshed out beyond their appearance and a few sentences about their personality. Paizo and Dynamite have given me the distinct honour of expanding upon that base, building stories of these amazing characters adventuring together and growing as a group.

When I was approached about pitching for the gig, I did some brainstorming and outlined important aspects I’d emphasize if they wanted me at the helm:

• The series had to be non-gamer friendly and work as a self-contained unit. Comic readers and people who have never heard of Pathfinder before should be able to pick up this story and get everything they need to enjoy it on its own merits. This doesn’t mean I intend to ignore the fanbase, not in the slightest, but I wanted to make sure the comic functioned well as an entry point to the world and characters, not just an offshoot of other products.

• Characters come before world-changing plot. As incredibly detailed and impressive Golarian (the world of Pathfinder) is, outside readers won’t give a lick if they don’t get attached to the characters. Making them come alive with personality, entertaining interactions, relationships and engaging goals is paramount to bringing in casual readers and keeping long time fans attached to the series after the initial excitement of new Pathfinder stuff has worn off. Stories grab people, but engaging characters keep fans dedicated to ensemble casts in this vein like the Lord of the Rings, the Dragonlance Chronicles, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Avatar the Last Air Bender.

• It should feel like the best fantasy tabletop role-playing session played out before your eyes on the page – adventure, big action, fun banter and unexpected little turns that keep readers entertained. A mix of swashbuckling-tinged joy and serious stakes as the story moves along.

There was more, but those three points were at the heart of my pitch. If Paizo and Dynamite liked the sound of that, then I was their man. If not, then I wouldn’t be able to put myself into it and it wouldn’t work for me. Thankfully, they loved the sound of everything I proposed and were really in sync with those ideas.

Pathfinder gives me a chance to dig in on a story that balances fun and character-driven storytelling together. It’s classic fantasy with an awareness of modern storytelling sensibilities and strengths. As I write this I have the first story arc all mapped out and I’m scripting issue #3. The character voices are getting stronger as I work away and I’m enjoying writing interplay between the different personalities in the group.

In August you’ll be able to read the first issue and can let me know if I’ve hit the spot with it. Until then, I hope you’re excited and looking forward to the release.

Wonder Momo launches today on Namco Bandai’s ShiftyLook website!

Written by Erik Ko (UDON Chief) and Jim Zub (Street Fighter Legends, Makeshift Miracle) with artwork by UDON mainstay Omar Dogan (Street Fighter Legends, Girl 7), Wonder Momo is an anime/j-pop/sentai mash-up of epic proportions!

Momoko is a young idol hopeful who wants to be famous for singing, dancing and acting, but fate and a bumbling alien have a different role in store for her. Read Wonder Momo twice a week at Shifty Look by bookmarking the site or adding it to your favourite RSS reader!

Another project to announce, what the heck is going on?! You didn’t think I was resting on my laurels, did you?

Today Dynamite Entertainment and Paizo have made it official: I’m the writer of the upcoming Pathfinder fantasy comic series starting in August!

Check out any of the following press sites for preview pages:
The Beat
Bleeding Cool
Comic Book Resources
Comic Buzz
Crave Online
ICV2
Major Spoilers
MTV Geek
Sequential Highway

PATHFINDER, THE BEST-SELLING RPG, IS NOW THE ULTIMATE FANTASTY COMIC BOOK!

CREATIVE TEAM OF JIM ZUB AND ANDREW HUERTA ANNOUNCED!

COMING OUT IN AUGUST FROM DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT!

May 14, 2011, Runnemede, NJ – Paizo’s incredible award-winning, best-selling fantasy world, fiction line and tabletop RPG is now the ultimate fantasy comic from Dynamite Entertainment, hitting stores in August! Dynamite is proud to announce that the ongoing series is written by Jim Zub with art by Andrew Huerta, with covers by Lucio Parillo, Matteo Scalera, Dave Dorman, and Erik Jones!

The iconic heroes at the core of the Pathfinder’s world are brought to life for the first time in a brand new story full of charm and high adventure that will please fans and entertain new readers alike. Issue 1 clocks in at 40 pages (and remains $3.99) and includes over 10 pages of character profiles and Pathfinder RPG game statistics, plus an EXCLUSIVE removable, playable tactical map and poster. Be sure to pick up Pathfinder #1 from Dynamite, coming this August to comic stores everywhere!

In issue #1, Valeros can rely on only his sword arm and his friends, the mysterious and beautiful sorcerer Seoni and silver tongued quick-witted elven rogue Merisiel, but nothing can prepare him for the dangers that lurk ahead. The scattered and chaotic goblin tribes of Varisia are changing, growing in power and unifying in ways no one has ever seen before. At the heart of this strange evolution is an ancient evil looking to establish itself anew.

“Pathfinder has blazed new trails in gaming and fiction, winning over thousands of fans all over the world. I’m absolutely thrilled to add to its mythology and flesh out the iconic characters at the heart of the Galorion world,” says writer Jim Zub. “Sword and sorcery adventure pumps through my veins and I can’t wait for readers to experience what Dynamite and I have planned.”

“I am thrilled with the work Jim Zub and Andrew Huerta have put into the Pathfinder comic book,” adds Paizo Publisher Erik Mona. “Jim and I go way back to my time as Editor-in-Chief of Dragon Magazine, and his experience with fantasy and gaming make him the perfect writer for the series. Andrew’s pencils are absolutely amazing, and bring an exciting and fresh new look to the characters, monsters, and lands of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.”

“From day one of when we were awarded the license for the Pathfinder comic we knew we had only one chance to make a great first impression for Pathfinder and comics fans – Jim and Andrew are the perfect team for the series. It is great to finally have the opportunity to publish these wonderful comics,” adds Dynamite Entertainment President and Publisher Nick Barrucci. ”I also finally get the chance to work with Jim Zub, a writer whom I have the utmost respect for, and Andrew’s art is nothing short of breathtaking. And these covers by Lucio Parillo, Matteo Scalera, Dave Dorman, and Erik Jones are just astounding!”

It’s official! I’m part of a huge group of comic creators participating in Namco-Bandai’s official Dig Dug 30th Anniversary Celebration this summer.

Jeff “Chamba” Cruz and I (the team on Sky Kid) are doing a one-shot comic strip as part of the festivities. It’s going to be a blast.