Zubby Newsletter #144: Down With the Mad King

Posted by Jim Zub on January 27, 2026 Leave a comment (0) Go to comments

This week’s CONAN THE BARBARIAN #28 feels strangely appropriate to the mood out there-

Conan of Cimmeria and his forces fight a desperate battle against the oppressive Mad King Numedides of Aquilonia and only one will survive their final confrontation! If you love epic swords & sorcery or ever wanted to know how Conan became king, do not miss this issue!

A Grand Zubstitution

*With Anthony at the Revue Cinema just before the screening start.*

Saturday night’s Dumpster Raccoon screening of the Director’s Cut of CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990) at the Revue was supposed to be hosted by current Cap comic writer Chip Zdarsky here in Toronto, but he was incredibly sick so I stepped in as his *ahem* Zubstitute.

Back in 2019, Chip subbed in for me at East Coast Comic Expo when I had to attend an Avengers creative summit in New York City. He tweeted that he was the superior “Z” and signed my comics while taking selfies with fans. 8 years later, turnabout was fair play as I signed a bunch of his Captain America #1’s sent as giveaways to the screening.

*A 100% genuine “Chip” signature – Worth big money!*

Big thanks to Anthony Oliveira for bringing me on board and the crowd for being good sports about it all. America is a terrifying mess right now, but the dream can endure if patriots keep fighting for it.

(Want more info on the 1990 Captain America movie? Secret Galaxy has a solid overview of its production woes and how the Director’s Cut completely changes the film.)

A Most MADdening Situation

*Zub and Ramon at this Year’s RAID Holiday Party.*

Speaking of his Chipness, Zdarsky invited me to be a part of his guest edited April Fool’s Day issue of MAD Magazine called MAD ABOUT DC. I teamed up with my friend Ramon Perez on a brand new SPY VS SPY comic strip called GUY VS SPY with Green Lantern vet Guy Gardner squaring off against the pair of infamously hapless espionage agents.

As one of the millions of kids who grew up reading MAD Magazine and was changed by the way it playfully ripped the veil off pop culture and politics, it’s a rush to contribute to this issue, especially on Spy VS Spy, one of the most iconic features. Make sure you pre-order this special, as it’s jam-packed with comic talent.

Back in the Fight

*Street Fighter Masters: Elena cover art by Jeff “Chamba” Cruz.*

Delayed several times but now finally in comic shops, the STREET FIGHTER MASTERS: ELENA one-shot is a throwback to my favorite fighting game franchise, reuniting characters I enjoyed writing back in 2010!

Ibuki and Makoto head to Africa to visit Elena and tournament-laden trouble ensues, with pulse-pounding artwork by Genzoman and Jeffrey “Chamba” Cruz!

Double-Zubble on Free Comic Book Day!

*Two Zub-Written Free Comic Book Day Titles Coming in 2026!*

It’s rare having one release on Free Comic Book Day, but this year readers will be see Double-Zubble as I have two free books available Saturday, May 2nd!

Titan Comics unleashes our CONAN: TIDES OF THE TYRANT-KING Prelude, foreshadowing the return of Thulsa Doom, Necromancer of Ancient Atlantis, and UDON asked me to do some epic scripting on their Manga Classics take on JOURNEY TO THE WEST, an anime action-adventure version of the famous Chinese fables.

UDON just sent out their press release about Journey to the West HERE and it contains more info and preview artwork. I’ll have a lot more to cover on Tides in the coming weeks.

Happy Birthday, REH!

Last week, the Robert E. Howard Foundation celebrated Bob’s 120th birthday with readings of poems and story excerpts. I was honored to be in this year’s line-up alongside other authors, literary scholars, pulp researchers, and lifelong fans. Check it out and raise a glass to the man and his work:

Hugo Eligible

It’s that time of year when Worldcon members get their registration finalized (the registration deadline is January 31st, 2026) and think about which titles they will nominate for the Hugo Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in fiction. Stacy and I attended Worldcon in Seattle last year and it was an absolute whirlwind of panels, parties and time well spent with some of our favorite people in the business.

It can be an odd balance when it comes to making sure members are aware of work without coming across like you’re sucking up, but in this case I feel a deep need to beat the drum, so here we go-

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #25, “The Nomad” is a heck of an achievement. It took almost a year for Alex Horley to traditionally oil paint 38 pages of stunning sword & sorcery imagery and I did everything in my power to summon lyrical narration and dialogue to live up to those visuals. It’s a self-contained story about legacy, loss, and survival – poetry amidst pain. It’s one of the best comics I’ve ever worked on and the response from readers and reviewers was top notch.

If the Worldcon membership considers The Nomad worthy of nomination for Best Graphic Story or Comic and Alex Horley for Best Professional Artist, our whole team would be thrilled.

Anyone can join the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), even if you’re not attending this year’s event in Los Angeles in person, and a $50 base membership allows you to nominate up to five titles/people in all 17 award categories and vote on winners once the Hugo nomination ballot is ready. Get involved and nominate your favorites!

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #27 – released Dec 17.
Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #4 – released Jan 7.
Conan the Barbarian vol. 6: A Nest of Serpents – released Jan 7.
Conan the Barbarian #28 – releases Jan 28.
Conan the Barbarian #29 – releases Feb 11.
Skullkickers: Compact Attack Edition Vol. 1 – releases Feb 17.
Conan the Barbarian 30 – releases Mar 11.
Skullkickers: Compact Attack Edition Vol. 2 – releases Mar 17.
Mad About DC – releases Apr 1.
Skullkickers: Compact Attack Edition Vol. 3 – releases Apr 21.
Conan the Barbarian #31 – releases Apr 22.

Upcoming Appearances

More shows have popped up on my Spring schedule:

Feb 14-16, 2026	Fan Expo Vancouver	Vancouver, BC, CANADA
Mar 5-8, 2026	Emerald City Comic Con	Seattle, WA, USA
Apr 23-26, 2026	Calgary Expo	Calgary, AB, CANADA