Author Archives: Jim Zub - Page 5

Zub at Fan Expo Canada 2025!

Posted by Jim Zub on August 20, 2025 No comments

This week is Canada’s biggest pop culture convention, Fan Expo Canada, August 21-24, 2025.
I’m a special guest and will be set up with in the Comic Sketch Art section of Artist Alley at

SOUTH HALL CREATOR TABLE CP70

Since this is my local show, I’ll have quite a few Conan the Barbarian back issues and variant covers so, if you’re on the hunt, feel free to reach out and hopefully I can fill in gaps in your collection and sign them at the same time.

My location is the opposite from last year, down near the food vendors in the exhibit hall:

In addition to being at my table throughout the show, I’m also part of a writing panel on Sunday:

SUNDAY, August 24, 2024
2:00pm-3:00pm – SUPER SUNDAY WRITING FOR COMICS PANEL in THEATRE 3 (701A)
We’ve assembled an all-star panel of comic writers for you this Sunday afternoon to discuss what they are doing and what’s next! Panelists Mark Russell, Ethan Sacks, Frank Tieri and Jim Zub.

Conan the Barbarian #23 Reviews

Posted by Jim Zub on August 18, 2025 3 comments

Conan the Barbarian #23, the third part of our Nest of Serpents arc, arrived in stores. The tension mounts against Stygian sorcery. What did critics think?

• Brother Lore: “Testosterone fiction packed with muscles, swords and sandals, and beautiful women. Fun and absolutely 100% worth it.”

• Comic Book Corner 2.0: “The way Jim Zub writes this book makes you want to read each and every issue because the way he writes is so entertaining. The way he describes Conan and everything that goes on with all the characters in this book is phenomenal. The artwork is amazing…Another top pick, an A+ book for me.”

• Comic Book University: “This is the badass comic of all badass comics…Zub is channeling all of the greats and putting pen to paper just like Howard, just like Thomas, and I love it.”

• Comic Culture: “There are lots of great references pulling characters from past arcs and everything rolling into a really cool story…This continues to be an amazing run. Highly recommended.”

• Comic Patrol: “This may be my favorite issue I’ve read of Conan…Beautiful writing, art, colors, letters – everything working in harmony.”

• Comical Opinions: 8/10 “efficiently advances the plot, setting the stage for a significant confrontation…The visual storytelling remains strong, making this a solid entry in the series.”

• Cool Thunder: 9.5/10 “The storytelling remains sharp and engaging, and Fernando Dagnino’s dynamic line work once again hits the mark…A thrilling chapter in an already stellar run. Conan is still king.”

• The DNA Show: “The stories have been very solid, very enjoyable. Kudos to the team.”

• Dragon’s Cache: 9.8/10 “Fernando Dagnino shows the disparity between rich and poor, Diego Rodriguez paints the night purple on Conan and Zula’s nocturnal adventure.”

• Gaming Trend: 9/10 “High stakes subterfuge combined with just enough action to feel like a Conan story create a compelling tale that sets up exciting things to come.”

• Goodreads: 10/10 “So far nothing has disappointed. This far in, that’s both impressive and still promising.”

• Grimdark Magazine: “…gives readers the Conan and Thoth-Amon encounter they have been waiting for. Zub and Dagnino deliver a briskly paced issue packed with tension and spectacle.”

• Hyborian Reviews: “I definitely think you should pick this one up and continue supporting Titan and Zub’s run, because Conan has not been in such good hands for a long long time.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 9/10 “There are two stunningly gorgeous spread pages that I really just took awhile to soak in. The art in general is exceptional and really sells the dark and dirty atmosphere of Conan.”

• Mighty Thorngren: ” It continues to be my absolute favorite…This issue had a whole lot of action that looked cool as heck.”

• Nerd Initiative: “What more can I come on here and say about this fantastic comic? 23 issues in and every issue is absolutely fantastic. Awesome storytelling, awesome art, awesome action.”

• 9 Panel Grid: “There are moments of brutality that end up showing through here and Dagnino does a great job at conveying those…Conan the Barbarian continues to be a fun journey and I continue to enjoy it.”

• Old Man Hyborian: “Another excellent tale by Jim Zub with solid artwork by Fernando Dagnino. Buy it, read it. You will enjoy it. I look forward to the conclusion of this story arc.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “I love the art in this book. I love the sense that this book knows what it is…It’s just a super solid Conan book and it’s one of the best books on shelves.”

• Professor Frenzy: “I was here for the fantastic artwork. I really liked Diego Rodriguez’s colors on this with the shades of green. We’ve got this like neon green when we see the serpent was really effectively rendered… I enjoyed it, read it, love the art, and I can’t wait for the next book.”

• Scifi Pulse: 9.7/10 “This was a solid issue that builds on last month’s story while once again introducing the deadly Thoth-Amon. The encounter between Conan, Zula, and this formidable sorcerer is brilliantly played out, with genuine moments of tension”

• Stygian Dogs: ” I really enjoyed this issue, as with the previous two, it just feels different. Rewarding. And man, I’m so pleased with Fernando Dagnino’s work…It all feels very refreshing. There’s something in this arc that effectively evokes a sense of nostalgia for the monthly Conan adventures from years past.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “Amazing work by Fernando Dagnino. I love the way he kind of sculpts the muscles of the figures…It was really phenomenal.”

• Two Guys and a Stack of Comics: “Book of the Week…a straightforward sword and sandals story with our favorite barbarian. Great writing and the art always delivers.”

Zubby Newsletter #123: Ready For the World

Posted by Jim Zub on August 12, 2025 No comments

I was home for five days after Gen Con, repacked, and then jumped on a plane. Stacy and I are now in Seattle for Worldcon, the oldest sci-fi and fantasy convention (it started in 1939) that is hosted in a different city each year. Worldcon is a very literary/prose-centric show (which makes sense given that it hosts the Hugo Awards) and we’re curious to see how it will compare to comic and tabletop game conventions we usually attend. I don’t have any kind of table presence at the show, I’m just participating in some panels and looking to socialize and network a bit, so it should feel quite different than a “comic con” kind of weekend.

Before that kicks off though, we have a couple days visiting our friends Jim and Andrea north of the city, which is a nice change of pace. Great conversation, good food, and a quick exhale before I dive into 3 more conventions over 3 weeks.

Power and Influence

*Conan the Barbarian #23 cover art by Greg Staples*

Conan the Barbarian #23 arrives at your favorite local comic shop tomorrow – Wednesday, August 13th. We’ve been teasing Thoth-Amon’s influence in earlier issues, but now our Cimmerian hero confronts the Stygian Grand Sorcerer directly and our art team (line artist Fernando Dagnino and colorist Diego Rodriguez) pulls out all the stops for it. I am ecstatic at how it turned out.

No spoilers, but check out this text-free series of panels to get hyped–

Ridiculous, right?! I am so, so fortunate to be working with this crew and extra proud of how this issue turned out. Make sure you snap it up!

Old World Collectible

In the late 1970’s, readers saw this ad in various Marvel Comics, promoting a map poster and gazetteer of the Hyborian Age they could mail away for. I haven’t managed to track down that classic poster yet, but last week a copy of the gazetteer was added to my growing Conan collection.

*A Gazetteer of the Hyborian World of Conan*

This 132-page softcover includes an alphabetical listing of places mentioned or visted across all the original Robert E. Howard Conan and Kull stories, the adjusted versions by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, and early comic stories by Roy Thomas. Interesting bit of trivia – the book is credited to “Lee N. Falconer”, but that was a pen name for fantasy author Julian May, who was a huge Robert E. Howard fan and researcher.

I’m sure a digital version would work fine as a general reference, but having the physical book on hand is nice to have as I’m plugging away on new stories. It’s also another reminder of the legacy all this stuff carries.

Talking Scourge of the Serpent with The Comic Source

I spoke to Jace over at The Comic Source all about our Scourge of the Serpent event mini-series that will be slithering its way into your soul this Fall. I also cover info on our big 25th issue and tease what’s coming up in issue #29 and beyond.

Celebrating Dungeons & Dragons at SDCC

I didn’t realize that Penguin Random House recorded the Celebrating Dungeons & Dragons panel I was on at San Diego this year. So many great anecdotes and heartfelt moments here worth sharing. Such a pleasure getting to be a part of this.

Dungeons & Dragons continues its monumental rise in pop culture after 50 years! With more people rolling dice and telling stories every day, come hear from expert Dungeon Masters and Storytellers who share how Dungeons & Dragons has secured its place in society and the tabletop. Anjali Bhimani (Actor, DesiQuest, Critical Role, Dimension 20), Elisa Teague (Game Designer & Writer) Teagan Morrison (Co-Founder, Hero Forge), Jim Zub (Writer, Dungeons & Dragons) and Moderator Ross Thompson.

Fantasy Art For The Ages

Max Dunbar is a dear friend and has been a steady collaborator with me on a bunch of projects over the years, most notably Dungeons & Dragons, Castle Arkham, and Champions. He’s crowdfunding a new artbook of his fantasy art with Zoop, jam-packed with some of the most stunning characters and locations I have ever seen. If you are a sword & sorcery or D&D fan you NEED to get on board and secure yourself a copy!

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #22 – released July 9th.

Conan the Barbarian #23 – releases August 13th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 5: Twisting Loyalties – releases August 20th.

Swords & Larceny – releases September 2nd.

Savage Sword of Conan #10 – releases September 3rd.

Conan the Barbarian vol.1-3 Slipcase Set – releases September 10th.

Predator: Black, White & Blood #3 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian #24 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 1: Bound in Black Stone Deluxe HC – releases September 16th.

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #1 – releases September 24th.

Conan the Barbarian #25 – releases October 8th.

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #2 – releases October 29th.

Upcoming Appearances

Aug 13-17, 2025	World Con	Seattle, WA, USA
Aug 21-24, 2025	Fan Expo Canada	Toronto, ON, CANADA
Aug 28-Sep 1, 2025	Dragon Con	Atlanta, GA, USA
Sep 27-28, 2025	Chattanooga Comic Con	Chattanooga, TN, USA
Oct 16-19, 2025	Gamehole Con XII	Madison, WI, USA
Nov 3-14, 2025	D&D in a Castle	Newcastle, UK
Nov 15-16, 2025	Thought Bubble	Harrogate, UK

Zub at Worldcon 2025!

Posted by Jim Zub on August 11, 2025 No comments

Stacy and I are heading to Seattle for Worldcon 82, the longest-running sci-fi and fantasy convention that is hosted in a different city each year and is home to the Hugo Awards. It’s our first time attending Worldcon and we’re eager to see how it compares to comic and tabletop gaming conventions we go to.

We won’t have a homebase at the show, so the best way to find us will be at social events and panels. If you’ll be at Worldcon, feel free to reach out and, if you see us wandering the exhibits or showfloor, say “Hi”.

Thursday, August 14
3:00-4:00pm – A Welcome Reprieve – Room 433-434
In challenging times, fantasy stories offer solace. Join our panelists in a discussion on the qualities of escapism and how fantasy stories can comfort, support, and inspire their audiences. Moderator Casey Blair with speakers Caitlin Rozakis, D. Wes Rist, and Jim Zub.

Friday, August 15
9:00-10:00am – The Indie Comics Panel: The Big 25% – Room 431-432
The “Big Two” comic book publishers control 75% of the market and get plenty of attention. If you’re curious about who makes up the independent comics market and where you fit in as a fan, this might be the panel for you! Panelists Howard Tayler, Kel McDonald, Neil Ottenstein, Rob McMonigal and Jim Zub.

Saturday, August 16
1:30-2:30pm – Writing Comics and Graphic Novels – Room 343-344
Comics are bigger than ever and the publishing industry is wild for graphic novels and manga, but writing a comic story is its own skill – different from prose and different from writing a screenplay. Gain valuable insight about the comics medium – pitching, script formatting, collaborating with artists, and common pitfalls many new comic writers make as they get their start. Moderator Moriko Handford, with speakers G. Willow Wilson, Jim Zub, Kel McDonald, and Ryan North.

3:00-4:00pm – Table Talks – Room 430
Have an intimate discussion (up to six participants) with your favorite creators. Advance sign-up is required. Ray Nayler, Jim Zub, Meghan Lancaster, Moriko Handford, Jason Sanford, Terilee Edwards-Hewitt.

Zubby Newsletter #122: A Real Sell Out

Posted by Jim Zub on August 6, 2025 No comments

Gen Con 2025 happened, of that I am certain, but the speed with which it shot past us was awe-inspiring. After getting home from San Diego, I had one day to reorganize and repack before we were on the road, driving to Indianapolis. Stacy and I did the trek to Indy over two days, stopping midway and heading to a screening of Fantastic Four: First Steps (which was wonderful – brimming with retro-future fare, big ideas, and even bigger hearts) before the “Best Four Days in Gaming” kicked off with aplomb.

The show was completely sold out and the crowd was hungry for new games and stories. I thought we had enough Conan the Barbarian books for the entire weekend, but by first thing Saturday morning we’d blown through every Conan trade and variant our booth had in stock. We could have gone double or triple in terms of inventory, which is a bit head-spinning.

Other highlights included:

• Big social energy at the Diana Jones Party, which acts as the unofficial Welcome Party for Gen Con.
• Attending the memorial panel for my friend Howard Andrew Jones and telling the crowd there about our time together at Robert E. Howard Days in 2024.
• Hanging out with the D&D in a Castle crew at their posh Airbnb, chatting about business, storytelling, and future plans.
• An amazing dinner with Kandrix, Lindsey, and Andrea at Commission Row.
• Old school webcomic nostalgia with Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade.
• Attending the Chaosium 50th Anniversary party to celebrate Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, and more.
• Dinner with the Ten Speed-Random House team at the Rathskeller pub, including the spiciest mustard I have ever tasted.
• Playing the ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing with the Glass Cannon Network crew in their Marvel Multverse RPG live game, injecting as many old school comic-isms into my dialogue as possible and saving H.E.R.B.I.E. from disaster.
• Having a mutual fan moment with Kevin Siembieda, creator of Palladium Books and a slew of games I grew up on, including TMNT, Robotech, Beyond the Supernatural, and Rifts.
• Building more memories with Howard, Sandra, Darrin, and the rest of our Gen Con booth family.

*A wonderful chat with Kevin Siembieda.*

It came up over and over again in conversation – When I was a kid I heard about Gen Con by seeing ads for it in Dragon Magazine or reading articles about book launches and game demos. Getting to attend the show once would have been a dream back then. Having a booth year after year and being part of the tabletop gaming industry is such a surreal and amazing thing. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!

A Book of Many Patterns

Speaking of Gen Con, over the weekend Ten Speed Press revealed the cover and details for Stacy’s latest book which arrives March next year – It’s called Dungeons & Dragons Crochet: A Book of Many Patterns!

Nerdist had the exclusive reveal and the article exploded on social media, with gamers and yarn weavers alike getting really excited about the variety and quality of the designs being shown so far. I had no idea that so many tabletop gamers crochet while they play, and this is really hitting the spot for them. Stacy wrote all the descriptve and fiction sections and wove in tons of deep cut references from old and new D&D lore. I can’t wait for people to see how well put together all of it is.

The D&D Crochet book is a lot of fun and going to make a wonderful gift, so make sure you pre-order now!

Local Comic Shop Day Special

*Kull and Brule are transformed into Serpent Men!*

Saturday, September 27 2025 is Local Comic Shop Day and, to help encourage readers to head to their favorite local comic shop, Titan is putting out a special front-and-back variant cover for CONAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT #1, with stunning linework by Rob De La Torre.

Make sure you let your favorite comic store know before August 18th if you want one so they can put in the order and put your copy aside! I suspect this will be the rarest cover for the event.

SDCC Interview Marathon

On Friday during San Diego Comic Con, editor Chris Butera and I ran a Gauntlet with a series of back-to-back interviews talking about Conan the Barbarian. Given that these were recorded in the same 2 hour block of time, it’s interesting to see how our attitude and responses change depending on the interviewer and questions they ask. Check ’em out:

With Fanboy Planet we cover event-planning, the works of Robert E. Howard, obscure characters, timelines and more!

With The Mary Sue, I’m more punchy, joking about conventions, long term storytelling, and how fantasy reflects the times we live in.

With Pop Culture Cult we talk about why Conan is an icon, why sword & sorcery is exciting, the original Conan movie versus the character’s literary source material, why we don’t put sound effects in most Conan comics, and more.

And then Comic Crusaders came in with a chest-thumping intro that changes the vibe again as we talk about the Scourge event, writing technique, collaboration, Conan’s American identity, surviving in the Hyborian Age, and more.

Seeing some of this marathon is a glimpse at the promotional work we do at a big show like San Diego. It’s a ton of fun, but you also need to be quick on your feet and roll with each interviewer’s approach to make an impact.

Horley Talks To FP about His Painted Epic

Onward to even more interviews – Painter Alex Horley has an extensive interview with Forbidden Planet all about working on the fully painted Conan the Barbarian #25 arriving in October. He talks about his influences, scheduling, inspiration, and teases small story bits from our aniversary issue.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #22 – released July 9th.

Conan the Barbarian #23 – releases August 13th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 5: Twisting Loyalties – releases August 20th.

Swords & Larceny – releases September 2nd.

Savage Sword of Conan #10 – releases September 3rd.

Conan the Barbarian vol.1-3 Slipcase Set – releases September 10th.

Predator: Black, White & Blood #3 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian #24 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 1: Bound in Black Stone Deluxe HC – releases September 16th.

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #1 – releases September 24th.

Conan the Barbarian #25 – releases October 8th.

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #2 – releases October 29th.

Upcoming Appearances

Aug 13-17, 2025	World Con	Seattle, WA, USA
Aug 21-24, 2025	Fan Expo Canada	Toronto, ON, CANADA
Aug 28-Sep 1, 2025	Dragon Con	Atlanta, GA, USA
Sep 27-28, 2025	Chattanooga Comic Con	Chattanooga, TN, USA
Oct 16-19, 2025	Gamehole Con XII	Madison, WI, USA
Nov 3-14, 2025	D&D in a Castle	Newcastle, UK
Nov 15-16, 2025	Thought Bubble	Harrogate, UK

Zubby Newsletter #121: Con and On

Posted by Jim Zub on July 28, 2025 No comments

*The Conan SDCC Panel Crew: Andrew Sumner, Jim Zub, Chris Butera, Dan Panosian, Shawn Curley.*

I flew home from San Diego on Sunday afternoon, opting for missing the last day of the show and taking a daytime flight over a red eye overnight flight right before I smash headlong into Gen Con Indy.

SDCC was a great time. This is my third year celebrating the ongoing Conan the Barbarian series with Heroic Signatures and Titan, so there was a familiar rhythm to the schedule – where I had to be and what needed to get done, but even that consistency carried lots of excitement because long runs like this are so few and far between in comics nowadays. The readership came out in force and we were ecstatic to see them. The Conan panel was on Thursday this year, which worked really well – We were all well rested, energized, with our voices intact and able to kick off the first full day of the convention by announcing all kinds of projects, showing off artwork, and giving the crowd a bunch of free swag.

*Artwork from **Conan: Scourge of the Serpent** by Ivan Gil and João Canola.*

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent, our Fall event mini-series, is getting finished up now so we had a slew of pages to show off from our dream team – line artist Ivan Gil and colorist João Canola. I spoke at length about how challenging and satisfying it has been weaving together three different plotlines and time periods into one symbolic narrative full of surprises, especially when Ivan and João elevate every single scene.

*Artwork from **Conan the Barbarian arc 7** by Rob De La Torre and Fernando Dagnino.*

After our fully painted 25th issue spectacular, we have a 3-part story coming called The Conquering Crown, showing how Conan of Cimmeria finally becomes King of Aquilonia. It’s a brutal adventure filled to the brim with political machinations, courtly intrigue, and some of the biggest, bloodiest battles ever shown on the comic page. Artist Fernando Dagnino is back for this arc and the work he’s been producing is absolutely breathtaking.

Beyond that, we chatted about the new Conan action figure, Savage Sword of Conan magazine, the return of Kull the Conqueror, and a whole lot more. You can watch the panel discussion in its entirety on the official Conan YouTube channel, just make sure you have headphones on as the audio gets murky in a few spots.

Outside of all things Cimmerian, the camaraderie with old friends and new was really nice. Lots of great meet-ups and conversations on the showfloor and after hours. There was some talk about future projects, but also a lot of reminiscing about years past and being thankful for where things are currently at despite all the challenges. May these adventures never cease.

Gen Con This Week!

Two of the biggest conventions in North America are back-to-back, so I’m repacking my bags and heading out the door tomorrow on my way to Indianapolis for Gen Con LVIII!

After missing last year’s show, I am incredibly excited to see gaming friends and fans at Gen Con. Darrin has been working his butt off to make the Tayler Corp. booth (#1349) the perfect signing and sketching spot, and I will be there most of the time during exhibit hall hours.

On Saturday afternoon, I’ll be part of the Glass Cannon Network’s official Marvel Multiverse TTRPG liveplay game. Which member of the Fantastic Four will I be playing? Make sure you show up and you’ll see!

*Come see me play the Marvel Multiverse TTRPG on Saturday at Gen Con!*

Stranger Things-D&D Scrapbook in November

*Tales From the Table arrives this November.*

The pre-order page for the Stranger Things-Dungeons & Dragons: Tales from the Table book that Stacy and I worked on together is finally up so we can show off the cover and start talking about this really unique project that will arrive in Target stores in early November. It’s an in-world item – Mike, Will, and Eddie’s Dungeons & Dragons campaign notes, characters, artwork, magic items and more throughout four seasons of the TV show. Putting the text together and art directing the drawings, maps, and other esoteric bits from 1980’s D&D was an absolute nostalgia bomb of the same era when I started playing.

“Stranger Things-Dungeons & Dragons-Tales from the Table follows the kids’ experience throughout Stranger Things by collecting fragments of their shared Dungeons & Dragons game. It interweaves real D&D maps and assets from the 80s, with the Dungeon Master notes of Mike, Will, and Eddie Munson, the player notes of the rest of the crew, and the various notes and scraps the kids leave behind as they deal with their ongoing adventures in Hawkins and beyond.”

Still a Few Seats Left!

I’m Dungeon Mastering a double dose of D&D in a Castle this Fall. My November 3-7 table is SOLD OUT, but there are a couple seats left for the November 10-14 campaign, so snap those up if you want a memorable tabletop adventure in a lavish setting, packed with fun and friendship.

After DMing at the castle for my first time last year, I wrote an extensive newsletter all about it you can read up on right HERE.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #21 – released June 11th.

Savage Sword of Conan vol. 2 – released June 17th.

Conan the Barbarian #22 – released July 9th.

Conan the Barbarian #23 – releases August 13th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 5: Twisting Loyalties – releases August 20th.

Swords & Larceny – releases September 2nd.

Savage Sword of Conan #10 – releases September 3rd.

Conan the Barbarian vol.1-3 Slipcase Set – releases September 10th.

Predator: Black, White & Blood #3 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian #24 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 1: Bound in Black Stone Deluxe HC – releases September 16th.

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #1 – releases September 24th.

Upcoming Appearances

Jul 31-Aug 3, 2025	Gen Con Indy – Booth 1349	Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 13-17, 2025	World Con	Seattle, WA, USA
Aug 21-24, 2025	Fan Expo Canada	Toronto, ON, CANADA
Aug 28-Sep 1, 2025	Dragon Con	Atlanta, GA, USA
Sep 27-28, 2025	Chattanooga Comic Con	Chattanooga, TN, USA
Oct 16-19, 2025	Gamehole Con XII	Madison, WI, USA
Nov 3-14, 2025	D&D in a Castle	Newcastle, UK
Nov 15-16, 2025	Thought Bubble	Harrogate, UK

Jim Zub at Gen Con 2025!

Posted by Jim Zub on July 28, 2025 No comments

On July 31st to August 3rd, it’s time for North America’s largest tabletop RPG, card, and board game show, GEN CON in Indianapolis, Indiana!

Howard Tayler (Shlock Mercenary, Writing Excuses), Sandra Tayler (Hold On To Your Horses),
Stacy King (D&D Young Adventurer’s Guides) and I will be set-up together at BOOTH 1349 in the main exhibit hall, ready to sign for readers.

BOOTH 1349

If you’re headed to Gen Con, it would be great to see you there! It’s one of my favorite shows each year. Getting the chance to promote my work and dig into the latest and greatest the gaming industry has to offer is a wonderful opportunity.

In addition to our booth in the main exhibit hall, I’ll also be in a live play game on Saturday. Details below:

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2nd
4:00-5:30pm – Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game Live! – Westin : Grand Ballroom V
It’s clobberin’ time at Gen Con as the goofballs from the Glass Cannon Network team up with Marvel for a fantastic, amazing, spectacular, friendly neighborhood-ing good time! Nobody does the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game like the Glass Cannon, so break out your best spandex and prepare for an afternoon of classic heroes alongside new recruits tangling with the worst villains the Marvel Multiverse has to offer.

Here’s where you can find our booth in the exhibit hall:

Zubby Newsletter #120: Eye of the Storm

Posted by Jim Zub on July 22, 2025 No comments

Here I am again, luggage packed before I fly to San Diego for Comic Con and then immediately head to Gen Con in Indianapolis – a five day show and then a four day show – the infamous Nerd Prom Twin Terror™©. As ridiculous as that will be, I’m also pretty damn excited. After being home for the past four and a half weeks busting away on writing deadlines I’m looking forward to seeing industry friends and celebrating another year making comics. Even after all these years, it’s hard to believe this is my job.

I had an industry pro reach out this morning to let me know that this would be their first SDCC and ask for advice. At first I wasn’t sure what to suggest, and then next thing I knew I’d sent them a list of industry parties, meet-up spots, food recommendations, great vendors, and places to escape the hustle-bustle. I don’t know exactly when I became a veteran of these Comic-Con-flicts, but it’s happened, so I’m heading into SDCC 2025 with a sense of zen about it all – The show will be a whirlwind and I’ll try to be the calm eye of the storm.

Obviously the consistency of Conan helps bolster my confidence. Keeping this Hyborian adventure going and commemorating another year on the series with our team is going to be wonderful.

Zub at SDCC 2025

When I’m not doing panels, signings or meetings, I’ll be at Artist Alley Table GG-07 with the Comic Sketch Art team.

In a separate post on my website there is an extensive rundown – panel details, show-exclusive variant covers, giveaways and more. I’ll be sure to keep that post up to date in case anything changes.

The Big 25 Arrives in October

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #25, arriving in October, is going to be extra-special – a 48-page issue fully painted by Alex Horley! Solicits and preview pages are making the rounds and it’s so nice to be able to show people some of the jaw-dropping work I’ve been staring in awe at since Alex and I started working on this epic back in September of last year.

This issue is my first King Conan story, it’s a self-contained adventure, and it’s a fist-pumping sword-swinging celebration of our series – past, present, and future. Make sure you pre-order, if you haven’t already!

And just as a reminder – Conan the Barbarian will keep going after issue #25! I know a lot of current comic series seem to be getting cancelled or constantly relaunched, but we are going strong and our latest issues have defied typical attrition patterns and are going up in sales. There are many more adventures to come as long as readers and retailers keep supporting the series the way they have so far.

Pre-SDCC Stream With Near Mint

I was a guest on the Near Mint Condition livestream, and chatted with Omar all about how Conan the Barbarian is going, San Diego Comic Con memories, answering online questions, screen sharing old photos and artwork, and a whole lot more. It was a ton of fun, so please check it out!

Writing and Role-Play

I spoke to Anton Kromoff at Comicon.com all about the writing process for Conan the Barbarian – research, collaboration, role-play and more. It covers quite a bit, so check it out!

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #21 – released June 11th.

Savage Sword of Conan vol. 2 – released June 17th.

Conan the Barbarian #22 – released July 9th.

Conan the Barbarian #23 – releases August 13th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 5: Twisting Loyalties – releases August 20th.

Swords & Larceny – releases September 2nd.

Savage Sword of Conan #10 – releases September 3rd.

Conan the Barbarian vol.1-3 Slipcase Set – releases September 10th.

Predator: Black, White & Blood #3 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian #24 – releases September 10th.

Conan the Barbarian vol. 1: Bound in Black Stone Deluxe HC – releases September 16th.

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #1 – releases September 24th.

Upcoming Appearances

Thrilled to announce that I’m a special guest at this year’s Thought Bubble Comic Festival in Harrogate, happening right after my stint at D&D in a Castle.

Jul 23-27, 2025	San Diego Comic Con – Table GG-07	San Diego, CA, USA
Jul 31-Aug 3, 2025	Gen Con Indy – Booth 1349	Indianapolis, IN, USA
Aug 13-17, 2025	World Con	Seattle, WA, USA
Aug 21-24, 2025	Fan Expo Canada	Toronto, ON, CANADA
Aug 28-Sep 1, 2025	Dragon Con	Atlanta, GA, USA
Sep 27-28, 2025	Chattanooga Comic Con	Chattanooga, TN, USA
Oct 16-19, 2025	Gamehole Con XII	Madison, WI, USA
Nov 3-14, 2025	D&D in a Castle	Newcastle, UK
Nov 15-16, 2025	Thought Bubble	Harrogate, UK

Zub Comics Arriving in October 2025

Posted by Jim Zub on July 17, 2025 No comments

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #25
STORY: JIM ZUB
ART: ALEX HORLEY
COVER A: ALEX HORLEY WRAPAROUND
COVER B: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE
COVER C: DOUG BRAITHWAITE
COVER D: JONAS SCHARF
COVER E: DANICA BRINE
COVER F: ALEX HORLEY WRAPAROUND CARDSTOCK
COVER G: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE FOIL TRADE
COVER H: COLOR BLANK SKETCH

FC, 48pp, $5.99 – On Sale October 8, 2025

Milestone 25th issue featuring an epic stand alone story! The perfect jumping on point for new fans! Written by fan-favorite writer, Jim Zub!

THE NOMAD: Conan the King welcomes a strange visitor with an even stranger mission. Can the Ruler of Aquilonia prove his mettle or will the mysterious wanderer’s incredible power change the course of history?

This special issue #25 is a must-have for Conan fans!

CONAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT #2 (OF 4)
STORY: JIM ZUB
LINE ART: IVAN GIL
COLORS JOAO CANOLA
COVER A: E.M. GIST
COVER B: ALAN QUAH
COVER C: MARIA WOLF
COVER D: IAN CHURCHILL

FC, 32pp, $4.99, On Sale October 29, 2025

CONAN OF CIMMERIA has encountered Stygian sorcery and snakesent creatures many times in his grand adventures, but he has never faced the true unspeakable power of SET… until NOW. The serpent god’s influence coils around the Hyborian Age and every other age linked to it.

Three stunning supernatural stories will weave together to answer a chilling question of past and present – What is Set’s grand plan for humanity and, now that it’s begun, can it be stopped?

THE SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN TP VOL. 3
STORY: Roy Thomas, Patrick Zircher, Dennis Culver, Liam Sharp, Fabien Nicieza, Jim Zub and more
ART: Roberto de la Torre, Juan Alberto Hernández, Chris Burnham, Max von Fafner, Sean Chen and more
REGULAR COVER: NEAL ADAMS
DM EDITION: JOE JUSKO

SC, B&W, 192pp, $24.99, On Sale October 8, 2025

Comprising the very best comic industry talent, including legend Roy Thomas and fan favorite Roberto de la Torre, a myriad of writers and artists create a spectacular array of beautifully illustrated black and white comic strips and pin-ups, as well as poems, short stories and essays.

Collects issues #7-9 of the stunning new Savage Sword of Conan magazine.

Gamehole 2025 Events

Posted by Jim Zub on July 16, 2025 No comments

This October, Stacy and I are going to be at GAMEHOLE XVII in Madison, Wisconsin, gaming up a storm, and while we’re there we’ll be running some sessions open to attendees so I wanted to make sure the event links were easy to find so people can Wishlist/Sign Up for them!

The home of Jim Zub on the web

Author Archives: Jim Zub - Page 5

SOUTH HALL CREATOR TABLE CP70

Power and Influence

Old World Collectible

Talking Scourge of the Serpent with The Comic Source

Celebrating Dungeons & Dragons at SDCC

Fantasy Art For The Ages

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Other Links

A Book of Many Patterns

Local Comic Shop Day Special

SDCC Interview Marathon

Horley Talks To FP about His Painted Epic

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Other Links

Gen Con This Week!

Stranger Things-D&D Scrapbook in November

Still a Few Seats Left!

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Other Links

BOOTH 1349

Zub at SDCC 2025

The Big 25 Arrives in October

Pre-SDCC Stream With Near Mint

Writing and Role-Play

Current + Upcoming Releases

Upcoming Appearances

Other Links

THURSDAY, October 16th, 2025

FRIDAY, October 17th, 2025

SATURDAY, October 18th, 2025

Order Zub’s books

#ComicsSchool Tutorials

Links

Recent Posts

Archives