Category Archives: Conan

Zubby Newsletter #97: Ice & Fire

Posted by Jim Zub on January 13, 2025 No comments

Multiple blasts of snow here in Toronto over the past week has made for a surreal contrast with reports and footage of the devastating California wildfires.

With so many of my friends who work in comics, animation, and games being in or around Los Angeles, a lot of them have been impacted by the destruction. Listed below are places providing aid to those affected or places to find aid if you are in need. Please help if you can.

California Fire Foundation’s Wildfire & Disaster Relief Fund:
https://cpf.salsalabs.org/disasterrelief/index.html

California Community Foundation Wildlife Recovery Fund
https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/

Greater Good Charities:
https://greatergood.org/disaster-relief/california-wildfires

World Central Kitchen — Working to provide meals for affected families and first responders.
https://donate.wck.org/give/654000#!/donation/checkout

L.A. Food Bank’s map of where to find food and meals.
https://www.lafoodbank.org/find-food/pantry-locator/

California Department of Social Services Disaster Help Center:
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/

A spreadsheet of LA-based animators affected by the wildfires with links to fundraising pages:
https://airtable.com/appugwkqKAVGDdeaJ/shrrujOu1GKwKAW0f/tblBTejpocYFoeauX

Support for people displaced by LA fires — A new public Facebook group offering a place for people to share resources
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1162491225218312/

Sandswept

I saw this darkly sacrcastic book review back in August,
when allegations first started to bubble forth
but didn’t know what to say then…and I still don’t.

New York Magazine‘s feature story on Neil Gaiman’s horrific mistreatment of women who moved in and out of his sphere of influence over decades is truly harrowing and disturbing. If you want to read it, make sure you’re braced for disgusting content and the shattering of any grand illusions you might have about the creator of beloved stories of fantasy and the supernatural.

Allegations started bubbling to the surface last summer and, like most other people in comics and entertainment, I wasn’t personally involved and didn’t know what to say so I waited to see if the initial reports were corroborated. Even if he’s never charged in terms of criminal activity, I think we’ve passed the Rubicon now.

Like so many other readers and writers, Neil’s work was an absolute game changer for me. Sandman and the first Death mini-series arrived at a formative time in my life and opened my eyes to the power that comics could have – lyrical, emotional, and relevant. I bought a first edition copy of Good Omens in hardback when it was first released and literally read it cover to cover in one night.

Meeting Neil and chatting with him at a Comic Book Legal Defense Fund party in 2003 was one of the first times I felt like I had a meaningful interaction with a ‘celebrity’ and it gave me the confidence to be more fearless in approaching other creators.

Of course, I’m framing this awful news in terms of how it affects me and a lot of other people are too because for so many of us it feels personal, the fucked up betrayal of the dreams and ideals shown to us by the man and his work. The bone deep assumption that someone who could craft those tales and speak so eloquently about our hopes and fears could not be the kind of monster he showed us could be defeated with the power of stories.

And yet, here we are. More than a dozen women scattered along a trail of gruesome behavior in ways that speaks to a frightening lack of morals, empathy, or decency.

There’s absolutely nothing I can type here that changes any of it, but this is my outlet and, even though I try not to let politics or other weights of the world intrude into this newsletter, you’re here for my thoughts, and the shadow of this shit looms too large to ignore. It’s abhorrent and, for better or for worse, teaches so many of us to be more wary of the larger-than-life people we put our faith in.

It also speaks to an incredibly selfish and damaged ego who didn’t understand or appreciate the responsibility creators have to the people associated with them and their work. Yes, your name is on the cover of that book or prominently displayed in the opening credits of that show or movie, but that also means there’s a whole industry of artists, editors, actors, marketers, and other production people banking their faith, hard work, and livelihood on you and your reputation.

Great power, great responsibility.

That’s the baseline, you fuck.

Robert E. Howard Award Nominations Now Open

For the next month (January 13th-February 15th), fans can nominate their favorite Robert E. Howard-related material released in 2024 across 8 possible awards to make the final voting ballot.

The ongoing Conan the Barbarian monthly comic series and Conan: Battle of the Black Stone are eligible for both The Costigan and Rankin awards, so if you agree that they have merit, please fill out the form and let your voice be heard.

Comic Book Resources posted a list of “10 Best Dungeons & Dragons Comics Since 2015“ and I’m stoked to have written 5 out of the 10 on their list!

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.

Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.

Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.

Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.

Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – releases March 4th.

Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

Upcoming Appearances

The crew at D&D in a Castle have announced their Autumn 2025 line-up and I’m thrilled to be returning with an all new adventure called Dark Lords’ Gambit!

Details on all the Fall sessions HERE.
Pre-registration links are on my DM profile page HERE.

Feb 6-9, 2025	Mega Con	Orlando, Florida, USA
Feb 21-23, 2025	Fan Expo Vancouver	Vancouver, BC, CANADA
Mar 20-23, 2025	Gary Con XVII	Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
Nov 3-14, 2025	D&D in a Castle	Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK

Conan the Barbarian and Savage Sword on ‘Best Of’ Lists for 2024

Posted by Jim Zub on January 4, 2025 No comments

• Comic Culture: “Jim was able to do that delicate dance of using the legacy omnipresent narration to perfectly complement the dialogue and action on each page without making it feel like a chore to read, a balance that a lot of comics today can’t make work. He does a perfect job of portraying Coan and his archetype of human exploration, survival and unrelenting power and bravery.”

• Cupcake Comic Reviews: “It is brilliant, it is awesome, it is everything you wanted from a Savage Sword book…The thing with Conan is he transcends time. Whether you read him in the 70’s, whether you read him in the 80’s, or you’re reading him in 2024. Conan is constant.”

• Frank Zanca: “I’m a big sword and sorcery fan and I think that Jim Zub has been doing an amazing job. The artwork in the first run looking like it was a complete throwback was amazing.”

• Lost’n Comics: “Savage adventures await those willing to take a chance on this gem of a book, so get in while you can.”

• Mandy’s a Geek: “Jim Zub gets to the heart of Conan but he doesn’t he doesn’t doggedly adhere to how Conan should be in the books he gives it the fine blend of a classic Marvel Conan from the 70s but updates it for the modern times, throws in some adult content, and brings in the energy from the books as well and this is why it’s just brilliant.”

• Near Mint Condition: “This book is so freaking awesome…This is the type of Conan that I think a lot of people have missed out on and if you’ve ever wanted to try Conan out, whether you like the movies, the cartoon, the video game or you might have seen one of the old comics and you’re like ‘Oh there’s a lot of issues’ check out this first collection because it will blow your mind.”

• Omniverse Comics Guide: “Jim Zub and Roberto De La Torre are tailor-made for this character. It feels like a timeless version of this character…It’s breathtaking!”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “It brings me back to when I was a kid but at the same time it’s nice, it’s chunky, it’s definitely worth it. One of the most valued comics out there for me because for its price you get a lot of content, a lot of content that’s really great. I was never necessarily the hugest Conan fan, but after 2024 I definitely am.”

• Professor Frenzy: “I think this is a great reimagining-republishing-restart of the Conan books. It’s like they never stopped for me.”

• Royville: “The art and the ink is just great for that dark sword & sorcery feel…The poetry by Jim Zub really captures what I love about Robert E. Howard’s writing when I was a kid and I can recommend Conan the Barbarian by Titan Books enough.”

• Rue Morgue Magazine: “Best Ongoing Comic Series 2024 – Conan the Barbarian”

• Thinking Critical – Drew: “This comic is the gold standard in how to have the very best writer, artists, colorists, letterer, and editor. What do you get with these guys? The best comic in the industry.”

• Thinking Critical – Wes: “Jim Zub, for the most part, is doing brand new Conan the Barbarian stories and they feel like they’re written by the hand of Robert E. Howard himself. It feels like you’re in Cimmeria, in the Hyborian age written by Robert E. Howard himself and I don’t think there’s a bigger compliment that I could give.”

• World At War Comics: “Fans are obviously digging this and if you’re not reading Conan the Barbarian, what is wrong with you?…It’s as close to having Robert E. Howard write stories as you could get.”

Zubby Newsletter #94: Happy Holidays, Hyborians!

Posted by Jim Zub on December 22, 2024 No comments

I hope this CANDY CANE-O-MANCER finds you well and that your holidays look bright, with lots of downtime to visit loved ones – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Deadlines have been met. Emails are getting wrapped up. It’s a good time to relax and reflect.

Thank you for helping make 2024 so special, both creatively and personally. I’ll have more thoughts on the year that was in my annual Year In Review post next week.

400 Fortresses

Fortress Comics celebrated their 400th episode with a Zub interview!

We chat up a storm about iconic characters, sword & sorcery vs other fantasy, making Dungeons & Dragons stories accessible to non-gamers, role-playing characters in stories, my Conan the Barbarian journey, Samurai Jack, Avengers Tech-On, passion projects, and more!

12 Days Of Croms-Mas

The official Conan the Barbarian Facebook page is running 12 days of sneak peeks of upcoming Conan-related material and a couple of my projects are in the mix.

Here’s a script page from our 2025 Free Comic Book Day issue:

And here’s a special Final Order Cut-Off variant cover for Conan the Barbarian #18 illustrated by Giada Marchisio.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.

Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.

Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.

Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.

Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

Upcoming Appearances

My 2025 convention schedule is already starting to fill up, with lots of shows where I’m now signed on but guests haven’t been publicly announced yet. If you run a show or know anyone who does and want me to come to your spot on the map in 2025, reach out to Comic Sketch Art or drop me a line and I’ll put you in touch.

Mar 20-23, 2025

Gary Con XVII

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA

Links and Other Things

• If you get my newsletter you’ve almost certainly already seen it but, just in case, the new Superman teaser trailer does exactly what it needs to do – brings hope and builds excitement. Nice work, Team DC!

• ComicBook.com had a week of cover art reveals for the upcoming Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring mini-series by Patch Zircher, with cover art by Mike Mignola, J.H. Williams III, Andrew Maclean, and Dan Brereton.

• One of my former students has opened a new bar & bistro in Toronto called The Wych and they have special Krampus promotion going right now around the holidays.

Jim

Zub Comics – March 2025

Posted by Jim Zub on December 20, 2024 1 comment

CONAN BARBARIAN #19
Story- JIM ZUB
Line Art – DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Colors- DIEGO RODRIGUEZ
Letters- RICHARD STARKINGS and TYLER SMITH
Cover A- ROB DE LA TORRE
Cover B- MARCO RUDY
Cover C- TONY HARRIS
Cover D- ERYK DONOVAN

The triumphant new era of Conan continues! From acclaimed creators Jim Zub (Avengers, Dungeons & Dragons) and Doug Braithwaite (Punisher, Justice)!

In the days following Bêlit’s tragic demise, Conan traveled through jungles of the southern kingdoms but there’s no time for grief – a deadly hunter stalks the Cimmerian, bent on bloody vengeance. Who is this strange foe and what do they know about the ancient power rising in Stygia?

In Shops: March 19, 2025

Hugo Award 2025 Eligibility

Posted by Jim Zub on December 17, 2024 No comments

The Hugo Awards are an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works of the previous year. There is no nominating jury, instead the thousands of members of Worldcon cast ballots on nominations, finalists are chosen, and then they vote again on award winners.

The first step of all that is making sure Worldcon members know which works are eligibible.
In 2024 I released eligible work that readers may not know about, so I’m covering those here-

Best Graphic Story or Comic: CONAN THE BARBARIAN Vol. 3: THE AGE UNCONQUERED
Each single issue in this story and the collected book were released in 2024, so this is the clearest volume of work in the new Conan series that could make the cut (the single issues for Bound in Black Stone came out in 2023). The Age Unconquered is also the culmination of a year and a half of mythic sword & sorcery storytelling with a blast of eldritch horror thrown in for good measure, illustrated by the unstoppable art team of Roberto De La Torre and Diego Rodriguez.

Best Short Story: SACRIFICE IN THE SAND
This original short prose story, written with an eye toward Robert E. Howard‘s formative works in Weird Tales, was published in the premiere issue of the new Savage Sword of Conan magazine (launched on the 50th anniversary of the original run) with accompanying painted artwork by Joe Jusko. The story is reproduced here so anyone can give it a read at their leisure.

Best Poem: CALL THEE TO CROM
Each Worldcon may create a special award category for that year and in 2025 that will be Best Poem.
My poem Call Thee To Crom was published in Savage Sword of Conan #3 and is reproduced above.

Best Professional Artist: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE
I believe that Roberto De La Torre‘s work on Conan the Barbarian has been a revelation, hearkening back to a formative era of sword & sorcery illustration while also making it his own with dynamic layouts and a mastery of light and shadow. I hope members agree with me.

The actual nominations and awards won’t be known for many months but, since it’s the end of the year, readers start organizing their favorites. Thank you for reading, reviewing, and sharing my work with others. 2024 has been a milestone for me and I’m excited for 2025 and beyond.

Conan the Barbarian #17 Reviews

Posted by Jim Zub on December 15, 2024 No comments

A new story arc begins as we roll our timeline back to Days of Grand Piracy! Conan and Bêlit are at the height of their infamy, loving life and living large, but trouble is brewing…What did reviewers think of this kick-off to a brand new adventure?

• 9 Panel Grid: “I really like the different approach taken here. I think it was fitting for the story. The rendering was really nice on this one.”

• Comical Opinions: 8/10 “Conan the Barbarian #17 returns to one of the most anticipated eras in Conan’s history to begin a new tale of adventure, thievery, romance, and excitement. Jim Zub continues to prove he understands Robert E. Howard’s creations as well as anyone else”

• Cool Thunder: 8.9/10 “Zub masterfully weaves together themes of passion, intrigue, vivid storytelling, and the signature brutal action fans expect. Danica Brine’s detailed and striking artwork is a standout, perfectly complemented by Jao Canola’s vibrant and atmospheric coloring.”

• Deciptisean: “I thought this was awesome. It’s still going strong, one of the best things of the past two years. Definitely one of the best comics of 2024…I recommend this. Pick up the entire run.”

• The DNA Show: “If you’re a Conan fan of old, I think you’ll appreciate what they’re doing at Titan Comics with this.”

• Doc Lail Talks Comics: “Conan’s been around for almost 100 years as a character and now you get to see so many sides of him that you’ve never seen before…This is just really amazing literature in art form.”

• Dragon’s Cache: 9.8/10 “Conan and Bêlit have become legendary pirates. Some may wonder how much their stories have grown in the telling. But in Conan The Barbarian #17, as they relax in Kyros, Bêlit discovers that Conan’s worries are justified.”

• Goodreads: 5/5 “This issue is written with vibrant history in mind, artfully and skillfully, with an eye trained solely on the intimate, thrilling adventures of Conan and Bêlit at the height of their love for one another…Anyway, top notch. Not familiar with this artist but great job as always.”

• Kabooooom: 5/5 “Zub’s command of Conan as a character remains unmatched and, unsurprisingly given his run so far, he has a solid handle on Bêlit as well…If you’ve not been reading Conan the Barbarian since Titan Comics took over the license, you’ve been missing out on a damn good comic. Fans of fantasy will be in good spirits, but the high adventure and intrigue will also appeal to other audiences.”

• League of Comic Geeks: 4/5 “I love that we get a Bêlit story! Something else I appreciate about this is the classic nature of serialized Conan. There’s no continuity between last issue or this and it doesn’t matter, because Conan is a series of tales; an epic saga told in parts jumping through his timeline. It’s the same way REH wrote him and I dig it!”

• Nerd Initiative: “I absolutely love this comic…This is just Jim Zub and now Danica Brine firing on all cylinders with awesome Conan content. That’s it, that’s all you need!”

• Old Nerd Reviews WY : “Every time I talk about Conan I say ‘Now is the best time to jump in’ if you’re not reading it, but now may honestly be the best time to jump in.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers : “Another great issue of Conan…I do really like this story.”

• Professor Frenzy: “Conan and Bêlit stories are fabulous for me and this one is definitely good…This did not miss a step.”

• Sci Fi Pulse: 9.6/10 “Jim Zub kicks off this new story arc, promising exciting adventures with Conan and his Pirate Queen, a character we’ve only seen in flashbacks until now. It will be intriguing to see how this story unfolds as it develops. This is a strong and engaging start.”

• Stygian Dogs: “I really enjoyed Danica Brine’s work here, it feels like it exists in contrasts – it’s both soft and edgy, sensual and striking, detailed yet sparse, and it does a superlative job of capturing the ‘joie de vivre’ Conan felt with Bêlit in that era where the youthful wanderer found a form of stability in service to his Queen…The story is a welcome palette cleanser.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “I love the double page spread that Danica drew. It looks beautiful…This is a great issue. I really, really liked it.”

• Thinking Critical: “This is Conan the Barbarian and Bêlit kind of story that’s a lot more sexy in nature and Danica’s art is a lot more sexy than Roberto De La Torre…It’s a still a fine issue of Conan.”

• Whole Lotta Comics: “This book is beautiful. Truly beautiful…I’m honestly shocked how much I loved the art in this book.”

Zubby Newsletter #92: A Decadent Dance

Posted by Jim Zub on December 9, 2024 2 comments

Conan the Barbarian #17 page art. Line art by Danica Brine.
Colors by João Canola. Letters by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith.

After a short delay, CONAN THE BARBARIAN #17 arrives in comic shops this week, kicking off a brand new story arc called Twisting Loyalties!

Guest artist Danica Brine steps in for this 2-part tale that rolls our timeline back to Conan’s pirate days with Bêlit, showing the Queen of the Black Coast and Amra at the height of their swashbuckling infamy, a fun caper that will have ramifications for the future. Following in Rob De La Torre and Doug Braitwaite‘s footsteps is a real challenge and I think she did a great job keeping the high quality of the series going strong. That said, Doug will be back illustrating another 2-part story in issues #19 and 20, and more issues are already in production beyond that, so there’s a steady flow of amazing artwork hitting my inbox almost every day. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

After The Stone Makes Its Impact

BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE concluded last week and I’m thankful that the response from readers and reviewers has been very potent.

Now that our first Conan event mini-series is in the rearview mirror, I spoke to Jared Bird at The Comics Beat all about planning it out, how writing Conan is different from other comics, and big plans for the future. We cover a lot of solid ground here, so check it out!

Lit’s Play – Baldur’s Gate 3

Watch me play Baldur’s Gate 3 while waxing nostalgic about growing up playing Dungeons & Dragons and how tabletop RPGs changed my life. Also watch me rip through the tutorial section of the game too fast to be remotely strategic.

According to the video description I am an “all-around cool guy” which, given that I’m playing a video game and discussing D&D, tells you how far we’ve come from the Satanic Panic. What a world!

Pierogi Production

I was at my childhood home for a couple days and, while I was there, my parents, Stacy, and I busted out a ridiculous amount of pierogis we’ll have on Christmas Eve and through the new year.

If you joined this newsletter late and missed my Grandma’s recipe for Ukrainian-style pierogis, make sure you click through, scroll down, and check it out. If you’ve only had factory-made grocery store-style pierogis you have no idea what you’ve been missing compared to the handmade comfort food I grew up with.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Savage Sword of Conan #5 – released October 30th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #3 (of 4) – released November 6th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.

Conan the Barbarian #17 – releases December 11th.

Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases January 8th.

Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.

Upcoming Appearances

Comiccompscon24 is happening at the RAID Studio in Toronto on Dec 14th and I’ll be there!
A bunch of local creators are purging the extra copies of comics they have and, from what I can tell, we’re all looking to move a bunch of books for cheap, so if you’re there you could get a ridiculously good deal and get other books signed as well. If you’re in Toronto or driving distance from the city, put it on your calendar.

Dec 14, 2024	ComicCompsCon 2024	Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Mar 20-23, 2025	Gary Con XVII	Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA

Links and Other Things

• While chatting with a friend about 80’s/90’s anime series we should rewatch, I remembered a martial arts anime called The Dagger of Kamui and thought I’d check to see if it had been released on Blu-Ray. Looks like my timing was good – AnimEigo has a Blu-Ray arriving in June 2025 fans can pre-order on their site.

• Mystic Arts DM has a theory about the 8 Types of Combat in Dungeons & Dragons, and I think it covers some nice tips in terms of varying up things at the table to keep players engaged.

Jim

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 Reviews

Posted by Jim Zub on December 8, 2024 No comments

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone concludes with intense combat, unexpected turns, and a killer final page reveal! What did critics think of our big finish? Let’s find out (but watch out for SPOILERS if you haven’t read the issue yet) –

• 9 Panel Grid: “I had a lot of fun with this series. This was really quick, really exciting, really action-packed, and I think the star of this has been Jonas Scharf and the colorist…It kicked the doors wide open for Conan to explore the cosmic horror side of his universe.”

• Comic Book Dispatch: 9.8/10 “Jão Canola’s otherworldly fire burns yellow and green, threatening to consume John Kirowan, Soloman Kane, and Brissa like Human torches. The fire tinges the forest orange and fills the background with darkness…When the Black Stone’s power proves too powerful for stalwart warriors to combat, a scholar’s thirst for knowledge and a writer’s imagination prove pivotal in defeating a mind-consuming power.”

• Comic Culture: “I loved it. It was handled so well…So many characters in the group had their moments, which I thought was really good…Well worth it if you’re not already checking it out.”

• Comical Opinions: 10/10 “It’s one thing to start a mini-series on a decent note and finish strong, but it’s another to start strong and end on a phenomenal note….Jim Zub imagines a battle for the ages that requires our heroes to fight, sacrifice, and die to save the world, and Jonas Scharf’s artwork is pulp magnificence.”

• Cool Thunder: 9.8/10 “The conclusion to the Battle of Black Stone is nothing short of spectacular, delivering a thrilling, action-packed narrative that seamlessly weaves together the interconnected stories of its characters.”

• Doc Lail Talks Comics: “If you’ve liked Jim Zub’s run on the main Conan title you’re going to love this four issue mini-series. It’s going to scratch all of the itch for all the different characters in The Howardverse.”

• Evan the Architect: “This was awesome. I really enjoyed this whole mini-series, so I highly recommend it…The way this ends is kind of perfect in tying up this story but also launching into something that’s even more dangerous and more scary for the future.”

• Good Reads: 5/5 “There is nothing but pure payoff here from page one. If you find yourself disappointed by other series having poor or unsatisfying conclusions, look no further than Conan mainline or Black Stone.”

• IPauleyxx: “…a love letter to fans of the Barbarian, offering something for newcomers and seasoned readers alike. Its perfect blend of legacy, innovation, and thrilling surprises makes it a must-read for anyone who relishes high-adventure comics.”

• League of the Comic Geeks: “Howard’s heroes bounce off of eachother surprisingly well and Scharf gives the book some incredible action.”

• Mighty Thorngren: “I had such a blast with this book. It was so cool. I have throughly enjoyed this series and I hope that we see the further adventures of all the characters in these books…This kicked as, all four of them together were wonderful and this was a great finale.”

• Pop Culture Philosophers: “This book sets up another big Howard verse thing to come and I am all here for it. I think Jim Zub’s been doing a fantastic job with Conan books.”

• Quest Wise: “It is brilliantly told. It is wonderfully written. I truly believe that if Robert Howard were alive today, he would be proud of Battle of the Black Stone…The writing in this is amazing. The artwork is beautiful. It just flows very well. There are ups and downs and ‘Oh My God’ moments, all in four issues.”

• Stygian Dogs: “Fantastic stuff!…The awesome action and cosmic horror aside, the success of Jim Zub and Jonas Scharf’s event series has been the creative integration of Howard’s pantheon of characters into an exciting experiment of enrichment.”

• Super Hero Hype: “The Battle of the Black Stone comic was an event undreamed of…However, the comic still managed one last surprise for readers in the final chapter with the reveal of the series’ ultimate villain.”

• Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “This is a great issue. I really, really enjoyed it…I think that the series was very good and definitely better than the last time Jim did a Howard-verse crossover.”

• Thinking Critical: “This was a lot of fun. Action-packed, character building…If you’re not reading Conan and everything from Titan Comics, hop on the train, you will not be disappointed. These are truly great legacy characters.”

Zubby Newsletter #91: Fight To The Finish

Posted by Jim Zub on December 4, 2024 No comments

*Solomon Kane VS the Black Stone Beast – Artwork by Jonas Scharf. Colors by João Canola.*

CONAN: BATTLE OF THE BLACK STONE #4, the final issue of the mini-series, arrives in comic shops TODAY with intense combat, unexpected turns, and a killer final page reveal! Make sure you’re all caught up, then strap yourself in for a wild ride!

I expect spoilers will start leaking out, so if you can read the big finish without those secrets being broken for you ahead of time I highly recommend you do so! Our team put blood, sweat, and a lot more blood into every issue.

Speaking of Black Stone…

Heroic Signatures just announced a 7-inch tall premium action figure based on Roberto De La Torre‘s cover of our Battle of the Black Stone prelude issue and it’s looking amazing.

Head over to their website to see more details and sign up for the Wait List!

Holiday Zub Books

If you’re hunting for holiday gifts, don’t forget to add some of these books to your shopping list!

A new era of high adventure awaits and we have 3 new CONAN THE BARBARIAN volumes with soaring sword & sorcery:
Conan Vol. 1: Bound in Black Stone
Conan Vol. 2: Thrice Marked For Death
Conan Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered

The DUNGEONS & DRAGONS YOUNG ADVENTURER’S GUIDE series is available in single hardcover volumes or in two softcover box sets:
D&D Young Adventurer’s Box Set 1 (Vol. 1-4)
D&D Young Adventurer’s Box Set 2 (Vol. 5-8)

Stacy and Andrew, my co-writers on the D&D Young Adventurer’s Guides, also have their own Dungeons & Dragons books out in the market as well:
Dungeons & Dragons: Pocket Expert
Dungeons & Dragons: Puncheons & Flagons

There are lots of other books too. I have an exhaustive trade paperback and hardcover collections list on the BUY page of my website. Different genres, different age ranges, all kinds of stories I’m incredibly proud of.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #16 – released October 23rd.

Savage Sword of Conan #5 – released October 30th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #3 (of 4) – released November 6th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.

Conan the Barbarian #17 – releases December 11th.

Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases January 8th.

Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.

Upcoming Appearances

Links and Other Things

• Former footballer Danny Earls posted up a picture showing his artistic growth over ten years, changing careers from professional sports to professional comics. I’ve seen that kind of growth with some of the Animation students I’ve taught over the years, and it came with an incredible work ethic and steady feedback from their instructors. I know what kind of focus it takes to do what he’s done and am thrilled for him. Check out more of his work in this interview last year on CBR.

• Matt Rosenberg interviews comic writer Nick Spencer and the period they talk about, when Nick got traction in the business, is close to my own so it’s fascinating to hear his thoughts around that period of the comic industry and how much I agreed with his thoughts and fears at that point in time: Part One and Part Two.

• Watch how an almost century-old Fleischer cartoon gets restored from the original film negative.

• Matttt puts out another banger of a video, this one all about Hayao Miyazaki‘s career and the creation of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

• Questing Beast talks about styles of tabletop role-playing games, ‘open’ and ‘closed’ games, and a concept he calls TUNIC – Time Until Next Impactful Choice.

• Matt Colville has a summary of key parts of Jon Peterson’s Elusive Shift book and discusses how the strata of tabletop role-playing gamers and their arguments now aren’t so different from back in the 1970’s when the hobby began.

• Putting this Bloodborne moment in the Playstation 30th Anniversary trailer is either gasoline on the Souls fanbase fire or top-notch trolling. Either way, let’s see what 2025 brings…

Jim

Zubby Newsletter #90: A Scourge in the Works

Posted by Jim Zub on November 23, 2024 2 comments

Announced on Tuesday, Conan the Barbarian charges into Free Comic Book Day on May 3rd, 2025 with a special FREE prequel issue for our next mythic storyline – SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT!

The serpent god’s influence tightens its coils around the Hyborian Age and every other age linked to it. Three stunning supernatural stories will spiral together to answer a chilling question framed in past and present—What is Set’s grand plan for humanity and, now that it has begun, can it be stopped?

*Cover Art by Rob De La Torre. Colors by Diego Rodriguez.*

Ivan Gil is our interior artist on this FCBD issue (and accompanying event). You may not know Ivan’s name now, but he’s been doing wonderful work in the European graphic novel market and he’s definitely going to turn some heads with the inspired Conan art he’s putting together here. Make sure your local comic retailer is participating in Free Comic Book Day and secure your copy because, just like in 2023 and 2024, I suspect copies of this issue are going to vanish quickly on release day.

The conclusion to Battle of the Black Stone (arriving in stores Dec 4th) completes an epic adventure that began in 2023 with Conan the Barbarian #0. Now we’re ready to move into a new stage of this grand journey.

Obviously there will be a lot more details to come, especially once Battle of the Black Stone #4 is out in the world and readers can start theorizing about plot points revealed there. Until then, all you need to know is that the new Age of High Adventure will keep going strong in 2025 thanks to your support!

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #16 – released October 23rd.

Savage Sword of Conan #5 – released October 30th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #3 (of 4) – released November 6th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.

Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – releases December 4th.

Conan the Barbarian #17 – releases December 11th.

Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases January 8th.

Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.

Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.

Upcoming Appearances

Remember just a few days ago when I said my signing events were all done for the year?

Zdarsky has made me a liar:
Comiccompscon24 is happening at the RAID Studio in Toronto on Dec 14th and I’ll be there!

Bring your other Zub comics to get signed if you want but, more importantly, help me clear out space in my studio by buying a slew of single issues.

Links and Other Things

• Todd Klein has a great blogpost from last year all about comic book logo design. Well worth checking out.

• RPG Developer and writer Matt John talked to the official Conan the Barbarian YouTube channel all about the new Conan: The Hyborian Age TTRPG.

• Here’s a timelapse video of Jonas Scharf pencilling and inking a page from Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #3.

• Spanish YouTube channel Sanctuary of Comics has an extensive interview in English with Jeff Shanks, the Robert E. Howard scholar who writes essays in the back of each new issue of Conan the Barbarian.

• Jared Henderson talks about why everyone stopped reading books, including college students enrolled in english and writing programs. Anecdotal, but it does line up with what I’ve been seeing as well.

Jim