CONAN BARBARIAN #20
Story- JIM ZUB
Line Art – DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Colors- DIEGO RODRIGUEZ
Letters- RICHARD STARKINGS and TYLER SMITH
Cover A- ROB DE LA TORRE
Cover B- MIKE ROOTH
Cover C- BEN TEMPLESMITH
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?
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in less than a week but my big announcement about stepping away from teaching after 20 years deserved its own post, so thank you to everyone who reached out with comments and kind messages. It meant a lot to hear from so many of you.
Just to clarify – I’m not retired! I’ve been juggling two full-time careers for a long time and now just get to have one – writing and creative projects. This has been my dream for many years and I’m incredibly excited for 2025 and beyond!
Rest In Peace
From left to right: Jeff Shanks, John C. Hocking, Howard Andrew Jones, and me.
Back in October I mentioned that my friend Howard Andrew Jones had been diagnosed with multifocal glioblastoma, an intense brain cancer, and we knew time would be short. I was gutted to hear that he died last week. His friends and family are in mourning and the sword & sorcery genre is more barren for his passing.
I am so thankful for the time spent with Howard at Robert E. Howard Days back in June. Howard, John C. Hocking, and I were thick as thieves during the event, chatting about writing, fandom, and life, and laughing almost the entire time. So much of what we talked about was important then – shaking off rough spots in our careers and celebrating each victory, no matter how small – and those conversations are even more poignant now with his passing.
2025 seems set for challenges and upheaval, but we carry on as best we can.
Every day is precious. Hold your loved ones close and tell them how much they mean to you.
Heroic Signatures Fundraising For Los Angeles
Here’s what Heroic Signatures sent out last week:
LA is far from just being our company’s home. It is where our kids play, where our friends live, and where our dreams have taken root.
As fires ravage our city, we’re inspired by countless Angelenos facing this crisis with remarkable courage from everyday citizens to the LA Fire Department teams working tirelessly on the front lines.
To support our city, we’re donating $10,000 to the LAFD Foundation.
Let’s stand together for LA and show the world that our city’s spirit is unbreakable.
With gratitude- Fredrik Malmberg, Jay Zetterberg, Steve Booth, Marcos Cronander, Mike Pepin, Chris Buterz, Ashley Hodgkins, Shawn Curley, Mei Ng, Lion Martinez, Gerardo Zaffino, Jim Zub, Doug Braithwaite, and Jeff Shanks.
My next newsletter will be the big #100! What will I do to celebrate that wondrous third digit? No idea, but given the ‘cover price’ on these updates ($0.00), keep your expectations in check. 😉 Jim
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
• If you run a convention and have tabletop gaming in the mix, Chaosium will send you a Convention Support Pack of their games worth up to $500, including Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, and Pendragon as part of their company’s 50th anniversary!
• 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.”
• MVP: “This creative team – Zub, De La Torre and Braithwaite – is an unstoppable force that delivers a knockout blow to the compeition, leaving all other contenders in the comic book industry in the dust. Their stories of Conan the Barbarian resonate with the spirit of Robert E. Howard while simultaneously forging their own unique path.”
• 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.”
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.
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!
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.
• 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.
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?
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.
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.”
• Grimdark Magazine: “In both the artwork and the narration, Bêlit is portrayed as being appropriately competent and ruthless, and the issue concludes with a hint of the greed and ambition that led to her eventual demise in Queen of the Black Coast…Conan the Barbarian #17 brings back sword & sorcery’s original power couple, and it’s great to see Conan and Bêlit reunited.”
• 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.”
• 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.”
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.
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.
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.
• 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.
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.”
• DC Patrol: “This is amazing – they nailed it! Four issues and look at the story that’s told…I adored every moment of it.”
• 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.”
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