• Comic Crusaders: 4/5 “If you are a fan of DnD, or the [Baldur’s Gate] video games you owe it to yourselves to pick up this book.”

• Fanboy Nation: “Recommended for all of those who enjoy adventure, swashbuckling and miniature giant space hamsters.”

• Geeks With Wives: “Having Jim Zub writing (acting as our dungeon master), we are provided a story that doesn’t feel like it is on rails but flows naturally and changes with the action.”

• Kastor’s Korner: “The characters actually act like an adventuring party, and as a huge gaming enthusiast, I found these elements were incredibly effective at capturing the true essence of playing a tabletop campaign, while still telling a multifaceted linear tale.”

• Merric’s Musings: “Once again, Max Dunbar’s artwork is superb, drawing both characters and architecture in beautiful detail.”

• Nerdy But Flirty: “I’m pretty much in love with all the art in this – the characters are consistent, and the world is very colorful and detailed.”

• Reading With a Flight Ring: “Not only is this perfect for anyone who likes to game but it’s great for people who don’t either because it’s a story about friendship through adventure.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 9.5/10 “As things progress further for the characters, we are starting to see some things fall in place, and it is a pretty exciting time to get on this comic if you haven’t yet.”

Samurai Jack #15 arrived in comic shops last week, wrapping up our “Quest of the Broken Blade” story arc. Andy Suriano, Josh Burcham, and I put our all into this one and it seems to be resonating strongly with fans of the original cartoon as we put Jack through the wringer.

Starting from what was only supposed to be a five issue mini-series, we’ve extended our run multiple times, adding new characters and plot lines to the award-winning cartoon. I’m incredibly proud of the work our team has done on Samurai Jack and, if you get a chance to give it a read, I hope you enjoy our tale of redemption.

• IGN: 8.8/10 “This is a mostly action-oriented tale, and one Andy Suriano renders with fenetic grace and energy. It pays homage to the show while also lending its own texture and darkness to Jack’s world.”

• Comic Bastards: 5/5 “I shall be keeping up with the story and you should start reading this comic as well.”

• Major Spoilers: 4.5/5 “I highly recommend you get into this comic! It’s like Samurai Jack never left!”

• Rock! Shock! Pop!: “I keep waiting for this series to drop in quality or do something to shatter the idea that this is a continuation of the gone but not forgotten animated series. Fifteen issues in and that hasn’t happened yet.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 10/10 “Team Jack is all about exploring the hidden corners of Genndy Tartakovsky’s masterpiece for Cartoon Network. They have done a pretty good job so far and, as they close out the current arc, they show once again just what the incredible potential of their work really is.”

The second issue of Legends of Baldur’s Gate arrived last week and readers and retailers alike seem to be enjoying our take on D&D-style adventure.

• Bleeding Cool: “Being transported to this colorful D&D world is something I thoroughly enjoy. I will definitely keep coming back for more.”

• Comic Bastards: 4/5 “Everything I said about issue one still holds true, it is a solid fantasy, action, fun comic. I easily recommend it.”

• Comic Book Bin: “It is obvious that Zub loves the D&D source material, always a good things when adapting a property as a comic book.”

• Fanboy Nation: “Dunbar has created an exuberant fantasy city, full of cobbled streets, looming houses, underground passages and all the fittings necessary for a good bout of adventuring.”

• Fangirl Nation: “Two issues in, and this story already has a plenty of potential for a good adventure.”

• Gamma Squad: “Yes, the hamster-loving ranger is highly entertaining with Zub at the wheel.”

• Kastor’s Korner: “Delina is such a fun and lively main character. It’s a rare thing for a medieval fantasy adventure.”

• Merric’s Musings: “I must draw attention to the work Max Dunbar does on drawing backgrounds for the scenes. This is exceptional work, and when it’s paired with Jim Zub’s excellent dialog and plotting, the result is a comic I’m really enjoying.”

• Nerdy But Flirty: “There’s quite a bit of intrigue stirring, and another Baldur’s Gate character to meet, and I’m super excited for issue #3!”

• Outhousers: “Zub and Dunbar create a fun adventure set in the world of Baldur’s Gate that any fantasy fan or fan or the game would love.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 9.5/10 “I loved the humour most of all in Jim’s first issue of the title and it is nice to see that everything that made the first issue so good is carried forward into the second issue, especially the humour.”

Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate #1 arrives in comic shops (and digitally via comiXology) today! Here’s a preview of the issue.

IDW allowed me to wax gaming nostalgic with a little essay in the back of the issue, reprinted here:

Without Dungeons & Dragons, I wouldn’t be here.

I guess that sounds fairly obvious on the surface. If there was no Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, then obviously there’d be no Forgotten Realms, no best-selling Baldur’s Gate video game series, and no Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate comic book 40 years later…but that’s not what I’m talking about.

I mean me, the writer.

Jim Zub the storyteller exists because of Dungeons & Dragons, the game.

When I was 8 years old, my older brother Joe and cousins Kevin and Mark introduced me to D&D. Even though the Dungeons & Dragons Basic red box set was clearly labeled “ages 10 and up”, I convinced them I was mature enough to be a part of their adventuring group (and, by that, I mean I whimpered and whined until they let me join).

Right from the start, I could tell this wasn’t like any other game I’d ever played before. No cards, no board, no limits. No matter how young or small I was in real life I could create a character just as capable as the adults I was playing with. The Dungeon Master asked us what we were doing and my decisions, along with nerve-wracking rolls of the dice, had as much value as anyone else’s at the table.

After that first taste of adventure, I was absolutely hooked.

Our party delved into strange lairs, slew horrifying creatures, and gathered fabulous treasures. Every choice we made had unforeseen ramifications and not even the DM knew how it would all turn out.

Each turn I’d get a chance to make my mark on our exciting collaborative story. If I did something memorable, the group would laugh and I got to feel like one of the grown-ups. Unexpected banter, battle cries, one-liners – I wanted to entertain everyone and make sure my character left an impression.

As the years went by, I grew up and roleplaying games grew with me. I moved behind the DM screen and started building grand adventures for my friends to quest through. Drama, plot, dialogue, pacing – All those core creative skills were honed by sitting around the gaming table using my imagination.

My writing career is, in many ways, my most ambitious ‘RPG campaign’ yet. It’s new and exciting but, at the same time, I’m still playing the game – Creating characters, coming up with scenarios…doing everything I can to engage an audience. In my head I’m playing through the character interactions and figuring out what comes next.

Roleplaying games are the best entertainment money can buy. They create lifelong bonds between friends and spark our creativity with a framework that encourages the unexpected.

Getting the chance to tell a Dungeons & Dragons story as part of the game’s 40th anniversary, carving out a new chapter in the fabled city of Baldur’s Gate…It’s wonderful, ridiculous, and surreal all at the same time. Somewhere inside of me there’s an 8 year old Li’l Zub screaming with joy as he runs around the house pretending he’s kicking skeletons in the face.

My thanks to Ted Adams, John Barber, Mike Mearls, Greg Bilsland, and the rest of the crew at IDW and Wizards of the Coast for giving me this incredible opportunity. Max Dunbar is a stellar collaborator and I’m honored to see my words brought to life by his appealing designs and confident page art.

As I write the Legends of Baldur’s Gate comic, I try to channel the joyous adventuring spirit ignited in me many years ago by my favorite game. I hope you read our story and feel that excitement coming through.

Roll initiative…Let’s do this!

Jim Zub
September 1, 2014

I’ve got three IDW-published comics coming out this week!

First up is the launch of Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate! This new D&D comic series, celebrating 40 years of gaming greatness and the launch of D&D 5th edition, is a perfect jumping on point for new readers.
Click HERE for a preview.

Second is Super Secret Crisis War: Cow and Chicken! This one-shot special ties into IDW’s big Cartoon Network crossover and it’s filled with zany weirdness just like the original show was.
Click HERE for a preview.

Third is Samurai Jack #13, continuing the intensity of our epic “Quest of the Broken Blade” story arc, pushing Jack into uncharted territory.
Click HERE for a preview.

Samurai Jack #12, the second part of our “Quest of the Broken Blade” 5 part epic. What does the online peanut gallery think?

• IGN: 9/10 “This may just be the best issue of Samurai Jack yet.”

• Comic Bastards: 4/5 “I hope you can make some time for this story arc, because it has a lot of things I love about comics all rolled up into it.”

• Rock! Shock! Pop!: “This second instalment has done a very fine job of building on the first, giving us every reason to have high hopes for the next one.”

• The Outhousers: “The saying goes, it’s always darkest before dawn and things can only go up from here for Jack.”

• Comicosity: 7.5/10 “Zub, Suriano and Beavers have got a fun thing going on in Samurai Jack #12. Fans of the show should love this comic, and it’s a safe read for younger audiences as well.”

• Comic Attack: “Jim Zub has been making sure that we enjoy Samurai Jack in comic form just as much as the cartoon. He’s also taking Jack to places that we haven’t seen before both as a character and in his adventures.”

• Shadowhawk’s Shade: 9.5/10 “Whether it is Jack skulking through a city controlled by Aku or out on the run or anything, the artists capture him quite well again and again.”

Samurai Jack #11 arrived in comic shops this week and it kicks off a new epic 5 part storyline. Andy Suriano and I are working hard to deliver the goods and push Jack into new territory. Let’s see what reviewers thought of it!

• IGN: 8.8/10 “Jack fans will definitely want to check out this issue.”

• Comic Crusaders: 5/5 “The team stays true to the character’s artistic roots and delivers a book that could easily serve as a storyboard for an episode of the popular Cartoon Network series.”

• Unleash the Fanboy: 8.5/10 “In short: this was a really good comic that absolutely deserves a spot on your pull-list.”

• Comic Bastards: 4/5 “I love this new issue and the flow of the story.”

• Rock! Shock! Pop!: “Zub’s penchant for humor both subtle and not so subtle is once again a big part of the story too and he continues to show a proper understanding of what makes the character work as well as he does.”

• Reading Pictures: “Jim Zub and Andy Suriano have done absolutely everything right with this book and the eleventh issue is no exception.”

• Comic Therapy: 4.5/5 “Samurai Jack kicks its next big story off with a surprising bang.”

• The Outhousers: “Zub and Suriano have crafted a strong story that Jack has yet to face before, one that leaves his hopes figuratively and literally shattered.”

• Sean Network: 9/10 “They’re on their A-game. I can’t say enough about it.”