Over on Katie’s Korner they’ve added a review of Skullkickers Vol. 1: 1000 Opas and a Dead Body that also includes some recommended educational components teachers or librarians could use in tandem with the book. I’m flattered and thrilled that they enjoy the book so much and appreciate the extra effort put into enhancing its value as a resource in a classroom.

“What I like most about Skullkickers: 1000 Opas and a Dead Body is its ability to blend various stylistic techniques that invite comic book, anime, and graphic novel readers of all persuasions to its pages.”

Skullkickers #24 arrived in comic stores on Wednesday and it’s been well received. Here’s a selection of reviews that have popped up so far:

• Newsarama: “8/10 Skullkickers is one of the smartest comics out there and issue #24 only sets the stage for more crazy to come.”

• Weekly Crisis: “Before Skullkickers is hilarious with precious plot nuggets sprinkled here and there. Verdict: Must Read!”

• Comic Bastards: “4/5 I think all of the stories were pretty funny and stayed true to the Skullkickers brand.”

• Comic Spectrum: “4/5 I think this works as a stepping on point for the book.”

• Nerdspan: “The theme made for some interesting stories and the various creative teams really brought it home with their respective tales.”

Comic Book Resources has a 6 page preview of Skullkickers #24 (a.k.a. ‘Before Skullkickers’) posted on their site. Check out the incredible artwork of Stjepan Sejic in this short story all about Kusia written by Ron Marz.

Our fourth story arc wraps up in grand style with part 5 of ‘Eighty Eyes on an Evil Island’ in Dark Skullkickers Dark #1 (aka. Skullkickers #23). Here’s how critics have responded so far:

• Read Comic Books: “8/10 This series is adventurous, action-packed, humorous, fun, and deep all at once. Everything in this book stands out among the horde of other available titles, from the writing style to the visuals.”

• Comic Bastards: “Everything about this issue and series comes together to form one of the best titles currently being published in comics.”

• Page & Panel: “It’s like a magician explaining how a trick is done. You can still be impressed by the level of craftsmanship that goes into the trick and still amazed by the sleight of hand.”

• Omnicomic: “Huang’s pencils are phenomenal. There are quite a few pages and panels filled to the brim with all manner of beings taking in the spirits and he makes sure there’s equal variety on display.”

• Fanboy Comics: “Dark Skullkickers Dark #1 is a terrific read. It’s filled with action, drunken buffoonery, clever concepts and colorful characters.”

• Broken Frontier: “Staff Pick. Dark Skullkickers Dark #1 continues to push the boundaries of satire and swashbuckling adventure with intelligence and wit.”

• Comic Book Resources: “To say the story wraps up unexpectedly is an understatement.”

Our fourth story arc wraps up with Dark Skullkickers Dark #1 (aka. Skullkickers #23) in stores Wednesday July 3rd! Big questions are answered and beer is consumed in large amounts.

Make sure you pick up your copy and let us know what you think.

Last year I wrote a little story about my Dad on Father’s Day.

Here’s another one.

My Dad wasn’t into comic books when I was young, but he knew my brother and I were crazy about them. It felt like every waking moment was a cavalcade of reading, collecting and non-stop chatter about our favorite characters. If we were good and kept up with things he needed help with at home and the cottage he’d bring us along when he went downtown once or twice a month. He’d go pay the utilities, or the taxes, or stop by the church to make a donation and we’d go to the comic book shop.

I know it sounds weird but I don’t actually ever recall him going in to the store with us. He’d go run his errands and then wait for us outside. He didn’t “get” it, didn’t have any interest and I think staying away from the store kept us from asking him for extra money. The point is, Dad never bought comics for us, never browsed through a comic shop and had zero knowledge of the ins and outs of four-color fandom beyond the occasional episode of Batman or the Incredible Hulk on TV.

Cut to late 2010 and I’d just launched Skullkickers at Image. I’d been working at the UDON studio for seven years at that point on illustration projects and, when ever possible, I’d try to get my Dad a copy of books that were published with my artwork in it. I assumed he’d want copies of Skullkickers too but, when I asked him about it, he told me he didn’t need it. I thought he wasn’t interested because it was comics, but the truth was far more heart warming.

My Dad, the guy I can’t even recall stepping foot inside a comic shop, had gone to one of the stores in town and set up a pull file just for Skullkickers. Every month, a day or two after the new issue came out, he’d head up there and buy a copy.

Apparently this went on for four months until the store owner finally struck up a conversation with him.

“Excuse me, sir. I notice you come in here every month like clockwork and buy that comic, then leave right away. Clearly you’re a fan and that’s great. We’ve got all kinds of other fantasy stuff, games and books. Can I show you some other things you might be interested in?”

From what my Mom told me, Dad was a bit thrown off but then he told him.

“Oh, no. Thanks. I… My son.”

“What’s that?”

He smiled and pointed at my name on the cover.

“My son made this comic.”

Needless to say, that kicked off a whole other conversation and they’ve been friends ever since.

Now both my Mom and Dad go in to buy new issues and Mom browses the used fiction they have there too while the shop owner keeps them up to date with other comics I have coming out. Dad picks up each Skullkickers issue from the same store, but lets me give him any variant covers we do because those are a bit too expensive.

I honestly don’t know if Dad reads Skullkickers and, if he does, if he understands what it’s about or why it means so much to me. But he knows it’s important to me and that I made it, so it’s important to him too.

Now available!

SKULLKICKERS TREASURE TROVE, VOL. 2 HC

story JIM ZUB
art EDWIN HUANG & MISTY COATS
cover EDWIN HUANG & MISTY COATS

320 PAGES / FC / TEEN
$34.99

It’s The Hobbit meets The Hangover as two hard-headed mercenaries kill monsters in their mad search for money, fame and adventure.

The SKULLKICKERS story continues in this gorgeous oversized hard cover edition collecting the third and fourth story arcs along with lots of spiffy extras and rarities.

Collects SKULLKICKERS #12-23 (including the five ‘unbooted’ issues Uncanny, Savage, Mighty, All-New Secret and Dark Skullkickers Dark).

Part four of our latest Skullkickers story arc arrived in stores last Wednesday. Here’s how critics have responded so far:

• Newsarama: “8/10 What’s really impressive about the fourth part to this story arc is the way in which Zub is able to keep the humor fresh.”

• Comics! The Blog: “It’s smart, it’s gorgeous and it’s the remedy to the frequent insistence on ‘dark and gritty’ stories because they’re the ‘serious’ ones. Skullkickers is the remedy for a lot of things.”

• Comic Book Resources: “4/5 If you’re a fan of fantasy in any forms – movies, games, books, or even other comics – and you’re not reading Skullkickers, you should be.”

• Read Comic Books: “8/10 The book often feels like a game of Dungeons & Dragons gone wrong, but the execution is so right.”

• Comics Nexus: “This book is always a great deal of fun to read, and Zub and his crew continue to have a great time playing around with some comics conventions.”

• Nerd Appeal: “Skullkickers is always the most fun I have reading a comic book each and every month!”

• Page and Panel: “It’s quirky, witty and so easy to get into. And the art – the art is so fun and violent, but still very cool.”

• eXpert Comics: “SKULLKICKERS #22 is pure fun and for anyone who enjoys a romp of high adventure delivered with generous side-order of snark, than this book (and the whole series) is a must read.”

• Travelling Man: “Skullkickers is the most fun I’ve had reading fantasy in ages. It’s completely enthusiastic, cheerfully silly and constant, relentless fun.”

SKULLKICKERS #24

story RON MARZ, ADAM WARREN, TODD DEZAGO, JIM ZUB
art LEE MODER, TOM RANEY, STJEPAN SEJIC, LARS DESOUZA
cover EDWIN HUANG & JIM ZUB

AUGUST 14
32 PAGES / FC / T
$3.50

BEFORE SKULLKICKERS
A return to our classic legacy numbering just in time for a new set of Tavern Tales!

Four short stories by top flight talent detailing the earlier adventures of our heroes.

Part three of our latest Skullkickers story arc arrived in stores Wednesday. Here’s how critics have responded so far:

• Comic Book Resources: “4/5 …a consistently great comic, and is well worth a read by anyone looking for a fast-moving, light adventure story with jokes that are actually funny.”

• Nerdlocker: ” 5/5 It’s a popcorn movie in comic book form and I love it. This is how comic books should be.”

• The Weekly Crisis: “Must read. If you like superhero comics, action comics or humour comics, no one is doing it better than these guys.”

• Geeks Of Doom: “Skullkickers is the product of a young team of comic creators working at the height of their artistic and creative abilities. It’s a must read.”

• Culture Mass: “8.5/10 Mighty Skullkickers #1 is a mighty entertaining comic, whether you’re a fan of the series or only just discovered it.”

• Comic Bastards: “4/5 …the funniest comic book on the market returns with part three and the third number one.”

• Unleash the Fanboy: “4/5 In short, the Mighty Skullkickers is yet another must buy.”

• Word of the Nerd: “…definitive proof of a creative team that is having an immense amount of fun while producing a quality title that is also ridiculously funny.”

• Major Spoilers: “4.5/5 Zub’s script and Huang’s art mesh perfectly together, as do the rest of the creative team’s efforts.”

• I Smell Sheep: “4/5 …the bar is set incredibly high and this is still a darned good book to keep fans of the series salivating for more.”