Conan the Barbarian #22 artwork by Fernando Dagnino and Diego Rodriguez.
It’s nice to be home and enjoy some summertime weather here in Toronto, even if the humidity can be intense at times.
In my studio I’ve been knocking down writing deadlines, working to deliver all my July and August deliverables this month so I won’t have to write much on the road when I start sprinting through five events in six weeks from late July through to the end of August.
Next week sees the release of CONAN THE BARBARIAN #22, the second part of our Nest of Serpents story arc that ties into the Scourge of the Serpent event happening this Fall. With each issue I think Fernando Dagnino‘s already amazing artwork improves, which is really something to see, especially when it’s enhanced by Diego Rodriguez‘s top-notch coloring.
A Boxing Story This September
Here’s a sneak peek from the SAILOR STEVE COSTIGAN story coming in Savage Sword of Conan #10 (in stores in September, so pre-order now).
Rob De La Torre‘s black & white art is a dream and I’m having the best time channeling Robert E. Howard‘s punchy pulpy narrative style.
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 few seats left for the November 10-14 campaign, so snap those up if you want a memorable tabletop adventure in a lavish setting, jam-packed with fun and camaraderie.
Dragon Con in Atlanta, Georgia has been added to my list to cap off the summer convention season and there are a couple more event announcements in the coming weeks.
Adulthood is getting excited about grocery store deals. This boneless pork loin was $2 per pound ($4.41 per kg)! Here’s some Chez Zub’s food and freezer prep-
In my early 20’s, I worked as a butcher’s assistant for a summer, so I already knew how to break down sections of meat, but there are lots of videos online showing how easy it is and the savings can be substantial.
I broke the loin down into:
• dinner cuts for the grill
• thicker cuts for tonkatsu
• cubed meat trimmings for stir fry
• extra fat trimmings I’ll render down to use for cooking
Stacy and I will probably get eight meals out of that $13 worth of meat, and the whole prep process took about 15 minutes.
Ready for marinating or the freezer.
Other Links
• My friend Jesse Scoble has a crowdfunding campaign underway for Dead Money, a Western-Horror mini-series with an eclectic cast and some great artwork. I read an advance of the first issue and quite enjoyed it, so check it out.
My luggage is packed and I’m finally ready to fly home after 10 days and 3 events that took me from Las Vegas to Columbus, Ohio, and back to Vegas again. It’s been a ridiculous and amazing time, but I’ve gotta get back to Toronto and slow this merry-go-round for a bit before the next crash of conventions hits in late July.
With Erik and Josh in Vegas at the Glass Cannon 10 Year Celebration
The Glass Cannon 10 year celebration in Vegas was an absolute blast. Around 100 fans stayed at the Linq Hotel and gamed up a storm with members of the Glass Cannon Network and cast members from various liveplays they’ve done over the past decade. I game mastered three sessions on the schedule and added a last minute pick up game when there was a ton of interest in the Mothership RPG.
In between those sessions and a killer blast of karaoke, I hung out a lot with Erik Mona and Josh Dinges, doing our best to avoid the absolute scorching heat that hit the Vegas strip that weekend.
Unexpectedly with Zack and Miyuki in Vegas
On the Monday after that wrapped up, I had a day and a half of downtime where I did a bit of work and then wandered Vegas, people watching and rolling story ideas around in my head. I thought I was going to have a quiet night, but discovered that Zack Davisson (who newsletter readers will probably know from the cultural essays in Wayward or his current work on Ultimate X-Men) and his wife Miyuki were also in Vegas at the same time, celebrating their wedding anniversary. Ten minutes after I saw his “Wait, you’re in Vegas?!” message, we met up and had a great little visit that capped off Vegas Part 1 quite well.
With Jim Demonakos at Origins 2025.
From there I flew to Columbus for the Origins Game Fair, one of the biggest and longest running tabletop game conventions in North America (50 years and still going strong). Jim Demonakos (founder of Emerald City Comic Con and the Lightbox Expo) and I had business stuff there but managed to work in some gaming and social time as well, which was great.
When I went back to check my photos I was shocked to realize it had been literally 20 years since I’d last attended Origins. The show had been formative to me near the start of my comic + gaming career, solidifying my spot at the UDON studio when I met a bunch of art directors and editors and brought in a slew of extra TTRPG work for the UDON artists. Dizzying to think how quickly that time has gone by.
With Nareesa and Zeshan at Origins 2025.
Also at Origins this year were Nareesa and Zeshan, two of my players from D&D in a Castle back in November! It was heartwarming seeing them again and waxing nostalgic about our time at the castle. They were instrumental in me quickly getting the lay of the land at Origins this year and their enthusiasm was infectious.
With Kandrix and Lindsay back in Vegas, wrapping it all up.
Finally, I ricocheted back to Vegas to check in at MagicCon, a huge Magic the Gathering event, and spend time with my dear friends Kandrix and Lindsay. They’re foodies and basketball fans, so we hit up quite a few of their favorite restaurants and took in a WNBA game before finally getting to NOW.
*whew*
These friendships, personal or professional, are at the heart of all these amazing experiences and opportunities, and I cannot believe how many there have been so far in 2025, only halfway through the year.
Good fun and great food, but I’m extra-ready to return to Toronto, hug Stacy tight, and hunker down at home for the next month.
The Scourge Begins in September!
Cimmerian September brings the busiest Conan month since we relaunched the series at Titan almost two years ago!
It’s a big bold release month jam-packed with the best action and adventure in the business and I hope you’re following along.
Talking at Titan HQ
Speaking of the Cimmerian, when I was at the Titan Books office last month, Chief Stride and I recorded a quick interview discussing the amazing Conan stuff coming up. Give it a watch for some more details on Scourge of the Serpent and our special 25th issue of Conan the Barbarian.
In Depth With NRI
I was a guest on the NRI Podcast, chatting at length about my career, writing comics, working on iconic characters, conventions and a whole lot more.
A few eagle-eyed readers caught my name on the Worldcon panelist list. It’s true – Stacy and I are heading to Seattle in August for World Con, our first time attending one of the longest running science fiction and fantasy conventions! More details as we get closer to the dates.
While I was bouncing between events, Robert E. Howard Days happened in Cross Plains, Texas. I wasn’t able to make it to the event this year, but it was heartwarming to see and hear how well it all went:
• Scholar Jeff Shanks did a tight 3-part series showing Howard Days highlights – Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3
Next year is the 40th anniversary of Howard Days, so I expect it’ll be the biggest one yet. Pencil it on your calendar and I hope to see you there! Jim
Another burst of writing work and errands getting done before I fly to Las Vegas on Thursday for the Glass Cannon celebration, where I’ll be running sessions of Conan: The Hyborian Age, Mothership, and Shadowdark alongside an all-star crew of glorious gamers. It’s go time in the summertime!
A sample of interior art from CONAN THE BARBARIAN #21.
This week, CONAN THE BARBARIAN #21 finally arrives in stores, kicking off a new story arc that will take our hero to the heart of Stygia and set him against the forces of the Great Serpent!
Fernando Dagnino and Diego Rodriguez deliver stellar artwork, the action is intense, and the world’s biggest and best sword & sorcery hero is ready to slay some snakes!
I was thrilled to hear that sales on issues #21 are up from previous issues, defying the typical sales attrition most series have. We’re picking up new monthly readers 20+ issues deep into the run while changing distributors, which is a testament to good word of mouth and retailer support!
Here’s the new Skullkickers cover art by Edwin Huang!
SKULLKICKERS Returns As “Compact Attack Editions” at Oni Press!
The Harvey Award-Nominated Sword-and-Sorcery Sensation Arrives in Digest Form in Spring 2026!
Oni Press is proud to invite you back into the world of SKULLKICKERS in all-new, compact digest format recollecting the entirety of Jim Zub(Dungeons & Dragons, Conan the Barbarian) and Edwin Huang’s (Street Fighter) beloved, Harvey Award-nominated fantasy-action sensation! Presenting the entirety of the series’ acclaimed 34-issue run across three, 5.5 x 8.5 digest volumes arriving in stores in spring 2026, the all-new SKULLKICKERS: COMPACT ATTACK EDITIONS from Oni Press are the perfect bingeable format for the busy paladin on the go – or new readers who want to discover the landmark, RPG-inspired series that Publishers’ Weekly calls “bombastic chaos…[like] a sword and sorcery buddy movie”!
If you love swords, sassery, and a touch of black-hearted violence, then SKULLKICKERS is the book for you! A trio of hard-headed mercenaries kill monsters and cause havoc in their endless search for money, fame, and adventure from the lauded and ludicrous team of Jim Zub and Edwin Huang—now in a book-friendly perfect format!
“When Skullkickers was originally published in 2010, fantasy comics and D&D culture were a glimmer compared to the glittering pop culture explosion we’ve seen since then and we were 6 years from Deadpool’s fourth wall-breaking antics on the big screen,” said Zub. “Skullkickers was ‘Deadpool by way of D&D’ before that was even a thing. Skullkickers knew that sword & sorcery storytelling was amazing and ridiculous, because it’s always been amazing and ridiculous.”
“Without Skullkickers, I wouldn’t have worked on Pathfinder, Samurai Jack, Dungeons & Dragons, Conan the Barbarian, and a dozen other titles,” continued Zub. “It’s the mischievous magic spell that changed my life, and I’m so proud of what the book was and is. Now, partnering with Oni and their killer new compact publishing line, we can grab a whole new generation of comic collectors, sword and sorcery stalwarts, RPG advocates, and manga maniacs. LET’S KICK SKULLS!”
“With all of its trademark style, swagger, and humor, SKULLKICKERS was one of the upstart series that redefined the metrics of how independent comics looked, sounded, and felt in the 2010s – throwing forward a ton of energy and momentum that still resounds with readers today,” said Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson. “It’s an immense honor to bring Jim and Edwin’s much beloved and wildly acclaimed series to Oni Press in an all-new format for a brand-new generation of readers. For anyone who loves comics, fantasy, or role-playing games, this is one of the definitive series of the past decade that needs to be on your shelf.”
SKULLKICKERS: COMPACT ATTACK EDITION – VOLUME 1
Collects issues #1–11
On sale February 18th, 2026
SKULLKICKERS: COMPACT ATTACK EDITION – VOLUME 2
Collects issues #12–23
On sale March 18th, 2028
SKULLKICKERS: COMPACT ATTACK EDITION – VOLUME 3
Collects issues #24-34
On sale April 22nd, 2026
An Icon In Unexpected Places
An old school Conan fan and Jão.
Colorist Jão Canola (who colored Conan: Battle of the Black Stone and is currently working on Scourge of the Serpent) sent our creative team an anecdote this week and it was so great I asked him if it was okay to share it here in my newsletter. Enjoy!
I needed to make some changes to my office and called an electrician. I was coloring Conan pages while he was working, and I noticed he was curious as he asked me “What are you doing?”
I explained that I work on comic books, that I’m a colorist, and I explained the process of creating a comic.
His eyes lit up! He couldn’t believe someone from Jaú (where I live) works on Conan, and he told me his story with the character. He is currently 61 years old. He discovered Conan in the 80s, and at the time he and a friend would take turns buying the magazine: one month he would buy it, the next month his friend would buy it. The magazines would stay at his friend’s house because his father wouldn’t let him have comics at home.
So, I gave him the collection with all four issues of Conan: Battle of the Black Stone as a gift, and he went home very happy.
A few weeks later, he came back to finish the job. I asked if he liked the magazine, and at that very moment, I remembered it was in English. I’d completely forgotten about that when I gave him the gift. But that’s where the coolest part of the story comes in. 🙂
“I loved it! I had a lot of fun. On Sunday, I woke up very early, turned on the radio with the music really low, opened a Coke and read the magazine.”
“Do you read English?” I asked.
“No, but I understood everything perfectly from the pictures. The artist is very good! I was able to understand.”
Then, he told me his version of the story. Obviously, it wasn’t exactly the story we made — he imagined several different things. But, Jim, I’m sorry – his version was so cool to him that I just agreed…I didn’t have the courage to correct him!
And that’s it. Conan is an icon. A 61-year-old man remembered his adolescence and, even without knowing English, really enjoyed our work. He thought it was incredible that someone from his own city works on this. That’s what comic books are all about, right? I’m so grateful to work in comics with such cool people like all of you.
A last minute opportunity to attend the 50th anniversary of the Origins Game Fair in Columbus came my way, so I’ll be attending the GAMA Trade Day on Wednesday and then wandering Origins and taking meetings on Thursday and Friday! If you’re headed to Origins, feel free to reach out as I haven’t been to the show in twenty years, and I’m eager to see people there and also see what’s changed over the years.
Other events added to my schedule: Signing at Gotham Central Comics in Mississauga on June 28th and confirmation that I will be back at San Diego Comic Con in late July!
After our signing at Arte 9 in Madrid. From left: Alberto Alburquerque, me, Fernando Dagnino, Ivan Gil.
Stacy and I are at our hotel in Madrid, easing our way through the morning as we finish packing our luggage and then head to the airport. I wanted to send out a newsletter four days ago after we finished the London leg of it all, but it’s been too busy for me to carve out the time to get it done until now.
Man oh man, what a trip. MCM London Comic Con was bustling, the store signings I’ve done have been hopping, and there’s been a steady drumbeat of go-go-go punctuating almost every day. Even our ‘break’ days have been intense as we packed in visits with old friends and a couple business meetings as well. It wasn’t until yesterday, when we took a day trip to Segovia with Ivan Gil and his wife Luda, that things seemed to slow down enough to realize how quick it’s all been going.
In Segovia at the famous aqueduct.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s been really fun. Among the many highlights:
• Being set up at the convention between Mark Brooks and Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau, watching both of them absolutely crush it in terms of sketches for fans.
• Dinner with Sean Gordon Murphy and his crew, talking about broader industry trends and weathering the storm of publishing highs and lows.
• Catching up with Alex Trowers, Leanne and their amazing kids after the show wrapped up on Sunday.
• Wandering London with them, Gabrielle Kent, Satish and their little one, including a foray into the British Museum.
• A big pizza dinner with so many of our England friends, including the wonderful Rhianna Pratchett, to cap off our time in London.
• Stopping by the Titan Books office to discuss future Conan the Barbarian plans.
• Stacy and I gallery and museum’ed it up in both cities, with visits to the British National Gallery, the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums. So much art, an overflowing blast of inspiration.
• Both signings in Madrid were amazing! So many Spanish readers came out and quite a few of them brought stacks of my books to sign. The staff at Arte 9 and Omega Center were so incredibly welcoming and stocked deep on titles as well.
• A bunch of Spanish comic creators came out for dinner after the Omega Center signing on Saturday, including my friend Pepe Larraz, who is the current artist of Amazing Spider-Man.
Deep stock of Spanish language Zub comics at Omega Center.
Getting face time with Spanish creators, especially the wonderful artists I’m currently working with, was incredibly special. As much as we all try to stay in touch, via email or Zoom, nothing can replace that in-person experience. We really are a creative team, and the stronger that bond can be, the better. I want my collaborators to know how much I value their efforts, month after month.
As tired as I feel sprinting through the past nine days, my mind is sparking with electricity because of the great interactions I’ve had with everyone here overseas. In a year already packed with amazing experiences, this trip has been an unexpected high point…
(…and we’ll be back in the UK again in November for a double dose of D&D in a Castle!)
I’m a surprise guest at the Glass Cannon Retreat happening in Las Vegas in a couple weeks! I’ll be running TTRPG sessions and playing a few NPCs during the festivities and it’s going to be awesome.
A year ago, Stacy and I were in Japan. Two years ago, we were in England. Despite the excitement of being on the road for my birthday, it was nice to be home instead this time, even though we are sprinting to get ready for almost two weeks of travel starting in a couple days – off to England again and then Spain for the first time.
For this birthday we had a lazy Sunday with an ‘open house’ format. Friends stopped by to say “Hi”, we played some video games and board games, and then ordered in pizza for dinner. Nice and simple. A lot of people were away for the long weekend, but everyone who made it out brought a lot of good cheer.
There was some chatter about next year – what we might do for the big 5-0. Hard to say right now, but we certainly have more flexibility if we want to make a trip out of it.
It’s been a transformative year and shows no signs of slowing down. I am so incredibly thankful for family, friends, and even strangers reading here who care enough to stay on top of what I’m doing and offer kind words and support. Thank you!
Casual Conversation, Big Information
I was a guest on Gary B, the Casual Comic Guy’s livestream on Saturday, and it ended up being a surprisingly in-depth talk about my work on Conan the Barbarian loaded with info and anecdotes – What it’s like writing the character, working with so many amazing artists, trying to honor what’s come before while also building new things, and much more.
Edith Finch
Thanks to the power of Steam sales, I’ve been digging into a variety of older video games at bargain prices. Amongst several I recently picked up and enjoyed is What Remains of Edith Finch. Unlike many other titles I gravite towards, this one is not an action or strategy game at all, it’s an atmospheric first-person narrative with environments you explore packed with melancholy ambience as strange and somber stories of an odd family unfold before you.
Edith Finch can be ‘completed’ in less than three hours, but the way it’s told and the questions it raises stick around long after that play time is complete. It caught me at just the right time – I was in a contemplative mood in the lead up to my birthday and was thoroughly impressed with how polished and engaing this was. If you want a very different kind of gaming experience, a slow and deliberate journey that’s reflective and charming, I recommend adding it to your Wish List.
Another signing has been added to our Spain trip so if you live near Madrid, or know any comic fans who do, please let them know. Gen Con Indianapolis is also now officially on the schedule for August.
Incredibly, a few more shows are getting finalized, so expect more appearance announcements coming up!
• The 2025 Eisner Award nominations are out. Great to see such a wide variety of titles represented across the industry. Also always a pleasure to see so many of my friends represented in the line up. Congrats to all the nominees!
Last weekend, our neighborhood hosted a ‘Flee or Free’ event in one of the local parks, a chance to giveaway or sell stuff to the community. Stacy and I used it as motivation to clear out old and rarely used kitchen gadgets and cutlery, including some pots and plates I’d been carting around since college. Some of the stuff we gave away and that’s okay – better to have things being used by strangers over just taking up shelf or drawer space gathering dust. Getting to know people who live nearby and petting some happy dogs in the park was worth more than the few bucks we might have haggled for.
That concept of “Spring cleaning” is on my mind a lot lately, trying to clear out tired objects and unwanted thoughts kept well past their due date along with other old baggage and bad habits. I know how intense things will get as convention season really kicks into gear, so a bit of tidying up and reorganizing is good to keep in mind, inside and out.
Speaking of fine freebies, the 2025 CONAN THE BARBARIAN Free Comic Book Day issue is now FREE everywhere!
Collecting and updating material from our character-centric volumes, it’s the perfect way to introduce new people to character creation and worlds of adventure!
Splash Pages
I was a guest on Splash Pages alongside four bombastic hosts, and we chatted all about sword & sorcery, gaming, and comics, including some deep cuts to projects I’ve almost never talked about before.
• My Conan the Barbarian editor Chris Butera has his first prose novel coming out in August and it’s called The Darkest Deep. He just sent me a digital advanced reader copy and I’m excited to check it out.
Two years ago, the new Conan the Barbarian series launched on Free Comic Book Day with our special promotional zero issue and I signed at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, Maryland. This past weekend, I was back there again with a new FCBD issue as we rocket toward the third year of the series. Longtime friend Ray Fawkes, comic newcomer Jason Shaw, and I had a 3-hour whirlwind signing at the flagship store and easily signed over 800 books apiece. It was exhausting and invigorating. What a rush.
With writers Ray Fawkes (The Phantom) and Jason Shaw (Snow Monkey).
This was my fifth signing at Third Eye (wait, maybe my sixth – Is it good that I’m not sure?) and, each and every time, I leave with a warm feeling that, no matter how tumultuous publishing comics can be, things are going to be okay.
I’ve told many comic professionals this, but it’s well worth repeating as loud and wide as possible – If there was a shop like Third Eye Comics in every state in the U.S., the North American comic book industry would be in a completely different place – a much better place.
What Steve and Trish have managed to accomplish over the past 17 years is absolutely incredible. They have taken the buzz around pop culture – comics, superheroes, anime, manga, games, music, horror, sci-fi, alt culture – and built incredibly well curated stores that celebrate and sell on a scale I have rarely seen before. Most importantly, their staff are knowledgeable, friendly, exuberant, patient, motivated, and – wait for it – well taken care of (solid base pay, health insurance, retirement benefits) and in turn they deliver a customer experience that is top tier. That, in turn, has built a phenomenally loyal customer base that trusts their recommendations and comes out in droves for their events. It’s the kind of vibrant pop culture ecosystem that people in this business dream about, located a short drive from Baltimore and Washington DC.
Hardcore collectors, casual readers, and kids are all well served. Whatever you are into, Third Eye has it – stocked deep and sold with a sincere smile. Until you see it, it’s hard to describe.
Comic publishers, distributors, and other retailers could learn a hell of a lot from those people and their stores. I learn something new about this business every single time I visit, and you can bet I’ll be back whenever they want me there to promote my work.
Now that the Scourge of the Serpent Prelude issue has been released (and don’t worry, the free digital version will be arriving online soon), it’s time to start revealing some of our secrets!
It’s ambitious, audacious even, but man oh man, it’s also a lot of fun. Ivan and João are delivering glorious artwork, sweeping readers across time, space, and sanity. The twinkle in my eye for this story has become so much more thanks to our team and I’m incredibly grateful.
D&D in a Castle Deep Dive
Hopper the Devoted and I were on a livestream last week reminiscing about D&D in a Castle and chatting about what’s coming up in November for my players headed to Castle Lumley.
Stacy and I are headed to England later this month for MCM Comic Con London, but the adventure doesn’t stop there – We’re hopping over to Spain for a few days so I can meet some of the amazing artists I’m working with and will be signing with Fernando Dagnino and Ivan Gil on May 31st at 7pm at the Omega Center comic shop in Madrid!
• Ed Zitron‘s articles on the flaws and economic pitfalls of generative AI are extensive and his latest newsletter, Reality Check, is well worth reading. “Generative AI isn’t about helping you or me do things — it’s about making new SKUs, new monthly subscription costs for consumers and enterprises, new ways to convince people to pay more for the things that they already used to be slightly different in a way that often ends up being worse.”
• Are we doing three dark article links here at the end of an upbeat newsletter? I swear, I’m in a good mood. Anyways, I also couldn’t ignore Jia Tolentino‘s latest New Yorker article called ‘My Brain Finally Broke’. It’s hauntingly well written, despite its deeply depressing subject matter.
With the legendary Frank Miller at this year’s Calgary Expo.
There have been 18 Calgary Comic Expos so far and I’ve been to 17 of them for good reason. Every year, it’s a fun celebration of pop culture and creators in a city that proves, time and time again, that they love comics and art…and getting to see old friends and former students is icing on top of a really wonderful cake.
This year’s show included a surreal surprise. On Friday night, our crew had dinner with Frank Miller and I ended up sitting next to the man himself. Over a couple hours we talked about all kinds of things, including Robert E. Howard, pulp stories, and legacy characters. We also talked about lyricism and poetry, and when I mentioned I’d written a poem in the new Savage Sword of Conan #3, Frank wanted to see it.
He carefully read it, line by line, and told me it “felt like Howard by way of Tennyson”, a massive compliment. I have a new poem arriving in Savage Sword of Conan #8, in stores this week, and he told me to send it to him once I got home.
The next morning, Frank came by to get a copy of the new Conan the Barbarian series and we chatted long enough that he was late for his first signing of the day. I know people were waiting, but it really did feel amazing to spend that extra time and go through parts of the book with him as he lavished praise on our team-
“When the story comes from somewhere real, you can feel it. I see the passion you guys are putting on the page. This looks great.”
It’s the kind of interaction you always hope for when it comes to industry legends, but not something you can ever expect or plan for, and it certainly made my weekend extra special.
A couple sketches from Calgary – Batman and Minsc + Boo.
Outside of that, panels and hangout time with other pros at the show was a delight. I lived in Calgary over 20 years ago, and seeing how the city has grown while still being able to recommend some old spots and shops makes it feel like it wasn’t all that long ago.
I’m seeing friends for a couple extra days, and then touching base back home long enough to check mail and do laundry before I zip over to Maryland for a big Free Comic Book Day signing at Third Eye Comics alongside my friend Ray Fawkes. If you live in the Annapolis, Baltimore, or Washington DC area, make sure you come on out to Third Eye – it’s going to be awesome!
On The Homestretch
With Chris dela Torre from CBC Radio’s Homestretch show.
I was interviewed by CBC Radio’s Homestretch show at the 11 minute mark of this section of their Calgary Expo live broadcast. Give it a listen!
At the Corner of Story & Games
It’s always a blast talking with Gerald at The Corner of Story & Games. This time we cover writing craft, navigating creative industries, working with existing IPs, and things I wish I’d known when I was starting out. Check it out!
The past week has been simultaneously slow and fast – Slow to recover from jet lag and a head cold I picked up after traveling halfway around the world, and fast in terms of work still needing to get done, deadlines we had to meet before Stacy and I jump on a plane tomorrow to Calgary for the annual Comic & Entertainment Expo happening this weekend. Thankfully, those deadlines have been met and luggage is laid out behind me in a state of ‘mostly packed’ that will become ‘fully packed’ once the last load of laundry is done.
Even though my Seneca staff account shut down on Monday, quietly marking the end of an era, it certainly doesn’t feel like life has slowed in any way, shape, or form. If anything, things are busier than they have been in quite a while. Stacy has a couple new projects she’s excitedly diving into, which means both of us have been clickety-clacking away on keyboards here at home, touching base for morning tea, lunch, and dinner but otherwise focused on deadlines and deliverables.
I’d like to say that things will slow down in May but, when you scroll down to upcoming appearances you’ll see that isn’t true either…Right now, June looks reasonable, so we’ll go with that. 🙂
While at Mumbai Comic Con, I spoke to PTI, India’s largest news agency. They used sound bites on TV and just posted the full interview on their YouTube channel. We talk about the entertainment industry, conventions, creating fictional characters, teaching, and AI.
Thrilled to announce that I’m back at MCM Comic Con London on May 23-25, 2025 – Bring your Conan the Barbarian and other Zub books to get ’em signed in jolly ol’ England!
• Over on the Proko channel, painter Erik Gisttalks about how to illustrate covers – composition, clarity, and storytelling. A good look at important skills that help sell books.
• Matt Levin continues posting wonderful comic book content. This time he talks about the origin of Blacksad, one of the finest comics ever produced with animation-influenced art that is second to none. Just watching this video makes me want to go back and reread them all.
I’ve told my students that for years and even now, after attending around 200 conventions all over the world, it still holds true. The moment you move outside the places you know and experience other countries and other cultures, you expand your understanding of our shared humanity and see how the place you grew up helped shape who you are.
Traveling to India for the first time was wonderful, but intense. If my schedule wasn’t so stacked right now I would’ve loved to stay longer and see more, but even this quick tour and convention was still a real eye-opener. Mumbai is a bustling, vibrant city jam-packed with colorful sights. It’s also summertime right now, so the weather was extremely hot and humid, which slowed us down on our tour day, but it still made a really big impression on me.
Great food, great conversations, and quite a few ‘How did all this even happen?’ pinch me moments. Six days across the world and back is a rough schedule and I know jet lag is going to have its grip on me for days to come, but it was worth it.
My incredible booth set-up at Mumbai Comic Con
Mumbai Comic Con was absolutely wild. It was one of the busiest and most passionate shows I have ever experienced in my 20+ years of conventions. I am gob smacked at the fandom there. The economics of everything in India is different from North America, so as a creator you need to adjust expectations on that front, but as a social and travel experience it was top notch and incredibly enriching.
Unexpectedly, I was a huge draw at the show. I didn’t realize that the span of projects I’ve worked on would have such international appeal, but looking in the rearview mirror after the show it sort of makes sense – Marvel superheroes, Dungeons & Dragons, Conan the Barbarian, Rick and Morty, and Samurai Jack. Obviously I didn’t create those properties, but I’ve contributed to all of them and so fans from India came out in a big way to show their excitement and appreciation. In many ways, I was a one-stop shop for both younger and older fans. It was so crazy-busy on the show floor that volunteers had to form a human ring around Rob DenBleyker (Cyanide & Happiness, huge with the online crowd) and I to get us to our booths or out to the green room for lunch. I have never experienced anything like that before. I’m not stating that to brag, honestly, the whole thing was amazing and also mind-numbing.
The Comic Con India staff worked their butts off to keep the event running smooth and I could see a lot of shared values and bonds between them that reminded me of the original Calgary Expo crew, a show put together by one of my closest friends that earned its excellent reputation. That’s the best compliment I can give – the hospitality and hard work in Mumbai reminded me of some of my favorite convention experiences and is now right up there with them.
All in all, it was one heck of an adventure. I’m so thankful I was able to experience it and now have advice for other creators who might be interested in heading to India for conventions in the future.
One of the many sketches I did for fans and staff at the show.
Indian Comic Creators – Info and Links
With Ravi Raj Ahuja, Bijoy Raveendran, and Utsab Chatterjee – The Technicolour Lovers team.
One of the other nice surprises at the con was getting to meet other creators in India, both independant and commercial. I wish I had more time to explore and meet local creators at the show, but here are a few highlights:
• Vivek Goel was inspired by Marc Silvestri‘s company Top Cow Entertainment and, since India reveers cows as sacred, his comic company is called Holy Cow Entertainment, and they have a slew of original titles worth checking out.
• Tadam Gyadu is the artist of Spider-Man: India, producing amazing artwork locally and abroad. Check his art out!
• Aparna Chaurasia gifted me a copy of Soul Contract, her manga-style graphic novel and it looks great!
Twisting Loyalties and the Road Ahead
Zula makes his Titan debut – line art by Doug Braithwaite, colors by Diego Rodriguez, lettering by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith.
Today sees the arrival of Conan the Barbarian #20, the final part of our Twisting Loyalties story arc! Doug, Diego, and the rest of the team put their all into every damn page. I am so, so proud of our work here. Please grab your own copy and let us know what you think.
Now that we’re a month removed from the previous issue, I can spoil that Zula is back. He’s a fan favorite character from the original Marvel run who was adapted into a female version in the Conan the Destroyer movie. Like with introducing the iconic Atlantean Sword into comic continuity, I’m working to merge pop culture visions of Conan together into a somewhat cohesive whole, so expect to see multiple versions of Zula work their way into the story in ways readers may not expect. Issue #19 even has tabletop roleplaying game stats for Zula included, a bit of cross promotion with the Conan: The Hyborian Age TTRPG.
Twisting Loyalties is transitional in some ways, setting up chess pieces for future moves in the big mythic story I’m building in the monthly flagship book and yearly events, but I wanted to make sure that the adventures here also had pulpy power all on their own. That’s the tricky balance we’re trying to keep and so far readers are responding well.
Conan the Barbarian #20 sneak peek.
Current + Upcoming Releases
With the sale of Diamond Distribution there have been shipping delays and hassles galore across the comic industry, but it looks like things are set to improve with new ownership and new options, including Lunar. We’ve been on time, production-wise, but to keep from having a gap mid-story arc as ownership changes hands, it looks like Titan is delaying the release of Conan the Barbarian #21 by one month, from May to June. Thankfully, with Free Comic Book Day we’ll still have a May release, our free Scourge of the Serpent Prelude issue. Don’t miss it!
• Stacy is over the moon for the upcoming Murderbot TV series coming to Apple+ next month and has been feverishly watching the new trailer. I hope it’s just as sharp as the novella source material by Martha Wells.
• Superman writer Josh Williamson has a great chat with Sal over at Comic Pop. His straight forward advice and practical understanding of how the business works is bang-on.
• My buddy Ron Marz has a new campaign on Zoop for a Shinku comic series collection, a creator-owned book that came out not too long after Skullkickers back in the day. It’ll be nice to finally have as much of this story available as possible, with artwork by the late-great Lee Moder.
• Mike Dargie, one of my old friends from Calgary when I first started teaching animation, has a new book coming out called Brandjitsu all about creative branding and business.
Zub on Amazon
Zub on BlueSky
Zub on deviantART
Zub on Facebook
Zub on GoodReads
Zub on Instagram
Zub on Patreon
Zub on Substack
Zub on YouTube
Follow this blog's RSS feed
Makeshift Miracle