Look what arrived in the mail today!

Holding a copy of Makeshift Miracle: The Girl From Nowhere in my hands is pretty surreal. The book turned out gorgeous. The print quality is top notch. Really, really happy with it.

If you’re coming to the Toronto Comic Arts Festival on May 5-6 (which is absolutely free to attend) you’ll be able to get yours there before anyone else.

If not, then look for it in comic shops by mid-May and through Amazon and other online outlets by end of May. You can order your copy right here.

Steve Jackson Games has updated their Munchkin-Skullkickers webpage with more details on the upcoming booster pack expansion for their hit card game coming out in July. There’s also a sample of 3 of the cards and the spiffy new artwork drawn by Edwin Huang and colored by me. Click on through and check it out.

PAX East in Boston a couple weeks ago was crazy busy at the UDON booth. So busy that I didn’t have a chance to snap photos of most of the stuff I drew for people. Still, here’s a handful of the head sketches I did up at the show.

In previous years I’ve drawn almost exclusively Mega Man characters. It was a fun challenge sketching up all kinds of other stuff, including stuff from Street Fighter, Skullkickers, Zelda, Pokemon, Mass Effect, Marvel and Okami.

click for larger version

At C2E2 in Chicago today the Namco-Bandai team announced two new titles for their ShiftyLook initiative and I'm writing one of them!

I'm happy to announce that the Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki creative team is back in action (me writing, Omar Dogan on art), this time updating and expanding a cult classic Japanese video game title called Wonder Momo!

Here's a video clip of the original video game from 1987:

And here's the announcement poster image for the upcoming ShiftyLook comic strip with art by the amazing Omar Dogan:

Working with Erik Ko (head of UDON) and Omar, we're channeling classic 80's anime, J-pop idol culture and man-in-suit monster shows into a fun retro-comedy romp. I can't wait until the strip launches on May 15th so you can start reading. Yay!

Makeshift Miracle: The Girl From Nowhere arrives in May!

The books are printed and will be arriving in stores and online outlets in early May. This photo is from Shun Hong Chan (the incredible artist of the new Makeshift) after he received his contributor copies.

Have you pre-ordered your copy yet?

If you’re not caught up with our free online serialized story, start reading HERE. If you enjoy it, consider ordering a copy of my new book to show your support!

A metric assload of coverage/interviews for Skullkickers return with issue #13 and the release of our hardcover oversized Treasure Trove collection coming out last week. It's been a bit dizzying trying to keep up with all of it while juggling conventions each weekend and the job stuff.

Here's a rundown:

• Ryan and Kurtis from The Process podcast on comic writing have an extensive new interview with me all about my comics (pitching, writing, marketing and more).

• Daniel Elkin at Comics Bulletin has written up an audio-recorded interview we did at Image Expo last month.

• Sam and Becky of the Almost Friday Show deliver an enthusiastic review of our brand new Skullkickers Treasure Trove tome with a 9.5/10. Skullkickers coverage begins right near the start at 1:28.

• Linsay at Comics Anonymous has a thorough review of Skullkickers #13 and raves about the beginning of our new story arc.

• Patrick Smith at Spandexless has a new interview with me all about Skullkickers, including our online serialization, the third story arc and more!

• Alex at the Comic Age lists '5 Reasons to Read Skullkickers'.

• Steve Damm at eXpert Comics has a big run through of Skullkickers that includes an advanced review of issue #13.

• Direcow at Here Be Geeks gives a review run through of Skullkickers Volume 1 & 2.

• Andrew Leslie at the Freakin' Awesome Network has a special advance review of Skullkickers #13.

• Skippy at the Library Thing takes a look at Skullkickers #13.

• Our pals at Broken Frontiers have a review of Skullkickers #13 along with an in-depth commentary on the issue.

• Over on The Geek Portal they've posted up a short editorial praising the quality of Skullkickers.

• Jeremy's Crapshoot blog has reviewed Skullkickers #13 and declares it a winner.

• Shaun Daniels at Horror Haven reviews our latest issue and is struck by the pirate fun and banter we're bringing to the table.

• RoughJustice at Geeks of Doom reviews our brand new issue and finds a more varied and enjoyable experience than he expected.

• Joe C at Geeking Ally has chosen Skullkickers #13 as his pick of the week and raves about our new story arc.

• Horror website Bloody Disgusting has an in-depth look at the start of Skullkickers #3, from script through to roughs, pencils, inks and color, including our infamous 'Bull Prophecy' 4 page spread.

• The Stumptown Trade Review stopped by during Emerald City Comicon and filmed a little interview with me.

• The gang at Third Eye Comics has made Skullkickers Treasure Trove their 'Pick of the Week'.

• Benjamin Bailey at IGN reviews issue #13 and enjoys the ride, even if he's unsure of where it's all headed.

• Things I Like has a review of Skullkickers #13 and they're still liking, nay loving, our adventures.

• Comic Buzz gives a rundown of Skullkickers #13 and gives it an 8 out of 10. We're still wowing them.

• Walter Richardson at Multiversity Comics reviews the first part of our new story arc and gives us an 8.7/10.

By the time I have a moment to type up some thoughts about Emerald City Comicon last weekend in Seattle, I’m already on the road again. I’m in Boston for PAX East this weekend and, after a busy day setting up for tomorrow’s show launch, I’m finally settled at the hotel and chilling for a bit.

Last weekend in Seattle was a great weekend. Incredibly busy, but the kind of crazy chaotic busy that reminds me why I do all this stuff in the first place. The difference from last year to this year was huge. Last year Skullkickers was an unknown book with a new trade paperback launching at the show. This year we’re still small, but the recognition from people was immediate and strong. Without trying to sound corny, we have fans. I mean, I know we have faithful readers because I’ve received emails from them and heard from them on Twitter, but this was the first show where there were a really substantial number of people coming by in person to tell me how much they enjoyed the book, that they were recommending it to friends, that they’d been collecting and are pumped about the series continuing. It was intense and it was wonderful. After our months long hiatus between story arc 2 and 3, it was exactly what I needed to hear.

The two panels I was on were equally intense. The Writer’s Unite pitching panel was slammed. They turned people away at the door because it was standing room only. All the writers on the panel were taken aback by the response. It was amazing. I knew there were tons of people who wanted to learn about the process of writing, but I didn’t expect that level of response. Just amazing.

The Con Horror Stories panel on Sunday was a riot too. Katie Cook and I held court for an hour straight, telling stories and keeping the crowd entertained. The double-sized panel room they gave us started half full (which was incredible) and actually filled up by the end as people were lured in from the hallway by the uproarious laughter that shook the room. It felt more like a stand-up comedy routine than an actual convention panel, but I don’t think anyone minded. It felt good to cut loose with some of the convention stories I’ve related to friends and small groups in the past and have them go over just as well with a room of a couple hundred folks.

All in all, Emerald City was a real morale booster for me. With so many projects going on right now and a really brutal work schedule I’ve had bouts of exhaustion and fear that have mentally brought me down as of late. Having such a great convention experience gave my head a shake. Things are good. Really good.

It’s SKULLKICKERS Day! Also, new comic day! BOTH! New Skullkickers Comic Day! Treasure Trove too! Exclamation marks!! GO!

More coming later but, for now, Emerald City Comicon was an incredible show. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and showed their support. It kicked complete ass.

Until I have more time to type, here’s a video interview I did at the show:

This coming weekend is one of my favorite shows, Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, Washington!

Last year we premiered the first SK trade paperback at the show and this year we’re following up with even more goodies.

Jim Zub at TABLE C-11

Emerald City is the first show you’ll be able to purchase Skullkickers Treasure Trove, our oversized hardcover collection of volume 1 & 2 of Skullkickers, packed with bonus material from the issues and never before published extras.

We’ll also have a limited number of CLLDF Skullkickers #13 Sketch Cover Variants, almost a week before the regular issue shows up in comic shops. Buy a copy of this limited run variant and get it sketched on by your favorite artist at the show!

Last, but not least, we’ll have copies of our convention-exclusive Skullkickers World Map! This 18′ x 24′ beauty shows the full depth and breadth of the Skullkickers fantasy world for the first time.

In addition, I’ll be on two panels over the weekend:

Writers Unite! Pitching Your Creator-Owned Comics
Room: 201
Saturday 3:00pm

Creator-owned comics have grabbed the imagination of the comic-reading community all over again and publishers are looking for fresh ideas from a new generation of talent. Listen closely as independent comic creators discuss pitching their hit comic series and offer advice on how to climb to the top of the treacherous submission mountain.

Featuring Jim Zub (Skullkickers), Ray Fawkes (Possessions, Mnemovore, One Soul), Joe Keatinge (Glory, Hell Yeah!), Charles Soule (27, Strongman) and Kurtis Wiebe (Peter Panzerfaust, The Intrepids, Green Wake)

Behind The Table: Con Horror Stories
Room: 3AB
Sunday 11:00am

Join Katie Cook, Jim Zub and friends as they tell tales about what it can be like behind the convention table. Stories like that of a man in California that introduced a fox puppet as his son, to a man in a tiger costume that talked about his removable loincloth… sometimes the folks that go to conventions really are “those weirdoes”. Some stories will make you laugh out loud, some will make you cringe! (May not be appropriate for all ages)

ECCC is going to be great! I hope to see you there!