I recorded an extensive interview with the gents over at the Know Direction: Pathfinder podcast all about the upcoming Pathfinder comic series I’m writing. This interview is the most in-depth discussion I’ve had so far about my plans for the comic along with how tabletop RPGs and comics combine in the story I’m putting together for Paizo and Dynamite. Give it a listen.
Two new reviews of Makeshift Miracle: The Girl From Nowhere have gone up this week.
The first one is from Gary Tyrell over at the webcomic news site Fleen. Gary remembers the original 2001-2003 webcomic and does a great job at examining similarities and differences between the two.
“The additional room gives the ability to show more and tell less, making the story ‘less Let me tell you what happened to me’ and more ‘Come along and see what’s going on in my life’.”
The second from literature blog Tempting Persephone, where the reviewer is intrigued enough by the art to give it a recommendation.
“…the art is so lovely, so dreamy, that you might want to run your fingers across each and every smooth page, taking in the color as it melts into another shade under your fingertips.”
Some times it takes you 5 days to recover from the big show. 🙂
I’m actually feeling pretty good. This might be the first San Diego Comicon where I got home and didn’t instantly come down with a nasty cold/cough. I wanted to post my post-convention thoughts on Tuesday, but a flurry of work and correspondence after the show has kept me very busy. Stacy and I have had our heads down focused on work, work with a bit more work thrown in for good measure.
This is the year where it really felt like I was firmly established as a creator first and foremost. Last year I promoted Skullkickers quite heavily, but there was a muddiness to it as I tried to balance out administrative responsibilities at UDON with writing and promoting my own material. In 2012 that wasn’t a problem – Skullkickers, Makeshift Miracle, Sky Kid, Wonder Momo, Pathfinder… that’s what I was known for at the show. One of the strangest things was having people ask me about UDON as if I didn’t work there, asking me how I knew “those guys” or who to talk to there about submitting work. When I explained that I’ve worked at UDON for the past 9 years and have been a Project Manager at the company since 2004, they were shocked.
That’s the shift – in a year and a half I’ve tilted the needle from administration/management stuff behind the scenes to writer/creator. It’s a good thing and it’s where I want to be. Creating is far more difficult and comes with a whole lot of extra insecurities and stress, but the satisfaction level is much higher too.
I love handling projects at UDON and I love teaching at Seneca. Having creative outlets for my ideas feels like the missing puzzle piece that makes it all work, weirdly enough. It’s proof that I can handle client projects. It’s proof that I have things to teach about storytelling and art. It’s a series of escalating challenges that keeps me pushing my skills so I don’t get complacent.
Anyways, that was my biggest take away from SDCC this year. Sales were pretty good, social stuff was fun, my body ached after 5 days of work and late nights… after 10 years I go in expecting most of that. What changed this time was my perception of what I’m doing there. In the midst of grandiose pop culture chaos I felt like a storyteller and that was pretty cool.
Jonathan has posted a new interview with me all about Pathfinder over at Nerd Trek. Click on through and
check it out.
This one’s been in the works a while and it’s a bit hard for me to believe that it’s finally been announced.
I’m the writer of the upcoming comic story Klonoa: The Dream Traveller of Noctis Sol comic being drawn by legendary manga artist Hitoshi Ariga (Mega Man Megamix, Big O) !
This all-ages comic strip series, running absolutely free on Bandai-Namco’s ShiftyLook site, will be a brand new Klonoa adventure. It will include familiar characters from Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1 and Wii) and Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil (PS2) while also adding new characters and amazing places to the franchise.
I’ve been a Klonoa fan ever since I played Phantomile on Playstation back in 1998. The appealing designs, fun gameplay and engaging storyline really jumped out at me as something special. Being able to team up with a manga artist as incredible as Hitoshi Ariga to bring Klonoa back after a 10 year hiatus is just stunning to me. I’m working really hard to make sure our comic lives up to the quality of the games (7 in total, though most were only released in Japan) while forging new paths and creating new worlds. If you check out some of Ariga’s sample artwork, you can see how much he understands and appreciates the look and feel of the Klonoa world.
As we get closer to our August/September launch date for the series, I’ll update with more teasers and interviews. Until then, wish me luck as I tackle this new and exciting project!
PRESS:
Anime News Network
Destructoid Reveal
Destructoid: Best News of the Show
PS: I’ve never worked on a project where people have created fan art even before it launches! Holy moley! Check out these two great pics:
PhuiJL on deviantART
Hewpoe by Brave Wing
Over at digital comic powerhouse site comiXology, they’re having a special Skullkickers Sale until Thursday. 99 cents per issue and 50% off collections!
It’s the perfect time to get caught up on the series or hook your friends on our brand of monster mashing madness! Go now!
Good News!
We received our advanced copies of Skullkickers #16 (in stores July 18th) today, so we’ll be bringing a handful of advanced copies to sell at San Diego Comicon! If you’re a dedicated fan you can get first crack at checking out the penultimate chapter of ‘Six Shooter on the Seven Seas’ by coming by the Image Comics Booth (BOOTH 2729) to get your advanced copy, and get it signed by Edwin and Jim while you’re there.
Adventure Retail (BOOTH 4423) will also have a limited number of advanced copies of Munchkin-Skullkickers thanks to the fine folks at Steve Jackson Games! If you’re a big Munchkin fan and want to snag a copy a month before it hits stores, they are the spot!
Bob at Comic Book Page chats with me all about role-playing games, Pathfinder and Skullkickers.
The interview starts at 21:20 in the podcast.
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Lucio Parillo (25%), Matteo Scalera (25%), Dave Dorman (25%), Erik Jones (25%)
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Andrew Huerta
Colorist: Ross A. Campbell
Publication Date: Sept 2012
Page Count: 40 pages
Age range: 16+
Diamond Order Code: JUL12 0943
Goblins chew, goblins fight! Goblins cut, goblins bite!
The goblins of Varisia sing twisted songs as their blood boils with ferocious rage and mystic power. Valeros and his companions may discover the forces behind the goblin tribes’ newfound strength, but stopping it is another matter entirely.
Paizo’s incredible award-winning fantasy world, fiction line and tabletop RPG is now the ultimate fantasy comic from Dynamite Entertainment.
Includes over 5 pages of character profiles and Pathfinder RPG game statistics, plus a removable, playable tactical map and poster.
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Lucio Parillo (25%), Matteo Scalera (25%), Dave Dorman (25%), Erik Jones (25%)
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Andrew Huerta
Colorist: Ross A. Campbell
Publication Date: Aug 2012
Page Count: 40 pages
Age range: 16+
Diamond Order Code: JUN12 1004
Paizo’s incredible award-winning, best-selling fantasy world, fiction line and tabletop RPG is now the ultimate fantasy comic from Dynamite Entertainment!
Valeros can rely on only his sword arm and his friends, the mysterious and beautiful sorcerer Seoni and silver tongued quick-witted elven rogue Merisiel, but nothing can prepare him for the dangers that lurk ahead. The scattered and chaotic goblin tribes of Varisia are changing, growing in power and unifying in ways no one has ever seen before. At the heart of this strange evolution is an ancient evil looking to establish itself anew.
The iconic heroes at the core of the Pathfinder’s world are brought to life for the first time in a brand new story full of charm and high adventure that will please fans and entertain new readers alike. Issue 1 clocks in at 40 pages (and remains $3.99) and includes over 10 pages of character profiles and Pathfinder RPG game statistics, plus an EXCLUSIVE removable, playable tactical map and poster.
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