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Year In Review

2014-Stacy_and_Jim

Here we go again, a look at my year in review. I’ve been doing this on my blog for the past few years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) and it’s a nice way to sum up my thoughts on the year that was and take in the ups and downs that came with it.

Stacy and I continue on our wedded adventure, juggling work and play, social time and alone time. It’s filled with challenges but, like everything else we’ve tackled, it always goes better because we’re together. Having Stacy in my life is a joy and an honour.

Between replacing the stove, the car, our porch and façade, and a new laptop it was an expensive year, that’s for sure. As Stacy mentioned, we’ve replaced almost every appliance in the house over the past 2-3 years so hopefully everything runs a bit better from here on out.

Travel-wise it was another busy time, with 12 conventions in total, but almost every location was somewhere I’d been previously while on the ‘ circuit’ (with Washington DC and Phoenix as the two exceptions), so it felt familiar rather than hectic.

Last year I scripted over a 1000 pages of comics and that was a hell of a milestone but I said I probably wouldn’t be able to do that again this year. Yeah well, it happened anyway. I had a slew of comic writing projects in 2014 and, once I realized how close I was last month, I hunkered down and made sure I hit the 1k mark again. Admittedly, I took it right to the line (finished the last set of pages this morning) but it’s done. Whew~

I know in the grand scheme of things it’s about quality, not quantity, but I’m incredibly proud of the work and feel like I’ve learned a ton. Pushing myself to meet intense deadlines and deliver stories I’m proud of both on time and as kick ass as I can make them is crucial.

Skullkickers, Samurai Jack, Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors, Figment, Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons, Munchkin, Conan-Red Sonja, and a bunch more, some of which won’t be out until next year… So completely crazy.

Oh yeah, and that other one – Wayward!

Working with Steven Cummings to launch a brand new Image creator-owned series and having it well received by readers and retailers alike was a complete rush. Everyone on the creative team is pumped for the new chapters we have planned. Can’t wait for people to read it!

2015 is shaping up to be another exciting year.

At Seneca College we’re making the biggest changes to our Animation curriculum and facilities since I took over as Coordinator of the program in 2006. We’re reworking the flow of courses, updating assignments, and incorporating more technology to match the changing industry. It’s a lot of work but the end result should make us more competitive and deliver even better education to our amazing community of students.

On the creative and freelance front I’ll be continuing with Wayward and wrapping up Skullkickers. I don’t want to get into the whole farewell thing with SK just yet but, suffice to say, it’s going to feel strange reaching the end. A bunch of my other freelance comic writing projects are wrapping up but I have a few proposals in the hopper I’m waiting to hear back about. It’ll be interesting to see if any of them pop or what other opportunities emerge as the year rolls on. I wrote a bit about my thoughts on the comic industry in 2014 over on The Beat.

Other meditations for 2015:
• Less stuff, more experiences: Stacy and I have been talking about the stockpile of ‘things’ we’ve accumulated. Having things is great but once you hit a certain threshold it just piles up in ridiculous ways and you stop appreciating what you have. We want to pare back on the rampant collections of things and focus on experiences – new places, great meals, and better time spent with people we care deeply for.

• Art for art’s sake: Although I did some drawing in 2014, it definitely took a back seat to my writing projects. I’m hoping to sketch more outside of school demonstrations and put more fun ideas down on paper visually in 2015.

• Empathy, honesty, and communication: Thinking carefully about others, reaching out to people who matter, staying in touch with those close to me and making sure they know how much I appreciate them.

I know 2014 was a rough year for many people and that the world at large was filled with tumultuous news and heartache. I hope your year was a good one despite any difficulties and that if it wasn’t you can close the book on the season and start fresh in 2015.

Thank you for your love and support. All the best to you and yours!

Year In Review

XMas2012
Stacy and I on Christmas Eve at my Aunt and Uncle’s

It’s time again for my year in review post. I’ve been doing this for the past three years, looking backwards and forwards, trying to gauge where things have been, where they are now and where I’d like them to be in the year ahead.

2012

Last year I said 2011 was one of the “busiest and most intense years I’ve ever had”. I thought 2012 would calm down but I was wrong. Without a doubt, 2012 was the busiest year I’ve ever experienced. Invigorating and exhausting at the same time, it was a year of big milestones.

Marriage. Two years married and Stacy and I are doing very well. Our schedules can get sideswiped with responsibilities and last minute deadlines, but we’re still able to come together and provide love and stability to each other. My marriage is so incredibly precious to me. I have a hard time expressing that without falling into cloy prose that’ll send you all into sugar-shock. In short – it rocks.

Career. Um, yeah. I put my nose to the grindstone and wrote more this year than every other year combined. 2012 was a tornado of productivity writing and lettering over 150 comic strips, writing 16 issues, 14 tutorials, and a graphic novel, attending 15 conventions, running a comic talent contest with 300+ submissions and helping create a booster pack of game cards for Munchkin. This was the year I really pushed to get my work out to a wider audience and it looks like it’s working.

Travel. In late 2011 I said that I tapped myself out on travel, but 2012 was my most intense travel year yet. England (London), USA (Albany, Anaheim, Boston, Indianapolis, London, Los Angeles, New York x2, Northampton, Oakland, San Diego, Seattle x2) and Canada (Calgary and Halifax x2). I don’t want to make any predictions for 2013 based on how bonkers this year was, but I’m planning on being home more often.

Looking Ahead to 2013:
With ongoing commitments to Skullkickers, Birds of Prey and Pathfinder along with Klonoa and Wonder Momo for ShiftyLook and Makeshift Miracle Volume 2 as well, it looks like 2013 will be just as busy as 2012 on the writing front. Add that to my coordinating and teaching responsibilities at Seneca along with UDON projects popping up from time to time and things are looking decidedly work-heavy.

In 2013 I need to make sure I don’t miss all the social stuff. Family and friends need to be a priority in the coming year. I did a great job focusing on getting projects done in 2012 but a balance needs to be struck. I can already see that making time for rest and fun times will be a challenge, but I have to make sure that happens or else I’m going to burn out.

Things I’ve learned/mantras on my mind for 2013:

Communication is invaluable. If you can impart your message with confidence and clarity you’re ahead of the game.

Self motivation is a renewable resource. A short break, a nice meal or a good night’s rest can make all the difference when you need to pick yourself up and take another crack at something.

Hard work is more valuable than luck. Don’t expect something to happen just because you ‘hope’ it will. You have to build it yourself. Any help you get from outside is a bonus, not an expectation.

It’s incredibly difficult for me to sum up the experiences and emotions this time out. Picking a few key moments from the year doesn’t seem to do it justice but I don’t want to ramble endlessly either.

Okay, how’s this:

2012 was the year I felt like I could actually call myself a ‘writer’.
In 2013 I’m working hard to get good at it. 🙂

Year In Review

Almost a year ago to the day I posted up a Year In Review for 2010 with thoughts on how the year had gone and intentions for 2011. 12 months later, I’m here to see how that went and do it again.

2011

2011 was one of the busiest and most intense years I’ve ever had. 2010 was a juggling act between personal and professional while this year was almost entirely career-focused. It was a roller coaster ride.

Although I’ve been working for UDON since 2003 on a variety of professional projects, this was the year where I felt like I finally stepped out and made my own personal work a priority. I kept UDON projects rolling, but Skullkickers and Makeshift Miracle were at the forefront and it felt great. As difficult as it could be at times, the well of energy I can draw upon is much deeper when I’ve got such a large personal stake in things.

Marriage. Stacy and I were, quite literally, in the Honeymoon phase of the marriage and that’s been wonderful. Even when things are nutso we’ve both been pushing to make sure our joy together and communication is a priority. Having the marriage as the rock bed of our life has been stabilizing and reassuring despite all the other ups and downs.

Career. A focused and dedicated push forward with creator-owned comics along with a slew of UDON projects, teaching/coordinating and planning future projects aplenty. I’m learning a lot about myself, the industry and making new friends throughout it all. I’m hopeful that it can all continue to grow.

I did a ton of promotion/interviews and a lot of them went really well, but I have to call special attention to the chat I had with Guys With Pencils (part one and part two) and the swap-interview I did with Cullen Bunn (part one and part two) as two absolute standouts. They struck the right note and delved a bit deeper.

Travel. Another crazy year on the move. England (London and Teesside), USA (Seattle, Chicago, Boston, Charlotte, San Diego, Indianapolis, Chapel Hill, Annapolis, New York), Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hakone, Nara) and Canada (Calgary, Banff). I thought last year was the peak for travel but I managed to go even further in 2011. I do honestly think I travel-tapped myself out, mentally, so 2012 isn’t going to be quite as ludicrous. No, really.

Looking at last year’s list of goals for 2011, here’s what I had listed:

Communicate joy. I made some progress here but it’s still a goal to expand this in 2012. It’s easy to get caught up in negativity and psyche myself out but I want to keep a positive attitude as much as possible and let other people know how much they mean to me.

Buy less and buy smarter. This worked quite well in 2011, actually. Stacy and I made a conscious effort to buy less overall and I feel like we didn’t impulse shop.

Cook more. I did cook quite a bit but when time was crunched it was way too easy to fall back on the foods I already know how to prepare. I’m hoping to push my culinary skills a bit more in 2012.

Keep going. Simple, right? Don’t stop.

Looking Ahead to 2012:

Stacy’s creative projects continue to move forward and I’m hopeful next year will be her breakout. If you’d read what I’ve read you’d know exactly how wonderful her stories are and the pitch-perfect balance of engaging characters/snappy dialogue that permeates her writing. She’s rocking it.

Seneca will get more of my attention in the new year. The school has been running well but I feel like we’ve been navel-gazing and focused on making internal changes. In 2012 I want to really show off the great work the students create and let the animation industry (local and abroad) know what we’re capable of.

Skullkickers will continue and we have big plans. We won’t be able to put out 11 issues like we did in 2012, but the third arc of Skullkickers will be so jam-packed with good stuff that I think it’ll make up for the frequency. That arc, ‘Six Shooter on the Seven Seas’ will finally tip our hand a bit, answering some of the big questions (How does the big guy have a gun in a medieval fantasy world? Is there a bigger story being built?). I feel like it’ll be our best chance since the comic launched to grab new readers and keep them intrigued. Munchkin-Skullkickers arrives midway through the year and it will be another great chance to expand the readership. The gang at Steve Jackson Games have been incredible to work with.

Makeshift Miracle also continues with chapters 3+ arriving online. The first printed Makeshift book will also arrive late April/early May and the cover and pages to come are just as jaw-dropping as what you’ve seen so far, trust me. UDON has committed to at least 2 books for Makeshift to tell the newly expanded story and, if it goes particularly well, I know where I’d like to take things beyond that. Fingers crossed. Once the pre-order info is live I’ll be relentlessly pushing that through every social channel I know and your support will be unbelievably appreciated.

Beyond that, I’ve been working with an incredibly skilled artist in Chicago on developing a kids graphic novel adventure series. The pitch was completed last month (story outline, character designs and 6 finished coloured/lettered pages) and I’m incredibly proud of how well it came together. I’ll be pushing hard in 2012 to get it attached with a publisher I think really understands what we’re going for. I’d rather take time and make sure we find the right fit rather than jump in too quick and waste this opportunity.

Other stories are bubbling around in my brain, I’m just looking for the right art collaborators to make them a reality – a generational horror story, a deadline-driven supernatural suspense mini-series, a modern-spun fable with stage magic and faerie folk, a super-powered sci-fi survival tale, a black-hearted violently sarcastic look at movies & media, a rapid-fire deconstruction of heroes and their adoring public… working on Skullkickers has helped me push past some of my creative fears and over the next few years I’d love to develop all of the above, one way or another.

Things I’ve learned/mantras on my mind for 2012:

– You’re the only one who can move your creative goals forward. Make it a priority. No one else will do it for you.

– Don’t make unrealistic plans. Those can only lead to disappointment. Compartmentalize your goals and set achievable milestones.

– Don’t expect someone else to throw you past the goalpost and tell you ‘You Scored’! You have to build your own momentum in 2012.

– We all want that end result and wish it was easy. We’re all scared, nervous, jealous, unsure. We all have good days/bad days.
Keep pushing.

Year In Review

Some times I get a chance to bang out thoughts on the year that was, but I don’t do it as often as I should. So, here goes…

2010

2010 was, unarguably, a banner year. It’s one that will warm my heart in possible future chilly times and a year I will never forget.

Marriage. A relationship that’s grown in depth and joy the longer it’s gone on. I’m unbelievably thankful for the love and support Stacy has brought to my life. I wake up each morning and don’t feel complete until I have my wedding ring on. Seriously. I know that’s the kind of afterglow that comes with 2 months of happy marriage, but the deep bond I feel surprises me time and time again as we embark on this amazing journey together.

Career. UDON celebrated 10 years and released a commemorative anthology/tutorial book I spearheaded. Other UDON-related duties included writing a 4 issue Street Fighter mini-series and managing high profile projects including ad/concept work for Inception, Clash of the Titans, Godzilla, Alice: Madness Returns and Suckerpunch. The company is focused and the books the studio has lined up for 2011 are looking sharp.

Career. I wrapped up my 2 year probationary period for full-time employment at Seneca, so I really am a Professor and Coordinator now. Crazy. The college has been incredibly supportive of my work schedule and other pursuits. The students continue to inspire and challenge.

Career. I launched a creator-owned comic series at Image called Skullkickers that has been an exciting roller coaster ride. I’ve built up fantastic new working relationships, pushed myself creatively and am doing my best to make a mark in comics bit-by-bit. In an industry where original properties tend to die, we’re fighting the good fight and getting some decent press coverage while Image puts some extra muscle behind the trade release coming in March. I tentatively pitched SK as a mini-series but it’s now expanded in to an ongoing that will be keeping me extra busy in 2011.

Travel. England (London and Teesside), USA (Seattle x2, Dallas, San Diego, Hawaii, Portland, New York, Baltimore and Boston), Japan (Tokyo) and Canada (Calgary and Quebec City). This may have been the most travel-centric year I’ve ever experienced. I didn’t even realize how many places I’d been to in 2010 until I went back through my calendar and photos.

I keep telling myself that 2011 cannot be as crazy as ’10 was. The fact that we made it through so much astonishes me. If Stacy and I can handle all of that and still arrive at December 31st with buoyant energy I know we can handle whatever 2011 throws at us.

2011 Goals

Communicate joy. Tell people how much I appreciate them more often. Compliment the people around me who are doing great things. Engage creative people online and let them know that their work is inspiring.

Buy less and buy smarter. Stacy and I have been talking about how we don’t need as much “stuff”. Question purchases and ensure that what’s being bought is needed and decent quality. Our money is better served paying down the mortgage and having new experiences rather than just piling items in to our home.

Cook more. I enjoy cooking and find it challenging and rewarding. I want to cook more and try new foods.

Keep going. Keep doing the things I love and put myself behind the work, day in and day out. The plan (is there a plan?) is working. Keep going. Don’t stop.

Zubby Newsletter #96: Year Of The Snake

Conan the Barbarian #19 cover art by Rob De La Torre

2025 is the Year of the Snake and, according to the Chinese Zodiac, the Snake brings “wisdom, transformation, calmness and creativity”. I don’t know if I believe that “calm” thing given all that’s happening in the world, but here’s hoping for the rest of it.

Titan and Heroic Signatures are celebrating the Snake with a year of Stygian-themed stories and danger in the Hyborian Age. Our current storyline, Fangs & Foolish Thieves, tees up key plot points that will carry onward all the way to Scourge of the Serpent, which will rock your face starting on Free Comic Book Day – Do not miss this issue!

Above you can see the superlative cover by Rob De La Torre for the recently solicited Conan the Barbarian #19 arriving in March, a 2-part tale illustrated by Doug Braithwaite filled with surprises and dangers aplenty. After that will be a 4-part arc illustrated by the wonderful Fernando Dagnino, who made a big splash with his story in Savage Sword of Conan #4 last year. The artwork arriving in my inbox every week from these artists is mind-bendingly good. What an absolute rush.


The holidays wrapped up pretty strong. Stacy and I threw our traditional Zing (Zub + King) New Year’s Eve Party and there was a solid turnout, the best we’ve had since 2019.

I ended up tipping a pot of boiling water on my non-dominant hand early in the evening, so I’m currently nursing a lobster-colored limb and trying trying to keep it slathered with aloe and free from infection, which is annoying but it could have been way worse.


Party Time in the Hyborian Age


Rob De La Torre sketched this quick New Year’s Eve Conan and, as always, his work has a wonderful balance of gesture and form, energy and structure.


Quick Thoughts on 2024 + Hopes For 2025

At ComicCompsCon a couple weeks ago, Truth North Country Comics asked me about how my 2024 went and what I’m looking forward to in 2025


A Dystopian Document Thriller

Over a decade ago I bought an indie video game called Papers Please during a Steam sale and played it for about an hour. You are an immigration officer in the fictional dystopian country of Arstotzka deciding whether people can cross the border or not in the midst of political unrest and an ever-increasingly obtuse bureacracy. The core premise and execution is dark, funny, sad, and awkward. It amused me a bit, but I put it away.

In that odd liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s I spontaneously reinstalled the game, finally finished a full playthrough (about 4 hours), and will probably do a few more in the coming weeks to see how the story can change in the twisted narrative it weaves. You wouldn’t think checking data and stamping papers could ever be so engaging and entertaining, but it really does build an impressive amount of tension and pathos in a tight little package. Highly recommended.


The Gothiest

Stacy’s birthday is on December 30th, and her gothy heart wanted to check out the new Nosferatu, so we went to the movies for the first time in quite a while.

Stacy loved it and I also thought it was really sharp. David Eggers’ directing was top notch, the entire cast went for broke, and the waves of revulsion at some of the awkward-horrifying parts felt like being part of a grand social experiment. The audience at our screening was uncomfortable as hell. At least four people left the theater because they couldn’t handle it, which was even more amusing as I glanced over at Stacy and saw a beaming smile on her face. My lady and her delightfully dark heart…I LOVE YOU!


Current + Upcoming Releases

  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 3: The Age Unconquered TPB – released November 19th.
  • Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
  • Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – releases January 14th.
  • Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
  • Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.

  • Upcoming Appearances

    Show announcements are starting to finally pop up – Orlando, Vancouver, and Lake Geneva are first out of the gate, with quite a few more to be announced soon. Spring is pretty much booked, Summer is starting to fill in, and there are already chats happening about the Fall. It is wild how much further in advance things are getting booked out nowadays.

    Feb 6-9, 2025 Mega Con Orlando, Florida, USA
    Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
    Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA


    Links and Other Things

    • This video on Proko TV covers a fundamental drawing skill that my drawing students and many professionals can find quite challenging – Drawing cylinders and ellipses in perspective. Stan walks through the process in a really clear way here.

    • Dan at the Conan Chronology has gone through all the Titan-published Conan comics so far and posits where they fit compared to the Robert E. Howard canon stories. His research is solid, but I can’t confirm or deny any of the stuff he has in this article.

    • A couple weeks ago I mentioned that one of my former students started a bar in Toronto called The Wych. Last night I finally had a chance to stop by and check the place out – a great vibe, well poured drinks, and this friendly companion named Orson is eager to welcome visitors. I’d say it’s a win all around. If you stop by, tell Aaron and the Proofessor I sent you.

    Orson awaits your arrival at the Wych.

    Okay, that’s it for this one. I hope the first full week of 2025 kicks butt for you and your loved ones!
    Jim

    Conan the Barbarian #17 Reviews

    A new story arc begins as we roll our timeline back to Days of Grand Piracy! Conan and Bêlit are at the height of their infamy, loving life and living large, but trouble is brewing…What did reviewers think of this kick-off to a brand new adventure?

    9 Panel Grid: “I really like the different approach taken here. I think it was fitting for the story. The rendering was really nice on this one.”

    Comical Opinions: 8/10 “Conan the Barbarian #17 returns to one of the most anticipated eras in Conan’s history to begin a new tale of adventure, thievery, romance, and excitement. Jim Zub continues to prove he understands Robert E. Howard’s creations as well as anyone else”

    Cool Thunder: 8.9/10 “Zub masterfully weaves together themes of passion, intrigue, vivid storytelling, and the signature brutal action fans expect. Danica Brine’s detailed and striking artwork is a standout, perfectly complemented by Jao Canola’s vibrant and atmospheric coloring.”

    Deciptisean: “I thought this was awesome. It’s still going strong, one of the best things of the past two years. Definitely one of the best comics of 2024…I recommend this. Pick up the entire run.”

    The DNA Show: “If you’re a Conan fan of old, I think you’ll appreciate what they’re doing at Titan Comics with this.”

    Doc Lail Talks Comics: “Conan’s been around for almost 100 years as a character and now you get to see so many sides of him that you’ve never seen before…This is just really amazing literature in art form.”

    Dragon’s Cache: 9.8/10 “Conan and Bêlit have become legendary pirates. Some may wonder how much their stories have grown in the telling. But in Conan The Barbarian #17, as they relax in Kyros, Bêlit discovers that Conan’s worries are justified.”

    Goodreads: 5/5 “This issue is written with vibrant history in mind, artfully and skillfully, with an eye trained solely on the intimate, thrilling adventures of Conan and Bêlit at the height of their love for one another…Anyway, top notch. Not familiar with this artist but great job as always.”

    Kabooooom: 5/5 “Zub’s command of Conan as a character remains unmatched and, unsurprisingly given his run so far, he has a solid handle on Bêlit as well…If you’ve not been reading Conan the Barbarian since Titan Comics took over the license, you’ve been missing out on a damn good comic. Fans of fantasy will be in good spirits, but the high adventure and intrigue will also appeal to other audiences.”

    League of Comic Geeks: 4/5 “I love that we get a Bêlit story! Something else I appreciate about this is the classic nature of serialized Conan. There’s no continuity between last issue or this and it doesn’t matter, because Conan is a series of tales; an epic saga told in parts jumping through his timeline. It’s the same way REH wrote him and I dig it!”

    Nerd Initiative: “I absolutely love this comic…This is just Jim Zub and now Danica Brine firing on all cylinders with awesome Conan content. That’s it, that’s all you need!”

    Old Nerd Reviews WY : “Every time I talk about Conan I say ‘Now is the best time to jump in’ if you’re not reading it, but now may honestly be the best time to jump in.”

    Pop Culture Philosophers : “Another great issue of Conan…I do really like this story.”

    Professor Frenzy: “Conan and Bêlit stories are fabulous for me and this one is definitely good…This did not miss a step.”

    Sci Fi Pulse: 9.6/10 “Jim Zub kicks off this new story arc, promising exciting adventures with Conan and his Pirate Queen, a character we’ve only seen in flashbacks until now. It will be intriguing to see how this story unfolds as it develops. This is a strong and engaging start.”

    Stygian Dogs: “I really enjoyed Danica Brine’s work here, it feels like it exists in contrasts – it’s both soft and edgy, sensual and striking, detailed yet sparse, and it does a superlative job of capturing the ‘joie de vivre’ Conan felt with Bêlit in that era where the youthful wanderer found a form of stability in service to his Queen…The story is a welcome palette cleanser.”

    Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “I love the double page spread that Danica drew. It looks beautiful…This is a great issue. I really, really liked it.”

    Thinking Critical: “This is Conan the Barbarian and Bêlit kind of story that’s a lot more sexy in nature and Danica’s art is a lot more sexy than Roberto De La Torre…It’s a still a fine issue of Conan.”

    Whole Lotta Comics: “This book is beautiful. Truly beautiful…I’m honestly shocked how much I loved the art in this book.”

    Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #2 Reviews

    The second part of our epic pulp adventure, Battle of the Black Stone, arrived in stores this week.
    What did critics think? Let’s see…

    Comical Opinions: 10/10 “In a year over stuffed with soulless crossover events that make a lot of noise but do very little to get readers excited, Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #2 gets everything right for a pulp action adventure of the highest order…no comic available right now does it better.”

    Cool Thunder: 9/10 “We get to see all the characters pulled together to discern the mystery of the haunting and deadly Black Stone…issue 2 will leave you on the edge of your seat blending action, suspense, and mystery leaving you desirous for more!”

    DC Patrol: “This book is absolutely fantastic – great images. Jonas Scharf really, really doing a fantastic job and the colors by Canola are great!”

    Dragon’s Cache: 9.6/10 “Jonas Scharf packs the pages of Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #2 with panels to show our heroes interact with these supernatural forces…Jão Canola contrasts the yellow and green energy with orange and red, while brown and gray also ground scenes in the stately club.”

    Goodreads: 5/5 “This hews very closely to Howardian concepts and characters, the ideas behind the world and story, the Hyborian Age, and builds upon it by imagining pre and post yarns branching from well-known stories…Lots of payoff here. Do not miss it!”

    League of Comic Geeks: 5/5 “Wow… just wow. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers but my jaw dropped not once but twice.”

    Mighty Thorngren: “This issue was a breath of fresh air and so fun, just non-stop awesome action and I’m just having a blast with it…These have just been on fire delivering lately.”

    Pop Culture Philosophers: “They pull it all together in issue #2 and it works, and it’s great…Really cool stuff!”

    Stygian Dogs: “With stakes brought into sharp focus and the sense of weird turned up to 11, Jim Zub, Jonas Scharf, and Jão Canola have succeeded in giving us a morbidly exciting second part to this ambitious 4-issue mini-series.”

    Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “This was a phenomenal addition to the story. I really, really loved it…I thought it was really fun. I really enjoyed the artwork and coloring.”

    Thinking Critical: “I love this mini-series, I love what Jim Zub is doing with Conan as a whole, and I love that Titan is giving this character the room and attention it deserves from people who love the character. The results are showing for themselves. A fantastic mini-series.”

    Void City Reviews: “I’m into it. There’s a long build up to get here, but I’m enjoying the execution.”

    Conan the Barbarian #15 Reviews

    9 Panel Grid: “Overall this was a completely masterful issue, I loved seeing something familiar from Conan, albeit something completely new because of what Jim Zub and Doug Braithwaite are doing.”

    Comical Opinions: 9.5/10 “Conan the Barbarian #15 presents mature, spiritual concepts wrapped in a ferocious Conan tale. Jim Zub is digging deep to dispel Conan’s reputation as a sword-slashing meathead by sending him on a personal journey that reflects struggles everyone can relate to.”

    DC Patrol: “This book is just perfection…just a beautiful book. I don’t even think you need to like Conan to enjoy this.”

    Doc Lail Talks Comics: “If you have not been reading this book, find it. I don’t care if you read it digitally, I don’t care if you pick it up in person. Conan is on a path of fire with Jim Zub that he has not been on since the 70’s or possibly the early 80’s…This is one of the best books on the shelves right now.”

    GoodReads: 10/10 “The art and writing have captured the mystical, salacious and errant spirit of the original works, while driving the fervor, fury and passion to its heights. Just as Howard would have done himself, if he were in the comic medium.”

    Grammaticus Books: “[Zub] adds something to it without taking anything away from the original Robert E. Howard story…Great artwork by Doug Braithwaite combined with great coloring by Diego Rodriguez that makes for some excellent pages.”

    Grimdark Magazine: “Bolstered by the strong foundation of ‘The Frost-Giant’s Daughter,’ Conan the Barbarian #15 is the strongest issue in the Frozen Faith arc thus far.”

    League of Comic Geeks: 5/5 “I never thought I would be reading a poetic version of Conan the Barbarian. Yet here I am and there’s a very good chance that this will be one of the best books I read all week, maybe month, possibly all year.”

    Lord Samper’s Library: “Now I love Howard’s opening, for ‘The Frost Giant’s Daughter’, but I’ve also got a lot of time for the way that Zub wraps a little background around this. I like background, especially when it’s done as well as this.”

    Mighty Thorngren: “When I want a comic book, I want to be thoroughly pleased with the amount of action and story, and these Conan comic books deliver that like nothing else. Page after page of cool looking stuff. Doug Braithwaite has just beautiful artwork.”

    Pop Culture Philosophers: “This book is awesome…The Conan books, this is the best they’ve been since back in the 70’s and 80’s, in my opinion. This is some really great stuff!”

    Scifi Pulse: 9.7/10 “Overall, another fantastic issue with a great mix of strong artwork and fantastic dialogue.”

    Sleepy Reader: “Jim Zub just knocks it out of the park. All the stuff he’s been setting up from the point of view from the goddess now really pays off…and I have grown very affectionate for Doug Braithwaite’s very brutal art style.”

    Stygian Dogs: “Zub has seamlessly woven these layers of his grander story into this adaptation, the end result of his twist convincing readers that an exploration of these themes was always articulated in Howard’s original material. It’s a remarkable achievement and Doug Braithwaite’s work is exceptional…I can’t recommend this issue enough.”

    Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “I think that this is quite a phenomenal adaptation of the Frost-Giant’s Daughter…and I like the expansion that was done to turn this into an arc and connect the Battle of Venarium and leaving Cimmeria to this story.”

    Thinking Critical: “It’s still absolutely awesome…This continues to be the series of the year.”

    Wakizashi’s Teahouse: “It’s glorious! The art is great by Braithwaite. An exciting tale. Really good writing by Jim Zub, quite poetic at times. Big recommend.”

    Savage Sword of Conan #4 Reviews

    The newest issue of Savage Sword of Conan kicks off our Battle of the Black Stone storyline with six short prelude stories. Let’s see what critics thought of it…

    Comic Culture: “We have that classic black & white magazine-sized action. It’s gruesome, it’s gory, it’s absolutely beautiful and it definitely keeps your attention…Savage Sword of Conan continues to be one of my favorite books out each month.”

    Comical Opinions: 9.8/10 “Why can’t every anthology be this good?…It’s a pulp adventure-lover’s dream!”

    DC Patrol: “A whole bunch of stories, wonderful characters. It’s inventive and fun…This book has everything.”

    Decptisean: “This issue is chockablock with Robert E. Howard goodness. I recommend this…It has different art styles, but still very good.”

    Fanboy Planet: “despite the large cast, you don’t have to buy a plethora of titles. You can catch up on the first year arc, but it’s not really necessary. Zub remembers that every Conan comic is somebody’s first…It’s a small enough event to stay focused, but, in comics terms, earth-shattering enough to eagerly await what’s coming next.”

    Goodreads: 8/10 “Super excited for the ultimate meeting of all these outstanding Howard characters…Lots of great authors and artists here. Really love the El Borak and Solomon Kane stories.”

    Mandy’s a Geek: 10/10 “This comic, everybody should be buying. It’s the best value comic around. Each issue’s been fantastic…Just wonderful.”

    Mark on Comics: 5/5 “This is a great introduction to Battle of the Black Stone…I highly recommend it. If you’re a Conan fan, pick this book up!”

    Pop Culture Philosophers: “I really like this book! I think Savage Sword is just brilliant, I love it….This is one of the best books on the shelf!”

    Scoop: “All of the stories are enticing, and the Marz-Perkins collaboration on El Borak is worth the price of admission by itself…If Battle Of The Black Stone lives up to this, it’ll be a great ride.”

    Stygian Dogs: “I think fans are going to be pleased and naysayers surprised. I was curious going into this. I was always going to check out the Black Stone event but this book defied my expectations. The trippy moments of the surreal, the evil of the stone permeating all pages and stories, it generates more questions and more mystery even as the plot details are elaborated upon.”

    Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “Overall, a great start to the Battle of the Black Stone event. I really, really liked it and thought it was great…This is nearly perfect in my opinion.”

    Thinking Critical: “Without a doubt, the best value in comics…I highly encourage everyone to check this one out. What Jim Zub is building here is going to be epic.”

    Todd Luck: “This is even more like a barbarian box of chocolates because you have six different stories by six different creative teams…an artistic showcase showing all these artists doing Robert E. Howard characters.”

    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #13 Reviews

    What did critics think of Conan the Barbarian #13, the kickoff to our fourth story arc?
    Read on and find out…

    Amazon: 10/10 “I’m fairly certain Robert E. Howard himself wouldn’t miss an issue of this series, and I imagine him reading them out loud and forcefully turning to the next page. Amazing art as well.”

    Comic Book Dispatch: 9.4/10 “Doug Braithwaite’s distance shots show Conan trekking with snowy wastes. Close-ups reveal calf-high boots plunging into snow, hands pressing into a tree, and exhalations becoming vapor as they depart Conan’s lips.”

    Comic Culture: “This has been one of the best, most consistent runs of comics I have read in a very long time. We are on issue #13 and I cannot wait for each and every issue to come out…The themes are instantly resonating with me, which is probably why I love the book.”

    Comical Opinions: 9/10 “It’s written great and it looks great…In a comic industry where even the best selling titles are hit or miss, this series has yet to produce a bad issue.”

    DC Patrol: “I’ve just got to give some praise to Titan Comics. They’re putting out a beautiful book. Everyone involved, every issue, it’s always great. There is nothing not to love.”

    Deceptisean 77: “This is a great series, in keeping with Conan the Barbarian…the art continues to be great for this series.”

    Grimdark Magazine: ” This issue delivers a change of pace for existing readers and serves as a gentle jumping-on point for newcomers curious about Titan Comics’ most successful series to date.”

    League of Comic Geeks: 9/10 “I’d be critical of an issue like this in any other book, but Zub makes it work. This might be the most reliably solid ongoing series on my radar right now.”

    Mighty Thorngren: “This continues to be my favorite comic that I am reading in general…It’s so damn good!”

    Pop Culture Philosophers: “Jim Zub has been killing it on this book…This is the first time I’ve ever truly enjoyed a Conan book for more than 12 issues.”

    SciFi Pulse: 9.7/10 “It’s a story very much about the will to survive and how frightening life and death-situations can push a person beyond their limits. Overall, this is a great start and I can’t wait to see where the story goes.”

    Stygian Dogs: “Zub and team have successfully created a sense of renewal here…This absolutely heralds the start of another great year of Conan comics.”

    Sword & Sorcery Book Club: “It was phenomenal and I really loved this…Issue 13 was a wonderful comic book.”

    Thinking Critical: “I love this issue. Narratively-speaking, I think this is one of my favorites…It’s a great look into the past and an introspective look into Conan.”

    Todd Luck: “It’s a good, solid entertaining issue and it reminds me of some of the high points we’ve gotten in some of the Conan the Barbarian comics in the past 20 years…It’s been remarkably consistent and my opinion isn’t really changing.”