Zub Tales

This weekend is the 26th anniversary of the ICON – Comics and Gaming Convention in Johannesburg, South Africa and I will be there! Sean Izaakse (the amazing artist I’ve collaborated with on Pathfinder, Thunderbolts, Uncanny Avengers, and Champions) and I will be at the show signing and sketching for fans.

In addition, I’ll be on several panels throughout the weekend:

Friday, June 29th
Noon-1pm JIM ZUB – LESSONS IN SELF PUBLISHING
Over the past 17 years, Jim Zub has worked on a diverse array of publishing, movie and video game clients. He also juggles his time between being a freelance writer and being a program coordinator for an award-winning animation program for a college in his home town of Toronto.

In this informative and entertaining panel, Jim will take us on his journey from getting his first work in the comic book industry, the lessons in self-publishing game, through to present day where, partnered with Sean Izaakse, Jim is hitting it out of the park with Marvel’s Champions. And, if we’re lucky, Jim may talk about the insane Rick and Morty VS Dungeons & Dragons cross-over!

Saturday, June 30th
10am-11am CHAMPIONS – WITH JIM ZUB & SEAN IZAAKSE
In the aftermath of Civil War II, six adolescent heroes; Ms Marvel (Kamala Khan), Viv Vision, the Totally Awesome Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Nova (Sam Alexander), Spider-Man (Miles Morales), and the time-traveling teen incarnation of Cyclops sought to change the face of superheroics in the Marvel Universe. They did so by forming the Champions, a team dedicated to not just fighting super criminals, but making the world a better place.

Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse took over the creative duties of the Champions title with issue #19, and ushered in a new era that welcomed new members and brought new challenges. Join us as we discuss how the dynamic creative duo brought their own energy and ideas to this hit Marvel series!

2pm-3pm CHARACTER CREATION – FROM AN IDEA TO REALITY
Sean Izaakse and Jim Zub have been credited with taking Marvel’s Champions comic to another level with their fantastic stories and artwork. The two have also worked on creating new characters within the title – and we want to know how they did it!

In this panel, Sean and Jim will take suggestions from the audience and, by the end of the session, come up with a new super hero concept – one that ICON has big plans for over the next year! Come join us for what promises to be an amazing and fun session!

Sunday July 1st
10am-11am JIM ZUB & RAYMOND E. FEIST – VILLAINS!
Often, a story is only as good as the antagonist – a great villain can make or break a story. So what is it that makes a ‘great’ villain? What do writers think about when it comes to avoid key bad guy tropes? How do you make a villain truly special?

Comic book creator Jim Zub and fantasy legend Raymond E. Feist take the stage to discuss what it takes to make a villain truly epic – and answer your questions!