Saw SUPERMAN on Saturday with Stacy and my Father-in-law.
No spoilers!
I thought it was an absolute blast and a much-needed shot in the arm to both the DC Universe and superhero films in general. There is a ton happening, but the plot and emotional throughline manages to hold it all together. Really impressive.
The movie leans into some Silver Age Superman comic trappings and gives you the feeling you’ve been dropped into the midst of a larger world and ongoing story, but not in a way I found confusing. If anything, it reminded me of being a kid and picking up a random issue of a superhero comic. I didn’t need to know every facet of every character’s back story to quickly understand their current motivations and get pulled into the unfolding drama and action happening on the page. With that in mind, the film wisely sprinted past retelling Superman’s origin story for the umpteenth time and instead dove into broader ideas around responsibility, heroism, and humanity. The heightened classic comic elements are unabashedly up there on the screen but the film still manages to ground them with just enough ‘now’ that it felt contemporary yet idealistic, hopeful but not naive. It’s one hell of a high wire act, narratively speaking.
Is it perfect? Of course not. With so much going on, some elements were glossed over that I would have preferred to see receive more focus and the final act leaves some questions that, if not answered in future films, could become jarring plot holes, but on the whole Superman delivered far beyond my expectations. Kudos to the movie team and congrats to so many of my friends doing wonderful work at DC right now. I really hope the movie’s success creates a powerful and much-deserved ripple effect on the publishing line.
A Quick Hunt in September
The solicit has dropped so now I can reveal I have a story in PREDATOR: BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD #3 arriving in September!
It’s my first time playing in the 20th Century Fox sandbox. A short story this time, but hopefully there will be more to come.
Having a Blast
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #22 really hit the spot with our readers. We received a torrent of positive feedback and top notch reviews.
I know I sound like a broken record, but THANK YOU for the support, buying each issue and telling others that we earn that cover price each and every month.
I genuinely believe that CONAN THE BARBARIAN #23 (in stores August 13th) is Fernando’s best issue yet, with absolutely jaw-dropping visuals that are going to knock you OUT. I don’t want to spoil the action, so here’s a tiny teaser of our Cimmerian struggling against – well, that would be telling now wouldn’t it? 😉
The Final Diamond Previews
Speaking of CONAN THE BARBARIAN #23, the cover art for that issue by the always-amazing Dan Panosian graces the cover of what will apparently be the last issue of the Diamond Previews catalogue.
When Conan the Barbarian #1 was featured on the cover in April 2023, it meant we were a highly anticipated launch in a jam-packed catalogue. Two years later, it feels weird to be cover featured again as publishers flee and Diamond ignobly burns to the ground, damaging the industry it once dominated.
Publishers screwed over with millions of dollars of product being liquidated without their permission. Retailers left in the dark and scrambling to find new solutions to keep their shelves stocked. So many people thought that without Diamond there wouldn’t be a North American comic industry, but now it feels like dead weight that has to be cut loose to get somewhere/anywhere better.
Still a Few Seats Left!
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.
After DMing at the castle for my first time last year, I wrote an extensive newsletter all about it you can read up on right HERE.
Current + Upcoming Releases
Upcoming Appearances
Fan Expo Canada here in Toronto has finally been confirmed, which means late July through August is going to be a wild one for Zub events – 5 shows in 6 weeks.
| Jul 23-27, 2025 | San Diego Comic Con | San Diego, CA, USA |
| Jul 31-Aug 3, 2025 | Gen Con Indy – Booth 1349 | Indianapolis, IN, USA |
| Aug 13-17, 2025 | World Con | Seattle, WA, USA |
| Aug 21-24, 2025 | Fan Expo Canada | Toronto, ON, CANADA |
| Aug 28-Sep 1, 2025 | Dragon Con | Atlanta, GA, USA |
| Sep 27-28, 2025 | Chattanooga Comic Con | Chattanooga, TN, USA |
| Oct 16-19, 2025 | Gamehole Con XII | Madison, WI, USA |
| Nov 3-14, 2025 | D&D in a Castle | Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK |
Other Links
• My friend Stjepan Å ejić has a great interview with The Comics Journal all about his career – from learning art, to breaking into mainstream comics, and now stepping away to do his own mature creator-owned fetish-romance books.
• Deadpool co-creator Fabian Nicieza chats with Andrew Sumner at Forbidden Planet all about Kull the Conqueror and sword & sorcery.
• Dan at the Conan Chronology website has a nice blogpost all about ‘What does Conan the Barbarian mean in 2025?’
Jim
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Makeshift Miracle
I’d love a Conan tale where he encounters creatures that would inspire Yokai just like how Yag-Kosha did for Ghenesh. Especially ones the would become the umibozu and kasa-obake.