Zubby Newsletter #149: Big Collections

Posted by Jim Zub on March 17, 2026 Leave a comment (0) Go to comments

I’ve been keeping this one secret for quite some time, but am happy to have it finally show up in advance book catalogues – WAYWARD is being collected in a beautiful one volume Compendium edition this September!

The Wayward Compendium arrives in September with
new cover artwork by Steven Cummings and Tamra Bonvillain!

WAYWARD is a creator-owned comic series I co-created with the amazing artist Steven Cummings that ran for 30 issues from 2014 to 2018. It’s a bit like ‘Buffy in Japan’, with teenagers fighting against Japanese mythological monsters on the streets of modern Tokyo while struggling with their personal drama and newfound supernatural powers.

These characters are near and dear to my heart and the series launched at a time when Image Comics was going through a renaissance with new titles that grabbed attention and made waves. I’ve always been proud of what Steven, Tamra, Zack, Marshall and I were able to accomplish, showcasing real Japanese places and historical myths without leaning too hard on manga tropes or pacing.

Some of the original trade paperbacks and deluxe hardcovers have fallen out of print so it’ll be nice to have it available for readers to enjoy and share in one complete volume. Make sure you pre-order and tell your friends!

Earth’s Mightiest Collection

Speaking of great looking collections, the AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER/NO ROAD HOME Omnibus is now in stores, collecting the weekly epic events I co-wrote with Mark Waid and Al Ewing, with artwork by the incomparable Pepe Larraz, Kim Jacinto, Paco Medina, and Sean Izaakse.

I received my contributor copy in the mail late last week and, the minute I cracked it open, a flood of wonderful memories came back, a special milestone in my creative career. When we were plugging away on these stories it really felt like we were the Avengers, banding together to tackle a massive story and wild deadlines we never could have overcome as individuals.

I learned so much working on these events and hearing from readers that it’s considered a ‘modern classic’ means a lot. I’d love to write more of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes at some point down the road but, whatever happens, this collection is great to have available.

Robert E. Howard Award Nominations

The Robert E. Howard Foundation has posted their ballot for the 2026 REH awards and books I worked on snagged 3 nominations:
• The Hyrkanian—Outstanding Achievement, Essay
– “Shadows of the Serpent: Howard, Kull and the Birth of Sword and Sorcery”, Jeff Shanks in Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #1-4
• The Rankin—Artistic Achievement
– Jim Zub, Ivan Gil, João Canola, Tyler Smith, and Richard Starkings, for Conan: Scourge of the Serpent
– Jim Zub, Alex Horley, Tyler Smith, and Richard Starkings for Conan the Barbarian #25, “The Nomad”

The competition is really tight this year, but that just means we’re enjoying a surge of Howard-related works so I couldn’t be happier. Best of luck to all the nominees!

High Points at Fantastic Comic Fan

I spoke to Ray MacKay (a young comic creator getting his start) at The Fantastic Comic Fan podcast about my comic career– How I got my start, the influence of tabletop RPGs, developing my creator-owned books, working on Conan the Barbarian, and a whole lot more. Check it out!

Popverse is Chasing the Vibes

Popverse asked a bunch of comic creators, including me, questions about our careers and excitement being at Emerald City Comic Con:
• Do you remember the first time a comic made you feel seen?
• What was your first “I can’t believe this is my job” moment?
• What is your favorite sound effect you’ve written?
• Which of your characters feels most like family to you now?
• If a character you worked on could walk through Artist Alley at ECCC, what would they say?
• What is the weirdest or most wonderful thing that you’ve ever signed?
• What can comics do that no other artform can?
• Which character you’ve worked on would bomb a panel Q&A?
• What is your go-to snack when deadlines are closing in?
• When you think of ECCC, what feeling comes to mind?
• What does it mean to see fans still showing up for comics after all these years?
• What is one thing you hope fans take away from ECCC this year?
• Finish this sentence, “Comics will always matter because-“

Current + Upcoming Releases

Skullkickers: Compact Attack Edition Vol. 1 – released Feb 17.
Conan the Barbarian #29 – released Feb 25.
Avengers: No Surrender/No Road Home Omnibus – released Mar 10.
Skullkickers: Compact Attack Edition Vol. 2 – released Mar 17.
Conan the Barbarian #30 – releases Mar 25.
Mad About DC – releases Apr 1.
Skullkickers: Compact Attack Edition Vol. 3 – releases Apr 21.
Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King Prelude – releases May 2.
Manga Classics: Journey to the West Prelude – releases May 2.
Savage Sword of Conan #14 – releases May 6.
Conan: Scourge of the Serpent TPB – releases May 6.
Conan the Barbarian Vol. 7: The Conquering Crown TPB – releases May 20.
Conan the Barbarian #31 – releases May 27.
Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 4 TPB – releases May 27.

Upcoming Appearances

This week I’m at Megacon Orlando, so if you’ll be at the show, please stop by to see me!

Mar 19-22, 2026	Megacon Orlando	Orlando, FL, USA
Apr 23-26, 2026	Calgary Expo	Calgary, AB, CANADA
Aug 15, 2026	Comics Assemble	Gloucester, England, UK