Zubby Newsletter #175: Nostalgia

Posted by Jim Zub on September 30, 2026 Leave a comment (0) Go to comments

This past weekend was flooded with memories.

• On Friday night, my old pal Dan came over and we grabbed dinner. It’s been almost 20 years since we were rommates here at the house and we’ve both been so busy that we didn’t realize how long it had been since we saw eachother in person. Great conversation followed, catching up on what we’ve been doing and how we’ve grown.

• On Saturday, Stacy and I met up with our dear friends Kandrix and Lindsay, the same couple we traveled to Japan with in 2024. Conversation around creative projects and possibilities was vibrant and when things rolled back to anecdotes about the late 90’s/early 00’s when I was living in Calgary, it was wild to think about how much things have changed.

*Who are those strange children? Where the hell did 30 years go?*

• On Sunday was the biggest nostalgia bomb, a reunion with friends from Sheridan residence 30 years after we lived together, trying to figure out that strange space between teenage angst and adulthood. We were messy, dramatic, ridiculous and wonderful then, and all those traits are still intact even if we hide it well in the here and now.

Digging through old photos, letters, and even printed out emails (that’s what we did if we wanted to save stuff when school email accounts went away) generated a blast of the familiar and the strange. Some moments I remember vividly and others that seemed incredibly important at the time I barely recall at all.

*The hair is silver but spirit is still young. Or something like that.*

Watching old VHS tapes also unearthed this wild piece of TTRPG history, a short news report in 1996 on the Vampire: The Masquerade LARP I was part of in downtown Toronto.

Yes, that is a 19-year old Zub talking to the reporter, and there are cameos from other dear Toronto friends as well. Some people I haven’t seen in many years and others, like Stacy, who are closer than ever.

Back then, I loved being in that ‘scene’, unleashing my creativity on game nights, making new friends, and building up my self-confidence, but I was still embarrassed to talk about it outside those circles. The RPG Satanic Panic of the 80’s cast a long shadow and I was afraid of the nerd stigma even though gaming, comics, and art meant so much to me.

I could never have imagined the effect those games and stories would have on my life or the way nerd culture would become mainstream culture. Comic book movies rule the box office, live tabletop gaming sells out stadiums, and comic cons and cosplay are a year-round way to celebrate the stuff we enjoy.

30 years ago gone in a flash but its influence is still felt in who I am and everything I do.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve finished outling some of my biggest stories on deck for 2027 and put the finishing touches on a major project announcement coming very soon. I’m nervous, excited and feel energized about the future. Whether you who have followed along with my journey for many years or have just started reading recently, thank you!

Major Discourse

Speaking of nostalgia, this interview with Comic Book Clique goes deep. There’s lots of talk around creator-owned comics, inspiration and research, TTRPGs, hard work and luck, and so much more! Give this one a listen, I’m really happy with how it turned out.

Here are some time-coded highlights:
• Wayward – How the series came to be and how rewarding it was to make.
• Taking risks and big swings with creator-owned books.
• The power of tabletop role-playing games.
• Being on a panel with Matt Dinniman and discussing shared influences.
• Glitterbomb – How I met Djibril and pitching it to Image.
• Failed movie pitches do not make good comics.
• Writing Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder – Worlds and characters.
• Conan the Barbarian – Lyricism and narration. Research and inspiration.
• Which fanbase is the most opinionated/passionate?
• Working with licensors and building confidence.
• Working with Udon on the manga adaptation of Journey To The West.
• Sharing comic writing knowledge and tutorials.

Cursed Shores Continues

Today, the third of our three Conan comic releases during Cimmerian September arrives in stores, CONAN THE BARBARIAN #35! Conan battles a twisted cult on a desolate island while Valeria and the Red Brotherhood discover the depths of darkness.

Fernando and Diego are on full blast artistically this issue and I feel really good about the mix of action, adventure and drama in this instalment.

Call of Cthulhu Live

Speaking of liveplay TTRPGs, I’m thrilled to announce I’m part of the Glass Cannon cast for CALL OF CTHULHU LIVE in Madsion Wisconsin, happening the Thursday night of Gamehole Con. If you’re at the con that weekend, grab a ticket for this separate event happening at the Atwood Music Hall. And watch some of their previous episodes to get a feel for how things might roll.

Current + Upcoming Releases

Conan the Barbarian #34 – released August 26.
Wayward Compendium – released September 9.
Savage Sword of Conan #16 – released September 16.
Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #1 – released September 23.
Conan the Barbarian #35 – released September 30.
Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #2 – releases October 21.
Savage Sword of Conan vol. 1-3 Slipcase Set – releases October 27.
Journey to the West: The Beginning – releases October 27.
Conan the Barbarian #36 – releases October 28.
Conan the Barbarian vol. 4-6 Slipcase Set – releases November 17.
Conan: Tides of the Tyrant-King #3 – releases November 18.
Conan the Barbarian #37 – releases November 24.

Upcoming Appearances

Next week at NYCC 2026, I’ll be at Artist Alley Table I-33 and on 3 panels:
Thurs, Oct 8 at 8pm : Roll for Romance – a Live D&D Love Story
Fri, Oct 9 at 12:30pm : Spotlight on Matt Dinniman
Sat, Oct 10 at 7:30pm : 3rd Annual PRH Murder Mystery Party

Oct 8-10, 2026	New York Comic Con	New York, NY, USA
Oct 15-18, 2026	Gamehole	Madison, WI, USA
Nov 12-15, 2026	D&D Weekend	Lake Sinclair, GA, USA
Jan 14-16, 2027	Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo	Philadelphia, PA, USA