Jim Zub's Blog, page 120
May 19, 2015
Skullkickers Treasure Trove 3 Arrives in August!
Arriving In August, pre-order now!
Skullkickers Treasure Trove, Vol. 3 HC
story: Jim Zub
art / cover: Edwin Huang & Misty Coats
August 26 / 320 pages / Full Color / 12+ / $34.99
The fan favorite SKULLKICKERS story concludes in this gorgeous oversized hardcover edition collecting the fifth and sixth story arcs along with lots of spiffy extras and rarities.
Collects SKULLKICKERS #24-33, and our ridiculous #100.
Skullkickers Treasure Trove 3
Deluxe Hardcover
(issues #24-33, #100, plus extras)
Beer, blood, and battle! The brawl to end it all! The Skullkickers are going out with an epic sword & sorcery war for the ages! The fan favorite Skullkickers story concludes in this gorgeous, oversized, hardcover edition collecting the fifth and sixth story arcs, along with lots of spiffy extras and rarities.
PRE-ORDER
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
Chapters-Indigo
Gen Con Writer’s Symposium: Comic Writing Track
I’m proud to announce that I’ll be a part of the Gen Con Writer’s Symposium, a series of panels and discussions about writing craft and the creative business, as part of a new Comic Writing Track along with Bill Willingham (Fables), Chris Roberson (iZombie), Gene Ha (Top Ten), and Daryl Gregory (Legenderry).
If you’re attending Gen Con and are interested in learning about comic writing, I highly recommend you look at taking some of the great programming they’re putting together. Events are now open for registration and most of them are free as long as you have a Gen Con badge. Check it out.
Here’s a rundown of panels I’ll be on:
SEM1578866 Writing Comics: It’s a Lot Like a Marriage – Authors & Artists Thurs 1:00 PM 1 hr $0
SEM1578867 Writing Comics: Writing Women Friendly Comics Thurs 2:00 PM 1 hr $0
SEM1578875 Writing Comics: Web Comics VS Digital Comics VS Paper Comics Fri 1:00 PM 1 hr $0
SEM1578877 Writing Comics: When Only Batman Will Do Fri 3:00 PM 1 hr $0
SEM1578883 Writing Comics: Serial Killers—Writing Serialized Stories Sat 1:00 PM 1 hr $0
SEM1578885 Writing Comics: Write Until it Hurts Sat 3:00 PM 1 hr $0
May 10, 2015
Happy Mother’s Day!
Here’s a cute little story about my Mom for Mother’s Day:
My Mom’s quite diligent about keeping up with my blog. She checks almost every post or interview, even when she’s not exactly sure what some of the industry stuff being referenced entails. After my parents get home from a trip, Mom will scroll down to where she left off and catch up on all the articles she missed while they were away. I know that less than a day after I post this up, she’ll read it.
But her favorites are audio interviews I do. When I asked her why, she said she likes to hear my voice. Sometimes she’ll put them on in the background while she does other things and thinks of it a bit like I’m there visiting, sitting in the next room excitedly talking about my job. Even when she has no idea what I’m talking about, the tone is what’s important; She loves hearing my enthusiasm.
When I first decided I was going into a creative career, I know Mom was really nervous about it. Like every parent, she wants the best for her kids. But that definition of ‘best’ isn’t money, it’s happiness. Once I became an adult she never told me what to do or how to do it, she just stressed that I should think carefully about long term happiness over short term indulgence.
That’s what’s so great, Mom. You raised a silly creative kid and he became a silly creative guy.
And he’s really happy thanks to your love and endless support.
I love you, Mom.
Happy Mother’s Day!
May 7, 2015
Conan Red Sonja #4 Reviews
Conan Red Sonja #4, the end of our epic team-up, arrived last week. I posted some thoughts about it last Wednesday. Here’s what critics thought of it…
• Fandom Post: B+ “Conan Red Sonja 4 concludes the story well, providing solid action and excellent interaction and growth between the two protagonists.”
• Geeked Out Nation: “With its sharp art, occasionally poetic writing, and relentless action, Conan/Red Sonja #4 is a frenzied conclusion to the ultimate fantasy fiction crossover.”
• Geeks of Doom: “This is going to be a repeated read for me, and I think it will be for you, too.”
• Hulking Review: “Conan Red Sonja #4 was a satisfying conclusion to a series that successfully avoided all the potential pitfalls of such a crossover due to its excellent writing and character portrayals.”
• My Geeky Geeky Ways: “Gail Simone and Jim Zub have spun one hell of a ripping yarn with this series. And this issue proves an epic and satisfying conclusion to the tale.”
• TM Spot: 10/10 “This series has been everything we had hoped it would be and more”
Wayward Video Interview With the Comicstorian
I spoke to Benny at the Comicstorian about Wayward – the characters, the culture, and the supernatural myths of Japan.
The Comicstorian YouTube channel will be doing video overviews of the early Wayward chapters as a way to get new readers on board and I’ll post links to those once they go up on their site.
May 6, 2015
Wayward #7 and Skullkickers #32 Reviews
Wayward #7 arrived in stores last week. It’s my favorite issue of our series so far. Cover to cover content as our dramatic story continues. Let’s see what reviewers thought of it…
• Big Glasgow Comic Page: 9/10 “The art is, as always, one of the strong points of this already brilliant series. Every character, every object, every frame has been brilliantly drawn, inked and coloured”
• Black Ship Books: “Wayward remains a ‘must buy.’ It’s consistently been one of the most entertaining books to come out from Image over the last year and the art itself is worth more than the cover price.”
• Comic Book Bin: ” This seventh issue of Wayward is, so far, the best issue of the new story arc.”
• Comics: The Gathering: 9/10 “Wayward has yet to slow down with seven excellent back to back issues. This is a story that could go down as one of the best if it keeps this consistency up.”
• Comix I Read: 5/5 “I am heavily invested in the plot and characters and cannot wait for what’s to come. I 100% recommend this issue.”
• Fandom Post: B+ “A very solid issue all around that again brings Japanese locales and cultural aspects in a great way to North American readers”
• Geeks of Doom: “Wayward has quickly become one of my favorite comics, with its mix of exotic setting, interesting characters, and an unfolding mystery that makes me want to come back each issue to find out the next part of the story.”
• Moar Powah: 5/5 “Wayward uses all of its pages to its advantage. The tantalizing ending seems to signal they’ll need all the new-found willpower they have.”
• Nothing But Comics: “The art is outstanding, the characters are fun and the stakes are high.”
• Omni Jer Bear: “One of the best storylines I’ve read in 2015. It’s like X-Men without the school.”
• The Read Pile: “I love the characters and I love that they’re all kids in Japan.”
• The Telltale Mind: 4.5/5 “Great dialogue, story and utterly captivating artwork help this book make its way to the top of the read-pile every month.”
• We The Nerdy: 8/10 “…the comic looks stunning like always. I love how fluid Ohara’s powers are, how they move, and I’m impressed at these still images can convey their motion so well.”
• TM Stash: 10/10 ” I find myself completely immersed in every issue, drawn in by Jim Zub’s script and amazed by the beautiful artwork by Steve Cummings (with colors by Tamra Bonvillain).”
• Under the Comic Covers: “Steve Cummings art is really spectacular and this issue is no exception. I love the artwork and the story flows so well.”
Skullkickers #32 also hit stores the same day and the brawl to end it all continues.
• Comix I Read: 8/10 “Writer Jim Zub ups the ante in this issue, bringing the Demon Lord of the Dwell onto the scene to fight Thool for supremacy.”
• Inside Pulse: “Lots of characters from earlier in the series are showing up, as the bar gets more and more full, and the mayhem increases exponentially.”
May 5, 2015
Zub at TCAF This Weekend. FREE To Attend!
This weekend I’m one of the many creators exhibiting at TCAF – The Toronto Comic Arts Festival! TCAF is a FREE event happening May 9th and 10th at the Toronto Reference Library. Dozens and dozens of comic creators will be in attendance and there will be signings, talks, and tables jammed with comics, graphic novels, and artwork.
I’ll be at TABLE 229 both days with copies of Wayward, as well as Skullkickers, Makeshift Miracle, Figment, Samurai Jack, D&D: Legends of Baldur’s Gate, and more!
If you’ve never attended TCAF and you live in the Greater Toronto Area, you really need to check it out and get inspired!
Here’s a fantastic time lapse video from last year’s TCAF:
Figment HC in Comic Shops Wednesday!
The collected Disney Kingdoms: Figment arrives in comic shops this Wednesday and will be in major bookstores and Amazon a week or two after that. It’s a beautiful hardcover collection with a special introduction by Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter.
It was an absolute thrill creating the adventurous back story for Dreamfinder and Figment and creating new Disney characters and worlds. If you haven’t explored our whimsical all ages adventure, now’s your chance!
Disney Kingdoms: Figment
(issues #1-5)
The next great Disney adventure is here — starring one of Disney’s most popular characters! Dive into a steampunk fantasy story revealing the origin of the inventor known as Dreamfinder, and learn how one little spark of inspiration created a purple dragon called Figment!
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Chapters-Indigo
Cheap GNs
comiXology
Midtown Comics
TFAW
May 4, 2015
Legends of Baldur’s Gate TPB in Stores Wednesday!
The collected trade paperback for Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate arrives in comic shops this Wednesday and will be in major bookstores and Amazon a week or two after that.
The single issue sales on the series were okay, but didn’t set the world on fire, so our ability to create more Baldur’s Gate comics rests on the sales of this spiffy high quality collected edition. Every issue received rave reviews from multiple comic and gaming sites (issues 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), so I think it’s more a visibility issue than one of quality.
If you’re a tabletop gamer (as I am) or loved the original Baldur’s Gate video games I think you’ll really enjoy the fun adventure story Max Dunbar and I put together for Wizards of the Coast as part of D&D 5th Edition launch. Please consider ordering a copy for yourself or snag one as a gift for your gaming friends so Minsc and Boo can continue their righteous quest for justice.
Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate
Graphic novel tie-in to Dungeon’s & Dragon’s new 5th Edition role-playing game! Generations have passed since the original Heroes of Baldur’s Gate saved the city and the Realms. Now a new threat rises and an unlikely group of misfits are thrust into adventure with Minsc, the legendary Ranger do-gooder with a heart of gold, brain of lead, and hamster of pronounced wisdom.
May 1, 2015
SUNDAY: Free Comic Book Day at Escape Pod Comics
On Sunday I’ll be appearing at Escape Pod Comics in New York as part of their Free Comic Book Day festivities! If you live in the area, please come on by and bring your friends.
