Jim Zub's Blog, page 76

Stan Lee: 1922-2018

There’s nothing I can say about Stan Lee’s cultural impact that won’t already be said better and more extensively by a thousand people who worked with Stan and knew him well.

All I can talk about is the way his exuberance for what he did inspired me to bust my butt.

Stan’s voice, his cadence, and his infectious barker-style salesmanship is as intrinsic to superhero comics for me as a heroic name, a mask, or a set of super powers. It’s part of the whole package.

Stan’s mannerisms and catchphrases were larger than life and when I was young I was swept up in its spell.

Every time I put myself and my work out there, I’m channeling a bit of Stan Lee.

I know it can be annoying at times, but I can’t help it. That exuberance gives me courage.

Writing is ego and fear and struggling to say something human. It’s solitary in the work and public in the presentation and it never quite feels right as you try and bridge that divide.

Stan did it with bravado. He did it with enthusiasm and heart, with bombast and a big smile.

Thanks for the alliterative inspiration and voluminous vocabulary, sir.

We’ll do our best to keep the House warm.

Champions #26 Reviews

• Black Nerd Problems: 8.5/10 “I always praise the art in Champions for always nailing the look of each heroes powers on the page. Max Dunbar does an amazing job working off of Jim Zub’s story.”

• Comic Book.com: 10/10 “The wild character designs for the new versions of the Champions are absolutely stunning, not to mention a ton of fun. “

• Comic Book University: “Consistently one of the best books on the market.”

• Geeked Out Nation: 8.5/10 “The artwork once again blew me away. I love to use the world fantastical to describe the appeal of the art, but that doesn’t do it justice at this point. I felt truly engaged by the way that Max Dunbar and Nolan Woodard engage us with this medieval-fantasy style to Weirdworld and the way that these characters have adapted to that setting.”

• Shoot The Breeze: “I’m on the edge of my seat awaiting the storyline’s conclusion with next month’s Champions #27, the sign of a truly great comic!”

Up Here Magazine Interviews Snowguard

Up Here Magazine, a publication focused on Northern Canada and its people, has a special interview with Snowguard in their October/November 2018 issue.

The in-character interview covers Amka’s thoughts on being a superhero and representing Nunavut and the North. On top of that, Alpha Flight gets a little shout out and there’s a concise explanation of Snowguard’s powers. GIVE IT A READ!

WAYWARD #30 Reviews

• ComicBook.com: 10/10 “…an elegant, beautiful finale that will give fans a lot to love — both in the first reading and in what is sure to be many re-readings to come. That’s the beauty of Wayward. It’s a story you will want to come back to, even knowing how it all ends.”

• Horror Talk: 10/10 “While I’m sad to see Wayward end, this finale is pitch perfect. This is truly an epic comic in more ways than one.”

• TM Stash: 10/10 “Wayward goes out in a blaze of glory – maintaining the high standards this series has set from the very beginning. That’s something that happens all too rarely in comics – glad to see that it happened here.”

Newsarama Talks Avengers: No Road Home

I spoke to George Marston at Newsarama all about our weekly Avengers epic that starts in February. Check out this interview to get insight about how the project came together, our team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and an exclusive first look at page art by Paco Medina and Jesus Aburto! READ IT HERE!

IDW Games Announces Signature Edition for the WAYWARD Board Game

IDW GAMES ANNOUNCES SIGNATURE EDITION FOR THE WAYWARD BOARD GAME

IDW Games is proud to announce the Wayward Board Game – Signature Edition, based on the comic series world by Jim Zub (Rick and Morty VS Dungeons & Dragons) and Steven Cummings (Legends of the Dark Knight, Forager, Wayward), with new art by Cummings and game design by Jonathan Gilmour (Dinosaur Island, Dead of Winter). Wayward presents players with a highly thematic threat management game and multiple unique and challenging scenarios that push them to take risks, and, in return, grant their characters more powerful abilities and items.

Wayward is a cooperative board game for 1-5 players where each player takes on the role of a teenager with newfound supernatural abilities. The next generation of the supernatural has emerged in Tokyo, and these teens are fighting for their survival and to prevent the Weave – the hidden threads of power and destiny that guide our world – from unraveling. These “wayward children” threaten the old order and the creatures and spirits known as the Yokai are determined to eradicate them before they are usurped. Players choose one of five different scenarios to play, each with its own unique rules and challenges, to defeat the Yokai and destroy their places of power.

Jerry Bennington, IDW Publishing’s VP of New Product Development, says, “Being able to bring the fantastic world of Wayward to the tabletop has been a lot of fun. The art, miniatures, and game are a great way to experience the world that the comics have created.”

Jim Zub, writer of Wayward, says, “Jonathan Gilmour has put together the kind of fun and challenging game I love playing at the table with my friends. It has an intense strategic style that’s full of surprises. Win or lose, each play through is a blast to see through to the end.”

Wayward Board Game – Signature Edition will be available on Kickstarter for pre-order in February 2019 for $70.00 and will include exclusive upgraded packaging, miniatures sculpted by Ninja Division (Super Dungeon), and bonus character with scenario. Prior to the campaign, fans attending PAX Unplugged (Nov. 30 – Dec. 2) will have the opportunity to demo the game at IDW Games booth #3148.

The Comics Beat Celebrates the End of Wayward

Matt O’Keefe from the Comics Beat and I chatted about the end of Wayward, which arrived in comic shops nationwide last week – the evolution of the series, the changing comic market, and the big wrap up. Give it a read!

Forces Of Geek Interview

I spoke to the Forces Of Geek crew about Wayward – how it came to be, the evolution of the series, and the big finish. Give it a read!

Comic Book HQ Podcast Interview

I spoke to the gang at Comic Book HQ and we cover the final issue of Wayward, breaking into the comic business, playing Dungeons & Dragons, Rick and Morty, and more! Give it a listen!

Wayward Concludes – A Few Thoughts

I sent Steven an email back in July 2013 proposing a story about supernatural stuff happening in Tokyo. The idea for it came from story bits I had been brainstorming about mythology in the modern world mixed with a cool illustration Steven had done years earlier in an art book called Vent.

Over five years later, here we are with thirty issues under our belt and a big crazy story about myth, destiny, and finding your way in a changing world.

I knew how the broad elements would come together for the finale but I wasn’t sure if it would end up being optimistic or something grim. Thankfully, a hopeful tone won out and, rereading it now, it feels right.

The unknown is scary, but it also carries great potential. Our past informs who we are, but it’s not the sum total of who we will be in the future.

Going on this journey with our creative team has been an incredible honor. Steven Cummings and I worked together on opposite sides of the world, keeping production going around the clock. I’d pop onto Google Hangouts late in the evening as he woke up to start another day of art production. We’d check in and encourage each other as we plugged away on each issue, each arc, year after year. Like any creative endeavor, it was stressful at times, but also a constant source of joy.

Tamra Bonvillain came on board to color Wayward at the end of our first arc and stuck with us until the end. Her ability to bring out the best in Steven’s line work and take it to a higher level with mood and atmosphere still makes me smile. She brought a distinct look to the series that kept us competitive with any other title on the stands.

Marshall Dillon has been with me on every creator-owned series I’ve done and with good reason. His work effortlessly enhances each page, keeping readers focused and moving through the story in a way that’s easy to take for granted. That’s what great lettering does.

Zack Davisson and Ann O’Regan brought their knowledge and research skills to the mix in a way that helped us stand out in a crowded field. Our back matter essays were educational without being preachy, fascinating and always relevant. The reference material they provided helped ground our supernatural story in the real world and brought added value to our single issues and collections.

Wayward gave me the opportunity to dig into my love of Japan in a way I hadn’t ever thought possible. It forged lifelong friendships, enabled trips around the globe and enriched my life, time and time again.

Thank you to my wife Stacy for her endless editorial support and love, to the crew at Image Comics for helping us every step of the way, and to the many retailers and reviewers who enthusiastically told people about what we were doing as we built our readership.

Thank you for supporting us. Every day I’m thankful I get to make comics and none of it would be possible without great people like you.

Right here, right now…Anything is possible.

Jim