Zubby Newsletter #100: Something Special
In Zubby Newsletter #1 (back in March 2023) I mentioned that this newsletter was a return to a format similar to the emails I used to send to friends and family when I moved away from Ontario way back in 1999. Those ‘newsletters’ were a way to stay in touch and let people know what I was up to, what I was thinking about, and movies, games, or books I was checking out. With the atomization of social media thanks to algorithms and ads, getting back to a more direct and dependable form of communication has been really useful, and the feedback and support I’ve been shown here after 100 ‘issues’ has been incredibly uplifting. However you know me, whenever you came on board, thank you for reading and sharing!
I’m actually on vacation as I type this. Ever since Stacy’s Mom passed away we’ve talked about taking a vacation with her Dad, and back in the Fall we thought about booking a week away before conventions kicked into gear. January started filling up with deadlines and doomscrolling about the state of the world started taking hold…But the whole point of me stepping away from teaching was to free up more time for the people we care about, so a quick search for last minute vacation deals and, next thing I knew, the three of us were headed somewhere warm and sandy for 7 days.
So, yeah! I’m celebrating 100 Zubby newsletters with a week away from Canadian winter. I’ll get writing done, only this time from under an umbrella at a beach bar. 😉
20 Influential Comics
Over on BlueSky there was a viral thread where people posted “20 Comics That Influenced Them” (much like the 20 Movies equivalent from last year that I also participated in).
In the original thread people were just supposed to post the comic covers without any explanation but, since I have a lot more space here and it’s my 100th Newsletter, I’ve included a brief rundown of why these issues are special to me-
Doctor Strange #55 (1982): A perfect issue that tells a dramatic and meaningful story that works witin continuity but is also self-contained, with impecable artwork by Michael Golden. If you haven’t read this one, you are missing a hidden gem.
G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #21 (1983): Another perfect done-in-one issue, the famous ‘Silent Mission’ story that doesn’t have any dialogue or sound effects. The storytelling is spot-on and it’s a fun ride from start to finish.
Bone #1 (1991): In the early 90’s, Jeff Smith zigged with all-ages fun while the rest of the industry zagged with grim n’ gritty, and his enchanting black & white comic series became an instant classic. Every issue felt like uncovering buried treasure from a classic era of cartooning.
Batman-Judge Dredd: Judegement On Gotham (1991): Before IP comic crossovers became played out and annoying, this one was an absolute thrill, a fully painted story that earned its prestige format and knocked me out when I first read it.
The Tick #1 (1988): One of the funniest comic series of all time. There were parts of this original run that I struggled to read because I laughed so hard it made me cry. My brother and I could not get enough of this series and Skullkickers is deeply influenced by Ben Edlund’s sense of humor.
Uncanny X-Men #205 (1986): Another unstoppable done-in-one issue, reminding everyone why Wolverine was (and still can be) ‘the best there is’. Barry Windsor-Smith’s artwork is haunting in this issue and he draws the most incredible beat-to-shit version of Logan ever.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Collected Book vol. 1 (1990): I missed the debut of TMNT when it first arrived in comic shops, but the tabletop role-playing game brought me on board, this amazing omnibus-sized collection caught me all up, and from there I was hooked.
Understanding Comics (1993): Scott McCloud’s comic about the comic medium is an evergreen must-read, a smart and accessible textbook that always entertains even as it educates. If you love comics and haven’t read this, I am baffled. Scott was also the first comic pro who treated me like a peer, so this book has even more resonance to me in the here and now.
Akira #1 (1988): On a visit home from university, my brother brought fan-subbed anime tapes to show me and they blew my mind. We started collecting manga soon after, and Marvel’s color reprints of Akira became a must-read whenever a new chapter was released in English.
Savage Sword of Conan #24 (1977): Arguably the finest Robert E. Howard adaptation of all time. The artwork and storytelling in this issue is top notch, with John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala working in perfect harmony. It felt like the story I read in prose leapt from my imagination to the printed page.
We3 (2004): Gripping from start to finish, this wonderful self-contained mini-series plays with the comic medium and my heartstrings in ways that feel like a magic trick.
Video Girl Ai vol. 1 (1990): Once my brother showed me anime and I became hooked on manga, this series grabbed me with its delicate linework, delightful designs, and surprisingly emotional ups and downs. I still have ideas for a romantic-comedy comic series and this series is a big reason why.
Uncanny X-Men Annual #9 (1985): Taking the X-Men and New Mutants to Asgard and sending them hurtling through a sword & sorcery adventure was absolutely transformative for me, especially when paired with the incredibly detailed artwork of Arthur Adams. The Champions issues I wrote where the team go to Weirdworld and end up transformed into fantasy versions of themselves are my homage to this glorious story.
Fantastic Four #243 (1982): The interconnected nature of superhero universes are one of my favorite things about them, but back in the early 80’s it was still relatively rare for major characters to show up in each other’s titles. This issue with Galactus facing off against the FF has guest apperances by the Avengers, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Daredevil! That feeling of a shared world with cause and effect really opened up my eyes to the possibilities and I could not get enough.
Dirty Pair: Sim Hell #1 (1993): Adam Warren’s Dirty Pair series wiped away any misgivings I had about non-Japanese creators tackling manga-anime properties and, it might be blasphemous of me to say, but I think Adam’s version of the ‘Lovely Angels’ is even better than the originals. Sim Hell is jam-packed with wry humor, wicked action, and killer artwork.
Amazing Spider-Man #231 (1982): A completely random issue that doesn’t have any particular story significance, but it’s personal for me in other ways. This is the first issue of Spider-Man I bought with my own money and from there I started collecting Amazing Spider-Man every month, from issues #231 through to #374. After a 17 year gap, I came back on board with the Big Time story arc and have been reading it ever since.
Pride Of Baghdad (2006): Beautiful, relevant, and absolutely haunting, this is one of the best self-contained graphic novels I’ve ever read. It swept me along with its allegorical tale and speaks to cycles of history that humanity keeps falling into.
By Chance Or Providence (2014): Becky Cloonan is a potent force in independant comics, charging forward with work that is highly personal and imminently engaging. Her commercial work is fun too, but I cannot get enough of the ‘pure’ stuff she does all on her own. It’s so damn inspiring.
Heavy Metal Magazine vol. 1 no. 21 (1997): I’d seen a bunch of European comics over the years but hadn’t really dug into any of it, until Massimiliano Frezzato’s Maser series in Heavy Metal demanded my attention and would not let go. The world and characters are stunningly designed and incredibly appealing.
Excalibur: The Sword Is Drawn (1988): When my brother and I collected comics, we split the Marvel Universe to get as much as we could, and the mutant end of Marvel was his to buy each month, until Excalibur. This incredibly fun series, jam-packed with Alan Davis’ brilliant artwork, held me spellbound, month after month, and it all started here with this prestige format story.
Honorable Mention- The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: The Deluxe Edition (1986): Technically not a comic, so it didn’t make my list, but obviously comic adjascent, this extensive reference series – an encyclopedia of characters, teams and locations – solidified the Marvel Universe for me, clarifying a vast interconnected web of creativity that wedged its way into my brain and changed my life.
Hyborian Sneak Peeks
Since you made it here for our Newsletter 100 celebration, let me give you some art teasers for upcoming issues in the Hyborian Age:
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #19 – Line Art by Doug Braithwaite, Colors by Diego Rodriguez
CONAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025 – Line Art by Ivan Gil
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #21 – Line Art by Fernado Dagnino
Skullkickers: The Digest Edition?
Speaking of sneak peeks – A new sign up page is now live!
If you’ve enjoyed my work on CONAN THE BARBARIAN and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS but never read the original story that led to those projects, you’re about to get another chance to kick some skulls…thanks to ZOOP!
Sign up HERE to make sure you don’t miss it!
Free Scripts!
You want even more? You people are insatiable…
Okay then, how about this?
My Patreon archive now has over 320 scripts and dozens of pitches for comics I’ve written over the years, but every so often I take one of those scripts locked behind the $3-$5 paywall and make it FREE for everyone to check out. Here’s a list of links to those freebies so you can get a closer look at how comics are written for $0.00, the same price you pay for this newsletter!
SKULLKICKERS #1 – Full Script
WAYWARD #1 – Full Script
WAYWARD #6 – Full script
RED SONJA AND CUB – Outline and Full Script
SAMURAI JACK #20 – Outline and Full Script
SUICIDE SQUAD: 20 Minute Marathon – Outline and Full Script
OMEN-LACED – Script and Story
CARGO: A Sci-Fi Short Story – Full Script
LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT: Dr. Quinn’s Diagnosis – Outline + Full Script
If you found those interesting and useful, you can access a whole lot more for the price of a fancy coffee.
D&D in a Castle Documentary
Over on the Orkenspalter YouTube channel, Mháire Stritter has put together a documentary all about D&D in a Castle. The whole thing is worth checking out, but if you want to zero in on her interview with me, it’s at the 35:40 mark.
Current + Upcoming Releases
Conan: Battle of the Black Stone #4 (of 4) – released December 4th.
Conan the Barbarian #17 – released December 11th.
Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 1 TPB – released January 14th.
Conan the Barbarian Vol. 4: Frozen Faith TPB – releases February 18th.
Conan the Barbarian #18 – releases February 19th.
Thunderbolts: Winter Soldiers – releases March 4th.
Conan the Barbarian #19 – releases March 19th.
Upcoming Appearances
More shows getting added to the schedule – February and March are going to be busy!
Feb 6-9, 2025 Mega Con Orlando, Florida, USA
Feb 21-23, 2025 Fan Expo Vancouver Vancouver, BC, CANADA
Mar 6-9, 2025 Emerald City Comic Con Seattle, Washington, USA
Mar 14-16, 2025 Toronto Comicon Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Mar 20-23, 2025 Gary Con XVII Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
Nov 3-14, 2025 D&D in a Castle Castle Lumley, Newcastle, UK
That should cover it for the big 100!
Next week – back to our regular programming…
Jim
Congrats on 100 posts (and another for getting out of here for during the polar vortex week of frigid temps.)
Always appreciated the posts on the blog. They helped me get things going with my own books. Feels like it was just yesterday, but was very happy to see you jump onto Substack to keep it all going.