(EDITOR’S NOTE: A special thank you to Jim for answering my questions and taking the time to do so, and a special shout-out to the Marvel bullpen editorial folks who allowed this interview to move forward! Both this monk and our loyal readers are looking forward to this new chapter in the Conan the Barbarian saga!)

By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor

Following Jason Aaron’s 12-issue story arc “The Life and Death of Conan,” Marvel writer Jim Zub will be picking up the scripting duties on Marvel’s flagship Conan title beginning with Conan the Barbarian #13.

Like Aaron, Zub has a healthy resume already at the House of Ideas, where he’s scripted fan-favorites like The Champions, Avengers: No Road Home, and the Mystery in Madripoor mini-series featuring Wolverine. He’s also the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Award, which he won in 2018, and is a two-time Harvey Award nominee.

Jim graciously agreed to an interview with Paint Monk’s Library in anticipation of his Conan the Barbarian series premiere.

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WALLY MONK

So your first comic, Makeshift Miracle, came out in 2001. At the time you had your first comic published, what were your goals in the industry? Had comics always been something you were interested in? Can you share the beginnings of your journey in the industry, and what led you from there to your current gigs at Marvel?

JIM ZUB

“I grew up as an avid comic reader but, to be honest, I didn’t consider it a viable career path for a long time. As far as I could tell the only people who were making a go of it in comics were based in the U.S. (especially New York) or were brilliant and British. My knowledge of Canadian comic creators was limited and, even then, I just didn’t see how people made their way into the business.

My post-secondary education was in Classical Animation and that was originally where I expected to work. I wanted to be a Disney animator or work on other animated productions. It was a creative goal, but one that seemed reasonable. I could get focused training and be one of a few dozen names that scrolled by during the credits.

As soon as I got out into the business, I could feel the animation industry shifting under my feet. Computer animation was rapidly overtaking traditional production methods and I felt like I was out of date almost as soon as I began. The first couple of industry jobs I got were fine, but at an entry-level you don’t have much creative input, so I felt like a cog in the machine. Makeshift Miracle was a creative outlet I worked on in the evenings. It was a way to make my own story without interference. I slowly taught myself Photoshop and basic HTML so I could post up pages online a few times per week. That would connect me to the growing webcomic community and build my excitement for comics all over again.

When animation freelance work slowed down, I originally planned to go back to school for computer animation, but instead an opportunity popped up to join UDON, an art studio full of illustrators and animators who were working on concept designs, advertising art, and comics. Through the studio, I learned a ton about publishing, storytelling, project management, conventions, and marketing. It was the kind of energizing place where the more you put into the job the more opportunities you could take on and I really dove in with both feet. Over time I realized that at the heart of all these projects I was involved with, the stuff that really engaged me was story development. I wrote a few stories at the studio when clients needed a writer and would eventually take what I learned to help me launch Skullkickers at Image.

Skullkickers was an action-comedy built from the things I loved about sword & sorcery stories like Conan and Dungeons & Dragons. I didn’t put it out intending it to be an “audition” for more writing work, but that’s eventually what it became. As I started freelance writing for other comic companies (Dynamite, IDW, DC and eventually Marvel), the experiences I had working at UDON meant I understood the whole publishing pipeline and could anticipate what editors needed. That has served me well right through to the present day.”

WALLY MONK

In 2010, your series Skullkickers ran an amazing thirty-four issues at Image, and was followed by Wayward, described by some as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer set in Japan.” You also wrote Samurai Jack for IDW. It’s clear you have a fondness for stories in Eastern settings. What inspired that fondness? It’s interesting your first adventure on the Conan title takes place in Khitai!

JIM ZUB

“Sword & Sorcery is definitely my jam, with Conan and D&D at the heart of my fandom for the genre. Skullkickers was me trying to take the strange unexpected turns that happen in D&D game sessions and attach them to a very pulpy and weird Conan-style story.

In the early-mid nineties I was still in high school when my brother came home to visit from university and brought a bunch of Japanese animation and comics he was getting into. That really opened me up to the variety of comic stories being published in Japan and keyed me into Japanese mythology as well. I found it really fascinating as I dug into the similarities and differences between Japan’s myths and the Euro or Greco-Roman myths I was used to. Years later I would travel to Japan a few times on business trips for the UDON studio and that reignited my excitement for those myths all over again.

Classic samurai stories share a lot of connective tissue with pulp fantasy tales like we see in Conan – Characters venturing into the unknown to confront threats way out of their league or heroes choosing between the bonds of duty and the chaos of freedom. It’s all pretty primal stuff.

As far as taking Conan to Khitai, it wasn’t an intentional riff on things I’ve done before, it was more about finding places where a lot of Conan stories hadn’t already been told. With hundreds of Conan comic stories already out there, I’m feeling the pressure to try and strike a balance between the familiar tropes, the stuff about the genre I absolutely love, and the unexpected. Putting Conan in different environments is a way to shake things up a bit without losing the heart of what makes him so great.”

WALLY MONK

In addition to Japanese-influenced work, you tackled four different Dungeons and Dragons comic series for IDW. Are you an RPG gamer? Were you familiar with D&D before taking on the projects at IDW? And how will your previous work in fantasy influence your take on Conan?

Dungeons & Dragons: Evil At Baldur’s Gate was one of several D&D comic series Jim wrote for IDW.

JIM ZUB

“I’m a lifelong D&D player. I started playing D&D when I was 8-years old. It became a way to bond with my older brother and carries a ton of great memories for me. I even did a TEDx Talk about how D&D has influenced my creative career (link).

“One of the challenges I’m enjoying is making sure my writing on Conan feels very different from my writing on D&D. Fantasy is not homogenized approach and two fantasy properties I really like can and should be unique.” Jim Zub – Paint Monk’s Library Interview

Getting the chance to write D&D comic stories has been a dream come true, but I’m quite conscious that D&D is not Conan. D&D was influenced by the work of Robert E. Howard, but it also carries strains of Fritz Leiber, H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Vance, Poul Anderson, Michael Moorcock, J.R.R. Tolkien and a slew of others. It’s a high fantasy/low fantasy mash-up built on a miniature wargaming engine that has grown and changed in many ways over the years, building its own look and feel that changes with the settings and each new edition of the rules. I love D&D, but it is its own thing.”

WALLY MONK

Unlike many comic book characters, Conan is what some might consider a legacy character. His background was established by Robert E. Howard, and people – especially hard-core REH fans – are very critical of new interpretations of the Cimmerian. Conan is not like other Marvel characters who have been killed off and brought back, or changed repeatedly with reboots or relaunches. What is your vision for Conan in light of such history and his often critical yet loyal fan base?

JIM ZUB

“You’re absolutely right that Conan is a legacy character with very specific characterization at different points in his adventuring ‘career’. Like Howard says, he has ‘gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth’. I want to try and evoke that feeling of plunging readers into a sweeping adventure against crazy odds with brutal action.

Part two of the “Conan the Gambler” storyline in Savage Sword of Conan.

For me, Conan stories have particular elements that make them special. Many of my favorite Conan stories are about morally dubious miscreants struggling to survive in a mad world they will never fully understand. They’re about good people making bad choices, warriors fighting against insane odds, and misplaced courage. The kind of misplaced courage that makes you look death in the face and laugh.

I love the feeling of mystery inherent in the Hyborian Age. Magic is not about casting spells or destined heroes with prophesized magic items, it’s forbidden secrets unleashing curses and creatures that can only be stopped by an indomitable will and a strong arm swinging cold steel.

Conan the Gambler, the 3-part Savage Sword story I did this summer, is as good a preview as I could give of what I enjoy and what I’m hoping to keep rolling as I take over the flagship series – Conan in over his head, using wits and a wicked blade to take on everything he comes up against.”

WALLY MONK

In light of my last question – and I’m not asking you to bite the hand that feeds you here (winking at Marvel) – but how do you respond as a newer Conan writer to critical fans who are not happy with Conan showing up in the mainstream Marvel universe?

And how do you think you can make a “believer” out of fans who are not embracing a new take on Conan’s adventures? Is there a way to “bridge the gap” between older fans not willing to budge on classical interpretations of Conan and newer fans hoping for something new and untried?

JIM ZUB

“I wrote Conan meeting the Avengers in No Road Home because we were asked by Marvel editorial if we could do it and I figured I could make it feel like the classic Conan comics I grew up with. Selfishly, I also wanted to write the character again (I’d previously co-wrote him with Gail Simone in Conan Red Sonja back in 2015) and felt I could do him justice even in the weird situation of him getting mixed up with superheroes.

That first issue where he shows up (Avengers: No Road Home #6) is a straight-up sword & sorcery tale as Conan travels across Stygia with the Scarlet Witch. I did my damnedest to bring them into his world instead of “fish out of water” stuff in modern Marvel Earth. That’s also why we ended that story by depositing Conan in the Savage Land. It felt like the most pulp-appropriate place to set up future adventures.

Conan travels Stygia with the Scarlet Witch in Avengers: No Road Home #6.

Gerry Duggan’s been writing Conan’s adventures in Marvel Earth over in Savage Avengers and obviously I’ve been keeping up on it. Gerry’s done a nice job at keeping the character intact and consistent even in some really strange circumstances, so my hat’s off to him for that. I might have hesitated in spots where he’s gone for the team-up gusto.

Personally, I prefer Conan in the Hyborian Age so that’s where my focus is. In the upcoming Conan: Serpent War mini-series, he stays in the Hyborian Age and the other characters come to him to complete their quest. In Conan the Barbarian, he won’t be teaming up with forces outside of classic sword & sorcery. Barbarian is the pure Hyborian Age series, just like it always has been. In other series or places, I think it’s fine to experiment, but keeping that spot carved out for pure Hyborian adventure is important to me, and I know it’s important to the fans too. I hope REH fans give my run a try and support that vision of the character.”

Conan: Serpent War #1 hits stands on December 4th, 2019.

WALLY MONK

Roy Thomas is considered by many to be the consummate Conan writer in comics. Others that have taken up the torch, like Tim Truman, have done a commendable job with the character. In light of this, was being selected to take on Conan intimidating? How do you view your work on Conan when considering the previous scribes who have taken on the title?

JIM ZUB

“It’s absolutely intimidating! The whole thing is surreal at times. They’re called “dream projects” because you don’t actually ever think the dream will become reality, but here we are. I feel a lot of pressure to try and measure up to the kinds of stories that have influenced me so much. In October, I had the chance to meet Roy Thomas at Paris Comic Con and in private conversation I let him know I was taking over the series. He was incredibly kind and it made my whole trip extra-special.

I wish I could say I have the perfect characterization that will please old fans and new, but all I can do is write Conan the way I feel works and hopefully, it hits the mark for the majority of readers.

Conan isn’t a character who needs radical reinvention, but it’s also important to try and steer clear of clichés that have become too well worn. Putting him in new locales, brainstorming unexpected threats, it’s all a way for me to try and honor the character’s legacy but also not endlessly recycle what has been done before. Will I succeed? Only one way to find out…”

WALLY MONK

Your three-issue arc “Conan the Gambler” was well received and hopefully was a preview of what you’ll be doing in the new series. Can you give us at “Paint Monk’s Library” an exclusive hint of something we can look forward to in your time with Conan the Barbarian?

JIM ZUB

“The Gambler distilled a lot of the elements I love about Conan stories and the response from readers has been really heartfelt. It’s even more special now since it went over just as well with the Conan license holders and started me on the path to taking over the flagship series.

Into The Crucible is the first of a series of connected stories of Conan in his younger days. He’s the more headstrong Conan we see in The Tower of the Elephant or The Frost Giant’s Daughter. He’s venturing further than he’s ever gone before and the exotic locales he treks through are steeped in opulence, opportunity, and otherworldly danger.

The cover to Conan the Barbarian #13 with art by E.M. Gist.

Variant cover artwork for Conan the Barbarian #13 by Toni Infante.

In a city in Uttara Kuru, Conan joins a wild celebration underway but doesn’t know the local language or customs, so that revelry takes a dark turn and puts him in a life or death contest called The Crucible Tournament. He needs to figure out who he can trust and a way out before everyone gets sacrificed to the warped whims of a dark god.

I love putting Conan out of his comfort zone and far from the places he knows. The Demon’s Den in the Gambler story was a place where Conan didn’t have control and didn’t know what might happen next. Now it’s whole countries filled with the strange and the sublime – Beautiful women, vast treasures, and bloody vengeance are all coming up.”

WALLY MONK

Thanks, Jim, for taking the time to share your thoughts with me and library readers. I have one last question – and it’s a personal one. Savage Avengers began in the Savage Land, and personally, I’m hopeful Conan might return there at some point. Since Conan is headed in many different directions in different Marvel titles, is there any chance he’ll cross paths with Ka-Zar, Shanna or Zabu? That would make this monk smile.

JIM ZUB

“I wish I could definitively answer that for you, but I really don’t know. That’s a question for Gerry Duggan or Saladin Ahmed since they’re now handling Conan stories where he’s interacting with Marvel Earth. Right now, my sights are firmly set on the Hyborian Age.

One last thing – I’m not trying to give people the hard sell, but I do want to stress that starting a new run with issue #13 is tougher than a new #1, so it’s extra important that readers let their local comic retailers know that they want to get on board. Please read Conan the Barbarian #13-17 and let us know if we deliver the goods. I would love to build out a long and healthy run on a book that has meant so much to me, but I can only do that with reader and retailer support.”

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FEBRUARY 2020 – INTO THE CRUCIBLE AS THE MARCH TO KHITAI BEGINS!

“Conan has faced many foes since leaving Cimmeria, but the greatest challenge lies ahead! A perfect jumping-on point for new readers as Conan finds himself in a city in the mystical Uttara Kuru, further on the eastern border than the young barbarian has ever traveled. And with the new city comes new dangers! Unfamiliar with the language, Conan inadvertently agrees to be the latest entrant to the Great Crucible. The people of the city support their foreign champion…but what deadly traps does the Crucible hold, and what will Conan sacrifice to overcome his ordeal?”

Writer JIM ZUB (SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME) and artist ROGÊ ANTONIO (CONAN 2099, X-MEN RED) lead Conan on an all-new journey, as we begin a new era for CONAN THE BARBARIAN into undiscovered country!