As revealed on the latest episode of the Marvel Pull List with Ryan Penagos and Tucker Markus, starting in February 2020 I’m the new ongoing writer of CONAN THE BARBARIAN!

Writing Conan again in Avengers: No Road Home was a blast, putting together Conan The Gambler and Serpent War was an unexpected thrill, and all of it has led to this, the chance to build all new ongoing stories of one of the most famous characters in sword & sorcery literature. It’s an absolute creative bucket list item for me, and I can’t believe all this has taken place over one year.

Rogê Antônio‘s line art is going to knock people out. It has a strong visual tie to the incredible work Masmud Asrar has been doing on the core title this year, but also manages to carve out its own distinct look. E.M. Gist‘s covers are classic pulp fantasy fare with all the grit and earthiness I could hope for. It’s a heck of a creative line up and I’m doing everything I can to live up to their top notch storytelling skills. Deep thanks to Mark Basso and C.B. Cebulski for this incredible opportunity and Jason Aaron for setting a high bar on the issues preceding mine.

My first issue is issue #13, the beginning of a new arc called Into the Crucible and here’s an advance look at the cover and solicitation for the first issue:

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #13

Written by JIM ZUB

Art by ROGÊ ANTÔNIO

Cover by E.M. GIST

A NEW ARC BY JIM ZUB & ROGÊ ANTÔNIO

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 ANTÔNIO (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!

If you’ve ever enjoyed my comic work, especially my fantasy writing, I’m asking you to please consider pre-ordering issue #13 at your local comic shop – it would mean the world to me and the rest of the team. Then, get ready in February for Sword & Sorcery Splendor in the Mighty Marvel Manner!