GVN Talking Comics Interview: Writer Jim Zub On Skullkickers: The Digest Edition

I have been aware of the talents of writer Jim Zub for a while. This admiration grew after reading his book Stone Star with Artist Max Dunbar for ComiXology Originals. However, he stepped up big time for me when he took on the writing chores for Conan the Barbarian. Robert E. Howard’s character had been one of my favorites, especially during the Roy Thomas, John Buscema run for Marvel. I’m pleased to say that Mr. Zub has represented the Conan with distinction through his exciting stories. But that is not all Jim has on the burner.

Starting soon, Jim is bringing the collection of his SkullKickers saga to Zoop in a Digest Edition format. As described by the good folks at Zoop, “SkullKickers is an action-comedy swords & sorcery adventure on steroids! It is the story of three messed-up mercenaries who kill monsters and cause chaos in their relentless search for money and fame! Written by Jim, who has worked on Dungeons & Dragons, Conan the Barbarian, The Avengers, Batman, Samurai Jack, Rick and Morty, and Street Fighter! As Mr. Zub himself describes it: “SKULLKICKERS is like Deadpool by way of Dungeons & Dragons.”

With that kind of introduction, it was time for us to catch up once again with the talented Mr. Zub. Not only to talk about his work on Stonestar (the title for which we first talked to him), Conan and his current project, the SkullKicker’s Digest Edition. So, let’s welcome back writer Jim Zub to GVN Talking Comics.

StoneStar

GVN: Thank you for chatting with us again, Jim. It has been a while since our last conversation in 2021 about your collaboration with Max Dunbar on Dark Horse Comics’ “Stone Star, Volume 1: Fight or Flight.” Since then, you have completed Season 2, and its trade paperback was released in October 2023 by Dark Horse. As a fan of the series, I am eager to know when we can expect Season 3.

Jim: Max and I both had a ton of fun working on Stonestar and are hoping to be able to announce a new volume. Fingers crossed that we’re able to do that with ComiXology soon.

Conan the Barbarian

GVN: We also discussed your work on my favorite character, Conan the Barbarian, which you are continuing to “kill” at (so to speak). With your solid footing on the title, and a great partnership with artist Doug Braithwaite, do you feel any less pressure to meet fan expectations, or have you moved beyond that to focus solely on telling the best stories you can?

Jim: I’m a huge fan of Conan too, so obviously I want to please fans like myself while also pushing into unexpected new areas so readers don’t feel like they’ve seen it all before. Like any iconic character, you have to figure out what is absolutely core to a character or franchise and not to deviate too far from there without closing yourself off to experimentation. It’s a delicate balance and one I’m always measuring carefully. A damn good story is key, and damn good art has always been a hallmark of great Conan comics, and I know we have that with artists like Rob De La Torre and Doug Braithwaite on board.

Moving on from Teaching after 20 Years

GVN: Before we dive into Skullkickers: The Digest Edition, I want to acknowledge your recent announcement on your website (which if you are a fan of Jim’s, I highly recommend you check out), about stepping away from teaching after 20 years. Leaving a position, you’ve invested so much of yourself in must have been a difficult decision. As you considered this change, did you have any second thoughts, or were you at a point where it felt right to focus on your creative and writing projects?

Jim: It was a huge decision, but also something my wife and I have been planning for many years. The strangest part was realizing it was finally happening! You plan and plan and even as you reach each milestone along the way it can kind of feel like you’ll never reach that key moment, but here we are where I’m finally able to just concentrate on my creative career and spend more time with family and friends, which is a much healthier work-life balance. I loved teaching and of course I’ll miss it, but having extra time and focus is wonderful.

SkullKicker’s: The Digest Edition

GVN: As I mentioned, you are collaborating with Zoop on a collection of your popular Skullkicker series titled Skullkickers: The Digest Edition. How did this project come about, and what factors made Jordan and his Zoop team the best choice for your crowdfunding efforts?

Jim: Some of the individual trade paperbacks of Skullkickers had fallen out of print, which is always a tough spot. You need those volumes available for retailers to order, but doing really tiny print runs to keep them in the warehouse can end up being more expensive than helpful. So, at a certain point the decision was made to let the rest go out of print and look at ither options.

There was talk about an all-in-one omnibus but, if I’m being completely honest, I think those kinds of books look great on a shelf but don’t actually get read very often because they’re so bulky and hard to manage. I want new readers and old to be encouraged to pick up this series and read the whole way through. The manga-esque DC Compact size seemed like a much smarter way to go and I knew that Skullkickers’ animated-style artwork would translate really well to that size.

Zoop and I had been talking for quite some time about possible projects, and this became the focal point one we could launch with. I’m really well known for sword & sorcery comics and want readers who have come on board my work via Conan the Barbarian or Dungeons & Dragons to easily be able to see where that all started.

What is “SkullKickers?”

GVN: Just for those who might not be familiar with your Skullkickers series, could you please tell our readers a little about the series and what it’s about?

Jim: Skullkickers is an action-comedy sword and sorcery series about a pair of mercenary monster mashers who constantly get themselves in trouble and have to fight their way out while on the hunt for gold and glory. It’s irreverent and pokes a lot of fun at the fantasy genre. The way I quick pitch it to people is that “Skullkickers is Deadpool by way of Dungeons & Dragons.”

Adapting the DC Digest Model

GVN: You are adapting the DC Digest model for this collection. What do you feel are the advantages using this format for your readers, both new and those who are already fans of the series?

Jim: The format speaks to the massive readership already primed to grab comics at that size and for that price point. It’s compact, convenient, and economical, but that doesn’t mean we’re compromising on any of the quality. The reprint reproduction is going to be great, and we have some new artwork on the covers and deluxe little enhancements on the covers and slipcase that will still give the series great ‘shelf presence’.

What’s Coming

GVN: Thanks again for your time, Jim. Before I let you go, I want to give you an opportunity to talk once more about your Zoop campaign and any other projects you might have coming up.

Jim: I have a lot more Conan the Barbarian in the works and more Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurer’s Guides in development, so there’s always something Zub-worthy on the shelves at your favorite local comic shop!