# Jim Zub

Jim Zubkavich, known professionally as Jim Zub, is a Canadian comic book writer, artist, and art instructor best known for creating comics Skullkickers (2010), Wayward (2014), and Glitterbomb (2016) for Image Comics, writing on the series Thunderbolts (2016), Uncanny Avengers (2017), Avengers: No Surrender (2018), and Champions (2018) for Marvel Comics, and creating Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons (2018–2022) and Rick and Morty vs. Cthulhu (2022–2023) for Oni Press. As well as writing and creating comics, Zub is the former program co-ordinator and a current art professor at Toronto's Seneca College.

## Early life

Jim Zub is Canadian. He grew up watching Spider-Man cartoons as a kid, and soon after fell in love with comics. He has stated that Stan Lee was a big influence on him, specifically by giving his superheroes flaws.

## Career

Jim Zub created his first comic, Makeshift Miracle, in 2001, followed by a nine-year stint at UDON Entertainment as a colorist, illustrator, project manager, writer and editor where he wrote various Street Fighter comic books.
In 2010, Zub launched Skullkickers at Image Comics. A creator-owned sword & sorcery action-comedy, Skullkickers ran for thirty-three issues completing six volumes. The series came to an end in 2015.
In 2013, Zub wrote Samurai Jack comics for IDW and Cartoon Network. Initially intended as one five-issue arc, the comic ran twenty issues, ending in 2015.
In 2014, Zub launched Wayward at Image Comics with art by co-creator Steven Cummings. His first creator-owned book since Skullkickers, Wayward is described as Buffy The Vampire Slayer set in Japan." A teen coming-of-age story injected with Japanese myth and the supernatural. The series spanned 30 issues and six trade paperback volumes before coming to an end on October 31, 2018.
Zub and IDW partnered up for Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur's Gate #1-5 in 2014, followed up by Dungeons & Dragons: Shadows of the Vampire #1-5 in 2016, Dungeons & Dragons: Frost Giant’s Fury #1-5 in 2017, and Dungeons & Dragons: Evil At Baldur’s Gate #1-5 in 2018.
In 2016, Zub and French-Canadian artist Djibril Morissette-Phan launched Glitterbomb at Image Comics, a four-part mini-series about a struggling actress trying to regain fame in a sexist, abusive industry. A second four-part mini-series, Glitterbomb: The Fame Game, launched in 2017.
Zub started writing for Marvel in 2016 with Thunderbolts, followed by Uncanny Avengers in 2017. He created a new hero, villains, and new backstories in the 16-part Avengers: No Surrender in 2018, as well as taking over Champions with #19, and creating a new Canadian Hero, Snowguard. Also in 2018, Zub wrote the four-part Wolverine miniseries, Mystery in Madripoor.
In August of 2018, Zub teamed up with writer Patrick Rothfuss and artist Troy Little to write a Dungeons & Dragons/Rick & Morty crossover mini-series, titled Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons #1-4. Zub co-wrote, with Sarah Stern and with art by Little, Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons: Chapter II: Painscape; the follow-up series was published from September to December 2019. The Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition, by Rothfuss, Zub, and Little, was nominated for the 2022 "Best Graphic Album—Reprint" Eisner Award.
In late 2018, it was announced that Zub, along with writers Mark Waid and Al Ewing, would reunite for Avengers: No Road Home, being called a "spiritual successor" to their previous collaboration, Avengers: No Surrender." Art will be done by Paco Medina and Sean Izaakse. The series began in February 2019.
From December 2022 to March 2023, Zub returned to Oni Press to write the Cthulhu Mythos crossover mini-series Rick and Morty vs. Cthulhu #1-4.

## Personal life

Zub and his wife, Stacy King live in Toronto. As well as writing comics, Zub is also a professor at Toronto's Seneca College and teaches classes in layout and design, character animation and animation history.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2002 | Web Cartoonists’ Choice Awards | Best Newcomer | NA | Won |
| 2011 | YALSA | Great Graphic Novels | Skullkickers Vol. 1 | Won |
| 2011 | Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Award | Outstanding Writer | NA | Nominated |
| 2012 | Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Award | Outstanding Writer | NA | Nominated |
| 2013 | Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Award | Outstanding Writer | NA | Nominated |
| 2013 | Animex | Animex Honorary Award | ? | Won |
| 2013 | Harvey Awards | Special Award for Humor | Skullkickers | Nominated |
| 2014 | Harvey Awards | Special Award for Humor | Skullkickers | Nominated |
| 2016 | YALSA | Great Graphic Novels for Teens | Wayward Vol. 1 | Won |
| 2018 | Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Award | Outstanding Writer | NA | Won |
| 2022 | Eisner Awards | Best Graphic Album—Reprint | Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition | Nominated |