Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Ivan Gil
Color Artist: Jao Canola
Release Date: 19th November 2025

It’s probably a safe bet that many buyers of this comic will wholeheartedly agree with its London‑based publisher that the book contains “three stunning supernatural stories.” But that’s largely because most of the narratives were originally written by Robert E. Howard in the early third of the last century, rather than by today’s “Grim Jim Zub.” In fact, both the Conan and King Kull tales have already been adapted for this medium several times before.

Indeed, the only real point of differentiation in these new incarnations of The God in the Bowl and The Shadow Kingdom is that the Canadian author rather frustratingly insists on repeatedly switching between the two yarns, instead of allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the well‑crafted worlds of “the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre.” This interweaving of distinct plot threads might seem like a novel way to retell already popular (and arguably well‑known) stories. However, for some readers it will surely disrupt their fast‑paced flow and ultimately diminish the enjoyment of this twenty‑two‑page periodical.

Furthermore, the inclusion of the modern‑day tale involving Professor John Kirowan may well bewilder anyone unfamiliar with one of Howard’s lesser‑known creations, especially as “The Haunter of the Ring” is neither set in the Hyborian Age nor reliant on scintillating swordplay. Every time Zub drags the audience forward to 1934, it feels like a jolt to the system — one that will likely snap readers out of the sinister, spine‑tingling terrors confronting both the Cimmerian and the Atlantean: “Those… words! Ancient, primordial… A tongue beyond time!”

Delightfully, what does capture the imagination are Ivan Gil’s layouts, which do an admirable job of making some of the story’s sudden switches more palatable — especially toward the comic’s end, when the words “Ka Nama Kaa Lajerama” ripple through all three adventures almost simultaneously. In addition, the illustrator’s double‑page spread of “when ancient men fought grisly beings of the Elder Universe” is easily worth the cover price alone, and should give any lover of good artwork plenty of time to absorb the breathtaking menagerie of mythical beasts he has somehow managed to cram into the scene.

The writer of this piece was: Simon Moore
Simon Tweets from @Blaxkleric ‏
You can read more of his reviews at The Brown Bag