What does it take to add something meaningful to a world that millions already hold close to their hearts?
In this episode of The Corner of Story and Game, host Gerald Ford welcomes back the always insightful Jim Zub. Jim is a comic writer, narrative designer, and longtime steward of iconic characters across franchises like Conan the Barbarian, Dungeons & Dragons, Avengers, and more.
Together, they explore the delicate craft of adaptive storytelling:
🔹 How to honour an established universe while still bringing your voice to the work.
🔹 Where to find narrative space for new ideas without breaking canon.
🔹 How to navigate fan expectations, editorial guidelines, and creative ambition.
🔹 Why emotional truth matters more than encyclopedic accuracy.
🔹 And how working within constraints can actually unlock deeper creativity.
Whether you’re a narrative designer, a game writer, or simply someone fascinated by how stories evolve across generations, this episode dives deep into the art, and the responsibility, of storytelling inside shared worlds.
Jim's Links:
-> Website
-> BlueSky
The Corner of Story and Game:
-> Instagram
#NarrativeDesign #GameWriting #StoryAndGame #AdaptiveStorytelling #JimZub #ComicWriting #SharedWorlds #IPWriting #GameDevCommunity #StorytellingInGames #CreativeConstraints