CROM Update 064 with Nathan Webb talking The DAMNED KNIGHT Comic and working for Mongoose Games
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In this 64th episode of the CROM Updates Podcast, host Kurt Brugel speaks with British indie comic artist Nathan Webb, known for his fantasy and robot-themed comics. Kurt discovered Nathan’s work while browsing eBay for Conan the Barbarian material and was struck by Nathan's art, which led to an invitation to join the Crommunity. They bonded over their mutual love for vintage sword & sorcery, Robert E. Howard paperbacks, and old-school publishing. Nathan discussed his comic The Damned Knight, which he wrote and painted over a decade ago. Initially shelved due to publisher issues, it later found life through a successful Kickstarter campaign and is now sold digitally via Itch.io and partially through eBay.
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Nathan also shared his background in working on licensed properties like Transformers, Judge Dredd, Starship Troopers, and Babylon 5 with Mongoose Publishing. He recounted early 2000s days of passing artwork on zip drives and meeting in medieval-themed pubs to discuss projects. His professional roots are steeped in classic RPGs and painted artwork—his preferred medium—though he adapts to digital when necessary. The conversation included discussion of Nathan's Britformers saga, current projects, and future reprinting plans for The Damned Knight. While he declined a seven-page comic feature in the CROM Anthology, Nathan expressed interest in a two-page gallery spread.
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Kurt also gave an overview of CROM the Barbarian—a public domain character created by Gardner Fox—and the intention behind the CROM Anthology as both a community project and marketing hub for sword & sorcery creators. He shared insights on using tools like Lulu.com for affordable international print-on-demand distribution, noting its value for indie creators. Their dialogue emphasized mutual admiration, plans to collaborate, and using genre-adjacent marketing (like connecting Conan and Crom or Transformers and Britformers) as a way to tap niche audiences with deep passion.
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Watch the CROM Update 064 video on YouTube:
Creative Freedom with Public Domain IPs: Highlights how public domain characters empower new storytelling without legal limitations.
Use these links to find out more about Nathan Webb.
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ISBN-13 979-8-9910745-0-6
Theme: Crom Myth
11 Pages
Shaman Summary:
After a brutal battle, Crom the Barbarian seeks rest and healing in the village of Deval, where he shares a brief romantic connection with an innkeeper named Lea. But his wounds—both physical and spiritual—compel him to journey into the wilderness. There, he learns from a woman named Mei about the Vicari army, who are marching to conquer the Kota tribe. Crom sneaks into the sacred lands and witnesses a powerful Shaman condemn a traitor using terrifying magic, violently dismembering him.
Though the Kota seem invincible, Crom realizes their power is rooted in belief. When the Vicari invade, their lack of belief nullifies the magic, and they ruthlessly slaughter the tribe, including women and children. Crom, unable to help, watches in horror with the harlots who follow the army. Later, back in Lea's bed, he recounts the massacre, haunted and grieving. As she comforts him, he is still reliving the trauma, a warrior burdened by guilt over his powerlessness in the face of overwhelming violence.
