…you win a No-Prize!

No, I kid. As most of you Cool Jerk readers probably know, a No-Prize is an award given to readers of Marvel Comics. You see, Marvel prides itself on having not only the best comics on the newsstands but also the best readers. If a reader spots a gaffe (continuity error, factual error, etc.) and can offer a reasonable explanation for that gaffe (i.e. giving the editor of the comic a plausible— or implausible— excuse), then he or she might win a No-Prize. I say “might” because they’re not just handed out to any jackball who points out “Hey, there were clouds in the sky and in the next panel there aren’t!” Oh, sure… Marvel used to hand them out by the truckload, but that diminished the importance… the value… of the No-Prize.

The joke is: a No-Prize is an empty envelope. As in “…no prizes will be awarded if you catch a goof.” But I’m telling you, a No-Prize is a frame-worthy trophy— a pop-culture badge of honor.

For several years, Marvel had a moratorium on dispensing No-Prizes. Probably due to the rising costs of postage. But recently, I noticed they were being reinstated.

I’ve been reading/collecting the Fantastic Four monthly since 1978, and over the decades I’ve spotted some mistakes. But when I noticed one on the cover of FF #16, I decided to chime in. I sent an email to Marvel with little hope of receiving a No-Prize. But a couple months after sending the email, I got a note from Marvel Entertainment SVP and Executive Editor Tom Brevoort (whom I worked with years ago on several infographics for the Union-Tribune). He informed me that A) I had indeed won a No-Prize, and B) my letter would be printed in Fantastic Four #608 and FF #20.

It’s a digital No-Prize, but a No-Prize nonetheless.

So I’m pretty stoked. Not only is this my first published letter for Marvel Comics (full disclosure: I think I’ve written maybe four letters total, the last being in the early 1980s), but it’s printed in Fantastic Four AND it earned me a coveted No-Prize. According to late-1960s Marvel propaganda, this makes me a Titanic True Believer AND a Quite ‘Nuff Sayer.

Here’s my letter in its entirety. (Yes, I’m geeking out. What do you expect from a cartoonist??)

Nerd cred

This year marks Cool Jerk’s 10th year of tabling at San Diego Comic-Con International, and my 30th in-a-row within these doors! Let me tell you what’s in store at the Cool Jerk table:

First and foremost, this year’s new comic is The Girl with the Donut Tattoo, which I co-created with Darlene. It’s her first comic (she wrote it) and we’re unveiling it at SDCCI. It’s $5 a la carte, or FREE with a $40 purchase at the Cool Jerk table! Read more about it here! We have only 100 copies available, so it’s first-come, first-served!

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Speaking of, I have less than 15 copies of Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1 from last year, which is $4 a pop or FREE if you buy Hodabeast (Vol. 1) and Chickadoowa (Vol. 2).

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Available now!

Remember last fall when I did my second 24-Hour Comic? Well, now you can get one. It’s a reasonably priced $2!

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Another item that’s perfect for your house, office or motor home mobile meth lab is the Cool Jerk Canvas Panel. I’ve added a few NEW panel choices to the series I started in 2010, and I’m sure you’ll want to buy 8-9 at a time! $15 each.

ALSO, I have a premium item for SDCCI— the Longform Canvas Panel! This is really limited to what you see here, in both black and white variations. They run $50 apiece. NOTE: Want your favorite strip on a canvas? Worry not— I will also take orders at the show!

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And what would Cool Jerk be without high-quality cotton body armor? Available in a myriad of sizes for both guys and gals are THREE shirts: the 20th Anniversary CJ shirt, which has probably your favorite character on it (above), the JERKea shirt, a sure-fire crowd-pleaser (above), and the tried-and-true Body Shots variety (go here to see that one). The JERKea shirt is $20, the other ones are $15.

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I also have all the other items you could ever possibly want, incl. ALL my books, Sharpie original art breakdowns, stickers, buttons and the like. We’re in the same spot we’ve always been, right by the communal baths. Here’s a little map I whipped up while you were flossing.

Click it to JUMP IN THERE!

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Hope to see you there!

Going to San Diego Comic-Con but don’t want to lug around your mint condition 1974 Six Million Dollar Man lunchbox? Don’t sweat it — Team Cool Jerk’s got your back.

Click it to super-size it!

Here’s a handy lil’ map I whipped up for Darlene’s blog, which I highly recommend visiting to get the 411 on all these eateries. We started this last year as a public service, especially for our out-of-town friends who sometimes resort to eating concession “food” at exorbitant prices. As for me, I’ll be having only the finest Kobe beef cheeseburgers, topped with foie gras and tapir bacon imported from Malaysia. Mmm… tapir…!

Get a copy TODAY!

Look who made the cover of The San Diego Union-Tribune’s (aka U-T San Diego) Food Section!

That’s pretty thrilling, since Darlene and I both used to work there (and that’s where we met) AND it’s out on the first day of Comic-Con. It’s a really good and accurate write-up by Candice Norwood. Go pick up a copy at your neighborhood liquor store, Starbucks or newspaper rack!

This year’s offering from HornCo Press — the fine comics publisher who brought you those spiffy Cool Jerk and Doc Splatter books over the years — is The Girl with the Donut Tattoo.

It’s Darlene’s first comic (or book for that matter). She wrote it as a comic companion to her food blog, My Burning Kitchen. It contains several stories about our food-related adventures and amusements told in comic form. That’s where I come in— I drew the whole thing up. Not only will you find comics (of course), but there are some infographics, photos, recipes and a dueling creators’ commentary!

We’re really happy with how The Girl with the Donut Tattoo came out, especially since this is Darlene’s first foray into creating comics. I’m proud of her — she took to comics-writing like a duck takes to water. She’s been a comics fan/reader since childhood and I know she’s a lot more excited about this project than she lets on. In fact, she already has ideas for future volumes!

We’re debuting The Girl with the Donut Tattoo at San Diego Comic-Con next week; find us at the Cool Jerk table, Small Press K10 (the same spot since 2003). Please come by and pick one up! They’re $5 a pop, with a VERY limited print run.

(I’ll chat more about Comic-Con, Cool Jerk and special deals in the next blog post)

UNMASKED! poster by Batton Lash

It’s being hosted by Supernatural Law/Wolff and Byrd creator Batton Lash and his wife, Jackie Estrada. They’re both long-time San Diegans and comics creators; it’s almost impossible to think of them and NOT think of San Diego Comic-Con. Artlab also serves as Batton’s cartooning/art studio. Check out Wolff & Byrd action here!

I’ll also have my Cool Jerk books and Canvas Panels for sale at the opening. Darlene is bringing her world-famous pecan mini-tarts.

Artlab Studios is located at 3536 Adams Avenue in Normal Heights, between the 805 and Interstate 15. The gallery’s opening reception is at 6 p.m. tomorrow and the show will run through July. Please come by and meet some terrific San Diego comic artists, check out their (our) art and help kick off Comic-Con week!

Denver held its first comic convention last weekend, and I’m so glad I went!

I set up camp in Artist Alley at an 8′ table (two feet longer than a typical comic-con table). Knowing this before-hand gave me time to get myself a brand-new Cool Jerk table throw. I sold out of some inventory and met hundreds of enthusiastic comics fans and professionals. And my voice didn’t even give out! The only bummer about the show was that Darlene had to stay in San Diego. But I was able to keep her — and whoever was following my Twitter feed — in the loop.

Thanks to everyone who came by the table, got a crash course in Cool Jerk and Doc Splatter and bought some of my books, buttons, canvas panels and other stuff!

And now, on with the show!

Three favorite Avengers — Ms. Marvel, Wonder Man and Captain America!

Another Avenger, Thor, and a female Asgardian warrior.

Speaking of gods and goddesses, wouldja believe there were two Snowbird cosplayers??

If I just say “SPOOOOON!” will that be enough of a caption? (It’s the cast from The Tick)

By the winds of Watoomb, it’s Doctor Strange!

EXTERMINATE! Doctor Who (the 11th Doctor) and a Dalek.

Let me display my geek cred by identifying Troia (left) and the Cassie Sandsmark version of Wonder Girl.

Here’s Giane Morris as Jubilee, complete with snapping bubble gum action! Excellent costume!

A popular theme in Denver was the “crossplay,” evidenced by these versions of Thor and Loki…

…and this version of The Creeper…

…and probably the best and most original costume of the whole weekend, I give you Firestorm, The Nuclear (Wo)Man (and Wonder Girl)!

Sorry, Blue Bear — You need an attendee badge just like everyone else!

Next weekend — Friday, June 15 through Sunday, June 17 — I’ll be at the Mile High City’s inaugural Denver Comic Con. I’m really excited for this show. I don’t know why. Is it because this is Denver’s first comic convention? Is it the anticipation of preaching the gospel of Cool Jerk to hundreds of comics aficionados who otherwise may never attend San Diego Comic-Con? Is it the big blue bear?

I know FOR A FACT that Cool Jerk is read by folks in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona, the Dakotas and Nebraska.* If you happen to live within an 800-mile radius of Denver, please come to the ‘con and show Colorado that you support comics culture and their creators (especially independent, self-publishing wackjobs like myself)! I’d love to meet you and get some ‘Jerk into your hands. Er… sell you some books and stuff.

*But not Kansas. Go figure.

Bit bummed out to learn Ray Bradbury passed away last night at the age of 91.

He’s one of the first “celebrities” I met at San Diego Comic-Con who was a household name to everyone. I mean, I would mention meeting George Pérez, Jim Shooter, Walt Simonson, Mike Zeck… even Jack Kirby and Stan Lee… and most (non-comics) folks would just nod and go “m-hmm. Cool.” But everyone knew of Ray Bradbury.

He was a grandfatherly figure who radiated an aura of marvel and charisma. What I remember most about Ray was his glasses, his voice and shaking his hand was like shaking a catcher’s mitt made out of fresh bread (instead of leather).

His sci-fi legacy in print and film is substantial. “Fahrenheit 451.” “The Martian Chronicles.” “A Sound of Thunder.” “The Twilight Zone.” “The Illustrated Man.” And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Speaking of icebergs, did you know he’s kind of responsible for Godzilla? True. He wrote a short story in 1951 called “The Fog Horn” which was made into a movie in 1953, “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.” That movie — starring a surly dinosaur freed from an iceberg and groundbreaking special effects by stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen — impressed and inspired a couple of Toho movie producers. And the following year Japan released “Gojira.”

Click it to larger-than-lifesize it!

EDIT: Here are the autographs, L to R, reading down:
Steve Englehart
Don Arr Christensen
Julius Schwartz
John T. Totleben
Tom Orzechowski
Moebius
Gerard
Dave Sim
Phil Yeh
Tom Luth
Matt Wagner
Kevin Eastman
??
Rick Geary
Dave Stevens
Sergio Aragonés
Brett Breeding
Ron Frenz
Ray Bradbury
L. Lois Buhalis
Stan Lee

I don’t know why or how, but the stars must’ve been in alignment — the last couple of weeks were a crazy convergence of Cool Jerk media saturation.

• I was interviewed for a KPBS feature on San Diego webcomic creators (the other interviewee was Little Vampires’ Rebecca Hicks), conducted by Beth Accomando and camera work/production by Katie Euphrat. This originally aired on Friday, April 27, and was subsequently broadcast on KPBS radio and posted online. Beth and Katie were terrific and I’m really happy with the end result!

ALSO: if you jump to my Facebook page, you can see a time-lapse clip of me drawing Puppy and Armpit (requires Flash).

• A few days later, I showed up on a San Diego 6 (The CW network) San Diego Living morning segment spotlighting Southern California Comics and their big plans for Free Comic Book Day, May 5. Jamie Newbold (SCC’s owner) and I go way back, and I was happy to participate by holding a signing at his shop on FCBD. Thanks, Jamie!

• I can also be heard on an Austin, TX-based podcast, conducted by Timothy Danger of Old Man and Bitter Girl Productions. We met at the Staple! show a couple months ago. Tune in and listen to me say “um” a quarter-million times!