At Darlene’s suggestion, I spent the last day of September and the first day of October creating another 24-Hour Comic.

What is 24-Hour Comics Day, you may be asking yourself? It’s an informal challenge thrown to comics creators — professionals and amateurs alike — to create a 24-page comic in 24 consecutive hours. And it has to be totally inclusive, start-to-finish within that time frame. That means no thumbnail sketches or layouts, no pre-made panels or dialogue, and no helpers! (Well, maybe you can have a helper. I’m not 100% certain about that. Regardless, I didn’t!)

This wasn’t my first 24-Hour Comic. I created one in 2007 (featuring Doc Splatter, .pdf available here) and it was grueling. This year’s was no easier. I went the autobio route and made a comic that discussed at length the myriad of musical influences that have shaped my tastes since childhood.

Many people who accept the challenge flock to neighborhood comics shops on the designated day (this year it was Saturday, Oct. 1) and participate amongst their peers. Me? I’m a recluse when I create comics. I like the solitude and things like “conversation” and “camaraderie” just get in my way. I’m in it to win it! So like the comic I created in 2007, I worked at home.

VIDEO: Three seconds out of 24 hours! (Click on the inset)

I started at 8:00am on Friday and had the final page scanned into the Mac a few minutes before 8:00am Saturday morning.

My process: Similar to how I create Cool Jerk, I would write the dialogue and captions on the Mac first, then print those pages out and rush them over to the lightbox. There, I would quickly pencil the layouts. Once I was happy with the page, I’d make any necessary changes on the Mac and reprint the dialogue and captions and then ink the final artwork.

I used Sharpie markers and Sigma Micron pens for the inks (I did the same in the 2007 24-Hour Comic). If I had used a brush and ink (like I do for Cool Jerk), I’d have surrendered after the third or fourth page. You maybe wouldn’t think so, but it takes A LOT more muscle control to use a brush. Hell, I get hand cramps when I ink Sunday-sized Cool Jerk strips, which usually takes about three hours. I’m happy to say I didn’t need to do any significant white-out corrections, and any major goofs were quickly edited either with Pentel correction fluid or in Photoshop.

So that’s the artwork. As far as the story, you’ll have to read it yourself. I admit it won’t be nominated for an Eisner Award anytime soon, but I’m pretty happy I wrote a cohesive story and illustrated it in one day. (And Darlene teared up when she got to the end.) As I said, it’s autobiographical, so it features Darlene, my sister, a fair chunk of my friends, many musical performers and chronologically accurate depictions of my hair. Plus two locator maps. And several poorly drawn vehicles. And a tampon.

BONUS! I live-Tweeted the whole day, at the top of each hour. Take a rare glimpse into the creative process!

Prepping to start 24-Hour Comic Day in 30 minutes. Extra coffee made and Sharpies laid out. #24hourcomicday

Officially starting #24hourcomic with this Tweet. You know, instead of actually drawing. #ohshit

Hour 1: did imposition and thumbnails for all 24 pages. Also saw @darleneeats off to work. THERE GOES MY SUPPORT GROUP! #24hourcomic

Hour 2: Busted out source material (calendars, concert tickets). Wrote dialogue for four pages. Stress Level CODE BEIGE! #24hourcomic

Hour 3: Wrote dialogue for another four pages (dialogue for 1/3 of the comic finished). Off to the drawing board! *fart* #24hourcomic

Hour 4: Penciled four pages, ready for inks! Also tried to reheat a burger from yesterday using the lizards’ sunlamps. FAIL. #24hourcomic

Hour 5: Penciled another four pages. Think it’s time to bust out the Sharpies. That burger sucked, btw. #24hourcomic

Hour 6: Wrote dialogue for another 5 pages, can’t tell if I’m kicking ass or if the ass is kicking me. Switching to inks next. #24hourcomic

Hour 7: Dialogue for more than half the book written, 1/3 penciled. I think I’m on track, but can’t tell. WHERE DID THE DAY GO? #24hourcomic

Hour 8: Fourteen pages penciled. I fear I’m making this harder than I need to. MUST DRAW SILHOUETTES AND BLACK SPLASH PAGES! #24hourcomic

Hour 9: Bit of a snag— had to redo 3 pages because I was unhappy. Thank God I’m not on a deadline for the world to see. #24hourcomic #ohshit

Hour 8: I’m one-third through my day, have 18 pages written (16 of them penciled). @darleneeats is home with foods! #24hourcomic #punchy

Hour 11: Nineteen pages written and penciled. WHOOPS— last hour was really Hour 10. I’m getting kinda loopy. #24hourcomic

Hour 12— the halfway point. I’ve written every page and have 21 of the 24 penciled. That’s the heavy lifting; Sharpies next! #24hourcomic

Hour 13: All pages penciled. Little bit behind because I needed to eat. Mild headache, sore ass. Tylenol to the rescue! #24hourcomic

Hour 14: I just finished inking my third page, minus some detail work that’ll have to come later. i.e. drawing The Smiths. #24hourcomic

Hour 15: Pretty sure I inked another three pages. Left wrist shot… and I’m right-handed! Coffee, please. #24hourcomic

Hour 16: Two and a half more inked pages. Wrist killing me; I think it’s time for TYLENOL! (and stretches) #24hourcomic #neveragain

Hour 17: I have 11 and a half pages inked… almost halfway finished! Getting fatigued— 5 Hour Energy Drink come to papa! #24hourcomic

Hour 18: Lost count of inked pages; need to go back into several of them for detail work. Surprisingly still awake and alert! #24hourcomic

Hour 19: I think I’m down to about seven pages needing inks… then it’s time for detail work. Shoot me now. #24hourcomic

Hour 20: Four more pages to ink, four more hours to go. Hand is dying. Remind me to NEVER DO THIS AGAIN! *slams head into desk* #24hourcomic

Hour 21: Twenty-three pages inked, but plenty of work still ahead. Losing muscle control in hands, bladder. #24hourcomic

Hour 22: All pages inked! Six pages require detail work and/or fixes. I can see the light at the end. Or is that the sunrise? #24hourcomic

Hour 23: The final stretch, firing up the scanner…. #24hourcomic

At the 24 hour mark: all pages scanned. Just a little post-production to make it all purty. CONQUERED!! #24hourcomic

Thought I’d do a quick recap of my Cool Jerk book signing at The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach last Wednesday.

I arrived a bit early (I padded my drive time by an extra hour because it was raining pretty hard between San Diego and L.A.) and hung out with The Bug Crew— Mike, Jun and Greg. By time I got my table set up, justJENN and her youthful entourage (read: kids) arrived with boxes of cupcakes for book-buyers.

And let me tell you about the cupcakes. When I opened a box and peeked in, I burst into laughter. JENN had decorated each of the scrumptious red velvet cupcakes with a little Cool Jerk art element! So people could choose a Yuri Tomato cupcake, a Ghost of Paul Lynde cupcake or a projectile-puking Seashelly Dumpster cupcake (I ate that one). There were a couple bonus cupcakes adorned with images of my face and business card. (I worried if someone would choose those!)

Turnout was pretty good for a dreary* and humid Wednesday, and nearly everyone who stopped by the table and bought something was a new face! Thanks to Felix, Michelle and her family, Greg (and Alex, by proxy), Alan, Liz and Dianne (aka Pirate Space Queen) for adding Cool Jerk books to your Buy Pile this week! Also I got to meet comics writer Tracey Claverie. He was doing a signing for his comic, Scar Unit, right next to me. When there were lulls in patrons we ended up talking about comics influences, inappropriate cosplay and the best cheeseburgers in the tri-county area. Good guy, that Tracey.

Thanks again to The Comic Bug and justJENN, without whom the signing wouldn’t have been possible.

*Steve Jobs, R.I.P.

Hello, Southland Cool Jerk readers! Please take the day off work on Wednesday, October 5. Tell your boss you’re coming down with The Bug. But don’t say it’s The Comic Bug… because that’s where you’ll be heading to attend my store signing!

So come on down to lovely Manhattan Beach! I’ll be there from 5pm-8pm to lure unsuspecting comics buyers into the Cool Jerk universe. I’ll have ALL my books on hand — including the brand-new Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1 — ready to personalize to you or a loved one with a signature and a spiffy character drawing! I realize many of you may already have some/all of my books, but do you have a Cool Jerk t-shirt? Or a Canvas Panel? I’ll have those on hand as well!

And have I got a deal-sweetener for you! My friend and comics/graphic designer colleague justJENN is partnering with me and she’ll be providing some of her DELICIOUS CUPCAKES! (They’re so good, they were the Official Cupcake™ of the Paul and Darlene Wedding™!) You can’t buy them, tho— because they’re FREE when you buy a Cool Jerk collection (Hodabeast, Chickadoowa, Bimboozled, Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus), a Cool Jerk t-shirt or Canvas Panel!

If that wasn’t mouth-watering enough, I’ll be offering these bitchin’ deals:

• Buy one Cool Jerk collection for $12, get a FREE CUPCAKE! (already talked about that)
• Buy any two $12 Cool Jerk collections for $20! And you get TWO FREE CUPCAKES!
• NEWBIE DEAL: Buy Hodabeast AND Chickadoowa for $20, get Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1 FOR FREE! PLUS TWO CUPCAKES!
• Buy all three $12 Cool Jerk collections for $36, get Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus FOR FREE! PLUS OMG Color! PLUS FOUR CUPCAKES!

Geez. I should make all that into a chart. Speaking of, here’s a map I whipped up so you’ll know how to get there!

And here’s the Facebook invite, if you’re so inclined to RSVP.

Looking forward to this! Hope to see you there!

(That’s “Taking Care of Business,” as Elvis would say)

A couple weekends ago Darlene and I attended my 25th high school reunion in Carson City, Nev. This is the first one I’ve been to since the 10th in 1996 (I didn’t know there was a 15th, and I missed the 20th in 2006 because it was the same weekend as San Diego Comic-Con). It was a lovely affair, and I got to meet up and reminisce with many friends and former classmates, and even finally meet a few face-to-face for the first time. The festivities— ranging from a barbecue at Mark Funke’s home to golf and meet-ups at bars and restaurants— started Friday afternoon and lasted through Sunday. We only had time to socialize on Friday.

It was a lot of fun and doubly so to introduce Darlene to many kids (yeah, I know we’re all in our early forties… it’s a habit) I used to see in classes and pal around with. A couple kids (Wendy Johnston and… oh, jeez I forgot!) mentioned they still had my first business card from when I was a senior. Wow! How cool is that! Darlene hadn’t even seen that one before, so she suggested my next blog post should showcase my freelance business cards.

So here we go!

Here’s my first freelance business card, from my senior year. “86 RULES, DUDE!!” Can you tell I didn’t have access to a Macintosh?? This little beauty was created with a Sharpie marker (a dull one, by looks of it) and was likely created in less time than it took for me to write this paragraph.

I like to think I had other freelance business cards during college… but I did not. I probably used one of the business cards I created for the UNR Sagebrush newspaper staff, which also had a self-portrait on it. Regardless, here’s a set of six freelance cards from 1990 (photos taken by Greg Moyle).

When I moved to San Diego in 1994, those cards became obsolete. I didn’t have freelance business cards until I started professionally exhibiting at San Diego Comic-Con in 2003, and I would just use Cool Jerk cards (reminder to self: do a blog post showcasing all those cards). But after I quit The San Diego Union-Tribune in 2006, I realized I needed a card that showcased my mad infographics skillz, yo. So that’s when I created the current card.

Fifty years ago on this exact date, the first issue of The Fantastic Four (above) hit the newsstands. If you were around back then (I wasn’t) and had a couple of nickels, you could’ve ended up buying a comic book that became the most important comic in the last half-century.

That’s not an exaggeration. With Fantastic Four #1, writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby ushered in The Marvel Age of Comics, a.k.a. Marvel Comics. You know… Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, X-Men, Iron Man, Captain America,* Dr. Strange, Avengers, Daredevil, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Howard the Duck and Blade (all of which have also been made into motion pictures, or soon will be). The FF started it all.

* “Captain America? But he was around in the 1940s!” Well, it’s like this — With Fantastic Four #4, Lee and Kirby reintroduced Namor the Sub-Mariner, a WWII-era character published by Timely (the predecessor of Marvel Comics). A few months later, the Fantastic Four had become so popular that the Human Torch earned a solo spin-off in the pages of Strange Tales. And a few months after that, Lee and Kirby brought out of the Timely archives another popular character from the 1940s, Captain America (actually, it turned out to be an imposter) to battle the Torch. Reader reaction was tremendous so the “real” Cap was reintroduced into the Marvel Age of Comics in Avengers #4 (March 1964).

In early summer of 1978, I was riding bikes with my buddy Scott in Haslett, MI. We each had a buck of spending money and I distinctly recall us wandering into Jim’s Party Store (in Michigan at that time, “party” meant “liquor”). We each bought two comic books and a Faygo soda, which I think ran exactly $1.00. My choices were Fantastic Four #197, Avengers #174 and Grape. Scott chose X-Men #112, Defenders #62 and Old-Fashioned Root Beer.

Fantastic Four was the first comic book I ever bought and I liked it so much, I decided to keep getting it each month. For 33 years. I also liked it enough to get the 196 issues that preceded my first purchase (plus annuals, etc.). Ended that quest in 1997. So yeah, I guess you could say I’m a fan.

I’m certain many others are commemorating this anniversary, too. I won’t even try to compete with their prose. I’ll just say that through thick and thin, I’ll be getting this book each month indefinitely.

Happy birthday, Fantastic Four!

(ps I was going to upload another heart-stopping photo of me eating a raspberry-filled powdered donut while flipping though Fantastic Four #1, but I didn’t want to risk getting the camera all sticky.)

Because I forgot to have one taken last year, here’s a pic of me at the Cool Jerk table. There were lots of cool stuffs to get this year, including a dozen new Canvas Panels, two new styles of t-shirts and OMG Color! Vol. 1. I also introduced the Über Canvas Panel, a premium product I’m offering that you can order with your favorite strip! Here’s a pic of me WEARING A COLLARED SHIRT!! with long-time reader and pal Richard Foley, who always makes a harrowing pilgrimage to Comic-Con! (Holy shit I look just like my Commentary avatar from 1996!)

And surprise! Lucky Cool Jerk readers and patrons got a delicious Cool Jerk sugar cookie, courtesy Jenny Wenny Cakes. They were in extremely limited quantity and you pretty much had to buy something from me or cash in your Subscriber Coupon to get one!

Our tablemate to the left was Jose Cabrera (Crying Macho Man), who was without his wonderful wife Naomi this weekend. Instead, he partnered with Jim Lujan, an animator and all-around funny guy. To our right was Ben Seto and his bro-in-law Patrick. Ben’s comic is Skull Bunnies and Patrick was representing his wife’s pillow-quilting gig. Above is a drawing Ben did of Puppy!

Here’s one of Darlene’s obsessions this year: Tokidoki’s Marvel Frenzies. She was determined to not leave Comic-Con without getting all of the Fantastic Four. Mission accomplished!

That’s all well and good, but I know why you’re here— to see all the crazy costumes!

Let’s start with a mash-up. Here’s Star Wars meets Pulp Fiction.

And here’s one for the ladies! Say hello to patriotic and sparkly vampire R.Patz (“Twilight”) wearing Captain America shorts HA! MADE YOU LOOK!!

Here’s a trio of Doctor Who cosplayers: TARDIS, River Song and Amy Pond (in her policeman’s get-up). I’m happy to report Doctor Who cosplayers were abundant this year, and there wasn’t a single Johnny Depp/Capt. Jack Sparrow to be seen!

I always felt safe, knowing Nick Fury and his S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were on patrol.

Here’s Doctor Doom, quenching his thirst. I like how the monarch of Latveria is such a bad-ass that he can walk around with a handmade Wolverine man-purse and no one’s gonna get in his grill.

Here’s Firestar, Alpha Flight’s team leader Vindicator, H.A.M.M.E.R. Deputy Director Victoria Hand and… some gal in a red dress.

This is great! Here are about half of Darkseid’s Female Furies (Big Barda, Lashina and Granny Goodness). I’ve seen other pics online that includes Darkseid himself, along with Mad Harriet and Stompa (they might’ve all been at Starbucks or in the bathroom at this time).

The following photos I like to call “Crappy Old Nikon Blur-O-Rama!” Here’s Jason Isaacs (l.) of the Harry Potter films, and Rowdy Roddy Piper (r.), notorious for drop-kicking Cyndi Lauper back in the days of MTV/Wrestlemania.

Here are some professional cosplayers: On the left we have Kit Quinn as Dr. Mrs. The Monarch (along with The Monarch). On the right is Yaya Han as the Asgardian warrior Sif (along with an unidentified Black Cat).

As Darlene and I took the trolley to the convention center one morning, we shared the ride with Thor and another Sif, Scarlet Witch and Jessica Nigri as Anya Stroud from Gears of War 3. (You might remember Jessica as Pikachu a few years back.)

Here are some characters I’ve never seen cosplayed (l to r): Galacta (the daughter of Galactus) and Rojhaz (from Marvel 1602), animated-style Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz, Judy and Jane Jetson. Bravo, all!

Darlene took these pics of probably the biggest gun on the floor.

One of my favorite crossplayers, Nicki Catterlin as Booster Gold, who ditched Skeets this year and is instead joined by BFF Blue Beetle (played by Mary Stanfield). Here’s Booster and Skeets in 2008.

Not to be outdone, here are some more crossplayers. Actually, they’re cosplaying DC’s Earth-11 heroes Green Arrow (Little Hotshot), Batwoman (Tallest Silver), Plastic Woman, Vixen and Flash (Catherine Pow). Kit Quinn was pulling double-duty this weekend as Superwoman (not pictured). More pics of them at this year’s WonderCon here!

Bring on the mutants! Here we have Dark Phoenix, X-23, Wolverine, Emma Frost and the Beast (doing the splits). Beast might look familiar— here he is in 2006.

Saturday was interrupted by some cosplayers who got into a fight outside of the convention center.

Here’s John Layman and Rob Guillory, fresh off their second Eisner Award win in as many years. And by “fresh” I mean “hungover.” If you’re not reading Chew, you should.

Say hello to Chris and Heather Barber, friends and former Union-Tribune co-workers of ours. This was their first SDCC and they LOVED it! (Also pictured is their entourage whose names I forget.)

Sean and Lacie came by with a print-out of the Cool Jerk strip I sneaked them into earlier this year, and I signed it for them. Lacie has come by the table probably every year since 2003, and Sean the year after (I know this because they’ve been subscribers that long). I’m a little sketchy on the details, but I think one of those Comic-Cons was one of their first dates… and they married last year!

Darlene and cartoonist Emi Lenox, discussing the convention, fashion tips or food. It was cool to meet Emi, especially after reading her book Emi Town. We’re glad she took some time to hunt us down and say “Hi!!”

As you can tell, Thor was a pretty popular costume choice this year. The best part of this photo is the guy in the background peeing on the wall. (Joke— don’t sue, Mr. Allegedly Peeing in Public Guy.)

Here’s a couple who Darlene officially refers to as “Sexy Chewbacca and Emo Han Solo.”

Isn’t he the most adorable lil’ serial killer you ever did see??

I love having cosplayers pose with my books. Here’s Tootsie, one of the best and most original costumes of the weekend! She told us “Some people think I’m cosplaying Ugly Jessica Rabbit.”

And here are… well, I actually don’t have a clue. Let’s call her Silver Bodypaint Alien Sexbot and her friend Ms. Fishnets. I took a photo of Ms. Fishnets holding my book Bimboozled last year, when she was dressed either as Emma Frost/White Queen or just forgot to put on all her clothes (the jury is still out). Note the dude in the background also taking advantage of the photo-op (yes, they were wearing thongs).

I think what we need is a palate-cleanser. Here are three lovely Disney princesses— Ariel, Belle and Snow White.

Darlene got to wander the exhibit hall quite a bit, sometimes to find friends, run errands, get lunch or do some shopping. One thing I look forward to each year is getting the new ashcan sketchbook by Adam Hughes. This year, Darlene was able to get Adam to do a sketch for me. She called to ask who I would want. I always wanted an Adam Hughes sketch! My mind started to race— Should I ask for one of Darlene’s or my favorite characters like Susan Storm or Barbara Gordon? Should I ask for someone obscure like Aurora of Alpha Flight? I decided on Puppy… and voila! *kermit flail* HOLY CRAP ADAM HUGHES DREW MY CHARACTER! *gets the vapors, faints*

Darlene also got to meet comics demigod Walt Simonson. “He was really, really nice!” Darlene says. She told him that I thought his run on Thor was one of the defining moments in Marvel Comics. He asked where I was and Darlene told him I was working my table. AND I WAS! >sob!< I met Walt back in 1985— he graciously autographed for me my set of every Thor comic he’d written and drawn (up to that point) PLUS drew a Thor for me on a comics backing board.

OK. Show of hands— who remembers “V?” I’m talking the original series from the ’80s, not the remake from last year. These guys rocked the freaking casbah. They even brought rats to snack on!

No convention is complete without a zombie outbreak in the Gaslamp Quarter.

As we were eating dinner alfresco outside Ralphs, Aquaman and, um, female Aquaman wandered by. I hope they weren’t offended— we were eating fresh-fried swai.

The end of the show. Here we are, packing it up and hauling it out. BONUS: I’ve attached my only existing photo from SDCCI 2003, the first year Cool Jerk exhibited in Small Press. Darlene hasn’t changed one bit in nine years!

As Comic-Con drew to a close, another life goal of mine was achieved. After years of searching, I finally found Waldo.

For more coverage, check out Darlene’s food-related Comic-Con blog post here!

San Diego Comic-Con International 2011 is in the rear-view mirror, and I caught the ConSARS/Nerd Flu as always. But I battled it hard and as of today, I’m nearly back to 100%! Lots of fun, but lots of work. It’s actually pretty grueling to work a convention, especially when it’s the hemisphere’s largest. Darlene and I took a slew of photos and I’ll get to those later in my annual SDCCI Photogasm Recap, as usual.

This year’s ’Con I debuted Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1, two new t-shirts and a dozen new varieties of Cool Jerk Canvas Panels. I was cautious of the economy and that I wasn’t offering a $12 book this year, but I must’ve hit the right chord with attendees because this year was my second-best in nine years of tabling in Small Press! Huzzah! That means I’m having THREE toppings on my pizza tonight!

This year’s coupon — available ONLY to subscribers — was like “Let’s Make a Deal.” With a coupon, you could either get a couple bucks off anything on the table, a character sketch or Door Number Three — the mystery gift! One reader got a Capri Sun. Another got an out-of-print limited edition Cool Jerk ashcan from 2007. Another got some Cool Jerk Post-It Notes and another got Puppy thong undiepants. Such is the way I thank you for supporting small press and independent cartoonists, and for being a subscriber!

ALSO— did you get a Cool Jerk cookie? Attendees who checked in at my table via foursquare and bought something got a free Cool Jerk cookie, courtesy Jenny Wenny Cakes. They were delicious!

The main attractions at Comic-Con were the “Twilight,” “Torchwood,” “Doctor Who” and “Glee!” panels, along with pretty much every upcoming movie in the next 12 months (“Avengers,” “Men in Black 3,” “Amazing Spider-Man,” the next Dark Knight movie, etc.). There was no shortage of Harry Potter or Captain America fans, either. In fact, I can’t recall seeing a single Johnny Depp wannabe from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. Maybe that’s all played out??

It’s always exciting to visit with friends who I usually only see at Comic-Con: Richard Foley & Karen, Jay Halili and Jamie Lim, Marc Mason, Eric and Jocelyn, Wendy the Rollergirl, Lacie and Sean Youtsey (married since last year’s ‘Con), Dennis Schamp, Kim the Catgirl & her mom, Bethany & Denzel and Marcus, Brian G., Marian, Bridget and Josh, Larry C., Dan B., Nathan, Barry, John, Ben, Joesph, Shaylan and Ty (of the Poway Posse), LEGO Maniac David Oakes, Jonathan Solomon, Peg and Ken Gartin, Mason, Erin, Linda, Jenny, J.P., Dana and her pal who loves Scooby-Doo, Demeterius, Brian G., a slew of former co-workers (Heather & Chris Barber, Michelle Breier, Rose & Jeff Dillon, Luis Monteagudo, Cristina Martinez Byvik, David Poller and Steve Schmidt), Apri, Steve Yatson and Fahim Niaz from Poser/Manga Studio. I also met Marianne (Gina’s neighbor), Brian Guthrie, Kalyan Pokala, Liz Ohanesian, Melodie Tao, Lauren & Dom from Australia, Sarah from Poway, Greg S., Randy, R.C., Lee Anne Moore and her Oceanside posse, Makenna and Jonathan and jeez probably a hundred other attendees! I also spotted Armando (who always stops by but this year we missed each other) and cosplayer pals Kit Quinn, Tallest Silver, Betty Felon and Jessica Nigri.

I got to see/say hi to/chat with colleagues JustJenn, Eric & Jodi Kurland, Sarah Kuhn and Jeff Chen, Daniel and Dawna Davis, Ryan Claytor, Ben Walker & Amanda, Jose Cabrera, Bavarian Erin and Superfro, Deb Aoki, James & Rebecca Hicks, Audra Furuichi and Scott Yoshinaga, John Layman, Keith Knight, Chet Phillips, Justin Orr, P.J. Perez, Leslie Levings and Allen Passalaqua.

I also got to meet fellow creators Neil Segura, Emi Lenox, Sarah and Beau Straub, Jim Lujan and our neighbors Ben Seto & Patrick.

It’s nearly impossible to mention you all. I hope I didn’t leave out anyone who’s reading this!

Special thanks goes to the other half of Team Cool Jerk, my wonderful wife Darlene! She’s becoming a veteran at table management and many people came by specifically to meet her in person. MWAH!

Photos to come!

It’s that time of year! I’m talking San Diego Comic-Con International, and Cool Jerk will be there OF COURSE!

So I bet you’re wondering, “What’s at the table THIS year, homeslice?” Well, I have a few offerings that will likely make you squeal “OMG!”

The first is the debut of Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1! Sorry about all the exclamation points, there. It’s a companion comic that contains EVERY Sunday-sized strip from Hodabeast and Chickadoowa… IN COLOR FOR THE FIRST TIME! Now that they’re in hand, I can attest that they look specTACular! They’re $4 each UNLESS you buy a Canvas Panel, T-shirt or both Hodabeast and Chickadoowa… then it’s FREE! (One freebee per qualifying purchase, please, since the print run is EXTREMELY LIMITED to 100 copies!)

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

ALSO for the first time this year, 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 $60 apiece. NOTE: Want your favorite strip on a canvas? Worry not— I will also take orders at the show!

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And did I mention T-shirts? Yes! Available in a myriad of sizes for both guys and gals are TWO shirts! The 20th Anniversary CJ shirt, which has probably your favorite character on it (trust me on this) and the JERKea shirt, which I beta-tested last summer to overwhelming acclaim! The CJ shirt runs $15 and JERKea is $20.

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I also have all the other items you’ve been jonesing for in years past, 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 Sweaty Cosplayer Hose-Down Station. Here’s a little map I whipped up while you were clipping your toenails.

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And starting tomorrow, be sure to check in to my table via foursquare for a special treat!

Hope to see you there!

Going to San Diego Comic-Con but don’t want to lug around your Goldie Gold and Action Jack lunchbox? Don’t sweat it — Team Cool Jerk’s got your back.

Here’s a handy lil’ map I whipped up for Darlene’s blog. We’ve been meaning to do this for a few years 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…!

To help celebrate twenty years of Cool Jerk, I’ve whipped up not only the first Cool Jerk floppy comic book, BUT the first COLOR Cool Jerk comic collection! And you can be among the first to get it… at San Diego Comic-Con!

OMG Color! Vol. 1 is 28 pages of Cool Jerk Sunday Funnies made full-color; every double-sized strip from Hodabeast and Chickadoowa is in here. In fact, it makes a perfect companion to Hodabeast and Chickadoowa, providing that extra punch of color that those books lack. Read them side-by-side, or cut and paste pages from OMG Color! into your copies of Hodabeast and Chickadoowa!

All but one of these strips have always remained in black and white… UNTIL NOW! (I colorized the Zits one for The (Palm Springs) Desert Sun in 1992, but it’s been remastered for OMG Color! Vol. 1.) And, as you’ve come to expect with all my books, I’ve provided new commentary for each strip! NOW how much would you pay??

Here’s the kicker, friends— the price is $4.00 if you buy it à la carte. But it can be yours FREE with a purchase of a Cool Jerk t-shirt, Cool Jerk Canvas Panel or if you buy BOTH Hodabeast and Chickadoowa!

It’s at the printer right now and should be in-hand in about three weeks. I’m doing an extremely limited print run on this— only 100 copies. First crack goes to San Diego Comic-Con attendees, then I’ll make them available for everyone after the show.

(Thanks to Darlene for indirectly giving me the cover idea, btw!)