San Diego Comic-Con 2018 has come and gone, like a peyote-fueled fever dream, leaving in its wake tens of thousands of sweat-covered popular arts fans/aficionados who either spent a lot of money or made a lot of money. Individual results may vary, but it was a fine year for Cool Jerk. Fine, I tell you. I had a secret product: the three-volume collection of my long-rumored “Like, For Shore!” college strips. These were limited to 75 editions and I literally had them under wraps and off the table because they were made especially for Cool Jerk patrons who have all the books. So a bunch of you SDCC attendees had first crack at these college strips that begat Cool Jerk, and now I’m happy to announce they’re available for the general public via my Cool Jerk store, here!

It was terrific to see so many of you, year after year. Some I’ve known for decades, some in just the last year or two. And I met a fair chunk of new readers who I’m sure to see in the years ahead. Thank you so much for coming by my little island in the middle of the convention center. Now, it’s time for the photo recap!

Let’s start with Kolchak the night stalker. Obscure if you’re younger than 60, a mandatory Google search if you’re younger than 45.

Another obscure cosplay, Artemus Gordon and James West, from Salma Hayek’s best movie.

Here’s Matt and Jess, from their Netflix shows.

Also courtesy Netflix, here’s Luke Cage.

Delightful StormPixxieCosplay (her Instagram handle) cosplaying Teen Titan Raven.

Just not a comic convention without a slave Leia, but hey! Props to the mail-order inflatable Jabba costume!

And if you’re going to cosplay Storm of the X-Men, you’ve just gotta use white contact lenses. Just gotta.

Speaking of Storm, there’s another one in the background there, behind the Grandmaster and Topaz (both as seen in “Thor: Ragnarok”).

Here I am with fellow Reno alum Mary Crawley, who remembers my comics from the days of UNR Sagebrush and the Reno Gazette-Journal. We discovered that we had a mutual friend in Bob Adams, and sadly I had to tell her of Bob’s suicide in 2013.

Here’s my new buddy @KariLikeSafari wearing a t-shirt that says “Impeach Trump”… in Gallifreyan.

Victorian sexy time with Mina Murray and Vlad Dracula.

Catwoman and Zatanna picked up a couple Cool Jerk books, and the next thing I knew they were casing a dude’s hand-made jewelry and artworks two tables down.

Mrs. Waterford read one of my Cool Jerk collections last night. Oops. #spoilers

Damn. Here’s “Sherman” Tank (his name, really) as John Coffey from “The Green Mile.” Complete with mouse.

Not certain what their official cosplay names are, but that’s a Wasp/Jolibee mashup with Grimace/Thanos. With the Infinity Oven Mitt. Of course.

While Darlene was wandering around the floor, she spotted the Mystery Science Theater 3000 family…

…a Dora Milaje (“Black Panther”) and Michonne (“The Walking Dead”)…

…Erik Killmonger and Shuri (both from “Black Panther”)…

…and a female Magneto, plus Mystique in mid-morph.

From Hulu’s original series “GLOW,” here’s Zoya the Destroya!

If not the first Snake Plissken I’ve seen… certainly the best Snake Plissken I’ve seen.

In the parking garage, X-Men Psylocke and Colossus (apparently his nickname even out of costume, if you catch what I’m sayin’).

One of the best costumes of the show. Bravo to you, King of the Pink Panther tribe.

Here’s Gambit and Phoenix, the latter possessed by symbiote Venom. I wish the photo would do her justice, but VenomPhoenix had super-sharp shark teeth.

Long-time pal, journalistic colleague and breakfast buddy Lisa O’Malley somehow got past security to visit. CALL SECURITY!

Think I’ll wrap this up with a couple adorbz cosplayers. The first is She-Hulk, with what her mom says is “her favorite fighting pose”…

…and lil’ clown Pennywise (I’ll remind you of last year’s Georgie Denbrough). Horror clearly has no age limit.

This year is the sixteenth consecutive year that Cool Jerk set up shop in Small Press at San Diego Comic-Con International (map below). The weather forecast says it’ll be muggy with a chance of drenched armpits. And that’s INSIDE the convention center!

This year I have a special treat for all of you who have the complete Cool Jerk library: Like, For Shore! The Complete Works. It’s three volumes collecting more than 170 college-era strips that preceded Cool Jerk. Armpit, Puppy and the rest of the Spittle Beach gang are all there, and I remastered nearly every strip in graphite. The first printing is in a very limited run of 75 signed and numbered copies, and San Diego Comic-Con attendees will have first crack at buying them. Sold as a set, $18.

Also new this year will be a few new Canvas Panel designs, which I’ll Tweet during the show (find me on Twitter: @cooljerk). I also reprinted a stack of old favorites that always seem to sell out. $15 a pop, or $40 if you want a long-form canvas (contains a whole strip, not just one panel), which I can custom-make for you if you order one up in person or online.

I have a limited supply of last year’s runaway hit, the Cool Jerk Enamel Pins. They’re $10 and you get one-of-a-kind original art with each pin. Choose among the Cool word balloon, Jerk thought balloon and/or the ubiquitous CENSORED bar… perfect for any jacket, backpack or tongue piercing!

This year, I want to try something new. It could be awesome, it could be a giant mistake. If you’re reading this mailer and attending Comic-Con, ask about the Cool Jerk BOOK DEAL. It’s on the down-low; I’m not going to advertise it. But ask about the BOOK DEAL. Seriously. It’s totally worth it.

Also worth mentioning are The Girl Who Kicked The Donut Habit (Darlene’s second comic) and the Jerkopædia (Official Style Guide to Cool Jerk), both of which I’ll have on hand. Also running a bit low on t-shirts, but I’ll bring what I have.

Here’s a locator for your convenience. Thanks for following Cool Jerk and hope to see you at the show!

Was it the lack of a kidney stone (and accompanying stents)? Was it the oppressive humidity? Was it the sobering reality that a sentient sack of spray-tanned dicks is running this country? Dunno, but this year’s San Diego Comic-Con felt like an ode to the best of previous years. This was the first time since 2003 that the Cool Jerk table wasn’t in Small Press K-10… we moved next door to the K-9 corner spot. Woo-hoo!

Sales were tremendous; lots of people — friends and new faces alike — came by the table to chat or buy the newly unveiled Cool Jerk Enamel Pins (limited run of 100 per design), each of which came bagged with an original penciled-and-inked drawing of a favorite Cool Jerk character. Canvas Panels did well, with the”Chupacabraccino” and “Trump is a literal bag of dicks” panels selling out instantly. I discovered that my Cool Jerk T-shirt inventory is running thin in some sizes, and as a result I lost a few potential sales. (MEMO TO SELF: Make more panels and T-shirts!)

Sincere gratitude to everyone who squeezed in a visit (and purchase) into their comic-con schedule, and to Darlene who manned the table, kept us fed and hydrated, and brought our doggy downtown to experience his first comic-con (see below).

As the recently passed June Foray would famously say, “And now here’s something we hope you’ll really like!”

Starting off with another Twin Peaks selfie, because #peaksfreak. This was taken the day before the convention opened, during set-up. SHHH! DON’T TELL ANYONE!!

Stranger Things 2 building wrap, seen in the Gaslamp Quarter a block-and-a-half from the convention center. Netflix was really pushing their original content, incl. The Defenders.

Of course, HBO’s Game of Thrones had a big presence. I wonder what was inside this crate?

Our dog, The Doctor, cosplayed as Doctor Strange (complete with Eye of Agamotto and custom-made Cape of Levitation). Here he is wowing the paparazzi outside Hall B. At one point I think he was trending on Twitter. We thought he’d wig the F out but he took it all in stride, sometimes letting people pet his head or give high-fives.

Traffic in front of our row in Small Press always includes a lot of cosplayers. Here’s Nightwing, Batgirl and Deadpool.

Here’s Spider-Man, Black Cat and Ted Washington (our super-chill and talented table neighbor for two years running).

As always, sketches are 100% free. Here’s a reader who picked up another Cool Jerk book (working his way through my library) and an enamel pin.

Hawkgirl, here, with expanding and contracting wings plus a glowing mace. Her similarly costumed partner Hawkman was elsewhere on the floor.

Here’s a Bob Ross cosplayer, proving the Cosplay Well of Ideas in bottomless.

You can call her Laura, you can call her X-23, you can even call her the all-new Wolverine… just don’t call her before she’s had her coffee.

Jennifer Walters, better known as She-Hulk. Always a popular cosplay option, and aside from the non-green tummy, she nailed it.

Wish I’d gotten some video of Lil the Dancer (“Twin Peaks- Fire Walk With Me”). She got the blinking, puckering, stepping in place and hand gestures down pat. “She’s my mother’s sister’s girl.”

Spooky stuff coming next. Let’s float with Georgie Denbrough (“IT”)…

…and beg for mercy from Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface.

Very well done Kim Possible…

…maybe second only to Carrie Kelley Robin, here.

No, that’s not “female Venom” — that’s the Julia Carpenter version of Spider-Woman (aka Arachne). Cosplayers love it when you ID them properly and get their alter egos correct.

Along with the Scooby Gang (up top), this might be my favorite cosplay team-up: Gogo Yubari and her death ball & chain from “Kill Bill.”

Wandering the floor, Darlene and I came across J. Jonah Jameson (publisher of The Daily Bugle)…

…an on-point Mystique (forget the scaly Jennifer Lawrence versions)…

…and Red Sonja holding a decapitated head with an iPhone embedded in the skull. Crazy world.

Initially thought the gal on the left was Deathbird, but the costume details say she’s a female (and feather-heavy) variant of Magneto. Next to her is the queen of the Inhumans, Medusa.

Speaking of Inhumans, Marvel had a life-size Lockjaw on display. Such hugs!

People just love doggies, I guess. Even when they’re so cute they make you want to tear your own face off.

Darlene spotted this kid cosplaying Dustin from Stranger Things and nearly got whiplash from the double take. Bravo!

This would be the first and only Bebop & Rocksteady from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I’ve seen.

Also, The Maker (evil Reed Richards from another dimension) scores points for obscurity and originality.

While working the table, Darlene handed off a Cool Jerk book to actual-size Ant-Man. THIS IS NOT FORCED PERSPECTIVE HE REALLY WAS SEVEN INCHES TALL I SWEAR.

Offered without commentary.

“Hey, Moon Knight… can you tell me who just called?” “What’s the matter, Daredevil… you blind or something?” *awkward silence*

Here’s a brief crossplay round-up: female versions of Gambit and Spider-Man, in both conventional and “Iron Spider” outfits.

And while I’d thought this was a Hayley Atwell-inspired Peggy Carter/Captain America mashup, Pandora Grayson told me she’s actually a 1940s-era female Captain America.

Longtime friends John & Charlene came by the table again this year, no doubt an overwhelming experience for everyone.

Here’s a Frank Frazetta painting come to life. All that was missing was a knife-swinging protagonist and a nude girl.

And as luck would have it (?), a nude girl did show up a few minutes later. Yes, that’s body paint and a thong… nothing else. I decided to try out my Cool Jerk “CENSORED” enamel pin.

Today begins Cool Jerk’s 15th straight year exhibiting at San Diego Comic-Con International. Come find us in Small Press (K9), right next to the same spot we’ve had since 2003. Got some new stuff, some old favorites, and some ridonkulous, show-only deals on Cool Jerk books (see above)!

We’ve been thinking of doing Cool Jerk Enamel Pins for a couple years now (originally thinking of Velcro patches to wear on hats or sew onto backpacks), but this year we’re debuting the first three designs. They’re really spiff! Most places sell enamel pins for $10, and I’m no exception… but do they include ORIGINAL ARTWORK with each pin? Yep— each backing board has a drawing by yours truly! Choose from pre-drawn ones or request a special someone! Each one is a limited print run of 100 and when they’re gone, they’re gone. SPECIAL ‘CON DEAL: Buy all three, get a book for free!

We still have copies of last summer’s The Girl Who Kicked The Donut Habit, the follow up to 2012’s The Girl With The Donut Tattoo which sold out after three printings. It’s another venture into Darlene’s food-centric world, and pays homage to her mom who passed away unexpectedly in 2014. It’s 24 color pages of comics, recipes, a centerfold (?!?) and costs six bucks with $1 of each sale benefiting the Colon Cancer Alliance. Be sure to get one from Darlene directly so she can sign it for you!

I’m kind of burning through my limited run of Jerkopædia— The Official Visual Style Guide to Cool Jerk, the MUST-HAVE for fans of Cool Jerk (or comic strips in general), character design and animation model sheets. And it’s much more than just fun drawings… it’s fun drawings WITH ANNOTATIONS! Find out who walks around commando! Discover the secret of Armpit’s feet! When was Arms-Over-Head Guy’s first appearance? This guide has it all AND MUCH MORE. It’s 24 pages, professionally printed with a heavy stock color cover, six bucks.

Folks just love Canvas Panels and I’ll be debuting several more varieties at the show! How about a panel depicting a Human Centipede diagram? Or the Chupacabraccino?? A mere $15 a pop for hand-sized artwork, suitable for any room in the house!

Further on that, I’m also selling a few Long-form Cool Jerk Canvases of some fan-favorite strips! They’re $35 each, which is surprisingly the most expensive item at the table. Don’t see your personal favorite? I’ll also be taking orders at the table, which I can then ship out for free!

We’ll also have all the other items you could ever possibly want:

• All Cool Jerk books, and they’re discounted for the show! Get ’em here, get ’em signed and avoid shipping fees!
• T-shirts in a variety of styles, fits (M or F) and sizes! All shirts are $15-$20. CHEAP!
• Stickers, buttons and the like!
• As ever, sketches are free!

Here’s a map I made while you were binge-watching “Glow.” To recap, we’re right next to the same spot we’ve always been, Small Press K9, a stone’s throw from the communal baths/vomitorium/emergency cosplay repair stations.

Find us on Twitter — @cooljerk and @darleneeats. We’ll be live-Tweeting throughout!

See you there!

I’m back from another terrific Denver Comic Con and thoroughly exhausted. That’s a 16-hour drive from San Diego and somewhat foolhardy to attempt in one clip… let alone doing it again three days later! It’s too bad I missed last year (due to kidney stone situation) as I’d be able to claim an uninterrupted run of Denver shows, but alas. Once again, I’m amazed at how many attendees show their “colors”— either in full cosplay (matching the exact costume/appearance of a character), partial cosplay (carrying a comic prop/wearing zombie makeup but otherwise dressed normally) or just wearing comic/pop culture t-shirts, hats or other items.

Thanks to everyone who came by the table to buy some Cool Jerk stuff or just to check out my comics and say hi. And special thanks to the visually talented sibling team of Justin Orr and Hilary Orr (who I partnered with on securing tables this year) and to longtime friend Monica Mendoza, who filled in for Darlene as my table slave. Much appreciated! And now, onto the pix:

Staring things off with X-23 (the grown-up comics version of lil’ Laura from “Logan”) and Shaggy, I guess…?

Couple straight outta the Twilight Zone! (Specifically, the “Eye of the Beholder” episode.)

Cosplay team goals! Here are the Powerpuff Girls…

…and the Maitlands from “Beetlejuice.” Wish I got a better pic, but you’ll just barely see Barbara is holding the Handbook for the Recently Deceased.

No exaggeration, I saw probably 7-8 distinctly different couples cosplaying Beast Boy and Raven… but these two were the best.

Bill Cosby’s hung jury legal battle had just barely left the news cycle when HEY HEY HEY Fat Albert shows up.

New buddy Sarina Garcia (we have several mutual friends, at least one of whom told her to seek out Cool Jerk at DCC), wearing the latest in Joker/Duela Dent fashion.

Meet Jennifer Walters— part-time lawyer and full-time She-Hulk.

Not 100% certain, but I think the hulked-out She-Hulk (previous pic) also cosplayed Scarlet Witch the next day (seen here with comics husband Vision).

Denver Comic Con wouldn’t be the same without Isabelle and Alexx (and their hostage, far right). Isabelle usually comes as Firestorm but this year she changed it up and cosplayed Huntress Wizard from “Adventure Time.”

Behold… the Grandmaster! (At the time of this photo, I was the only one who ID’d this dude correctly.)

Not all cosplay is comics-, science fiction-, or fantasy-related… or even recent! Here’s Tippi Hedren from “The Birds.”

Here’s an obligatory Disney princess… Megara! (That hairdo is on point!)

Captain Britain and Queen Saturnyne (WOW that’s obscure!) came by the table. For their totally original, Alan Davis-inspired cosplay I comped them a Cool Jerk book. They returned a few minutes later and bought another one. (I initially thought she was Queen Meggan from a different timeline/dimension from that of Marvel’s 616 but hey, how about I get a little bit more geeky whaddyasay?)

And I figure I should end with a… I’m… I’m not even sure what I’m looking at. Yes, that’s the Riddler, but…

Monica shared my bewilderment at the 400% scale, hyperrealistic, bawling babyhead woman.

Being sidelined by a kidney stone this time last year has only strengthened my resolve to conquer this year’s Denver Comic Con, which is this weekend, Friday-Sunday (June 30-July 2). This marks Cool Jerk‘s fifth year of exhibiting at Denver Comic Con and I’m pretty thrilled to be back.

Like in 2015, I’m driving the Cool Jerk All-Terrain Assault Vehicle™ from San Diego and it’ll be loaded with a quarter-ton of Cool Jerk and Doc Splatter books, Canvas Panels and even original art! New to Denver crowds this year are the Jerkopædia and Darlene’s second comic, The Girl Who Kicked The Donut Habit. My sketches are always free so don’t forget your sketchbook!

My goal this year is to get as many Cool Jerk books into people’s hands as possible, and that means cutting stupid convention-only discounts. How does buy two, get one free sound? Should I revisit the Ten Dollar Table like I did in 2014? Maybe a FREE Cool Jerk Vol. 1: Hodabeast with every $10+ purchase will get some books into happy forever homes?

Here’s a map I whipped up. Come find me at N17 in Artists Valley!

Denver Comic Con consistently amazes me with its collective passion and enthusiasm for comics and pop culture. I hope to see you there!

This was the “off year.”

Remember last year’s San Diego Comic-Con photo recap where I mentioned the kidney stone? Well, I still have it and at this writing I have two stents inside me, connecting my kidneys with my bladder. They were placed in May in order to facilitate a subsequent procedure (scheduled for next week) to remove the Rice Krispie-sized pellet of calcified crystals/crystalized calcium. The stone itself doesn’t hurt; it’s just camping out like a hibernating grizzly bear. It’s the stents that are very uncomfortable and made worse when I walk around. This will no doubt make for a terrific Cool Jerk story line somewhere down the road, judging by the reactions of friends who asked how I was doing. I was off my game, unable to actively (or hyperactively) engage with fans, friends and the Cool Jerk-curious. I had to stay sitting at the table, more or less, for the whole show. Darlene did what she could to pick up the slack, but regardless, sales suffered accordingly.

That being said, it was still terrific to exhibit in the same spot since 2003 and see old friends and make new ones. Having one down year out of 14 is not bad, but it was sobering. Darlene and I outlined an attack plan for the next 12 months, which we’re calling “Cool Jerk’s Counterattack.” Stay tuned!

Thanks to everyone who came by the table to buy some Cool Jerk ephemera/effluvia or just to say hi. Much appreciated! And now, onto the sideshow:

Let’s start with one of my few walkabout opportunities. The owls are not what they seem.

Here I am at the table, with Darlene’s second comic — The Girl Who Kicked The Donut Habit — in hand.

The back of the new book. Notice Darlene’s matching fingernails.

Here’s Darlene and Eric (both wearing awesome Cool Jerk tees) playing that goddamn Pokéymon Go game. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ‘CON FLOOR.

Not to be outdone, here are my friends John & Charlene, who also geared up with some Cool Jerk tees! (I’ve known Char for 35+ years. In fact, she drove her brother Jim and me to our very first San Diego comic-cons in 1983 and 1984.)

Also swinging by the table were the dapper and delightful duo “Eva Halloween” (cosplaying Poison Ivy) & “Boy Drinks World.” You might remember Eva and Doc Splatter joined forces in Oct. 2013 to cross-promote each other’s websites.

So let’s have Poison Ivy escort us to this year’s cosplayer gallery:

Right off the bat we have “Barbie Deadpool.” (Plus Zombie Snow White for good measure.)

Jemm! No sign of the Holograms, however.

Couple of friends (Aubree & Brenan) as Mystery Science Theater 3000. Their creativity is on point.

Thinking outside of the box, here’s a creative cosplayer as Spider-Man 2099. Meanwhile, Darlene is letting this awesomeness sink in.

Remember Danny Phantom on Nickelodeon? I certainly did.

Darlene got this pic of the Bob’s Burgers booth. Note the Ash vs. Evil Dead bag. I WONDER WHAT’S INSIDE.

Speaking of Ash vs. Evil Dead, this interactive photo booth was either promoting that show or the adjacent Fear The Walking Dead.

Time for some mash-ups. Here’s Ronald McThor Odinson with his enchanted hammer, Happy Mealjolnir.

Scarily closer to reality than I like to imagine, here’s… well, you know.

Amazon with a Las Vegas flavor, here’s Wonder Showgirl! (I’m in the background Googling this for verification.)

What’s a comic-con without some cross-play? Here’s the female version of Dr. Strange.

Here’s the best X-Wing Pilot I’ve seen at any comic-con, ever!

I did not see any other stranded castaways.

Shag was nowhere to be seen, either.

Darlene was lucky to catch the Juggernaut busting out of Exhibit Hall A.

Also, fine renditions of Spider-Gwen and Doctor Doom.

Here’s bodypaint fanatic Todd Schmidt as Iceman, founding member of the X-Men…

…and here he is as Silver Surfer.

This gal’s Jubilee game was strong!

Refreshing to see the comics versions of Vision and Hawkeye (opposed to the Marvel Cinematic Universe ones).

This one’s kind of a mind-bender: on the left is Jessica Jones (watch the Netflix series) and on the right is Jessica Jones’ short-lived alter ego, Jewel.

Here’s Marvel’s C.B. Cebulski and Darlene, before they wandered off to talk about the San Diego food scene, comics and whatnot.

I always try to find a cool Batgirl, and this year’s is courtesy LEGO.

Saving the best cosplay for last, here are two gals as crossplay Captain America and a tauntaun…

…and the next day they cosplayed as a line of dialogue from one of my favorite movies, The Silence of the Lambs. We have Jane Gumb/Buffalo Jill with the quote “It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.” And on the right, the bottle of lotion IN the basket with Buffalo Jill’s doggie, Precious. Insane! They were really funny and embodied the best aspects of comic-con and cosplayers.

This week is Cool Jerk’s 14th straight year exhibiting at San Diego Comic-Con International. Come find us in Small Press (K10), the same spot we’ve been in since 2003. You may have wondered why there hasn’t been much in the way of new Cool Jerk strips lately. Well, here’s why!

It’s been a long time coming, but Darlene and I are finally presenting The Girl Who Kicked The Donut Habit, the follow up to 2012’s The Girl With The Donut Tattoo which sold out after three printings. It’s another venture into Darlene’s food-centric world, and pays homage to her mom who passed away unexpectedly in 2014. It’s 24 color pages of comics, recipes, a centerfold (?!?) and costs six bucks with $1 of each sale benefiting the Colon Cancer Alliance. It’s debuting at Comic-Con, so be sure to get one from Darlene directly so she can sign it for you!

In case you missed it last year, I’ve harnessed all my pedantic anal retention into the Jerkopædia— The Official Visual Style Guide to Cool Jerk.

This is a MUST-HAVE for anyone who reads and appreciates Cool Jerk (or comic strips in general), character design and animation model sheets. And it’s much more than just fun drawings… it’s fun drawings WITH ANNOTATIONS! Find out who walks around commando! Discover the secret of Armpit’s feet! When was Arms-Over-Head Guy’s first appearance? This guide has it all AND MUCH MORE. It’s 24 pages, professionally printed with a heavy stock color cover, six bucks.

Folks just love these, so I’ll also have a few new Canvas Panels debuting at the show! Tell me— who doesn’t want a panel of zombie Jenny McCarthy on the crapper?? A mere $15 a pop for hand-sized artwork, suitable for any room in the house!

We’ll also have all the other items you could ever possibly want:

• T-shirts in a variety of styles, fits (M or F) and sizes! All shirts are $15. CHEAP!
• Sharpie original art breakdowns for $3-$5? CRAZY!
• Stickers, buttons and the like!
• As ever, sketches are free!

Here’s a map I made while you were looking for Pokemons. To recap, we’re in the same spot we’ve always been, Small Press K10, right by the communal baths/vomitorium/emergency cosplay repair stations.

Find us on Twitter — @cooljerk and @darleneeats. We’ll be live-Tweeting throughout!

See you there!

Reno — the birthplace of Cool Jerk and Doc Splatter — is hosting its second-annual comic convention next week, and Cool Jerk will once again be there!

Reno Comic Con — part of a series of conventions put on by Wizard World — will commandeer the Reno-Sparks Convention Center this Friday through Sunday, Nov. 20-22. I’ve been given the status of “Special Guest” so that means free limo and I get to cut to the front of any buffet line in town.

I’ll have copies of all my Cool Jerk books, including the Jerkopædia— The Official Visual Style Guide to Cool Jerk which debuted this summer. Further, I’ll have all sorts of Cool Jerk effluvia you’d expect to see at a comic-con, such as Canvas Panels, t-shirts, sketchbooks, posters, buttons and stickers. Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus? Hell yeah I have those, too! All items are going to be discounted so THIS IS DEFINITELY THE TIME TO SHOP! Nevada sales tax? I got your back— it’s all part of the price!

I mentioned FREE HODABEAST (Cool Jerk Vol. 1), so here’s the deal: I’ll have 10 copies to give away each day… FREE with any purchase and if you LIKE! Cool Jerk on Facebook!

Buy a book? Free Hodabeast. T-shirt? Free Hodabeast. A $1 glow-in-the-dark Cool Jerk button YOU CHEAPSKATE? Free Hodabeast. That’s a $12 value, friend… a perk of being a fellow Northern Nevadan.

Need directions? Here’s a locator I whipped up while eating an Awful-Awful.

So bring your Christmas shopping list and some folding money (I also take credit cards) and come by the Cool Jerk outpost C-35 in Artists Alley, on the right side of Hall 2 back by the celebrity veal pens. Remember: Only 10 free Hodabeasts per day, so plan accordingly!

SHOW HOURS
Friday, Nov. 20: 3pm-8pm
Saturday, Nov. 21: 10am-7pm
Sunday, Nov. 22: 11am-5pm

You’ve probably noticed that Cool Jerk hasn’t been anywhere near weekly this past year and may be wondering if I’ve thrown in the towel or lost interest in Armpit, Puppy and the gang. Well, it’s been a tough year for cartooning and I’ll share what’s been going on.

My mother-in-law, Betty Alilain, died from cancer the day before Thanksgiving last year (actually it was on Thanksgiving when you factor in the time difference between here and the Philippines). The cancer came on suddenly and was particularly aggressive. Betty took ill in October and sought medical attention, but Darlene only received news of the official diagnosis the day I arrived in Reno for Reno Comic-Con (Nov. 20). There was nothing we could do and we couldn’t even make travel arrangements before Betty passed away.

As you can imagine, this devastated Darlene. I’m not sure a day goes by where she doesn’t cry. It’s been difficult for me, too. Betty was a lovely woman and full of life and charmed everyone who met her (she flew out from the Philippines to attend Darlene’s and my wedding, and was the surprise hit among the guests). She should’ve had another 20 or more years in her, but it didn’t come to pass. Losing her hasn’t impacted me but a shade of Darlene, but it’s there.

If you’ve ever gone though this level of loss — or your spouse has — you know it’s tough to laugh sometimes. And sometimes I feel guilty for laughing. It’s probably a sign of depression.

With Cool Jerk, I found I work best when there’s a baseline tranquility in my life, and the more laughs, the better. I guess that makes sense— I don’t know how people can be funny when they’re feeling miserable. It’s been difficult to get into — and stay in — a “funny zone” for an extended period of time. And that affects Cool Jerk directly since it takes a while to write, then design, then pencil, then ink, then scan, then make final corrections/enhancements and then finally upload the strip with some commentary. If I’m not “feeling it,” it’s a struggle.

I get easily distracted. I can’t concentrate. I make goals and sometimes can’t meet them. I get frustrated easily. I procrastinate. I overthink my jokes. I suffer with self-doubt, especially my cartooning chops. “Am I funny?” I ask myself. “Is it OK to be funny?”

So the short answer is no, I haven’t quit Cool Jerk… but I am taking some time for myself. It’ll be back at full strength sometime, I hope sooner rather than later. But until then, Darlene and I are just taking it week-by-week. Thanks for understanding.