I had a book signing for Cool Jerk Vol. 3: Bimboozled this past Saturday at M-Theory Music here in San Diego, and it was the best three+ hours I’ve had since my written driver’s test! Like I mentioned earlier (see the previous blog post), I wanted to have a consolation ‘con — a “Cool Jerk Comic-CAN” — for local friends and allies of Cool Jerk who couldn’t make it to Comic-Con this past summer. So I set up a mini-version of my SDCCI “tablescape” and sold some books!

Now, I’ve done a few book signings over the past 3-4 years, but this one was special for a few reasons:

• I used Facebook and Twitter (in conjunction with the weekly Cool Jerk e-mailer) to get the word out. Likewise, Darlene also contacted a few of her local friends via her food-blogging and comics aficionado circles. Believe it — those two worlds overlap!

• Darlene managed to get San Diego’s premier mobile cuisine (read: taco truck) Tabe BBQ to partner with us for the first 90 minutes. AND — to sweeten the deal — I whipped up some Taco Tickets for book-buyers (buy a book, get a free taco).

• M-Theory Music also has a weekly newsletter, plus a calendar of events (like mine) on their website.

• San Diego City Beat ran a blurb about the signing in the most-recent issue.

It was a synergetic synchronicity of comics, music and delicious Asian-fusion cuisine! Not a bad way to spend a warm autumn evening in America’s Finest City!

With Chef Todd of Tabe BBQ. Me with burrito, Todd with Bimboozled.

Thanks to a chunk of the Poway Posse — Nathan, Joe, Ben, Barry, Mack and rookie inductee Gary — for coming down to get Bimboozled! Also, a contingent of former Union-Tribune colleagues showed up to get the ‘Jerk (Chris, Steve, Janine, Anna, Mike, Jenny, Sandy, Ani and Bruce). Bethany Jordan and her friend Joey came by, as did Alex Gamboa and Darlene’s high-school video instructor, Mr. Lakin (and his entourage). I also finally got to meet the hilarious and enigmatic food-and-pop-culture blogger Canine Cologne (also with entourage). And, lastly, thanks to Rick at M-Theory Music for hosting the event, and to Chef Todd and Matt from Tabe BBQ for making it 40% more awesome (and 100% more delicious)!

San Diego Comic-Con just wasn’t the same this year. Oh, it was awesome, don’t get me wrong. IT’S ALWAYS AWESOME. I debuted my third Cool Jerk book, a new t-shirt design and a new hand-made product— the Cool Jerk Canvas Panel. And judging by sales, they were well-received.

But it just wasn’t the same. I have many regulars (and irregulars, truly) who have always made an effort to come by the Cool Jerk table and at least say hi, if not buy some of my stuff. They’re not fans. They’re friends. And a busload — no exaggeration — of local regulars couldn’t/didn’t make it to SDCC this year, for one reason or another (economy, tickets sold out, conflicting plans, sequestered for jury duty, boob job…). So I promised to hold a Cool Jerk Comic-CAN for my peeps.

This Saturday (Sept. 25), I’ll be having a three-hour book signing at M-Theory Music in the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego. I’ll have dozens of copies of Cool Jerk Vol. 3: Bimboozled, ready to sign off to you in person. Plus, I’ll have Hodabeast (Vol. 1) and Chickadoowa (Vol. 2) just in case you need to complete your library or your holiday shopping three months early! And just like my comic-con special— if you buy all three Cool Jerk books, you’ll get Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus for FREE! The table space is somewhat limited, so I’m not going to be selling t-shirts, stickers or other items, but I will have the Canvas Panels on hand, too.

I realize a three-hour book signing pales to SDCC. But here are some plusses: NO $30 admission! Short lines! Wear whatever shoes you like! No eye-stabbings! And… how about a taco?

In her quest to make this event even more awesome, Darlene talked with Tabe BBQ — San Diego’s premier mobile cuisine — and they’re going to be parking their taco truck next door at the library for the first half of the signing (5-6:30pm)! So to make this more synergetic, I’m doing this: For every Cool Jerk book bought, I buy you a taco. This is a first-come, first-served offer, open to the first 20 books sold! Buy three books? THREE FREE TACOS! Comics and tacos? Did I just make your Saturday? You KNOW I did!

Here’s the event poster, with all the particulars. In short: Cool Jerk Comic-CAN, M-Theory Music at the top of the Washington Street hill, this Saturday from 5-8pm.

Click it to POSTER-SIZE it!

Thanks to M-Theory for hosting this little shingig (please throw some business their way, too!) and Tabe BBQ (their fish tacos are really, really good. I know what I’m having for dinner!).