Posts Tagged JustJenn

Buggin’ out!

Click it for detail!


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.


Coming down with The Bug

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!

Click it to posterize it!


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!


Only a nobody walks in L.A.

Had a nice, busy Cool Jerk-related day yesterday. Comic-Con is barely a week in the rear view mirror, but that doesn’t mean I rest on my laurels until the next convention or store signing. Oh no. I loaded up the car and headed up to Los Angeles. Mission: Bimboozled.

My first stop was Tustin. No, wait. My first stop was Port of Subs in Oceanside. Gotta eat some #8 for breakfast! (I considered sending JustJenn a photo, as is tradition.)

OK. My first Bimboozled-related stop was Comics Toons and Toys in Tustin. The owner — Matt Powers — and his #1 henchman Ken Rolow have long been allies and advocates of Cool Jerk. In fact, my second-ever store signing (in Dec. 2005) was there. Their inventory showed Hodabeast only, and Matt was kind enough to add Chickadoowa, Bimboozled and Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus to their store. Yay!

My next stop was in Pasadena. I’d been to Comics Factory a few times, the most recent time I spotted a copy of Hodabeast on their shelf. So I introduced myself to George (the owner) and let him know I have three more books! He took a stack off my hands, cut me a check and we wished each other a good day.

Like a moth to a flame, I can’t get within a 20-mile radius of Burbank without stopping in to Porto’s Bakery for some lunch (potato ball sandwich) and to one of my all-time favorite comic shops: House of Secrets. Erik and Paul have been staunch supporters of Cool Jerk for years, and they hosted a store signing for me in January. Their clientele are loyal and friendly. All Erik needed to see was one copy of Bimboozled and nothing need be said by me, as he just said “let’s do it.” And now House of Secrets has the full Cool Jerk library.

Off to Meltdown on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. I “officially” met Leslie (creator of the Beastlies), whom I’ve seen and said “hi” to a few times at Comic-Con over the years. Unfortunately, the head cheese Chris was recording a podcast so I was unable to strike up a partnership. I left copies of three books for his consideration, and a promise to contact him when it’s not so busy. (Meltdown does have a couple copies of Hodabeast in stock)

It wasn’t the smartest plan to drop in on comics shops on a Wednesday, aka New Comics Day. The busiest day of the week. But it was necessary, because my NEXT stop was The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach… and thus the true reason for the trip north.

Unlike the other shops I visited, this one wasn’t about Cool Jerk. It was about JustJenn. Darlene’s and my friend Jenn was having a store signing (is that the right term?), selling her stationery, pads, buttons, badges, posters and related handmade design collectibles and ephemera. And cupcakes. Ohh-h-h-h. The cupcakes.

Besides being an outstanding food blogger and graphic designer, Jenn also bakes a mean cupcake. The ones she was selling (or giving away as samples, or with purchase) were meticulously decorated with some of the more popular Marvel or DC superhero logos.

That Superman logo was a jaw-dropper!
That Superman logo was a jaw-dropper.

Not only did she make up one special for me (Fantastic Four logo), but the cupcakes themselves were “Horn Specials” — Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting and Ovaltine with Ovaltine Ganache frosting. (They’re nicknamed “Horn Specials” because Jenn did these exact cupcake varieties for Darlene’s and my wedding last summer, minus comic logos.)

Jenn already blogged about the event, so I won’t steal her thunder. But from my side of the table, it was a lot of fun. I saw a bunch of friends, most of whom are on Twitter (@sarahkuhn, @fakejeffchen, @foodlibrarian, @waffles) and met Jenn’s friend Cheryl (who bought a set of Cool Jerk books from me curbside at Jenn’s suggestion) and Jenn’s grandmother, aka The O.G.

For 12 hours yesterday, it was like a bonus sixth day of Comic-Con. Sure I sold a bunch of books, but I also bought more comics than I did during comic-con. I also met friends, made new ones, helped support a pal. Good day.


Cool Jerk is proudly powered by WordPress with ComicPress
All content copyright Paul Horn/Cool Jerk Intl. Site design by Hase Design and Paul Horn.