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.

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.

Thank you, Utah!

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.

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…

Photo courtesy Richard Foley (thanks, brudda!)

…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.

Sorry about the delay, folks— Comic-Con kicked my ass again this year and I ended up heading to the hospital a couple weeks ago to get treatment for a simultaneous kidney stone and bronchitis (“What is this, the 19th century?” asked a friend). So it’s been a slow and energy-draining recovery, and the weather hasn’t been cooperating much either. Putting that aside, SDCC 2015 was a splendid affair, where I debuted the gorgeous, professionally printed Jerkopædia— The Official Visual Style Guide to Cool Jerk. Plus I had new shirts (“Keep Cool and Jerk On”), a reprinting of the ever-popular “Jerkea” shirt and a gaggle of new Canvas Panels. Thanks to everyone who came by the table, especially those who walked away with some Cool Jerk product!

And now, onto the sights:

First Space Ghost I’ve seen in 35 years’ worth of comic-cons!

Here’s the dude from Pixar’s “Up.“

In an event riddled with Mystique cosplayers, this one was easily the best. She was waiting in line in front of me to meet Berke Breathed.

One of my idols, artist (and master of India ink) Bill Sienkiewicz.

Since I couldn’t leave the table but for rare, brief periods, many pics had to be taken of passersby. Here’s old-school (i.e. not the film version) Gamora.

And where you see Gamora, can Thanos be far behind?

Keeping with the cosmic theme, here’s Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel.

Darlene asked, “Who the hell is that?” Why, it’s Ambush Bug OF COURSE.

Here’s the deal: if you cosplay as Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Carol Danvers or Invisible Woman, I’ll probably take your photo.

When I would manage to sneak away from the table, I usually ran afoul of some ne’er-do-wells (like this couple as Immortan Joe and Nux from “Mad Max: Fury Road”).

Or maybe Bobby Moynihan (“Saturday Night Live”).

Or even Hercules (nice touch with the mace, Herc).

Another member of the Guardians of the Galaxy— Mantis!

Back at the table, sometimes I would take a break and hide behind my Cool Jerk Canvas Panel display.

And speaking of hiding…!

Soon to be seen in the next X-Men film, here’s Psylocke.

And for you ladies, here’s probably the best shirtless Wolverine I’ve seen.

Beekeepers? Where are we, Utah? No… those are Advanced Idea Mechanics scientists. Judging by Flickr uploads, I’m pretty sure there were several other factions wandering different parts of the hall.

Saturday night is Darlene’s and my usual “let’s walk around the Gaslamp” ritual, and we usually see all sorts of odd promotions, publicity stunts and industry celebs. Here’s something for the upcoming “Hitman 47” movie.

And I confess: as of this writing, I have no idea what this is promoting. EXCEPT NIGHTMARES.

There’s Jamie Hyneman from “MythBusters.”

And saving best for last, here are Skurge (the Executioner) and Amora (the Enchantress). Individually they absolutely nailed it, but together were perfect as “best couples cosplay.”

Memorial Day weekend was Denver Comic Con’s fourth annual show and it keeps getting bigger each year (word is that attendance surpassed 100,000, up from 86,000 in 2014). That’s an incredible growth spurt… it’s now the third-largest comic convention in the U.S.!

Like last year, I had help from long-time friend (and new Denver citizen) Monica Mendoza, who acted as a guest member of Team Cool Jerk while Darlene stayed in San Diego. I’m not sure having a show right on Memorial Day was a good idea, especially when Denver had been gripped by several straight days of rain and gloom (and people were itchin’ to be outdoors). I think Monday sold out, but as of Sunday evening tickets were still available. In all, it was a decent show. Thanks, Denver!

And now, onto the photos!

This motley crew was the first batch of cosplayers I saw Saturday morning. I like the look of contempt that Mr. Fantastic is giving arch-nemesis Dr. Doom.

No comic-con is complete without a Batgirl.

Popular theme this year was Avengers crossplay; saw many gals dressed as Captain America and Iron Man. While Loki has appeared as a female on occasion (in the comics), this Thor has not.

Here’s a crossplayer of Winter Soldier. The costume was top-notch.

Magik of the New Mutants, in her modern outfit. I can never get enough of the New Mutants (they’re rarely cosplayed).

A couple years ago I took a pic of a terrific Jubilee. Here’s the vampire version.

Brock Samson and Molotov Cocktease (Venture Bros.) wandered by my table (posing with them is my table neighbor, Joe Becker).

Skrull version of Reed Richards and human version of Sue Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. (I wonder if Sue is really a Skrull — they’re tricky!)

Where else but at a comic-con do you see Deadpool and Beetlejuice taking selfies together?

Straight from Westeros comes Queen Margaery Tyrell and Olenna Tyrell.

Fun candid of Dr. Strange fielding a call.

Thought I’d see more Flash cosplayers (especially since he’s got a successful series on the CW), but this one was hard to beat.

Another year, another appearance by the terrific Hawkgirl and Hawkman!

Here’s the Cartoon Network version of fan-favorite Teen Titan… Starfire!

One of the best cosplayers at the show… Ant-Man!

It isn’t a Denver Comic Con without my pal Isabelle Laursen as Firestorm. You’ll see her in each of my previous Denver Comic Con photo-recaps. How tall is that fiery plume of hair?

Here’s another pic, with me used for scale!

Well, this is just about adorable — Lil’ X-Man Rogue and Old Man Logan!

Not sure if this qualifies as “best for last,” but here’s the first Zardoz cosplayer I’ve ever witnessed with my own two eyeballs.

So Reno had its first comic con (it should be christened “The Biggest Little Comic Con in the World”) and it was terrific! Darlene stayed in San Diego so I flew solo (actually, I drove, which is always a preferred option as I can bring more books and t-shirts to sell). I was surprised — and a little humbled — that so many attendees remembered Cool Jerk from its days in the Reno Gazette-Journal (1991-1996) and even its original incarnation “Like, For Shore!” when it ran in the UNR Sagebrush (1987-1990). One attendee told me that whenever a new Sagebrush came out, he always went straight to the comics and always read “Like, For Shore!” first. That was awesome to hear.

So I sold t-shirts, canvas panels and many books, almost running out of Cool Jerk Vol. 2: Chickadoowa. I caught up with fellow cartoonist from college days, Brian Foote, and that alone nearly made the trip worthwhile. Well, I could bore you with all this stuff but instead, let’s go to the photo-recap!

I’ll start with my stop at the Reno Nugget for one of their Awful Awfuls. This was the night before the convention, and who should I see in line ahead of me…?

THIS guy! Dude, cosplay officially starts in 12 hours! Trust me from experience: Don’t freak out the locals! (This is Stephen Thompson, a Renoite who should know better than to wander downtown as a Borg-assimilated Shakespearean actor.)

One of the first — and best — cosplayers I saw on Friday was this gal dressed as Belle, who roadtripped from Virginia (!) just for this show!

And I’ve seen plenty of Green Lanterns in my day, but I think this might be the first Guy Gardner. Bravo, tough guy!

Lots of cosplayers in the couples category. Let’s start with Angela and Spawn…

Here’s Popeye and Olive…

Mordecai and Rigby…

Beast Boy and Raven…

Spidey and Mary Jane Watson…

Here’s the PowerPuff Family (?)…

And here’s one of the best: Batgirl in her new “Burnside” outfit (complete with snap-on cape and respectable combat boots)!

More costumes to come, but here’s where I’ll show you a 3-minute Sharpie™ sketch of Daryl from “The Walking Dead.” Norman Reedus was one of the many special celebrity guests in attendance. This was for the daughter of a long-time Cool Jerk reader and friend Will Bento.

Here’s the top part of my first-ever convention-exclusive print. Can’t show you the whole thing because, you know, secret punch line. They went pretty fast but I still have about 8-10 left. Buzz me if you’d like to buy one! $15 signed, and that includes shipping and sales tax.

Meet Robert Harris. He’s not only been a longtime Cool Jerk reader, but also remembered a bunch of storylines from old “Like, For Shore!” strips (like when I had Rocket and Sunset rent out their guest rooms to Britpop New Wave quartet Fuzzbox). Plus, he also “guest-wrote” one particular Cool Jerk strip from 2007. It was awesome to finally meet him in person and save him a bunch of postage and sales tax when he bought up a stack of goods. Thanks again, Robert!

Here’s my bro Justin Orr, who was the only other exhibitor I knew (we met at WonderCon a bunch of years ago, when he was my next-door table neighbor). I always look forward to visiting with him and talk about influences, from Frank Frazetta to Charles Harper. He hails from the Bay Area and I recommend his art highly.

Back to the sights! Here’s Deadpool and Alien vs. Thor… (Deadpool was the brother of my next-door table neighbor, author Cynthia Vespia)

Here’s Black Cat…

Click to get right up in there!

…and slumber party variant of Harley Quinn. One of my favorite cosplayers at Reno Comic Con — take a look at her expression. SHE WAS REALLY INTO IT.

This gal built a FREAKIN’ TARDIS out of wood and rolled around the convention floor while inside. She got Karen Gillan (also a special guest) to climb in and autograph it.

And to wrap things up, on the last day, Ted Raimi stopped by the table to say hi.

In all, it was a terrific show and a great turn out… especially for Reno. I’m already looking forward to next year (also the third weekend in November). Thanks again to the Wizard World crew for making this happen!

That’s right, kiddos — if it’s August, that must mean it’s time for the San Diego Comic-Con recap! This year was unexpectedly decent, even though I’m in a year “between books.” But I did debut the second volume of the Cool Jerk sketchbook, not seen at a comic-con since 2007. They were either free with a book, t-shirt or canvas panel purchase, or $3 a al carte. I also had the blank cover variant for $10, where the customer would receive a one-of-a-kind, pencil-and-ink drawing of their choice. That seemed to go over like hot cakes, which kept me plenty busy at the table (and at home if I ran out of time at the show). Seen above is a drawing of “Dr. Armadillo v2.0” for Dan Bois, and below are some select covers for various friends and allies of Cool Jerk.

A hearty and heartfelt thanks to everyone who came by the table, whether to buy Cool Jerk stuff, talk shop, catch up, share laughs or just say hi and give a hug. I hope you had as much fun as we did, and I also hope to see you online on a regular basis.

And now, onto the show!

Spy vs. Spy!

Vanellope von Schweetz and her candy-covered cart (from “Wreck-It Ralph)! One of the most elaborate cosplays we witnessed at the show.

I don’t know what this is, but it looks like a mash-up of Star Trek + Playboy + vampires!

Here are three Avengers — Black Widow, Ms. Marvel and Scarlet Witch — checking out artwork by Adam Hughes and Allison Sohn.

Darlene witnessed this tragic scene with Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy! “DON’T BE DEAD, GWEN — I DON’T WANT YOU TO BE DEAD!”

My Sharpie sketch of Scooby-Doo for Kalyan, a Cool Jerk fan with a huge sketchbook!

A Michael Myers parade! I think I just peed a little.

Customized Cool Jerk sketchbook cover (she wanted Cool Jerk, zombies and a kitty — I swear) for Shayla Morreale!

Two of my favorite cosplayers this year — Mojo Jojo and The Him!

While on a walkabout, Darlene spotted a gaggle of Marge Simpsons!

Sparks, Nevada’s very own Mädchen Amick, promoting Lifetime’s “Witches of East End.” She’s only the second Twin Peaks cast member I’ve ever seen in real life (the other was Michael J. Anderson at SDCC in the late 1990).

Natasha and Steve, taking a break from saving the world from Hydra.

Standout cosplayers I was lucky to witness after the doors shut one evening. Presenting: The Monster and the Bride!

Darlene got to chat a bit with Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy). Here he is, displaying his Skeleton Head syrah label.

It just isn’t a comic-con without running into The Monarch (Steven Meissner) and his bride, Dr. Mrs. The Monarch (Kit Quinn). Not sure who the other dude is….

Freddy Krueger decided he wanted one of my Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus books.

That’s AmberSkies as Kim Possible (note she’s holding Rufus the naked mole rat)! For some reason, Kim Possible was big this year; I saw no fewer than four Kim cosplayers.

“What’s in YOUR bookshelf?” That’s actually Elliott Branch as Jules from “Pulp Fiction.”

There’s Evangeline Lilly, signing copies of her book, The Squickerwonkers. News broke during Comic-Con that she’ll be playing Hope Pym in next year’s “Ant-Man.”

Kevin Smith (hockey jersey, of course) being interviewed at a hotel across from the convention center.

I love group cosplay, and here’s a group paying tribute to “Game of Thrones.”

Sketchbook commission for my friends Eric and Jocelyn, who desperately wanted something to do with “Frozen.”

Eric and Jocelyn’s reaction to the finished “Frozen” piece. Eric decided to title it, “‘Monster Turns On Creator,’ Sharpie and colored pencil, 2014.”

By the Winds of Watoomb! It’s Dr. Strange and Scarlet Witch!

Wish I had better pix of Apocalypse — he was huge and had a voice changer (I think)!

Waiting to cross over to the Hilton parking garage was none other than Ares, God of War!

Up close and personal with the Beast (of X-Men and Avengers fame, not the Disney cartoon, natch)!

A triptych of Batgirls!

I think that’s Jean Grey wearing Rogue’s outfit (or Rogue wearing Jean Grey’s wig?), Vlad Dracul von Chesty and Blink!

Hodor, Amora (aka The Enchantress) and a Jawa!

Crossplayers as Starfox and Roger Rabbit! Starfox was charming in that what she lacked in sewing skills, she made up for with encyclopedic knowledge of the Marvel character. (Quick reference: Starfox is brother to Thanos.)

Guess we’ll end this the only way possible — at Terminus!

"Cool Jerk is awesome and Horn is dead hexy," says Scarlet Witch.

Due to scheduling conflicts, prior commitments and travel delays, I didn’t arrive until late in the day Friday, which double-sucked because Denver Comic Con made Friday a full day (previous years it was from 6-10pm). So I was only there for about a half-hour, but still managed to sell some stuff. On Saturday I had help from long-time friend Monica, who acted as a guest member of Team Cool Jerk in Darlene’s absence. Sunday went by too fast and I came pretty close to selling out of Hodabeast and Chickadoowa, and I would have if I hadn’t brought extra inventory. Thanks, Denver!

And now, onto the photos!

I guess I’ll start with Hawkman and Hawkgirl, who had the best Thanagarian costumes at the show.

This gal was a total Brainiac.

Selfie with Godzilla. He was actually several hundred feet tall; this was just a foreshortened angle. Swear!

Here’s my assistant Monica, one of the few times she was at the table and not buying a Brews Wayne beer for her blog.

That’s a hella-bitchin’ Hela and Loki I ran into outside the ‘con.

I’ve been to scores of comic conventions over the past 30 years, and I can’t ever recall seeing anyone cosplay the New Mutants, especially Mirage and Warpath. Bravo, you guys!

Also, this would be the first Invader Zim cosplayer I’ve ever encountered. Bonus points for the antennae.

Donna Troy aka Wonder Girl took some time away from her fellow Teen Titans to show off her guns.

I wish this was in better focus (damn iPhone), but here’s the cast to The Tick.

The ever-delightful Isabelle Laursen as Firestorm the Nuclear (Wo)man. My, how your corona has grown!

This giggly trio of Car2Go ambassadors were amazed that I had a Car2Go card in my wallet. I was amazed that they hand-made their costumes (the photo doesn’t do it justice, but the little cars they’re wearing are really well done)!

And I’ll end with Reed and Sue Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman). I don’t know how she did it, but her costume was mind-blowing!

Whatta week! San Diego Comic-Con International 2013 is but a memory, but what a memory it was!

One thing that set this year apart from previous years is that I did a full-page comic for the U-T San Diego (formerly known as The San Diego Union-Tribune), which ran the Sunday preceding Comic-Con. I lost count how many people came by the table to tell me they read it… even more than when I used to do Comic-Con packages for the Night&Day section 2001-2005. You can check it out here.

Also, Cool Jerk Vol. 4: Thinkulus made its debut. This marked the first new Cool Jerk collection since 2010 and sales were brisk. Thanks, people! We also had copies of the third and final printing of The Girl with the Donut Tattoo, and purchasers got a free taste of the upcoming sequel, which may or may not be named KaiChew.

One thing Darlene and I noticed was that many table “regulars” didn’t make it to the show. I know some of them couldn’t get tickets this year, and others were on vacation, had conflicting plans, were in prison, etc. That sucks. I think I’ll hold a signing in a few weeks to help accommodate those locals who missed the show.

Like last year, the Cool Jerk table was flanked by the comedy duo of José Cabrera and Jim Lujan to the left and Mark Gonyea to the right.

But you’re here for the photos, right? Let’s hop to it!

To start things off, meet Jamie Lim and Jay Halili. I’ve known them for probably a decade… maybe from the first year I tabled at Comic-Con. Jamie won a contest I held earlier this year and she got a free Thinkulus as a result (not to mention my undying gratitude). Thanks again for the back cover blurb!

Speaking of Thinkulus, here’s Robot Monster holding a copy for scale! (Under the helmet was 3D wunderkind Eric Kurland.)

As superhero cosplay goes, I didn’t see a whole lot of clever, stand-out or original creations this year. I’m sure there were plenty, but I didn’t wander far from my table… and not very often. But I did see a few. Here is a trio of Marvel fans, cosplaying Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Captain Marvel (Genis-Vell) and Dr. Strange. Kudos to Dr. Strange who knew about the Winds of Watoomb and had the appropriate conjuring gestures.

The Invaders! Human Torch, Captain America and Sub-Mariner would rather mug for the camera than beat up a Nazi maniac WHO IS STANDING RIGHT THERE, GUYS!

Last year there was an abundance of Iron Fists. This year it was Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner. Here’s another one, flanked by Moon Knight (l) and Logan (r).

Darlene was able to venture outside of the convention center on occasion, to explore, get some fresh air or grab lunch. She encountered the usual whirlwind of Comic-Con activity — Hollywood studio interactive exhibits (“Grimm,” “Godzilla,” “Dracula,” “Ender’s Game,” etc.), food trucks, throngs of ticketless spectators, zombie survival drills and protesters (yes, there are jackasses who protest the “hedonism” of Comic-Con). Shown here is a counter-protest. GALACTUS IS NIGH indeed!

Also seen outside are the original X-Men — Iceman, Beast, Cyclops, Angel and Marvel Girl, all escorting Professor X (with Cerebro® on lap).

Segueing back indoors, here are some more X-Men: Gambit (l) and Longshot and Dazzler. I’m really impressed by the Gambit costume. I asked Longshot if he indeed had three fingers (and a thumb) on each hand. He did what he could to hide the pinky finger in this photo.

Another trio of Marvel gals: Baroness Zemo, vampire Jubilee and Natasha Romanova (aka Black Widow, seen here from a recent issue of the Eisner Award-winning “Hawkeye”). Zemo is actually Megan Rae, whom I’ve photographed as a Dalek in 2009 and as Daenerys Targaryen in 2012.

Another shameless Thinkulus plug, this time by Batwoman.

Three of my favorite cosplayers: Big Barda, Inspector Gadget and a gal dressed as a dragon from Magic: The Gathering card game whose name I don’t remember because I play HeroClix, not MTG. Most impressed by Barda’s scalemail costume, which jingled when she moved.

Lunch! These delicious burritos came from Lolita’s. Darlene did another great write-up on where to eat during Comic-Con which was popular with a lot of attendees.

Here’s long-time Cool Jerk ally Kim the Catgirl auditioning for “So You Think You Can Sing About Independent Comics Creators?” We would have given her a burrito for her efforts but we were fresh out.

Here’s a fresh take on the Disney princesses. I heard people in the crowd call out to them as “Geek princesses” and “Hipster princesses.” You decide.

Somewhat random: Here’s “Arrested Development’s” Tobias Funke, the evil queen from “Snow White” and a zombie ballerina. Evil queen is actually La Bella’s Strange Trix (aka Musicalpencil) on Flickr.

What we have here is from the Marvel booth: A Nova Corps soldier and various weaponry and equipment (incl. Drax’s knives and Starlord’s helmet) from the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie. (Sorry some of the photos aren’t as good as usual; we were trying a new camera lens the whole weekend and it didn’t live up to our expectations.)

Costume of the weekend that garnered the most buzz — not only for originality but for timeliness — would probably have to be this gal, dressed as SHARKNADO. Enough said!

(Even I jumped onto the SHARKNADO bandwagon, selling canvas panels like this at the table!)

Another couple of X-Men who can get their filthy mutie paws off The Girl with the Donut Tattoo and Thinkulus. Thanks, Colossus and Psylocke!

And I think I’ll leave you with White Trash Stormtrooper (or is it Wifebeater Stormtrooper? Maybe Kid Rock Stormtrooper?), catching the trolley back to the boonies (NOT the Death Star).

Thanks to everyone who came by the table to visit, buy stuff or ask directions! WE LOVE YOU ALL!