This was my 20th year in a row exhibiting in Small Press at San Diego Comic-Con, in pretty much the exact same spot (yes, I’m including the last two “virtual” comic-cons). Being behind the Cool Jerk table once again was like muscle memory, although there were subtle differences that apparently evolved over the past three years. For example, the exhibit hall floors lost a LOT of their temporary carpeting, the security detail had changed hands from Elite to some other service, you can no longer roll your cargo into or out of the exhibit hall (they instead want you to carry your hundreds of pounds of merchandise from the concourse across 20 yards of lobby carpet into the exhibit hall), several mainstay exhibitors (eg. DC, Dark Horse) were no-shows for whatever reasons, and cosplay seemed to be about half as prevalent as usual.

The only new product Darlene and I had at the table was our collaboration, 88 Hours— Lost and Scared, a full-color graphic novella documenting the five-day span that our doggo Doctor was missing due to a negligent pet-sitter. Many people knew the story already, having watched it unfold live on social media back in 2018, but to see it illustrated and packed with additional information was a totally new experience. The San Diego Union-Tribune thought our story was compelling enough to publish a column about it/us, as did Times of San Diego (and a hilarious site run by a robot). We’ve received a lot of great feedback — some of it emotional — and we think it’s a contender when awards season comes around. Each book is pawtographed by Doctor and you can get a copy (or two) via my Cool Jerk store, here!

Now, on with the show!

How things look a couple days before the show.

Here we are at the table, with longtime friend and comic-con bon vivant Dennis Schamp dropping in!

Let’s get to the cosplay. Here’s Beetlejuice (Mindy Conley) and Stimpy.

Excellent Rogue from the X-Men: Evolution cartoon.

The lovely Nadja (my buddy Sandra Krombacher) taking a rare day trip out of the shadows. She slayed me.

It’s not all about the cosplay, tho. It’s also about capitalism! Aw, who’s the best boy? YOU are…!

Definitely a must-have for any kitchen.

A lovely print with a bonus Kumi Mizuno in the corner (thanks, Darlene!).

Almost bought it.

OK back to the cosplay. In related news, here’s Dr. Doom…

…and Reed Richards.

And here’s Reed and Doom, clearly variants from another timeline since they’re not at each others’ throats.

All hail! Prince Namor of Atlantis is in attendance. Imperius Rex!

Kate and Clint— Hawkeyes.

Did you think Rawhide Kid? Kid Colt? Nope— Two-Gun Kid.

I’ve seen Hela before… but Surtur? That’s a first!

Richard Rider (Nova) stopped by. His helmet’s eyes light up with the power of the Worldmind OF COURSE.

Not the first Sailor Moonknight I saw (there were at least three on the floor), but this one is the best.

In related news, here’s the aforementioned Sailor Moonknight in her Jake Lockley identity, along with a couple long-time Cool Jerk allies (they’re most certainly seen in my previous comic-con photo wrap-ups).

Hey, has anyone seen my Wookie co-pilot? I wish I could find him in this crowd.

Best use of masks we saw.

A gaggle of Spidey rogues (and Peter Porker in the back, likely attempting a sneak attack).

Doctor Strange variant from Earth 92111 has entered the chat.

Unused clip from “Spider-Man: No Way Home”(2021)??

Best for last— crossplay Disney villains Hook, Prince John, Gaston and Hades. *chefs kiss*

San Diego Comic-Con International is back for reals this year. I say “for reals” because the last two summers SDCCI had to do things virtual, and their mini-convention in Nov. 2021 wasn’t really much of an affair. But hey, the pandemic is over, right?? So you’ll see Darlene and me in Small Press as we’ve been every year since 2003, table K-9.

And if that isn’t a perfect segue, I don’t know what is!

This year we’re debuting a new book: 88 Hours— Lost and Scared. (Or 88 Hours if you’re nasty.) It’s an off-brand format with an off-brand true story of our dog, Doctor, and how he went missing over five days due to a negligent pet sitter. It’s an emotional, multimedia tale filled with twists, turns and surprises, and luckily a happy ending. We’ve been fulfilling pre-convention orders all week and if you’re not able to make it to SDCC in person, you can order one online at the Cool Jerk store. The book is 32 pages, full color and retails for $10 ($1 of each sale goes to A Way Home For Dogs, a local charity run by Babs Fry, who played an instrumental role in 88 Hours).

We’re exceptionally proud of this book and, not gonna lie, it took more than two years to complete due to PTSD. Look for a write-up in The San Diego Union-Tribune this week!

Beyond 88 Hours, the Cool Jerk table will largely be populated with all the familiar products and publications, including:

• All Cool Jerk collections — Hodabeast, Chickadoowa, Bimboozled and Thinkulus — and Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus. Get ’em signed by yours truly!

• The Mightily Marvelous Cool Jerk Fun Book! It’s my first all-ages product, if you can believe that. *looks through archive, believes it* It’s a magazine-sized laugh-maker filled with puzzles, games, mazes and other fun stuff. A mere $7.

• 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 most are gone. Sold as a set, $18.

• Canvas Panels are here for $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.

• 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!

Attendees will also find 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 in limited supply. Also running a bit low on T-shirts, but I’ll bring what I have.

And last but not least, here’s a convenient map I whipped up while getting my second Moderna booster.

Click it to embiggen it!

Hope to see you at the show! Wear a mask and stay safe!

This year, the “con crud” could kill you

Due to Covid-19, San Diego Comic-Con had to cancel its annual 5-day event for the first time in its 51-year history. I know people are depressed, disappointed, upset… but considering how every summer SDCC becomes a 133,000-population Petri dish regardless of a coronavirus (Darlene and I get sick about every third year post-con), I can’t even imagine how many people would be exposed to Covid-19. Due to my congenital asthma, I probably have less than a 50-50 shot at surviving a full-blown case.

I haven’t missed a SDCC since my first year attending in 1983; one year I only managed the last 3 hours on a Sunday but hey admission was like $6 and I got the souvenir book. I’d be absolutely ruined (emotionally) if I couldn’t make it due to illness or some other conflict (I blew off my 20-year class reunion because of SDCC)… but this year I’m just sad that so many people had to scuttle plans for this show, the largest of its kind in the U.S. And I really feel for my fellow professionals who rely on comic-conventions to make a living. For me, it’s officially a side hustle though I won’t sugar-coat it, I’ll definitely miss the income exhibiting at SDCC provides each year.

The last convention I exhibited at was San Diego Comic Fest in March, and it seems like last year TBH. I had hand sanitizer at my table, people were semi-jokingly greeting each other with elbow bumps and people were sharing news of other conventions/events across the U.S. that were being canceled (WonderCon, Emerald City Comic Con, SXSW, Burning Man, concerts, monster truck pulls, campaign rallies, etc.). The salad days.

A month later, the folks at SDCC announced their cancellation of the 2020 show, though they thought up a Plan B— a virtual comic-con you can attend from your home computer or mobile device. I haven’t seen it in action yet, but apparently you’ll be able to wander through the convention floor and explore exhibitors’ tables and booths as you would in real life. And it won’t cost a nickel to attend.

Not 100% certain how this Comic-Con@Home will translate to buying Cool Jerk books and merchandise from yours truly, but I think once you come to my “table” in Small Press, K-9, you’ll be able to link to my website and online store. From there, I think you can order my goods and I’ll ship them out (or maybe do a safe in-person delivery if you’re a local). As ever, I’ll personalize books to you and include a quickie character sketch.

This virtual comic-con will run today (Wednesday) through Sunday, July 26. I hope you’ll swing by between Zoom panels, YouTube programming, webinars, cosplay live-feeds and virtual awards ceremonies.

This summer just won’t feel the same without the annual pilgrimage to the San Diego Convention Center, loading in and setting up the Cool Jerk table, catching up with my friends, sharing war stories with fellow exhibitors, meeting (and making) new fans of Cool Jerk and Doc Splatter, stalking my mentors, having chance encounters with comics celebrities, buying that one item you can’t get anywhere else, “swimming through the sweaty rivers of meat” (i.e. the crowds) in order to explore the convention, laughing until I’m hoarse, having the traditional Saturday night downtown dinner with Darlene, taking photos of mind-blowing cosplay and exclusive merchandise, getting as-it-happens updates and scuttlebutt from the movie studios, the inevitable projectile vomiting (not necessarily from me)….

sigh.

Thanks for reading, thanks for coming by (virtually) and thanks for helping to support the independent creators. Darlene and I will miss you all terribly, but we’ll make up for it next year. Now be safe and go have fun!

OK I’m officially old. No, not because I turned 50 (!) since last year’s San Diego Comic-Con International (map below). Not because this is Cool Jerk’s 17th consecutive year in Small Press. But because I sprained my back carrying some of the tablescape out of storage (seen above). PRO TIP: don’t sprain your back. If anyone asks you “hey, wanna sprain your back?” Just remember my advice and kindly decline.

Pain and limited mobility aside, just because I’m taking a sabbatical from the weekly comic doesn’t mean I’m not bringing new, fun stuff to the show!

First and foremost is The Mightily Marvelous Cool Jerk Fun Book! It’s my first all-ages product, if you can believe that. *looks through archive, believes it* It’s a magazine-sized laugh-maker filled with puzzles, games, mazes and other fun stuff. A mere $7. (Later this year will be volume 2, which will be most-ages. Stay tuned!)

Also this year I have a special product— the official Cool Jerk Mystery Funbag! Anyone remember the Happy Happy Funbags from the mid-2000s? Well, it’s like that Funbag had a baby with a Lootcrate and voilà! It’s a blind buy, but guaranteed in each Funbag is one random Cool Jerk book, Doc Splatter Ominous Omnibus, a Cool Jerk T-shirt, Fridge Bling (Cool Jerk magnet— brand new!), a Cool Jerk window decal, stickers, Post-Its, a random Canvas Panel… and a heap of other stuff! Limited to 15 Funbags, this is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to quickly catch up on Cool Jerk swag or take care of that special someone’s birthday or Christmas gift. Easily a $70+ value, but only $30. Sorry, online folks— I can’t really ship this out without adding a dumb amount of postage.

I still have a limited quantity of 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 most are gone. Sold as a set, $18.

Like every year I added some 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!

Attendees will also find 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 in limited supply. Also running a bit low on T-shirts, but I’ll bring what I have.

And last but not least, here’s a convenient map I whipped up while sucking down some CBD.

Click it!

Hope to see you at the show!

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!

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!

Click it to find that Pokemon!

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

See you there!

Has it really been 13 years?

Apparently so! This week marks Cool Jerk’s 13th straight year in Small Press (K10) at San Diego Comic-Con International. Geez. It really seems like it’s been a mere 11 and a half years.

I’ll have a new Cool Jerk collection next year, folks… but that doesn’t mean I don’t have something awesome for you this year! You all know what kind of a stickler I am for graphics style, yes? Well, I’ve harnessed all that pedantic anal retention and put it to good use: I present 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.

It’s been a while since I’ve introduced a new Cool Jerk T-shirt… so here’s the 2015 fashion statement. What better way to have people give your chest a double-take than with the Keep COOL and JERK On tee? Comes in black or red cotton, white ink, $20.

Folks just love these, so I’ll also have several new Canvas Panels debuting at the show! A mere $15 a pop for hand-sized artwork, suitable for any room in the house!

Remember last year’s sketchbook? I’ll have a VERY LIMITED SUPPLY of these on hand in case you missed out in 2014. They’re $3 a pop (standard cover), or $10 for a blank cover upon which I will customize with an original sketch/drawing of your choice!

I also have all the other items you could ever possibly want:

• T-shirts in a variety of styles, fits (M or F) and sizes! I’ll be doing a BOGO free sale on Body Shots and the 20th Anniversary shirts, so now’s the time for your back-to-school shopping!
• Sharpie original art breakdowns for $3-$5? CRAZY!
• Stickers, buttons and the like!
• As ever, sketches (except for the 2014 sketchbook) are free!

Click it to go all Ant-Man in that joint!

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

See you there!

This week marks Cool Jerk’s 12th year of tabling at San Diego Comic-Con International! That’s just CRAZY! Remember way back to the early 2000s when all I had were buttons and ashcans?

Well, I’m bringing ashcans back — Cool Jerk Sketchbook v2.0! I haven’t done a sketchbook since 2007 so I figured it was due time. It’s the best $3 you’ll spend at the show, but you can get it free with any purchase of $20 or more! Do you like original, one-of-a-kind artist sketches? I’ll have a small handful of blank-cover variants for $10, and you get to choose something/someone for me to draw on the cover! Or hell, take it to another artist for a sketch. I don’t mind!

Many ‘con regulars missed last year’s show, but don’t worry, friends — I got your back. I’ll have all my Cool Jerk collections on hand — literally — including last year’s lovely Thinkulus (Cool Jerk Vol. 4). As always, I’ll be running my special comic-con discounts because damn, you already had to pay mass bucks for tickets, right? Figure I could help you recoup a few $$.

Folks just love these, so I’ll also have several new Canvas Panels debuting at the show! A mere $15 a pop for hand-sized artwork, suitable for any room in the house!

I also have all the other items you could ever possibly want:

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

Click it to enlarge it

Here’s a map I made while you were at Office Depot buying poster tubes.

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!

Click to enlarge

Darlene’s full write-up (including photos and some breakfast extras) here.