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

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!

It’s Cool Jerk’s 11th year of tabling at San Diego Comic-Con International, and the big news is:

Cool Jerk Vol. 4: Thinkulus is here! I talked about it a bit previously, but it’s the brand-new Cool Jerk collection and you’ll be among the first to get ’em! It contains more than 200 strips (incl. several that are “book exclusive” that will only be found within these pages), sketches, Director’s Commentary, the anal-retentive index and the foreword is by Jane Wiedlin. Limited print run! Best $12 you’ll spend at the show!

If you missed it last year (it sold out at the ‘con), Darlene and I will have a limited amount of The Girl with the Donut Tattoo as well. It’s in its third-and-final printing (“final” because the comics printing company went out of business a couple months ago) so get ’em while they’re fresh! $5!

I’ll also have several new Canvas Panels debuting at the show. Can’t show ’em here without inciting a riot! $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:

• ALL my books with convention-special discounts!
• T-shirts in a variety of styles, fits (M or F) and sizes!
• Sharpie original art breakdowns (original art for $3-$5? CRAZY!)
• Stickers, buttons and the like.
• And as ever, sketches are free.

Click it to hugeify it!

Here’s a map I made while you were finishing up your Scarlet Witch costume.

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!

This year marks Cool Jerk’s 10th year of tabling at San Diego Comic-Con International, and my 30th in-a-row within these doors! Let me tell you what’s in store at the Cool Jerk table:

First and foremost, this year’s new comic is The Girl with the Donut Tattoo, which I co-created with Darlene. It’s her first comic (she wrote it) and we’re unveiling it at SDCCI. It’s $5 a la carte, or FREE with a $40 purchase at the Cool Jerk table! Read more about it here! We have only 100 copies available, so it’s first-come, first-served!

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Speaking of, I have less than 15 copies of Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1 from last year, which is $4 a pop or FREE if you buy Hodabeast (Vol. 1) and Chickadoowa (Vol. 2).

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Available now!

Remember last fall when I did my second 24-Hour Comic? Well, now you can get one. It’s a reasonably priced $2!

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Another item that’s perfect for your house, office or motor home mobile meth lab is the Cool Jerk Canvas Panel. I’ve added a few NEW panel choices to the series I started in 2010, and I’m sure you’ll want to buy 8-9 at a time! $15 each.

ALSO, I have a premium item for SDCCI— the Longform Canvas Panel! This is really limited to what you see here, in both black and white variations. They run $50 apiece. NOTE: Want your favorite strip on a canvas? Worry not— I will also take orders at the show!

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And what would Cool Jerk be without high-quality cotton body armor? Available in a myriad of sizes for both guys and gals are THREE shirts: the 20th Anniversary CJ shirt, which has probably your favorite character on it (above), the JERKea shirt, a sure-fire crowd-pleaser (above), and the tried-and-true Body Shots variety (go here to see that one). The JERKea shirt is $20, the other ones are $15.

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I also have all the other items you could ever possibly want, incl. ALL my books, Sharpie original art breakdowns, stickers, buttons and the like. We’re in the same spot we’ve always been, right by the communal baths. Here’s a little map I whipped up while you were flossing.

Click it to JUMP IN THERE!

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Hope to see you there!

Going to San Diego Comic-Con but don’t want to lug around your mint condition 1974 Six Million Dollar Man lunchbox? Don’t sweat it — Team Cool Jerk’s got your back.

Click it to super-size it!

Here’s a handy lil’ map I whipped up for Darlene’s blog, which I highly recommend visiting to get the 411 on all these eateries. We started this last year as a public service, especially for our out-of-town friends who sometimes resort to eating concession “food” at exorbitant prices. As for me, I’ll be having only the finest Kobe beef cheeseburgers, topped with foie gras and tapir bacon imported from Malaysia. Mmm… tapir…!

Get a copy TODAY!

Look who made the cover of The San Diego Union-Tribune’s (aka U-T San Diego) Food Section!

That’s pretty thrilling, since Darlene and I both used to work there (and that’s where we met) AND it’s out on the first day of Comic-Con. It’s a really good and accurate write-up by Candice Norwood. Go pick up a copy at your neighborhood liquor store, Starbucks or newspaper rack!

Since my checks evidently didn’t bounce, I can now share the official schedule of Cool Jerk comic-con appearances in 2012 thus far; Cool Jerk may attend a ‘con or two later in the year. (Any suggestions?)

Staple! • Austin, TX

March 3-4

We’ve never been to Austin or Staple! so we’re really looking forward to this little independent show. We’ve heard nothing but good things about the city, the people and the attendees’ appetite for comics.

WonderCon • Anaheim

March 16-18

This will be Cool Jerk’s fifth year at WonderCon! They moved the venue from San Francisco while the Moscone Center is being renovated, so it’ll be interesting to see who makes the pilgrimage down from the Bay Area.

Phoenix Comicon • Phoenix

May 27-30

Really on the fence about Phoenix Comicon. The last time I tabled there (2010) it seemed more like “early Halloween” than a place for people to buy comics. So I’m likely giving it a pass.

Denver Comic Con • Denver

June 15-17

Cool Jerk has never exhibited in Denver, either… and that’s probably because Denver has never had a comic-con before now! The inaugural Denver Comic Con looks to fill the comic-con void in the Rockies, drawing in people from several adjacent states!

Comic-Con International • San Diego

July 11-15

Ten years in a row for Cool Jerk, in the same spot as always (Small Press K10, next to the restrooms and vomitorium)!

GeekGirlCon • Seattle

TBD (October?)

In lieu of spring’s Emerald City Comic-Con, Cool Jerk will be attending the second GeekGirlCon in the fall (if they hold a second con — stay tuned).

So mark your calendars, put in vacation time, book those flights and bring your wallets!

San Diego Comic-Con International 2011 is in the rear-view mirror, and I caught the ConSARS/Nerd Flu as always. But I battled it hard and as of today, I’m nearly back to 100%! Lots of fun, but lots of work. It’s actually pretty grueling to work a convention, especially when it’s the hemisphere’s largest. Darlene and I took a slew of photos and I’ll get to those later in my annual SDCCI Photogasm Recap, as usual.

This year’s ’Con I debuted Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1, two new t-shirts and a dozen new varieties of Cool Jerk Canvas Panels. I was cautious of the economy and that I wasn’t offering a $12 book this year, but I must’ve hit the right chord with attendees because this year was my second-best in nine years of tabling in Small Press! Huzzah! That means I’m having THREE toppings on my pizza tonight!

This year’s coupon — available ONLY to subscribers — was like “Let’s Make a Deal.” With a coupon, you could either get a couple bucks off anything on the table, a character sketch or Door Number Three — the mystery gift! One reader got a Capri Sun. Another got an out-of-print limited edition Cool Jerk ashcan from 2007. Another got some Cool Jerk Post-It Notes and another got Puppy thong undiepants. Such is the way I thank you for supporting small press and independent cartoonists, and for being a subscriber!

ALSO— did you get a Cool Jerk cookie? Attendees who checked in at my table via foursquare and bought something got a free Cool Jerk cookie, courtesy Jenny Wenny Cakes. They were delicious!

The main attractions at Comic-Con were the “Twilight,” “Torchwood,” “Doctor Who” and “Glee!” panels, along with pretty much every upcoming movie in the next 12 months (“Avengers,” “Men in Black 3,” “Amazing Spider-Man,” the next Dark Knight movie, etc.). There was no shortage of Harry Potter or Captain America fans, either. In fact, I can’t recall seeing a single Johnny Depp wannabe from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. Maybe that’s all played out??

It’s always exciting to visit with friends who I usually only see at Comic-Con: Richard Foley & Karen, Jay Halili and Jamie Lim, Marc Mason, Eric and Jocelyn, Wendy the Rollergirl, Lacie and Sean Youtsey (married since last year’s ‘Con), Dennis Schamp, Kim the Catgirl & her mom, Bethany & Denzel and Marcus, Brian G., Marian, Bridget and Josh, Larry C., Dan B., Nathan, Barry, John, Ben, Joesph, Shaylan and Ty (of the Poway Posse), LEGO Maniac David Oakes, Jonathan Solomon, Peg and Ken Gartin, Mason, Erin, Linda, Jenny, J.P., Dana and her pal who loves Scooby-Doo, Demeterius, Brian G., a slew of former co-workers (Heather & Chris Barber, Michelle Breier, Rose & Jeff Dillon, Luis Monteagudo, Cristina Martinez Byvik, David Poller and Steve Schmidt), Apri, Steve Yatson and Fahim Niaz from Poser/Manga Studio. I also met Marianne (Gina’s neighbor), Brian Guthrie, Kalyan Pokala, Liz Ohanesian, Melodie Tao, Lauren & Dom from Australia, Sarah from Poway, Greg S., Randy, R.C., Lee Anne Moore and her Oceanside posse, Makenna and Jonathan and jeez probably a hundred other attendees! I also spotted Armando (who always stops by but this year we missed each other) and cosplayer pals Kit Quinn, Tallest Silver, Betty Felon and Jessica Nigri.

I got to see/say hi to/chat with colleagues JustJenn, Eric & Jodi Kurland, Sarah Kuhn and Jeff Chen, Daniel and Dawna Davis, Ryan Claytor, Ben Walker & Amanda, Jose Cabrera, Bavarian Erin and Superfro, Deb Aoki, James & Rebecca Hicks, Audra Furuichi and Scott Yoshinaga, John Layman, Keith Knight, Chet Phillips, Justin Orr, P.J. Perez, Leslie Levings and Allen Passalaqua.

I also got to meet fellow creators Neil Segura, Emi Lenox, Sarah and Beau Straub, Jim Lujan and our neighbors Ben Seto & Patrick.

It’s nearly impossible to mention you all. I hope I didn’t leave out anyone who’s reading this!

Special thanks goes to the other half of Team Cool Jerk, my wonderful wife Darlene! She’s becoming a veteran at table management and many people came by specifically to meet her in person. MWAH!

Photos to come!

It’s that time of year! I’m talking San Diego Comic-Con International, and Cool Jerk will be there OF COURSE!

So I bet you’re wondering, “What’s at the table THIS year, homeslice?” Well, I have a few offerings that will likely make you squeal “OMG!”

The first is the debut of Cool Jerk OMG Color! Vol. 1! Sorry about all the exclamation points, there. It’s a companion comic that contains EVERY Sunday-sized strip from Hodabeast and Chickadoowa… IN COLOR FOR THE FIRST TIME! Now that they’re in hand, I can attest that they look specTACular! They’re $4 each UNLESS you buy a Canvas Panel, T-shirt or both Hodabeast and Chickadoowa… then it’s FREE! (One freebee per qualifying purchase, please, since the print run is EXTREMELY LIMITED to 100 copies!)

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Another item that’s perfect for your house, office or motor home is the Cool Jerk Canvas Panel. I’ve added a dozen NEW panel choices to the series I started last year, and I’m sure you’ll want to buy 8-9 at a time! $15 each.

ALSO for the first time this year, I have a premium item for SDCCI— the Longform Canvas Panel! This is really limited to what you see here, in both black and white variations. They run $60 apiece. NOTE: Want your favorite strip on a canvas? Worry not— I will also take orders at the show!

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And did I mention T-shirts? Yes! Available in a myriad of sizes for both guys and gals are TWO shirts! The 20th Anniversary CJ shirt, which has probably your favorite character on it (trust me on this) and the JERKea shirt, which I beta-tested last summer to overwhelming acclaim! The CJ shirt runs $15 and JERKea is $20.

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I also have all the other items you’ve been jonesing for in years past, incl. ALL my books, Sharpie original art breakdowns, stickers, buttons and the like. We’re in the same spot we’ve always been, right by the Sweaty Cosplayer Hose-Down Station. Here’s a little map I whipped up while you were clipping your toenails.

(Click it to GET INTO THAT BAD BOY!)

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And starting tomorrow, be sure to check in to my table via foursquare for a special treat!

Hope to see you there!

To help celebrate twenty years of Cool Jerk, I’ve whipped up not only the first Cool Jerk floppy comic book, BUT the first COLOR Cool Jerk comic collection! And you can be among the first to get it… at San Diego Comic-Con!

OMG Color! Vol. 1 is 28 pages of Cool Jerk Sunday Funnies made full-color; every double-sized strip from Hodabeast and Chickadoowa is in here. In fact, it makes a perfect companion to Hodabeast and Chickadoowa, providing that extra punch of color that those books lack. Read them side-by-side, or cut and paste pages from OMG Color! into your copies of Hodabeast and Chickadoowa!

All but one of these strips have always remained in black and white… UNTIL NOW! (I colorized the Zits one for The (Palm Springs) Desert Sun in 1992, but it’s been remastered for OMG Color! Vol. 1.) And, as you’ve come to expect with all my books, I’ve provided new commentary for each strip! NOW how much would you pay??

Here’s the kicker, friends— the price is $4.00 if you buy it à la carte. But it can be yours FREE with a purchase of a Cool Jerk t-shirt, Cool Jerk Canvas Panel or if you buy BOTH Hodabeast and Chickadoowa!

It’s at the printer right now and should be in-hand in about three weeks. I’m doing an extremely limited print run on this— only 100 copies. First crack goes to San Diego Comic-Con attendees, then I’ll make them available for everyone after the show.

(Thanks to Darlene for indirectly giving me the cover idea, btw!)