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!

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.”

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!

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!

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!

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!

I teased about it on the Cool Jerk Facebook page, but now that it’s in print, I suppose I can show you what I’ve been secretly working on the past several days.

Last month I was hired by U-T San Diego business editor Diana McCabe to produce a full-page comic detailing Cool Jerk and its relationship with San Diego Comic-Con’s Small Press (Cool Jerk’s vacation home for the past 11 years).

This is my first full-page San Diego Comic-Con comic in the U-T since 2005 (you can find previous ones here, here, here and here). But what makes this one different is that it’s autobio. Armpit, Puppy, Manhattan, Yuri and the Spittle Beach gang are in there… but so is Darlene. I managed to squeeze in a sasquatch, another Amish Ninja running gag, official Cool Jerk thong underwear, a pie chart, José Cabrera (Crying Macho Man) and several Cool Jerk t-shirts.

You can find it in today’s U-T (cover to Sunday Business). It looks just like this.

UPDATE Here it is, in its entirety.

Thanks to all who helped out with this, including Diana, Greg Schmidt, Nirmala Bhat and Kate Nelson at the U-T. Also Daniel & Dawna Davis (Steam Crow) and Audra Ann Furuichi and Scott Yoshinaga (nemu*nemu) for the candid conversations.

The fourth Cool Jerk volume, Thinkulus, has officially arrived here at Cool Jerk Base Camp Zebra. It was a long journey and I had to deal with some of the worst customer service ever in order to get it printed, but the end result is pretty spiffy. It looks especially nice next to the other volumes.

Thinkulus will drop at SDCC, then will be available at cooljerk.com. Like previous volumes, it has more than 200 strips, many of which are “book exclusive.” Sketches, Director’s Commentary, the Index… no Cool Jerk collection would be complete without ’em! All the comics are digitally remastered and look incredible compared to reading them online. The foreword is by my favorite cyborg and long-time fishing buddy Jane Wiedlin (Go-Go’s), and the back cover blurb is by my other long-time fishing buddy and Cool Jerk contest winner Jamie Lim. Retail price is $12 for 144 pages of quality entertainment.

(It sounds like several Comic-Con regulars aren’t going to be at the show this year. If that ends up being the case, I’ll hold another “Cool Jerk Comic-CAN” here in San Diego somewhere so we can visit a bit in person instead of ordering via the mail. I’ll keep everyone posted!)

Apparently enough of you guys like Hodabeast, Chickadoowa and Bimboozled enough to merit Cool Jerk Vol. 4: Thinkulus… because it’s at the printers and it’ll be here in about six weeks. Let me tell you a little bit about it!

• It’s a handsome tome, in the same format and architecture as previous volumes. It contains more than 210 comics, a whopping 10 percent of which are brand-new for the book! THAT’S JUST CRAZYPANTS!! And like previous book-only strips, they’re not available online so don’t bother looking! On second thought, knock yourself out!

• Foreword is by the ever-charming and delightful Jane Wiedlin.

• I held a Facebook contest to decide which route to take for the cover illustration: The Lynch Mob or Dangerman vs Pokéyman. The votes were tallied and not only did you vote for Dangerman vs Pokéyman BUT I randomly selected one winning voter to adorn my cover with a blurb. Congratulations, Jamie Lim! I don’t think a comic-con has gone by without her visiting the Cool Jerk table; hoping this year is no different!

Side note: I occasionally hold contests and/or encourage readers to participate in Cool Jerk hi-jinks. The Facebook contest was open only to people who gave that page a LIKE. So if you haven’t already, please give that page a LIKE so you can participate in future crowdsourcing interactions!

• Thinkulus is 144 pages of comics, sketches, cutting-room floor rarities and other worthwhile stuff. People just love the director’s commentary and anal-retentive index, so we’ve got those, too!

• Thinkulus retails for the low, low price of $12, and will be available at San Diego Comic-Con International (its debut) and at the Cool Jerk store and Amazon.com thereafter.