A longer write-up with more pics to follow, but here’s the quick version of the recent goings-on in Miami:

– South Beach Comedy Festival: Really fun to perform there.

– Our play in said festival: Great reception, (standing-o), and they want us back! So huzzah, I guess!

– Having Dave Barry, one of my personal heroes in comedy writing, perform right before we went up: Personal highlight.

– Meeting really cool Floridian Sheldonistas at the Friday signing: Very, very fun.

– Running into some of them afterward at the Ghiradelli chocolate place four doors down, and realizing we’re very much kindred spirits: Hilarious.

….Anyway, a more in-depth write-up is still to come. In the meantime, here’s a cool shot of our cast with Dave Barry before both our shows went up.

Miami residents! I have *TWO* fun Sheldon-related events to invite you to:

1.) SOUTH BEACH COMEDY FESTIVAL: Thursday, Jan 22nd, 9:00PM at The Colony Theatre, my wife and I will be performing onstage at Comedy Central’s South Beach Comedy Festival. We’re debuting my wife’s fantastic new play, “Tied in Knots”. Check it out: Variety even featured the play in yesterday’s issue! And Dave Barry’s the opening act, so what the heck… make it a big night of comedy!

It’s at the very, very cool Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139 | (305) 674-1040

2.) SHELDON TALK/BOOKSIGNING: On Friday, Jan 23rd, 8-9:30, I’ll be at Miami Beach’s famous Books & Books for a Talk/Q&A/Booksigning! I’ll be talking about Sheldon, Webcomics, and the new ways artists can make a independent career for themselves online. Should be a fun talk…with a Q&A, booksigning, free sketches, and high-fives to follow!

It’s at Books & Books (new!) location at 927 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL, 33139 | (305) 532-3222

…that was the subject line from Sheldonista Andy K, who wrote in to say:

I just wanted to send you an extra thanks. I had ordered an Artist Edition copy of both the most recent book and “Pugs”. When the package showed up I saw the little sticky note on the Pugs book that said “300” and I got all fanboy excited. I have been giving your books to my wife as Christmas and Valentine gifts (we just got married on Dec 4th) since we were first dating […] I had remembered that back on November 26th you had talked about how you had an extra special sketch in that one and I had thought to myself “Boy! It would be neat to get that.” then promptly forgot about it until I saw that little sticky note with “300” on it. I peeked inside before I wrapped it and it _is_ awesome. I know she will be even more excited than I am when she gets it. I will send you a picture of her with the book after Christmas. So thanks again for a wonderful present and for making me look good on our first married Christmas.

Making good on his promise, Andy sent in this photo, today. Thanks, Andy!

Speaking of Artist Editions…there are only 21 Artist Edition copies of “Nerds on Parade” left, including that final #300 with the super-panoramic drawing in it! You can grab one of the remaining Artist Editions either by itself, or with the rest of the collection!

And with luck, you’ll snag that last one, and get #300 like Andy did!

I just wanted to wish my friend Bill Barnes of the comic strip Unshelved a very happy 53rd birthday!

There are a lot of photos to catch up on from Sheldonistas, so let’s dive in!

Angelo A. from Brazil sends in this pic, saying “Sheldon has definitely taken root in Brazil.” (I just love that it’s shelved next to Virgil! I also love that he has a copy of the [now very rare] college collection of my cartoons, “A Well Balanced Meal”!)

Sheldonista Abby H. sends in a pic of her husband, showin’ off his new Glornak sticker…

Sheldonista Jodi T. sends in a pic of her husband Jim, who hit the jackpot of gifts, with Pugs, Nerds and an original!

Here’s a pic of Clayton N. unwrapping the entire Sheldon book collection…

Sheldonista Andres G. from Switzerland sent in his translation of a recent Sheldon strip…and I thought it fun to show you a panel of it…

After the recent Shakespeare storyline, Sheldonista Corey H. and her mom sent in this pic at the rebuilt Globe theatre. When they were there, Corey says “I turned to my mother and whispered, “Didst thou just write the word rootie-toot-zoot-zootie in mine script?” to which my mother replied, “Made it up. Shakespeare. Bam.” Awesome.

Thanks to all for sending in your pics and stories! Keep them coming!

Sheldonista Geoff D. sent in this Mind of a Ninja: Body of a Manatee sighting from Manchester, England. Santa, I guess, is a fan of real ale? I always pictured him more of a milk-n-cookies kinda guy…but I love the shot, Geoff! Please make sure to thank “Santa” for me. 🙂

Sheldonista Tricia J. sent in a great shot from her home, showing Sheldon readers, “8 to 68”. Thanks for this, Tricia, I love this shot!

Does anyone else have a wider age range of Sheldon readers in their house? 7 and 77, perhaps?

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Miami residents! Floridians in general! I come bearing news! I will be there Friday, Jan. 23rd at Books & Books‘ *NEW* store in Miami Beach for a Talk/Q&A/Booksigning! Which will be awesome for all involved, and which I know you will not miss, as I will be puttin’ some prit-ty rad drawings in all six Sheldon books.

It all starts at 8PM and will go until 9 or 9:30, depending on how much fun we’re having with the talk and stuff. I’ll be speaking about Sheldon and cartooning, of course, but I’ll also be talking about the new life for artists online: How webcartoonists like myself make a living by giving our art away for free. (So if you know of local High School or university art students/professors who might find that interesting, pass along word! That portion of the talk will be a compressed version of what our book “How To Make Webcomics” is all about.)

I never, ever, ever get to go to Florida, so I know you’ll make the effort to come out…because it’s going to be fun. Anyway, here are the details:

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WHAT: Awesomeness

WHEN: Jan. 23rd, 8-9:30 PM

WHERE: Books & Books (new!) store at 927 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL, 33139 | (305) 532-3222

HOW: Here’s a Google Maps Directions Link.

WHY: Because you enjoy good times, high fives, and free sketches

WAIT: Ooo, and if you’re coming, drop me an e-mail) so we know how many to expect!

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I forgot to mention my birthday, but I got a few dozen e-mails from readers who remembered from last year and dropped me a note…which was nice.

Since it’s my birthday, can I ask you to do one kind thing for your friendly neighborhood cartoonist: Before the day is over, could you share Sheldon with *one person* in your life who has never seen/heard of the strip? That would be the bestest birthday gift ever, for me.

And sure, you can e-mail more than one person, or blog about it or whatever…but I know you’re busy in life, so I’ll just ask you to e-mail the strip to *one person*, if you can.

To make it easy, I’ll even write up a basic e-mail you can modify and send. Just click here to send it!)

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(Note: That link probably won’t work on web-based mail systems like Yahoo/GMail/Hotmail. So here’s the text you can copy/paste: )

Check out this comic strip ‘Sheldon’ at https://sheldoncomics.com — I think you’ll like it! New strips are up 7 days a week, and you can read it on the the site, via RSS, or by daily delivery to your e-mail. (Here’s a good intro to the strip: https://sheldoncomics.com/new.html ).

Sheldonista Tiffany F. sent me some great shots featuring their Mind of a Ninja, Body of a Manateeshirts….

In the second shot, I love the pose on the left. Allow me to mix my martial arts and reference Kung Fu: If the central pose is “Crane Style”, the one on the left is a litttttttle bit closer to “Giant Tree Sloth Style”. I love the hands and the awkward half-crouch.

Thanks for the awesome pics, Tiffany!