Jar of Fools is a once-weekly comic strip by Jason Lutes that was compiled, first into a two-part anthology, and then a graphic novel. The work has received praise from the New York Times book review, Spin Magazine, Wired Magazine, and acclaimed comics creator Chris Ware Jar of Fools is the story of a tormented magician named Ernie Weiss (likely based on Harry Houdini, whose name was originally Ehrich Weiss).