Skip to content

Hanklerfish

Hank's signature anglerfish doodle, which he draws on signature sheets for John's books, making some signed copies rarer 'Hanklerfished' ones. It has also appeared on cards in DFTBA packages, as a plush, and as Project for Awesome art perks that regularly sell out.

Origin on the channel: Given his punishment, an anglerfish on each of the 7,400 signature sheets for The Fault in Our Stars that John brought (5% of the total), Hank coins 'Hanklerfish' as a verb; John defines a Hanklerfish as an anglerfish drawn by a Hank (any Hank, even Hank Williams III). — HANKLERFISH! 00:02:40

running bit (drawing) · in 37 videos, 2011–2026 · peak 2026 (6 videos) · still in use in 2026

Videos per year: 2011: 5 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2026: 6

Forms heard

How the speakers say this one item, as transcribed from the videos, in order of first appearance.

form videos first heard last heard
“hanklerfish” 25 2011-08-15 · HANKLERFISH! 00:02:40 2026-10-13 · My Lungs Are on the Outside of the Body 00:01:52
“hankler fish” 4 2011-08-19 · Outtake Insanity and NERD FACTOR 00:01:11 2026-02-15 · Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 02:19:37
“hanklerfished” 2 2011-10-19 · Question Wed — THE COVER OF THE FAULT IN OUR STARS! 00:02:30 2011-12-09 · Puppies and The Tour de Nerdfighting 2012 00:01:15
“hanklerfishes” 2 2011-12-19 · Sharpie Face and Little Hank: The Project for Awesome's Aftermath 00:00:03 2012-01-17 · Thoughts from Places: The Tour 00:00:25
“hankler fishes” 1 2026-02-14 · Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! 02:18:47

Every video

2011

date video use what is said
2011-08-15 HANKLERFISH! 00:02:40 origin Given his punishment, an anglerfish on each of the 7,400 signature sheets for The Fault in Our Stars that John brought (5% of the total), Hank coins 'Hanklerfish' as a verb; John defines a Hanklerfish as an anglerfish drawn by a Hank (any Hank, even Hank Williams III).
2011-08-19 Outtake Insanity and NERD FACTOR 00:01:11 callback In outtakes, the brothers fumble the share of sheets Hank must Hanklerfish (7,500 of 150,000, 5%) and call one 'the best Hankler fish'. · “hankler fish”
2011-10-19 Question Wed — THE COVER OF THE FAULT IN OUR STARS! 00:02:30 mention There will be exactly one Hanklerfished and Yetified copy of The Fault in Our Stars. · “hanklerfished”
2011-12-09 Puppies and The Tour de Nerdfighting 2012 00:01:15 mention In most cases admission is the price of a copy of The Fault in Our Stars bought from the host bookstore, which gets you a signed, Hanklerfished book, a poster and the show. · “hanklerfished”
2011-12-19 Sharpie Face and Little Hank: The Project for Awesome's Aftermath 00:00:03 mention The money came from direct donations at ProjectForAwesome.com and from DFTBA.com purchases such as Hank's Hanklerfishes and John's new zombie apocalypse story, a sequel to Zombicorns.

2012

date video use what is said
2012-01-13 TFiOS PARTY! 00:00:00 mention Hank goes to the bookstore for The Fault in Our Stars, a package that 'does not exist' until January 10; on January 10 he opens it, asks whether it is signed, and finds an anglerfish.
2012-01-17 Thoughts from Places: The Tour 00:00:25 mention They arrive in the early afternoon to lots of books needing signatures and Hanklerfishes, which takes a couple of hours.
2012-07-20 The Universe is Weird: A Song 00:03:24 mention Hank says Alex Day made a Nerdfighteria Sopio expansion, with a giraffe love card and a Hanklerfish, available via the description.
2012-12-28 Nood Ood, Drums, Donuts, Fish, the USDA, P4A and SLEDDING! 00:00:00 mention Hank mentions colouring in 'nude Oods', something 'you decided' at 4 a.m. on December 18th would be a good use of time, and says his 300 pieces of hanklerfish art are almost done.

2013

date video use what is said
2013-10-25 When Was it a Million Seconds Ago? 00:03:07 mention Because things are boring at the DFTBA warehouse, every package that is not a poster now gets a Hanklerfish card; poster-only orders get a free DFTBA wristband.
2013-11-29 REUNION! Arm Wrestling, Drawing, and Questions with Hank and John! 00:02:23 callback Reacting to Hank's drawing of him, John says he has always wanted a Hanklerfish earring.
2013-12-03 Who Owns DFTBA? An Introduction to Trademarks 00:01:35 mention John says he would have to send cease-and-desist letters to makers of a spoon, Hanklerfish greeting cards and a DFTBA scarf, which he doesn't want: he wants such things to exist and to buy them.

2014

date video use what is said
2014-01-03 The Golden Gate Bridge Didn't Collapse!! 00:03:41 callback Hank says he drew the things shown in this video on the backs of Hanklerfish drawings, so people who got a Hanklerfish drawing may receive one of them.
2014-01-31 In Depth Viewing of the TFiOS Trailer 00:03:49 callback A Hanklerfish plush swims into frame: "They're real!"
2014-12-12 NONSENSE: P4A 2014 - Partners in Health 00:02:41 callback Hank shows a couple hundred Hanklerfish drawings he made as P4A 2014 perks while watching Gilmore Girls.

2016

date video use what is said
2016-10-28 Give Me Your Tweets, I'll Give You My Phone · Last Video Before Leave! 00:02:47 callback Hank says he will put a hanklerfish on the back of the phone he gives away.

2017

date video use what is said
2017-07-11 Signing 200,000 Autographs 00:03:29 callback Asked 'can I Hanklerfish some?', John tells Hank he will be putting this box of sheets in the mail shortly. → John: mail Hank a box of signed Turtles All the Way Down sheets to Hanklerfish (2017)

2018

date video use what is said
2018-06-19 My Signature Move 00:01:02 callback Hank sent John 2,000 of the signed sheets to add something to, the way Hank has added his signature move, the Hanklerfish, to many copies of John's books.

2021

date video use what is said
2021-02-12 Doing Better 00:03:14 mention P4A perks include Hanklerfish art Hank made with friends (already selling out), shirts, coins, socks, posters and Hank's short story about April May going to VidCon.
2021-04-02 John's World Record 00:01:27 mention Some rare signed copies are worth more: misprints bound with two signature pages, and ones with Yetis, spirals, Pokémon balls and Hanklerfish.

2022

date video use what is said
2022-03-04 The 2022 P4A Meme Review!!! 00:17:43 mention
2022-08-05 Let's Make Some Fish 00:02:40 callback To simplify his life, Hank shares footage of people from Complexly, DFTBA and friends making the Project for Awesome Hanklerfish art, available only during the Project for Awesome.
2022-10-28 I'm Changing the Way I Think About Politics 00:00:00 mention Hank first met Monica Tranel, who is running for Congress, when he emailed her and she helped him make Hanklerfish art for Project for Awesome donors.

2023

date video use what is said
2023-01-12 Whatcha think??? 00:00:00 mention Hank asks viewers whether he should be making YouTube Shorts as replies to YouTube comments. · “hankler fish”
2023-02-10 If it ain't broke don't fix it. 00:01:33 callback Hank drew Hanklerfish on squares of the old drop-cloth paper as this year's (2023) P4A art perk.
2023-02-24 The P4A 2023 is The Hottest Club on the Internet 00:15:20 callback Fan art shows a Hanklerfish crunching a lemon; Hank calls him lovely and says he has made a mistake.
2023-03-17 This is a Video!! 00:03:13 callback Hank says the Hanklerfish he made for the Project for Awesome are all sold out.
2023-12-24 John and Hank Hanging Out but they Keep Getting Younger and More Pixelated 02:08:36 callback As his punishment, Hank will draw anglerfish ('Hanklerfish') on 7,400 TFIOS signature sheets, 5% of the total; all pre-ordered copies are signed.

2024

date video use what is said
2024-02-02 The Weirdest Thing I Did in LA 00:01:57 callback Hank and Sara swapped canvases: she made one of her skulls on his, and since he only knows how to do one thing, hers got a Hanklerfish; in under an hour they made a thing together.
2024-02-16 How Much Does it Cost to be a Nerdfighter 00:06:33 callback Perks not yet online include Hank's Hanklerfish and quote posters by artist Kenton Hoppas; Katherine's art and Sarah's collage art are always added during the P4A.
2024-11-29 I am Grateful for My Worry 00:00:00 callback Hank shows himself making Hanklerfish for the Project for Awesome, which will be held next year (2025); viewers cannot get them yet. → P4A 2025 edition (completed, 2026-02-06)

2026

date video use what is said
2026-02-13 Project for Awesome 2026 part 2! 01:53:39 mention Hank says his woodblock Hanklerfish perks are still available: 19 of 65 left of part one, eight-by-eight woodblocks he painted, fair market value $25.
2026-02-13 Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! 01:02:03 mention Hank says the small Hanklerfish canvases he offers are experiments with new ways to make Hanklerfish: few, priced highly and about four inches across.
2026-02-14 Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! 02:18:47 mention John lists P4A perks: a glow-in-the-dark commemorative coin for a $40 donation and a Hanklerfish enamel pin for $30. · “hankler fishes”
2026-02-14 Project for Awesome 2026 part 4! 05:23:03 callback To raise money toward the night's goal, Hank launches woodblock Hanklerfish perks, along with special visitors and a Roll for Drink. · “hankler fish”
2026-02-15 Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 02:19:37 mention John bought a Hanklerfish perk to replace the Hanklerfish behind him, paying extra because he thought it worth more than its price. · “hankler fish”
2026-10-13 My Lungs Are on the Outside of the Body 00:01:52 callback Hank's photo before the one of the pillow tripod was of a Project for Awesome Hanklerfish he is making; he is practicing to see what he might make.