Eight cubes form the figure shown. [asy]
import solids;
currentprojection=orthographic(4,2. 5,2.5);
triple A=(0,0,0), B=A+Y, C=B+Y, D=C+Y, E=D+Z, F=D+2Z, G=D+3Z, H=C+3Z, I=B+3Z, J=A+3Z, K=A+2Z, L=A+Z;
triple J2 = J-X, G2=G-X, D2=D-X;
draw(A--D--G--J--A^^L--E^^K--F^^B-- I^^C--H);
draw(J--J2^^G--G2^^D--D2^^J2--G2--D 2^^I--I-X^^H--H-X^^F--F-X^^E--E-X);
draw((0,1,1)--(-1,1,1)^^(-1,1,1)--( -1,1,1.38)^^(-1,1,1)--(-1,1.38,1));
[/asy]

The side length of each cube is 3 cm. How many square centimeters are in the surface area of the figure?