Sharon's health (Stan's Facebook updates)

[Steve Hubbell]

4 hours ago
We live close to the Rose Parade route in Pasadena,and one tradition we have is to go outside as the parade begins to wish each other a happy new year and to see the flyover directly above our houses. The stealth bomber flew over most years, but it was the Thunderbirds this time and, boy, were they fast. I was only able to get them in one shot. The rest were blue sky.



I made the ozoni New Year's soup, with Sharon watching me. She usually makes the kuromame black beans from scratch, so thought it was funny that I bought a can



Happy New Year.

[Steve Hubbell]

OK, I am going to cheat just a bit with these posts.... only because I really think these are all definitely worth being posted here

January 3
along with probably every other artist growing up on comics in the 80s and 90s, Usagi Yojimbo was a key influence for me in storytelling and art. Stan Sakai is a pioneer of the indy comics and creator owned world, and getting to know him in the last few years has been humbling. With the caliber of talent and experience he's at, he still always takes the time to talk to emerging artists and greets us at every convention at the floor. I am honored to be able to call him a friend.

Some of my friends on facebook may already be aware, Stan’s wife, Sharon, has been battled a debilitating illness for some time. Sharon is now back from the hospital after an extended stay, but her condition requires 24-hour care and medicines that cost more than their insurance covers, and obviously, more than many cartoonist and probably human beings can handle alone. Medical costs be crazy.

My friend Jason Schachter is helping me put up this Usagi In The Snow original up for purchase on his original art store's website. It's 9 x 12 on 300lb fabriano watercolor paper, done in watercolor and is up for grabs to one generous individual who'd like to help the Sakai family in their fight. http://www.essentialsequential.com/Usag ... _2670.html

CAPS (Cartoon Art Professional Society) has set up Paypal to take donations as well for those who want to help in any way, big or small. http://garageartstudio.blogspot.com/201 ... sakai.html

thansk for reading everyone!

January 3 at 6:12pm
Thank you. It is beautiful. I really enjoy drawing and seeing Usagi in various weather--rain, wind, snow, etc.

8 hours ago
Thank you, David and Julia Petersen, for this wonderful remembrance of grandson Leo. I certainly treasure it, and the memories it brings.

9 hours ago
Here's a couple of photos of when Sergio and I did a signing at Jelly's Ala Moana in Honolulu. This was probably in the early 90's. I stayed in Hawaii for a week, and Sergio left the next day. I remember him saying that he was in Denmark the previous weekend for the opening of the Mad House. He met the king. In the bathroom.

[Jet_Jaguar]

I love that piece by the Petersens. I'm glad that it brings back happy memories of Leo for Stan.

[Steve Hubbell]

Another photo Stan posted to the ¡VIVA SERGIO! Facebook page....

CAPS (the Comic Arts Professional Society, founded by Mark Evanier, Don Rico, and Sergio) used to do visits to the LA Children's Hospital every year. This photo is from the late 80's.

[Steve Hubbell]

Here is a link to the ¡VIVA SERGIO! The Sergio Aragonés Appreciation Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VivaSer ... ationgroup

[Steve Hubbell]

A great picture of Stan and Leo which was posted on Stan's Facebook page by Debbie Nilsen. It is just one of a bunch of great photos she posted from Christmas 2012....

[Stan Sakai]

A great picture of Stan and Leo which was posted on Stan's Facebook page by Debbie Nilsen. It is just one of a bunch of great photos she posted from Christmas 2012....

This was Christmas 2012. Leo was about 8 months old in this photo. In other photos, Sharon was still relatively healthy, being able to walk, talk and even eat.

[Steve Hubbell]

January 6
It took a lot longer than usual, but I sent in the art for Usagi Yojimbo: Senso #3 (of 6). Here is the wrap around cover.

January 6
So…is this a Martian tripod?

January 6
Yes, Walter Simonson, that is, indeed a Martian tripod. The premise for Senso is: What if the Martians had sent a few scout ships to Earth a couple of centuries before their invasion of England, as chronicled by HG Wells?

January 7
Here's a fun photo of Sergio Aragones and me taken at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.



This was taken at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Next to Sharon, Sergio is my favorite traveling companion. He's a lot of fun, and he's always up for anything. Besides, when you're lost in Spain (as we once were), who better to be with than Sergio. We went to Granada for a comics festival and had a couple of free days. We took the train to Sevilla one day, and another day was spent at the Alhambra. We were passing one of those novelty photo shops, and he said, "Let's get our pictures taken." I have a sequence of him putting his costume on. If you like this one, you would have loved the one with the harem girls.

(originally posted on the ¡VIVA SERGIO! The Sergio Aragonés Appreciation Group on Facebook)

Yojimbo creator Sakai journals XI Salon del Comic de Granada

January 7
I had some excruciating back pain last night, so Hannah and Ian are taking Sharon to her chemo therapy appointment. My back is better now, but I still have a doctor appointment for this afternoon.

January 7
The doctor said it is a muscle spasm, no doubt caused because I have to lift Sharon often to reposition her on the bed. She found a few knotted muscles in my back. She prescribed over the counter ibuprofen. I also got the shingles vaccine while I was there.

January 8
Sorry to hear that your back was giving you trouble, but happy to hear that it was something relatively minor like muscle spasms as opposed to being more serious like what Sergio had to deal with last year. You can be sure that I will add relief from back pains to my prayers for you, Sharon, Hannah, and the rest of your family. Let's see, we are praying for God to grant health, strength, patience, endurance, weight gain, hearing, availability of needed prescriptions, successful chemo therapy, consolation, financial assistance for medical bills, relief from back pains and muscle spasms, and relaxed deadlines......

January 8
you can take "weight gain" off your list. I don't need any more pounds, and Sharon is doing very well. She is almost a hundred. Lifting her is what gave me my back spasm.

January 8
OK, weight gain is off the list and divine weight lifting assistance is on it now...

[Steve Hubbell]

2 hours ago
Last night's CAPS meeting had a preview of the artwork donated for the auction for Sharon's care. I was overwhelmed at both the quantity and quality of the pieces. So many artists that have sent in work, not only their past work, but also new pieces featuring Usagi. A list of contributors would be a Who's Who of todays comics creators. Even collectors have donated pieces from their collection. Thank you everybody!


Just a small sampling. See the Larry Hama piece in the middle?


One of two Dean Yeagle pieces. The other is Mandy.


One of Paul Smith's pieces.


An Al Jaffee original!


A beautiful, moody James O'barr painting.


J. G. Jones Outsiders variant cover painting.


Here's a photo I just swiped from the CAPS FB page.

[Steve Hubbell]

13 hours ago
I will be doing a presentation at the Michigan State University in February. I'm hoping the weather will be warmer than it is now.

2014 MSU Comics Forum Unveiled
It is my pleasure to formally unveil the 2014 Michigan State University Comics Forum poster along with the schedule of events for this year’s Forum. Stan Sakai, this year’s Keynote Speaker, has water-colored a custom Michigan State University themed Usagi Yojimbo poster for our event.



Stan’s keynote address will place on February 21 from 7-8:30 in the Residential College of Arts & Humanities theater.
- Ryan Claytor, MSU Comics Forum Director
http://www.comicsforum.msu.edu/

[Steve Hubbell]

2 hours ago
Grandson Leo's funeral was today. I love you, buddy.

[Steve Hubbell]

3 hours ago
Clydene Nee is in charge of Artist Alley at the San Diego Con. She has some major health problems and you can help. If anyone knows of the generosity of the comics community, it is me.

January 12, 2014
I Recieved a message from Clydene Nee over the weekend letting me know of a very difficult time she is going through at the moment. As many of my fellow comic creators know, Clydene has been the face and hands of Artist Alley at San Diego Comic Comic Con International since 1989 as the Artist Alley Coordinator. While Comic Con has made various decisions regarding Artist Alley both good and bad over the years, Clydene has been an advocate for the artists and always gone out of her way to accommodate many of us even on short notice. All the while doing it as a volunteer without pay and using a week of her personal vacation time from work to make sure Artist Alley runs smoothly. She's a true friend of the industry and of artists in particular. She's given of herself often times thanklessly for the artists and people she loves for free and always with a smile on her face.

Thank you in advance for your support!
-Mark Brooks

You can read more at the following link....
Donations for Clydene Nee

[Steve Hubbell]

9 hours ago
I'll be a Special Guest at the San Diego Comic-con!

http://www.comic-con.org/toucan/20-more ... ional-2014

2 hours ago
Sunrise over Los Angeles. There is a brush fire in Glendora, just to the east of us.

[Steve Hubbell]

16 hours ago
I was interviewed for The Prism, the newsletter for the University of Hawaii, my alma mater.

http://www.uhm.hawaii.edu/international ... r_2014.pdf

COMIC BOOK HERO: USAGI YOJIMBO!
by LOIS KAJIWARA (THE PRISM #6, UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA, WINTER 2014)

A tough-as-adamantium masterless samurai rabbit for the main character in a successful independent comic book series? Who would have thought? Fortunately for his fans, Stan Sakai, the creator of Usagi Yojimbo, came up with that brilliant thought. Since its start in 1984, Usagi Yojimbo has grown by leaps and bounds. In fact, this year marks the 30th anniversary – truly amazing! – of Stan Sakai’s world of Usagi Yojimbo. Popular in the U.S. as well as internationally, Usagi Yojimbo has been published in countries such as Spain, France, Poland, Germany, Italy, Finland, and Sweden.

Set in early seventeenth century feudal Japan, this comic book series features anthropomorphic animals, instead of people, as the characters. The main character is Miyamoto Usagi (usagi means rabbit in Japanese), who is a student warrior on a pilgrimage, occasionally selling his services as a yojimbo (bodyguard). The character of Usagi is inspired by the famous Miyamoto Musashi, known for his innovative swordsmanship and for The Book of Five Rings.
Stan was born in Kyoto, Japan and moved to Hawai‘i with his family when he was two years old. Growing up, he took an interest in comic books and Japanese samurai movies. Little did he know at that time that this combination would be very useful for his future. He graduated from UH Mānoa with a Fine Arts degree and moved to the mainland to make a living as an artist.

Stan is a four-time winner of the Eisner Award (the comic book industry’s most prestigious award, with past winners including Frank Miller [Sin City, 300] and Alex Ross [Kingdom Come]), and has won numerous other awards including a Parents’ Choice Award, an Inkpot Award, an American Library Association Award, and a National Cartoonists Society Division Award. A total of 29 Usagi Yojimbo books have been published so far. He has also worked with Stan Lee on the Spider-Man Sunday strips.

I had a chance to interview Stan recently:

THE PRISM: Why did you choose to study at UH Mānoa?

STAN SAKAI: I didn’t want to go to a mainland school, so I chose UH Mānoa for the fine arts program.

THE PRISM: What inspires you to draw and create art?

STAN SAKAI: Well, I have no other skills (LOL), so I enjoy it. As an artist, I'm able to work at home, there’s no commute, and I make my own hours.

THE PRISM: Why did you choose a rabbit as your main character?

STAN SAKAI: At first, I was planning to draw all humans but then I drew a rabbit with a chonmage (topknot). It was a unique but simple design.

THE PRISM: Why do you think Usagi Yojimbo has lasted so long and is still going strong?

STAN SAKAI: I have no idea! I've been told that I’m a writer who draws, rather than the other way around. (Note: Stan is both the artist and writer of Usagi). I think the writing keeps the fans interested.

THE PRISM: How will this year’s 30th anniversary be celebrated?

STAN SAKAI: Hard cover editions will be published and I’ll be traveling a lot!

THE PRISM: What is the most satisfying thing about being the creator of Usagi Yojimbo?

STAN SAKAI: The readership – having a core of loyal readers that have followed me through the years, but also gaining new readers.

THE PRISM: How is it to work with Stan Lee (co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk)?

STAN SAKAI: I've known him for 30 years. One day, Stan Lee called me out of the blue and asked if I wanted to letter Spider-Man. Of course, I said yes! Stan Lee also wrote the introduction to one of my books. He’s a really nice guy.

THE PRISM: What is your fan base like?

STAN SAKAI: Usagi has wide appeal. The fan base ranges from kids to grandparents.

THE PRISM: Where have you traveled for your work?

STAN SAKAI: Australia, Poland, Scandinavia, Spain, Japan, France, Croatia, and many other places.

THE PRISM: Not only for entertainment, comics can also educate. Did you set out to educate your readers on Japanese culture?

STAN SAKAI: Not at first, but I do a lot of research for the stories, so teachers have told me that they enjoy reading Usagi. I’ve spoken at various institutions including the College of William & Mary, Johns Hopkins University, and the Connecticut Historical Society.

THE PRISM: How many years have you attended Comic-Con International?

STAN SAKAI: I’ve been going for 35 years consecutively, and I've also been invited as a special guest to this year’s Comic-Con.

THE PRISM: A recent project that you worked on was the 47 Ronin five-issue miniseries. The story of the 47 Ronin, dating back to eighteenth century Japan, is still relevant today. Why does the 47 Ronin story interest you?

STAN SAKAI: Because it is one of the most important and revered incidents in Japanese history. I first heard about it when I was in the third grade and it made quite an impression on me. To work on the mini-series, I took a one year hiatus from Usagi.

THE PRISM: What is your favorite TV show, superhero, and local food?

STAN SAKAI: The Amazing Race, Spider-Man, and laulau.

THE PRISM: What advice would you give to our students?

STAN SAKAI: Set flexible goals in life and when you attain those goals, make new goals.

THE PRISM: What are your proudest professional and personal accomplishments?

STAN SAKAI: The fact that I have been in the industry for so long that I am now regarded as the old-timer. I was also able to meet my heroes – Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Neal Adams, and George Takei. Personally, I've been married for 36 years and have two children.

Thinking back over the years, Stan fondly recalled a story about his decision to move to the mainland to work. Although uneasy about that decision, Stan’s father changed his mind upon seeing the standing-room-only crowd at Stan’s first book signing in Hawai‘i. His father said, “Well, guess he’s doing okay.” Perhaps Stan himself is the most surprised at how things have turned out. Considered a living legend in his industry due to his many achievements, Stan’s career has taken him on quite a journey…and there is more to come with the continuing adventures of Usagi Yojimbo!

[Steve Hubbell]

7 hours ago
Sharon is on a new medication that needs to be administered every 2 hours around the clock, so it looks like another night of very little sleep for me. Fortunately, it only goes for 2 days. She has to get another MRI in the morning. It's Saturday, so the parking lot shouldn't be too bad.