Thanks from a PhD student...
Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 21:34 -0700
Stan,
I just wanted to post my little story and say thank you for helping me through a difficult time. This past semester I was studying for my PhD comprehensive exams...months full of long hours of reading theory and method books, journal articles, etc. taking lots of notes and just generally trying to cram my brain full of information so that I could pass my exams. At the end of the studying, the exams themselves were 4 consecutive days, 4 hours each where one professor each day would send me questions and I would answer them to the best of my ability over the material that I'd been reading. Then I had a 2 hour oral exam where I had to defend what I wrote during the 4 days of written exams.
Usagi kept me sane throughout all of this. I needed something that I could pick up each night and read. Something that, no matter what, would be good, entertaining, take my mind away from what I had been dealing with all day, and would immediately draw me in to another realm. Your books were the perfect escape!
I had read most of UY already, but in bits and pieces and never from start to finish straight through. When I started it this time, I owned most of the TPBs, but had a few holes in my collection. I was able to purchase the remaining ones that I needed from local shops along the way except for one. Luckily, you came to Austin for the STAPLE! convention this year and I was able to purchase that volume at the con and didn't miss a beat!
[Side note - You were also nice enough to sign (and sketch!) in EVERY SINGLE ONE of my TPBs at STAPLE! which was one of the nicest things any creator has ever done for me! I asked if you could sign them as you had time if I left them for you and when I returned, there was a sketch in each of them...I was blown away! I was a bit in awe so I don't really remember, but I probably just quickly said 'thank you' and left, so I want you to know that it meant a great deal that you took the time to do that for me.]
I continued to read them as I worked on my comprehensive exams, and at the end of the semester, I passed! I am officially a PhD candidate! All I have left is to write my dissertation...another huge hurdle of course, but this was one very significant obstacle which I was able to overcome. Thank you for creating such a wonderful world and an entertaining cast of characters...you gave me some joy during a very stressful period.
I had not finished reading all of my Usagi Yojimbo TPBs at that point, and I them aside briefly with a few volumes to go. At San Diego Comic-Con this year, I picked up vol. 23 from you in order to be completely up to date with my collection. Over the last few weeks I have picked up the UY TPBs where I left off and just this evening I finished vol. 23, so I have completed my journey for the moment and wanted to come here and post this.
Twenty-three volumes, slowly, carefully, over the course of several months. I have enjoyed them immensely. Thank you for the time, research, attention to detail, craftsmanship and effort you have put into each panel and page. They have been fantastic and look forward to more. I might just have to switch to single issues so I don't have to wait so long to see what happens with my favorite samurai rabbit next!
Thank you!
Brandon Bollom
I just wanted to post my little story and say thank you for helping me through a difficult time. This past semester I was studying for my PhD comprehensive exams...months full of long hours of reading theory and method books, journal articles, etc. taking lots of notes and just generally trying to cram my brain full of information so that I could pass my exams. At the end of the studying, the exams themselves were 4 consecutive days, 4 hours each where one professor each day would send me questions and I would answer them to the best of my ability over the material that I'd been reading. Then I had a 2 hour oral exam where I had to defend what I wrote during the 4 days of written exams.
Usagi kept me sane throughout all of this. I needed something that I could pick up each night and read. Something that, no matter what, would be good, entertaining, take my mind away from what I had been dealing with all day, and would immediately draw me in to another realm. Your books were the perfect escape!
I had read most of UY already, but in bits and pieces and never from start to finish straight through. When I started it this time, I owned most of the TPBs, but had a few holes in my collection. I was able to purchase the remaining ones that I needed from local shops along the way except for one. Luckily, you came to Austin for the STAPLE! convention this year and I was able to purchase that volume at the con and didn't miss a beat!
[Side note - You were also nice enough to sign (and sketch!) in EVERY SINGLE ONE of my TPBs at STAPLE! which was one of the nicest things any creator has ever done for me! I asked if you could sign them as you had time if I left them for you and when I returned, there was a sketch in each of them...I was blown away! I was a bit in awe so I don't really remember, but I probably just quickly said 'thank you' and left, so I want you to know that it meant a great deal that you took the time to do that for me.]
I continued to read them as I worked on my comprehensive exams, and at the end of the semester, I passed! I am officially a PhD candidate! All I have left is to write my dissertation...another huge hurdle of course, but this was one very significant obstacle which I was able to overcome. Thank you for creating such a wonderful world and an entertaining cast of characters...you gave me some joy during a very stressful period.
I had not finished reading all of my Usagi Yojimbo TPBs at that point, and I them aside briefly with a few volumes to go. At San Diego Comic-Con this year, I picked up vol. 23 from you in order to be completely up to date with my collection. Over the last few weeks I have picked up the UY TPBs where I left off and just this evening I finished vol. 23, so I have completed my journey for the moment and wanted to come here and post this.
Twenty-three volumes, slowly, carefully, over the course of several months. I have enjoyed them immensely. Thank you for the time, research, attention to detail, craftsmanship and effort you have put into each panel and page. They have been fantastic and look forward to more. I might just have to switch to single issues so I don't have to wait so long to see what happens with my favorite samurai rabbit next!
Thank you!
Brandon Bollom
It would be nice if I was at that level...hopefully soon...