General discussion about Usagi Yojimbo, the comics, the stories, the characters, collectibles, TV appearances, Stan Sakai, Space Usagi, Nilson & Hermy, and all other related topics.
Cris Palomino wrote:
February 20, 2014
It feels good to be done. I'm pleased with the way it came out and hope that someone else will be enough to purchase at the auction for Sharon and Stan Sakai. Not to get it printed.
I made several custom Corel Painter brushes, and used some by my friends, Justin, Skip and Jeremy. It was great fun.
Sean Bahr wrote:
February 20, 2014
Peice submitted for the Charity Auction for the Benefit of Stan and Sharon Sakai and Family
Good Luck stan!
Troy Nixey wrote:
February 19, 2014
This just landed in my inbox. This is the piece that Hilary Sycamore and yours truly did for the Stan Sakai Usagi Yojimbo benefit book. I'm thrilled and honored to share my vision of his wonderful creation. Stan, your strength, kindness and courage are remarkable. I hope we did you justice.
Okay- back to work for me.
J.m. Hunter wrote:
February 19, 2014
So here it is, our final version of Stan Sakai 's Usagi for our submission efforts to benefith he and his wife Sharon. A couple of friends helped bring this to the end, Geo Dav and Evette Makes Things aka Mucha Smooches. Thanks Team Panic!
Shannon Eric Denton wrote:
February 20, 2014
Our Stan Sakai Project art is turned in! Thanks to Danny Hacha Mikiadio & Brian Miller #HiFi for making me look so good. Thanks to Dark Horse for organizing this along with Randy Stradley & Bill Morrison!
Everyone remember to pre-order the book!
Manuel Martinez wrote:
February 20, 2014
Gen is my submission for the Stan Sakai benefit . Please feel free to go my blog for more info or directly to Mr. Sakai's page or the Dark Horse Comics page. Also both links are on my blog as well.
Тхе Мичо wrote:
February 20, 2014
For Stan Sakai....
Darko Viljushka Ristevski wrote:
February 20, 2014
Usagi Yojimbo donation piece for CAPS (Cartoon Art Professional Society) to help Stan Sakai with his wife's medical bills.
Greg Lofé wrote:
February 20, 2014
Voici ma contribution au projet de livre en soutien à Stan Sakai et sa femme!
Here is my submission for the fundraiser book to help Stan Sakai and his wife!
Alonso Serna wrote:
February 22, 2014
My Usagi for Stan Sakai, I really love this character and his stories, really, really enjoy them!!!
Katie Moody wrote:
February 21, 2014
Happy Friday afternoon, everybody. Here's the page I made for The Sakai Project at Dark Horse Comics, submitted yesterday. I feel absurdly fortunate to have worked on Usagi Yojimbo during my time in DH Editorial, and Usagi, Tomoe, and Sasuske are my favorite characters in the series. (If you're unfamiliar with Stan Sakai's work, get thee to a bookstore or library post haste; you won't regret it.) My thanks to the many fab folks at Periscope Studio for their support!
Stay tuned to the CAPS - Comic Art Professional Society for info on their benefit auction... there are a LOT of great artists throwing down for the cause.
Michael Avon Oeming wrote:
February 21, 2014
Here is the full color piece for the Usagi tribute for Stan Sakai colors by Dave Stewart !!
Franchesco wrote:
February 21, 2014
The Sakai Project: celebrating 30 Years of Usagi Yojimbo!!!
Michael Anderson wrote:
February 21, 2014
One of my all time favorite creators, Stan Sakai and his wife Sharon Sakai, have been going thru a horrific time. Sharon has had a long battle with illness and the costs of all the medical treatments have grown. I know the suffering, powerlessness and comic strain a prolonged illness can cause to everyone. With my loss of my mother-in-law, Father and mother (to which all suffered a prolonged battle with illnesses) I can empathize with the epic strain these can do. When Stan started posting to all his friends and fans of what was going on, I had posted that if he needed anything (as did many other wonderful people) that there was an army of loving people waiting to help...they just had to ask. Then CAPS, the Cartoon Art Professional Society and Dark Horse comics offered to do a benefit book for Stan and auction to aid them. A call went out to every artist to join in to donate art for the book and the auction or even a place just to donate money...this is my contribution. I only found out about this recently and with many outside events keep me from working on this until this week, to which I full delved in. I hope I am still in time for aid in the book and send it to the auction..and to which I hope it will get some money for the Sakai's.
Like the call that went out for any and all, I title this "A call to Arms" (Ude ni yobidasu). The Great sensi of a wonderful universe of characters that are all moving, entertaining and teaching is in trouble and I thought that all the character's in Stan's world allied and fight for them. It is the honorable thing to do...and that is what Stan taught me, honor, truth, good even if it is not convenient the way of good person, a good samurai. Usagi Yojimbo, taught me these things over the years or should I say just reinforced them. Stan has made a world that really moved me and even in our current great financial strains I still pick up his book. One little joy. Those stories are always an escape and I never know where they are going to lead...old characters in and out then back again years later. I love his book and his characters and It's not just Usagi (he is the core) it's everyone that makes the book..and I wanted to try and but as many as I could in this picture. And like the Japanese love and awe of Cherry Bosoms I wanted them to be in the prime falling around them for this battle maters most...why? For all this is going to help Stan and Sharon financially but I'm certain it will send home all the love we have for them and all that has been created for us, his fans.
I love his book and world. I had the honor to meet him at a convention and he was quite and friendly..and I tough tied and in awe...I did take all I had brought and purchased a sketch of Usagi and it is framed over my art table everyday. I look it often to the look in Usagi's eye's focused and determined to fulfill his quest. My quest is to be a better artist. I have never been published and only do some commissions that humble me that someone wants my work at all...this week I put all my skill and love into this...it's not the best, I was working my full time job and my loving wife watched Maya a great deal to give me all the minutes I could to get this done. I wish I could have colored it in time but we never have enough of that. I know it's lacking a lot but I put all I had into this...Just so you know Stan. I really tried all I could on this. I can't afford anything. We just had our first daughter, Maya and we have nothing but love and ability to give. She is wonderful. A gift we thought we would never have, but the good Lord blesses us with small things and great things when we need them. Your book did that for me over the years and I know Maya will love this world as much as me. Now the Lord blesses us all to help you and to give you all we can. It is the honorable way to settle a long debt I have owed you. I hope this gives you that, hope for you both and some money to help as well.
Leiji Harlock wrote:
February 20, 2014
I did a 2nd Usagi & Mariko piece for the Sakai Project/CAPS Stan Sakai Auction which I mailed out this past weekend. 9×12 mixed media paper done w/ watercolor, colored pencil, black marker pen, black ballpoint pen, white correction fluid.
Steve Buccellato wrote:
February 20, 2014
Finally finished this... just squeaking in before the deadline. My contribution to Stan Sakai's benefit book & auction.
Stan is an amazing talent whose work I have enjoyed for many years. This is the least I could do to help give back to him and his family. Many thanks to Randy Stradley & Bill Morrison for organizing this.
Arthur Adams wrote:
February 20, 2014
Usagi Yojimbo
Phuong-Mai Bui-Quang wrote:
February 20, 2014
Proud to submit this for Stan Sakai and Sharon There's actually no original artwork, but I want to create a painting based off this piece to submit it for the CAPS Art Auction.
PMBQ Studios wrote:
February 20, 2014
Our submission to the Sakai Project - http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/1581/dark ... ai-project . Aside from the concept sketch, it's an all-digital piece so there's no original art. We might create a painting of it for the art auction though. *crossing fingers that our submission gets picked for the Dark Horse book!*
I can't wait for the book. Just an amazing number of great pieces.
Edit: I have been saving money to bid on one of these originals. But when I talked to Cheryl to ask if I can bid, she reminded me that we donated my collectables to this auction so we could give to the Sakai's without spending money we were saving for our family. It is always good to speak with your partner before posting something on the internet. Cheryl is right, we did make that decision together. I just got caught up in all the exciting art. I will enjoy the excitement of seeing people bid on these. And I will look forward to purchasing the book so I can enjoy much of the art that way.
Out of all the ones Steve has posted (thanks again, Steve), these are the ones I like the most (in no particular order):
Steve Buccellato
Arthur Adams
Michael Anderson
Franchesco
Michael Avon Oeming
Katie Moody
Тхе Мичо
Julien Hugonnard-Bert
Ben "Shi Long Pang, The Wandering Shaolin Monk" Costa
Jon J Murakami
Scott West
Phillip Dana Yeh
Michael Dooney
Craig Thompson
Matt Wagner
Paul Renaud
John Green
Kazu Kibuishi
Tom Mandrake
Robb Mommaerts
SuperMercado Comics & Films
Paolo Rivera
Tone Rodriguez
Celina Hernandez
travis J hanson
Joseph Wu
Roger Langridge
Robert John de Gruchy
Adam Koford Robert DeJesus
I'm hoping the auctions, donations, and DH book raise enough money to carry the Sakai's for at least a year and hopefully more. I hope that will allow them the financial means to adjust to their life situation and become sustainable. It is so wonderful to see the comic community come together for Sharon and Stan. I love looking on Facebook every day to see what new art people are sharing. But you should all know, Steve is posting a more complete list of art here. We are lucky to have his dedication to us all.
Peace, maka
Last edited by Maka on Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:56 -0700, edited 1 time in total.
I had fallen a bit behind this past week on posting these, and so many new ones were popping up for the February 20th deadline for the Dark horse book....
- Steve
Jeremy The Artist wrote:
February 19, 2014
Well, I spent all the time i could really spend on it-- gotta move on, but content with my usagi piece- ended up going in a whole different direction than planned, but happy with the theme I ended on.
I'm sending this original over to CAPS - Comic Art Professional Society for the auction to benefit Sharon and Stan Sakai. Stan's work has been an incredible influence on me over the years, from his thousands of pages of Usagi Yojimbo even down to his lettering in Groo the Wanderer. This has been a terrible year for the Sakais, and I can only hope that this will help them just a tiny bit more. Stan, you and Sharon are in my thoughts.
Danny Miki wrote:
February 23, 2014
Its an Honor to be apart of the STAN SAKAI Project
Thank you
Shannon Denton
Bill Morrison
Tone Rodriquez
And mostly Stan Sakai for his years of creativity and inspiration !
Inks soon.
My Version of Usagi Yojimbo for the Sakai Project.
Jose Garcia wrote:
February 21, 2014
A little tribute to the amazing work of Stan Sakai, and my piece to the Sakai project!
I;ve seen a lot of great arts for this book!
Its gonna be pretty great!
CAPS - Comic Art Professional Society wrote:
February 25, 2014
Published by Comico in 1987, this dynamic page by classic comic book artist and CAPS member Dan Spiegle ("Indiana Jones", "Crossfire", "Blackhawk") is from "Johnny Quest" #12 that had featured a great cover by the 1960s television series art director Doug Wildey. As both penciler and inker, Dan's flair for the dramatic is well intact in this page featuring Johnny, Hadji, Bandit and a friend. If you like this, we have even MORE Dan Spiegle comic book art in our auctions for Stan Sakai to amaze and tantalize!
CAPS - Comic Art Professional Society wrote:
February 24, 2014
J. Scott Campbell created this fantastic original Usagi Yojimbo piece that CAPS will be auctioning off to help Stan & Sharon Sakai. It is being colored by Nei Ruffino, and for that you shall have to wait and see in the tribute book Dark Horse will be publishing in July! To see more of Campbell's work, please visit http://www.jscottcampbellstore.com/ — with J. Scott Campbell and J Scott Campbell.
CAPS - Comic Art Professional Society wrote:
February 20, 2014
Terry Moore has sent CAPS this beautifully drawn original page (page 9 from issue #5) from his comic book series "Echo" about a photographer who discovers a technologically sophisticated battle suit that becomes a physical part of her. Known for his series "Strangers In Paradise", Moore's "Echo" ran for three years and is now here to help Sharon & Stan Sakai. More about Moore can be seen on his website http://www.terrymooreart.com/
CAPS - Comic Art Professional Society wrote:
February 21, 2014
This is one of several terrific DC Comics' "Birds of Prey" pages donated to CAPS for the Sakai benefit from penciler Michael O'Hare. This great page was inked by John Floyd. Familiarize yourself with more of O'Hare's color work on his blog found at http://michaelohare.blogspot.com/ , and more comic art and illustrations by Floyd can be seen at http://www.johnfloyd-art.com/home.htm
Stephane Roux wrote:
February 20, 2014
A full color version of the Stan Sakai project piece I did.
Carlos D'AndaWerks wrote:
February 9, 2014
... work in progress to my humble contribution to the Sakai project!... now to finish the inks and slap some color onto Mr. Yojimbo here!
Audra Ann Furuichi (Nemu Nemu) wrote:
February 19, 2014
Reunion Party
Let's get this party started!
For most of today, I was thinking I wouldn't make my comic update deadline -- while everything was scripted out and more or less drafted, I spent most of my day working on this:
(Oops, photo is a little blurry, since I took it on my phone. XD;)
It's an illustration for the Stan Sakai project -- which.. I hope will arrive in time. ^^; I sent off the original for their auction, so here's hoping for the best.
It's Copics and colored pencils on 9x12 Fabriano watercolor paper.
I'm sending this original over to CAPS - Comic Art Professional Society for the auction to benefit Sharon and Stan Sakai. Stan's work has been an incredible influence on me over the years, from his thousands of pages of Usagi Yojimbo even down to his lettering in Groo the Wanderer. This has been a terrible year for the Sakais, and I can only hope that this will help them just a tiny bit more. Stan, you and Sharon are in my thoughts.
Posted by Tom Luth wrote:
February 25, 2014
Many artists in the comics community, and elsewhere, have donated pieces for the auction, and for inclusion in a tribute book for Stan, featuring Usagi Yojimbo and other of Stan's creations. Here is my own contribution of Space Usagi.
Jan Duursema wrote:
February 19, 2014
And here's a color version of the Yojimbo piece...
Usagi Yojimbo Tribute by Jeremy Dale with colors by Laura Martin.
Part of the Help the Sakais Benefit Auction, organized in conjunction with CAPS. and included in “The Sakai Project Book”.
Dan Panosian wrote:
February 19, 2014
For the Dark Horse Stan Sakai Tribute book!
Pencil/Ink/Zip
Marvin Law wrote:
February 19, 2014
This pin up of Usagi Yojimbo, was drawn for the Sakai Project ( http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/1581/da… ), which is a loving tribute to Stan Sakai, and 30 years of Usagi Yojimbo. In all honesty, I'm not sure I'll be getting into the book myself, given that there are going to be many, many, many other great and amazing artists submitting pieces for it.
In all honesty, I don't mind, lol. It was a lot of fun to finally take time out and draw Usagi Yojimbo. The concept behind this pin up, was that in this bamboo forest, many years ago, a great and bloody battle between samurai clans took place, leaving only their katana behind, and forest filled with restless spirits bound to the place of their deaths. It is, this same forest that Usagi Yojimbo must transverse through the snow and at night, in order to make haste to stop a bunch of bandits from attacking a small town, he's sworn to protect.
Cheryl is right, we did make that decision together. I just got caught up in all the exciting art. I will enjoy the excitement of seeing people bid on these. And I will look forward to purchasing the book so I can enjoy much of the art that way. 
