ART VOILA! NEWSLETTER N° 2 (no date)

[Steve Hubbell]

USAGI YOJIMBO AND THE ART OF STAN SAKAI
BY PAIGE & MELISSA (ART VOILA! NEWSLETTER N° 2)

Paige and I have the opportunity to peruse a LOT of comic books. Sometimes the art is appealing, other times it’s the storyline that draws you in. It is rare that both are executed with the clarity and style offered up by artist Stan Sakai. Usagi Yojimbo, published by Dark Horse Comics, chronicles the adventures of a samurai rabbit.

ART VOILA!: This is not as silly as you might think. Check out his trade paper back, Shades of Death. (OK, now there is not as much gore as one might think.) There is a moralistic element to each tale, without being preachy. It’s no wonder he is the recipient of so many awards. What is an Eisner Award and how many have you won?

STAN SAKAI: The Eisners are the comic book equivalent of the Oscars. I have received three of them. I have also received a few other awards including a Parent’s Choice, two Spanish Haxturs, and an American Library Association Award. I recently won a National cartoonists Society Reuben in May.

ART VOILA!: How did you hook up with the creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

STAN SAKAI: Usagi was first published at about the same time that the TMNT first appeared and we became fans of each others’ works. When the Turtles’ merchandising took off, Usagi was invited to be a part of their toy line, appearing in a couple of episodes of their TV series. Now that the Turtles have a new series on FOX, Usagi has again been invited to guest star in an episode or two, with another action figure in the works.

ART VOILA!: Do you still collect comics, and at what age did you begin collecting? What is the most precious book you own?

STAN SAKAI: I’ve never been a collector, but I am a reader. I guess the most valuable comic I own is a copy of Fantastic Four #4 that I bought off the racks. I also remember buying Marvel’s Fantastic Four #2 because it was still 10 cents and DC had just raised its prices to 12 cents. I saved 2 cents-I’m always on the lookout for a bargain.

ART VOILA!: Besides comic books and film are there any current art forms that inspire you?

STAN SAKAI: I read a lot of books. Currently I like detective and historical fiction.

ART VOILA!: Ninja – fast turtles? A fluffy bunny, as a cunning samurai? Is there a particular meaning here or is the contrast just for kicks?

STAN SAKAI: I can’t speak for Eastman and Laird’s Turtles, but I chose a rabbit because he looked cool with his ears ties into a samurai chonmage (topknot).

ART VOILA!: Will you be present at the big Comic Con in San Diego this year?

STAN SAKAI: Yes, I will. It will be my 25th consecutive year there. I will have a booth selling Usagi books, merchandise and art.

ART VOILA!: Comic Con runs July 17-20 check out the official site: http://www.comic-con.org Comic-Con International is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture

Just a side note that you can find Melissa and me there as well. We’ll be the ones with all the shopping bags… Xmas shopping does start in July ya’ know.

Stan does in fact sell some original art at the convention! He will do small/quick caricatures for you, but he stays away from anything that will sadly end up on eBay. He has also been commissioned for his work, but he is hampered by his own deadlines and projects take up to one year to complete.

Please check out Stan’s site: http://www.usagiyojimbo.com Stan has quite an informative and easy to maneuver website.

Thanks to Stan Sakai and his editor Diana “Dark Horse” Schutz for their cooperation and interest.
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