Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Maka wrote: UY related questions:

1) You’ve been the sole creator of UY for 21 years. Beyond TMNT, will you ever allow anyone once to write, draw or created UY? For example, if you decide to retire someday, will you license out UY so that stories can continue?

SS--I won't license out the character to anyone else, but I would like to see an occassional story or mini-series by another cartoonist. Check out The Art of UY if you would like to see interpretations of Usagi by different artists.

2) How about mini-series with other characters? For example, will you allow other artist to do a mini-series on Tomoe?

SS--A mini-series about one of my secondary characters would be fine, but, economically if another artist were to do a mini-series, it would make more sense for him/her to do Usagi.

3) Do you have a conclusion in mind for UY? In other words, you know how the story will eventual end?

SS--When I first came up with the character, I had a definite end planned for him. Usagi would have died a marvelous death. However, the direction of the series has changed so dramatically, that the original ending cannot be used. Currently, it is an ongoing series.

4) What is your favorite UY promotional item created?
(I like the baseball hat because people are always asking what is that? One person thought it was a bowling ball and two pins ).

SS--I don't have any real personal favorites. The DH statues were pretty neat, though. We had talked about Usagi boxer shorts, but that never happened.

Personal Questions:

1) What is one of the favorite things you have received from a fan?

SS--I've received a lot of wonderful gifts from fans. Just this past summer, I was given a beautiful Usagi stain glass from Leah Perry and an oil painting by Lark Pien (an artist whose work I have been collecting). Over the years, I have been given Usagi dolls and scuptures as well as drawings. I also got a wonderful crocheted afghan with the Usagi mon that I use on our bed.

2) What is one of the strangest things you have received from a fan?

SS-- I appreciate all the gifts, but one stands out as being unusual. A fan in the Pacific Northwest had made a t-shirt with a rubberized figure of Usagi sticking out of the chest. It looked like Usagi as a "chest buster" from the Aliens movies.

3) You said in past interviews that starting out was difficult. What was it that kept you from giving up?

SS-- Basically, I have no other skills in life other than to be a cartoonist.

4) What was the worst job you ever had?

SS-- I worked for a year in the garment industry. A company wanted to create a line of junior sportswear for women, and hired me to help start it. They brought us out to California from Hawaii (that is why I moved out here).

5) How long have you been married? How did you and your wife meet? Were you married when you started in comic industry? How important was your wife’s support during those early years?

SS--I met Sharon at a friend's birthday party when we were in high school. We were together for six years before we got married--this is after we had both graduated college and had gotten jobs. We celebrated our 27th anniversary in July. I would not have stayed in the comics business without her support.

6) How has having children changed your craft?

SS--I was the stay-at-home parent when the Hannah and Matthew were younger so I spent a lot of time with them. Now Hannah will be in the 10th grade and Matthew in the 8th, and they start school again in a couple of days. After their summer vacation, I can't wait to get back to a regular schedule where I'm home alone and I can get work done during the days.

7) If Neil Gaiman asked you to illustrate a sandman story, would you do it? Is there any writer that you would love to illustrate for?

SS--I have worked with a few writers, I've even written for other artists. One writer I would like to work with is Mark Evanier. Oh sure, I work with him lettering Sergio's Groo the Wanderer, but I've never illustrated any of his comic book works.

8 ) How has the internet changed your interactions with fans?

SS--There is a lot more interaction with fans. One of the drawbacks is that the number of letters we get for the letters column has been drastically reduced.

9) Who makes the best shaved ice in Hawaii?

SS--We go to Matsumoto Shave Ice when we're in Haleiwa, but the shave ice store a couple of blocks behind the Moilili Library is a lot more convinient for us, and we go there a lot more often.

10) If you had a break from touring, where would you go if money wasn't an issue?

SS--I'd like to return to Japan. I've also wanted to visit Australia and New Zealand.



Peace,

maka

Stan Sakai wrote:We had talked about Usagi boxer shorts, but that never happened.

Ace the Bathound wrote:Howdy,

If Dark Horse made Usagi boxer shorts, I would have to buy them on general principle.

-- Ed

Maka wrote:Here's a challenge for the participants of this board - write a letter/email to dianas@darkhorse.com this month. I noticed that issue 86 didn't have a letter page. If you don't want to comment on the current issue/story, pick a different theme to talk about (any suggestions for a letter page theme/topic?). I think it would be cool to have themed letters each month. (but that's probably the nerd in me).

Peace,

maka

Maka wrote:1) You’ve been the sole creator of UY for 21 years. Beyond TMNT, will you ever allow anyone once to write, draw or created UY? For example, if you decide to retire someday, will you license out UY so that stories can continue?