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The second part of Roger Whittaker's interview with Stan Sakai is now available on-line.....


http://www.hubfiction.com/2009/08/issue-94/

http://hubfiction.com/hub/Hub_94.pdf

INTERVIEW: STAN SAKAI - PART 2
by ROGER WHITTAKER, (HUB MAGAZINE, AUGUST 4, 2009)

For 25 years, Stan Sakai has been a quiet master of the American comic book with as author and artist of the world’s least cuddly sword-wielding rabbit story, Usagi Yojimbo. In addition, he’s also been a prolific letterer, working with talents as diverse as Stan Lee (Spider-Man, Fantastic Four) and Sergio Aragones (Groo the Wanderer). Last issue, Sakai talked about his background in comics and his future plans for the bushido bunny. In this Q&A, he discusses the perils and perks of being an independent creator in the comics industry, and the absolute importance of keeping the rights to your own work.

HUB MAGAZINE: You’ve talked about working with Sergio Aragones (Sakai is the long-time letterer on Groo the Wanderer.) How does that relationship work?

STAN SAKAI: We started off as friends first. The way we met is that I found his name in the phone book. Strangely, right after that, he withdrew his name from the phonebook. But I found his name, I sent him a letter, he gave me a call, and we’ve been friends for about 30 years.

HUB MAGAZINE: But being a comic artist is often a very solitary experience.

STAN SAKAI: Most of the time, freelancers work within their own studios, which are very isolated. That’s why in Los Angeles, we have an organization of print cartoonists. We get together once a month, and I also have a lunch group, and we get together once a week. I’m one of the newer ones in the group, I’ve been going for 18 years. The groups been going for 25 years, and we get together every Friday. You have to get that relationship with other cartoonists so that you’ll be at least normal. You have to get out of the studio.

HUB MAGAZINE: At the same time, Usagi is very much all-your-own-work.

STAN SAKAI: Most of Usagi is just my own. I write the stories myself, I do the penciling, the lettering, the inking, all by myself. I do have an editor, and she’s terrific, but all my contracts with all my publishers’ have always been, “Usagi is mine.”

HUB MAGAZINE: You’ve discussed how much research you do before writing a story. Does that keep your writing fresh?

STAN SAKAI: It does inspire me. I may read a book about a certain subject, like Japanese pottery making, and think of a story around that. Sometimes friends give me an idea. I remember, I had to do a story for Wizard magazine, just a three page story, and I was having a hard time. In conversation one day, [Aragones] says, “Oh, I’ll think of a story for you,” and he just starts rabbiting on, and it turns out to be a terrific story, but it’s a 20-page story, and I said, I can’t use that, that’s too long. So I did something about netsuke, which are those little ornamental carvings they use for bags. But more often, the story comes from sitting there and think of a story in time for deadlines. Because you have to be practical, because Usagi has to appear at a certain frequency.

HUB MAGAZINE: Over the last 25 years, how has the comics industry changed?

STAN SAKAI: When we started making Usagi as trade paperbacks, there was no graphic novel market whatsoever. That’s why Usagi is in that strange format that’s not the same proportion as other books and graphic novels. However, when I wanted to turn it into trade paperbacks, there was no graphic novel market, but there was a trade paperback market, and it was hot. I think it started with 101 Things to do With a Dead Cat, so that’s why I went into that market. It has given it a longer shelf life. Book one is, I think, in its ninth print, and it’s a good seller for Fantagraphics, so they keep reprinting it.

HUB MAGAZINE: But in all that time, you’ve always maintained ownership of Usagi.

STAN SAKAI: That was very important to me. So because of that there’s been no loss of continuity between Fantagraphics and Mirage and Dark Horse - it’s always been one continuous story.

HUB MAGAZINE: How have trade paperbacks changed the industry?

STAN SAKAI: It’s taking comics out of the collectors’ market and more into the readers’ market. My trades are in libraries and school libraries and everywhere, which is something that is very gratifying for me. Usagi was voted one of 2009’s best graphic novels for teens by the American Library Association, and I got an email from one the judges saying that Usagi was voted on unanimously. That was very nice, and in May I’m talking to a conference of librarians in DC.

HUB MAGAZINE: Are there still stories that you really want to tell, anything non-Usagi?

STAN SAKAI: They’ll still be within the Usagi realm. I do have a few other things, but they’re still in the ‘I want to do these’ stage rather than the “This is what I’m going to do’ stage.” Right now, I’m really happy working with Usagi, and because I own it, I can do what I want with it. That’s why Grey Shadows, the trade paperback, is all mysteries, because I love mysteries. I can do love stories or any kind of genre I want.

Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 23: Bridge of Tears is available now through Dark Horse Comics. The graphic novel Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai is scheduled for an October release.