Sharon's health (Stan's Facebook updates)

[Gaffey]

It looks like Stan is going to have a massive stack of art for SDCC.

[Maka]

Stan wrote on Facebook: "Dark Horse and I are still talking about putting out a book of my watercolor sketches. We'll let the number crunchers decide if it is feasible or not."

I hope it becomes feasible. If not, hopefully they can print these water colors on the back of future UY issues. Peace, maka

[maichan]

Stan wrote on Facebook: "Dark Horse and I are still talking about putting out a book of my watercolor sketches. We'll let the number crunchers decide if it is feasible or not."

I hope it becomes feasible. If not, hopefully they can print these water colors on the back of future UY issues. Peace, maka

Indeed & agreed! I hope the number crunchers come up with some good numbers!
I remember looking through Stans watercolor book a few years ago.... it was beautiful. I'm sure there should be some way to bring those paintings to Usagi fans, either in future issues of UY or in theTPB/HC collections, if not in a stand-alone volume.

[Steve Hubbell]

June 18, 2014
This is the reaction I get when I tell people I letter Sergio Aragones' Groo the Wanderer. I'm working on Groo: Friends and Foes #3 now.

June 19, 2014
A new round of auction items have been posted, and they feature really incredible art. Thank you all!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/capsauction/m.h ... _ipg&_from

June 20, 2014
I am working on the tip-in signature plates for the UY Saga Book 1 hardcover. I do a head sketch with every signature. Just for the fun of it, I do a full-figure drawing on the back of 1 tip-in for every volume. So far, I have not met anyone who has gotten one.





The UY Saga is an omnibus series collecting three of the trades in one volume. The first one is scheduled for an October or November release from Dark Horse. It will be in a trade paperback and a limited hardcover editions.

June 20, 2014

Doing a little "light" reading tonight.



When we do a single-book Usagi Yojimbo HC collection, we could call it the Usagi Squash a Rat Edition. However, at more that 6,000 pages so far, we could probably squash an elephant, or at least stub a toe.

17 hours ago
Yayyy! It took me two days, but I've finished signing and sketching on all the tip-in plates! Two ears and a tail for me!



Yes, these are for the hardcovers. It is an edition of 900 HCs plus Artist Proofs and Publisher Proofs.

You can order the hardcover or trade paperback at your local book or comic book store, or through Amazon.

5 hours ago
I received an Inkwell Award last night at the ceremony at Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC. The category was "All in One: Favorite artist known for inking his/her own pencil work in 2013 interior cover-dated American comic book material."

4 hours ago
I guess that puts the kibosh on your chances for winning the Most Promising Newcomer award!

4 hours ago
Tom--I had been up for a Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award at the San Diego Con many, many years ago. I lost to some guy named Arthur Adams. I wonder what he's done since then.

[Steve Hubbell]

about an hour ago
I did not think I would have time to do a new sketchbook this year, but I was wrong. I will have Sketchbook 11, along with most of the other sketchbooks, at the San Diego Con. Here is the new cover.

[Steve Hubbell]

2 hours ago
Son Matthew came home from school in Northern California yesterday (Monday). I did not know about it until Sunday night, so we kept if a secret from Sharon. She was so happy to see him she would have wept, if she could. Because of him she had a great day, but we are still monitoring her blood pressure because it has been extremely high (177/118 this morning). She goes in for chemo today but will not be able to get it if her BP remains high, as the treatment will raise it even more.

Matthew climbed to the top of 14,000 ft Mt Shasta last weekend, and showed me photos. Wow!



Cherries are on sale at Sprouts, and they are really good--dark, crunchy and sweet--so I baked a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy.

[Gaffey]

That is awesome!!!

[cynlee]

Been so long since I've been here, I started looking for the "like" button to comment on that piccie above me. lol

[Steve Hubbell]

June 26. 2014
Blueberries went on sale again, so I made a blueberry pie yesterday. Yeah, I know I usually make them into muffins, but I've been in a pie mood lately. This is the first time I made a lattice crust.

Remember the movie The Way We Were with Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand? Never cared much for the movie, but Redford delivers the line, "What kind of pie?" For some reason that really stuck with me. I think it's the way he delivered it. I remember the line, but I don't remember what kind of pie it was, or even if he had the pie.





I'm waiting for peach season as well. I especially like white peaches and those flat doughnut peaches.

I use Crisco, no lard. It is a macadamia nut crust.

It was a bit runny. The next time I think I will use corn starch and tapioca as thickeners. The recipe just uses for corn starch, and I used a lot more than it called for.

I was not a chef, but I did work at a drive-in restaurant in Hawaii while in high school and college. Sharon and I also helped part time with a catering company/culinary school run by then LA coroner Dr Tom Noguchi. Dr Tom worked on all the high profile cases--Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, John Belushi, etc.

Also, my mother was a professional cook.

[go]

Dear Readers,
Kudzu and kanten also make great pie filling thickeners.
Thank all you for the fun!
Best wishes to all,
go

[Steve Hubbell]

Due to work, and the recent problems with accessing the Dojo, I have fallen way behind on these Facebook postings.....

June 28, 2014
I'm getting ready for San Diego. Signing copies of the UY Book 28: Red Scorpion trades. I sign them at home so I don't have to sign them all at the con, and I do a head sketch in every one.

June 29, 2014
Here are a few fairly random pages from the upcoming UY Color Special from Dark Horse.

http://www.comicbookresources.com:8080/ ... w&id=22293

July 1, 2014
Jarrett LaJeunesse Melendez, here is my recipe for Sour cream blueberry muffins. I found it easier to make a new posting than comment on yours.

1/4 cup (1/2 block) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar (use more or less depending upon berries)
2 eggs
1-1/4 cup + 2 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup blueberries

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time. Sift flour with baking soda and salt, then add to mixture alternating with sour cream. Add vanilla. Gently mix in blueberries. Bake in greased muffin tin for about 15 minutes at 450 degrees F. Toothpick inserted in center should come out clean when done.

If you are like me and add a lot of blueberries, I recommend using muffin cups to keep the integrity of the muffin's shape. I sometimes also add some lemon zest.

Let me know how they turn out.

July 2, 2014
The Last Request

Yes, it is fully licensed.



Lintika Films will run a preview of it at my Saturday Spotlight Panel at Comic-con.

July 2, 2014
I did not think cherries would get any cheaper, but it's 98 cents a pound this week. I made another pie this morning.



Still organizing books and art for Comic-con. I received a shipment of UY Color Special #5 yesterday.



The Usagi Yojimbo Pie Edition? No, I don't think it will sell. Not many people like to find hare in their food.

July 3, 2014
The San Diego Con is just a few weeks away, and there are a few Usagi stuff being release just in time for or at the convention--UY Book 28: Red Scorpion trade and hardcover, the Color Special #5, The Sakai Project book, UY Sketchbook #11, and this nifty 18x20" lithograph which, I am told, is a con exclusive.



I will have those lithos at my booth as well.

July 4, 2014

Happy Fourth! Today is also Sharon's birthday. She was able to write on my iPad, "I'm happy at home. Last year (I was in the) hospital." We really are happy she's home!

July 4, 2014
I'm interviewed for the San Diego Comic-con, and with a preview of the cover I did for the Events Guide.

http://www.comic-con.org/toucan/comic-c ... gi-yojimbo

[Steve Hubbell]

July 5, 2014
It was a busy day yesterday, so I did not get any drawing done except for this Gen the Bounty Hunter in watercolor. Sharon had a great day yesterday. She needs to take it easy today.

July 5, 2014
Today's drawing is Kitsune.

July 6, 2014

Today's drawing is Tomoe, inspired by Tomoe Gozen who lived during the 12th century Genpei Wars.

July 7, 2014

Today's drawing is Mariko. I seem to be on a roll with The Women of Usagi. I guess tomorrow will have to be Chizu the ninja.

July 7, 2014
Clydene is the backbone of San Diego Comic-con's Artist Alley. She has kidney failure and has started another gofundme. Please give if you can. If you are an artist going to Comic-con, you can drop off art at Mark Brooks and Lisa Kwon's booth #5557 for an online auction. I will certainly be donating a piece.

https://www.facebook.com/josephkarg?fref=hovercard

July 8, 2014
I enjoy drawing Usagi in various weather conditions--snow, wind, rain--and a few days ago someone posted a portion of UY 134's cover--the Toad Oil story. That inspired the watercolor for today.

Sharon is scheduled for chemo today. She had been very tired and weak the last few days, so we hope she will be up to it. Her blood pressure has been good, but her blood sugar has been high.

July 9, 2014
Today's watercolor is a commission piece for San Diego Con.

I was worried, but Sharon did really well at chemo yesterday. There was some concern because her blood pressure was a bit elevated. The infusion drugs would raise it even higher. However, it went down after awhile. She slept throughout the session, and again when we got home. Chemo really exhausts her.

July 9, 2014
Writer Phil Amara sent me a couple of his children's books. They're wonderful! Thank you, Phil. Now I, too, can become a Comic Book Artist!

July 9, 2014
Here is a wonderful review of UY: The Brink of Life an Death.

http://powergirlinterrupted.tumblr.com/ ... -reviewing

July 10, 2014

Happy Anniversary to us! We have been married for 37 years today! Sharon wrote this on my iPad: "I'm so lucky that I married you. I >heart< U!" I feel the same way. What a great anniversary present.

[Steve Hubbell]

July 10, 2014

Today's drawing is another San Diego Con commission. It's a take-off on my cover for Fantagraphics UY #10, but with the positions of the characters reversed.

July 10, 2014
"…a perfect comic." I love reviews like this.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... ew&id=7515

July 11, 2014

The 19th and final round of CAPS auction art has been posted. This one includes Sergio's beautiful piece, Guy Davis' Usagi fighting a tengu, J. Scott Campbell's take on my characters, and my original watercolor for the cover of The Sakai Project book. There is also the very first copy of the book I signed. Tone Rodriguez will take the book around the San Diego Con and get as many signatures as he can. Now, that is really special.

July 11, 2014
Today's drawing is another San Diego Con commission--Kitsune.

July 11, 2014
CAPS auction!



This is the last of the weekly auctions. There is still some art coming in, and they will be posted sporadically. Also, art was sent without any artist information, names and bios. These may be listed when we find out who made them.

July 12, 2014
The watercolored art that I had done for Comic-con featuring Mike Mignola's Hellboy and Usagi will be used for the cover of their Events Guide. I wanted to do a piece for the souvenir book, but was too busy to color it and never sent it in.

The Comic-con has started posting their programming schedule. If I'm not at a panel or signing, you will probably find me at my booth--#4906.

Thursday--The Sergio and Mark Show. 3:30-4:30 Room 8

Friday--Signing at the Dark Horse booth 10-11:00

Saturday--Spotlight panel 3-4:00. I will be interviewed by Editor Diana Schutz and Roel Robles will show a clip of the Usagi animation. Room 28 DE

Sunday--47 Ronin signing with Mike Richardson at the Dark Horse booth 10-11:00
Cover Story with Mark Brooks, Amanda Conner, Jae Lee, Mike Mignola, Fiona Staples and moderated by Mark Evanier. 2-3:00 Room 25 ABC





It could be a crossover. Hellboy and Usagi open up a sushi restaurant, and hilarity ensues. Jack Klugman and Toshiro Mifune would have been great in it when optioned for TV.

I've received a couple of inquiries regarding buying these pieces. The watercolor one is unavailable, and the black & white one was recently sold. Thank you.

July 14, 2014

I'm still preparing for Comic-con, doing sketches in the UY Book 28: Red Scorpion hardcovers. Remember when I said that I always do a full size drawing on the back of one of the 500 or so signature plates before I send them to be tipped into the book? I had never come across anyone who had any of these one-of-a-kind books. Until now. I found it in Artist Proof #16. The first photo is of the drawing in that book, the second is of a typical sketch in a hardcover.





The hardcover is an edition of 350 but I have to sign about 500 plates for Artist Proofs, Publisher Proofs, and a certain amount of damaged copies.

July 14, 2014
Before I did my Hellboy/Usagi art for Comic-con, I did a couple of Hellboy studies, mainly because it was fun.

[Steve Hubbell]

July 15, 2014

No explanation for this one. It's just fun.



About 36 years ago I found Sergio's name in the phone book and wrote him a letter. He called me up, and we've been friends ever since.

July 16, 2014

We will have a Sakai Project signing the weekend after the San Diego Comic-con.



The organizers may be able to ship out signed books for those who cannot attend. Also, if you are in the book and would like to participate in the signing but have not been contacted, let me know.

Unsigned copies will be available through bookstores, online, and your Local Comic Book Store.

July 17, 2014

Only half a week left on the final CAPS auction!



There are some really neat deals, such as Time Magazine cover artist CF Payne's portrait of illustrator JC Leyendecker.

July 17, 2014

I don't do many superhero commissions, but here's Batman on a gargoyle.

July 18, 2014
Here are two aspects of the Usagi/Tomoe relationship.

July 18, 2014

Son Matthew comes home tomorrow to help me at Comic-con. He requested a blueberry pie. This is what it looks like when you stuff 10 cups of blueberries in a recipe that calls for 4. That's about 2 1/2 pounds of berries. It's a good thing I baked it on a foil covered cookie sheet.





I made a macadamia nut crust.

The pie, including the pyrex pie plate, weighed 6.8 pounds!

July 19, 2014
Here is another watercolor commission for San Diego Con--a reinterpretation of a drawing that was printed as an Usagi Yojimbo back cover.





That's right! I had forgotten the T-shirt.

July 19, 2014

When I think cherry prices can't get any lower, it does. We still have not touched yesterday's blueberry pie, and I made a really big cherry pie today.



I was afraid the juices would run out, but they didn't…until I tilted it to show it to Sharon lying in bed. Then it dripped on her.

I made two pies, Nina. Blueberry on Friday, and Cherry on Saturday. This is the cherry. Here is a piece of the blueberry pie. It's good.

20 hours ago

Here is the last of the San Diego Con watercolor commissions.

16 hours ago

This is the last day of the last of the weekly CAPS auctions. There are a lot of really great art, including a Sergio Aragones Groo/Usagi two-page spread.

8 hours ago

We're down to the last few minutes of the final weekly CAPS auction!

7 hours ago

Sharon had an MRI today. Yes, they're even open on Sundays. It wiped her out as usual, but she did really good. Because of her condition, I get to sit in the same room, but as far away from the machine as possible. We both have to wear earplugs because it makes the most annoying and loud sounds. You know all those cheap 1950's mad scientist movies with the instruments with the knobs and dials and the lights that go haywire? That is exactly what it sounds like for 45 minutes. Actually, Sharon is deaf, so the earplugs for her was just a courtesy.

26 minutes ago

Thank you, everybody, for a very successful series of auctions!

THANK YOU to everyone who has been a part of our auctions these past TWENTY weeks! Thank you to those behind the scenes making it happen, thank you to those of you who donated art, thank you to those of you who placed bids, and thank you to those of you who helped spread the word. We are grateful for everyone's participation!

Now, the last part of our fundraiser for Sharon & Stan Sakai is "The Sakai Project" book that comes out THIS WEDNESDAY. All the sales go to the Sakais to help with their medical bills for Sharon's care. You have seen much of the line art in our auctions, just wait 'til you see them in COLOR! If you are going to Comic Con in San Diego, you will have a beautiful book to take around the convention center to get autographed!

Thanks everyone!

[Steve Hubbell]

That took a little bit of time, but there are three new posts which cover just about everything Stan posted on his Facebook page throughout July....