Brand new member here with a request!

[Buta Kyoukan]

Hi!
I've been a Usagi fan for a very long time...sometime in the late 80's I'm thinking. Unlike most I didn't discover Usagi through TMNT but vice versa.

Anyway, even after I stopped reading most of the titles I collected, I just kept buying Usagi. I can't let him go and I think Stan Sakai is one of the best story tellers in comics today.

Well, that leads us to my request.
See, I'm in a college course called Advanced Topics in Art History: The Language of Comics and I have to give a presentation on a character or artist that I think is significant to the history and language of comic books.

Who do you think I picked?
Anyway, I have to have to use at least 3 academic sources. (Thankfully it's a low number of academic/peer reviewed sources because of the nature of the subject.)
But I'm having trouble coming up with these sources relating to Stan or Usagi.

Do any of you know of where I can get any info on Stan Sakai, Usagi, or anything directly related to them that is in an academic journal, a book written by somebody with a PhD. in art (or some sort of media) or just recognized expertise in comic books?

It would also help me (and count as a source) if I could contact Stan himself. I know that is a longshot but an email address that I can be even hopeful of getting a reply from would be a godsend!


Thanks in advance and I hope to be posting here much more in the future!
-E-

[Steve Hubbell]

Hi!

Anyway, I have to have to use at least 3 academic sources. (Thankfully it's a low number of academic/peer reviewed sources because of the nature of the subject.)
But I'm having trouble coming up with these sources relating to Stan or Usagi.

Do any of you know of where I can get any info on Stan Sakai, Usagi, or anything directly related to them that is in an academic journal, a book written by somebody with a PhD. in art (or some sort of media) or just recognized expertise in comic books?

It would also help me (and count as a source) if I could contact Stan himself. I know that is a longshot but an email address that I can be even hopeful of getting a reply from would be a godsend!


Thanks in advance and I hope to be posting here much more in the future!
-E-

http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/sakai/interviews.html
A partial listing (with links) to some of the many interviews with Stan Sakai.

There is a good chance of contacting Stan Sakai through the Dojo Forum here since he frequently visits.

I've seen several thesis papers about Usagi yojimbo, but no "academic" type write-ups, unless you consider some of the reference books published about comics in general.

Both Kim Thompson and Phil Yeh can be considered "experts" in the comic field and have interviewed Stan. He was also interviewed in VOYA (Voice of Youth Advacacy - a library journal).

Abayo....

[Buta Kyoukan]

Thanks!
That info is definitely helpful.

The stuff here in the dojo is exactly what I need but unfortunately my prof wants us to avoid using websites. I've contacted her about this one since it's official and I'm waiting for a reply.
And I sent Stan a Pm. Hopefully he won't mind responding to a few questions via email or something.

Actually this website is TOO good! It has EVERYTHING I need! Ack!

[Todd Shogun]

Well a lot (if not most) of the interviews and articles on Stan were simply transcribed from printed sources... so looking at it from that perspective, can't you simply use said sources in your references?

[Buta Kyoukan]

It's complicated. I can look at the sources and see.
The professor wants at least 3 "peer reviewed" or academic sources. Basically, these are articles written by people deemed as experts or scolars in the subject.

So a person can know all there is to know about Stan and Usagi, but if they're just some guy who live in his parent's basement he not a recognized expert.
Scott McCloud is a good example. His books on comics are widely recognized and quoted.
I am a good example as well. I can tell you everything you'd want to know about Star Wars (and have written several papers about different aspects of it), but I can't be quoted by anyone writing a paper on Star Wars.

Normally in a paper the sources all must be from academic sources but since this course is on comic books the sources aren't easy to find.

[Steve Hubbell]

It's complicated. I can look at the sources and see.
The professor wants at least 3 "peer reviewed" or academic sources. Basically, these are articles written by people deemed as experts or scolars in the subject.

As I mentioned before, Kim Thompson and Phil Yeh should both qualify...

Kim Thompson has been an editor with Fantagraphics Books for 20 plus years, and had worked with Stan on a professional level as his editor for a number of years prior to conducting the "Comics Journal" Interview.

Phil Yeh is a very talented cartoonist as well involved in the editing and publishing end of cartooning. He has also been aquainted with Stan Sakai for something like 20 years on a personal level through their mutual memberships in CAPS. He conducted the "Witty World" interview.

As far as more recent articles and interviews, I think Jennifer Contino should be considered fairly reputable from her tremendous amount of work for various comic related web-based forums and traditional print publications, a list of which is included below:

WIZARDWORLD.COM INTERVIEW. JUNE 21, 2001
BITCHIN’ BUNNY: 5 Minutes With Stan Sakai On Usagi Yojimbo by Jennifer M. Contino

THE PULSE INTERVIEW, FEBRUARY 6, 2003
YOJIMBOS, RABBITS AND LEGENDS: Nineteen Years And Three Publishers Later, Usagi
Yojimbo Is Still Going Strong. The Pulse Speaks With Stan Sakai By Jennifer M. Contino

NEWTYPE USA, VOL. 2 #9 SEPTEMBER 2003
A RABBITS TALE: Stan Sakai Talks Usagi Yojimbo By Jennifer M. Contino

THE PULSE INTERVIEW, MAY 1, 2004
SAKAI ‘S USAGI TURNS 20 By Jennifer M. Contino

ANIMEPLAY, VOL 6 FALL 2004
STAN SAKAI: Rabbits And Samurais (Text Interview) by Tomio
USAGI YOJIMBO: Stan Sakai Interview (DVD) Filmed, Directed, and Edited by Kristoffer Carrillo, Interview Conducted By (Editor in Chief) Robert Silva
(I know, she isn't credited for this, but she is credited as a writer for the publication)

One other peer that comes to mind is Mark Evenier, who wrote the introduction to the Usagi Yojimbo Summer Special. You might be able to email him with some questions??? He has worked with Stan for over 20 years on Sergio Aragones' Groo the Wanderer. me@povonline.com

Abayo...

[Buta Kyoukan]

You sir are a prince!

I shall definitely note your help in my paper and presentation!

Thanks a bundle.

And Stan has been very helpful and generous as well!

thanks to everyone!

[Todd Shogun]

Other sources you may want to pursue are the Introductions to the UY Collected books. Just a few examples of those "experts" (some I would classify as "gods") in the entertainment and arts fields include: Stan Lee, Will Eisner, Sergio Aragones, and Alejandro Jodorowsky. For transcriptions to most of these, go here: http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/other/uyletters/index.html

Use the left hand menu and scroll down to the bottom. We're up to UY Book 14 I believe.