I have to ask...

[Shishio]

Mr. Sakai, if my memory serves me correctly, you have said that you would not have stayed in comics if it were not for the support of your wife Sharon.

Now I imagine that to most, if not all comic book fans, getting a job in the industry and achieving as much success and recognition as you have would be a dream come true. But of course, I realize that not everything is as it seems, and that even the best of situations can have some serious downsides. I therefore have to ask what made you consider leaving comics before? What are the worst parts of your job? The most challenging? Etcetera. (Also, I think you might have answered this at Anime North, and if you have, I apologize, but that was almost a year ago, and my memory is not the greatest.)

[Stan Sakai]

I therefore have to ask what made you consider leaving comics before? What are the worst parts of your job? The most challenging? Etcetera. (Also, I think you might have answered this at Anime North, and if you have, I apologize, but that was almost a year ago, and my memory is not the greatest.)

I considered leaving comics mainly for economic reasons. As a freelance artist doing advertising, I was frequently charging clients like Mattel Toys $100-500/hr. Much, much more than what I make doing comics. However, the agravation is not worth the money.

I really enjoy working in the comics industry. I set my own hours, and there is no commute time since I work at home. I was even the stay-at-home parent when the kids were young. That was challenging--to still meet deadlines while taking care of two preschoolers.

[Shishio]

Thank you for answering my question.

Now, because I am so annoyingly inquisitive, I have another:

In what way(s) is freelance illustration aggravating?

[Stan Sakai]

In what way(s) is freelance illustration aggravating?

It's great if you're already an established artist, but it's another thing if you're just starting out like I was. I had just moved to the area, and had absolutely no contacts. The first year, a lot of time was spent knocking on doors and building up a client list. I also detested having to drive to downtown LA or Wilshire or Beverly Hills where a lot of the agencies were located. Beverly Hills is about two hours each way during rush hour. This is before the time of e-mails, and faxes. You also have to deal with clients who don't pay on time, insist on a lot of changes even after approving the sketches, etc. Still, I did it for quite a few years. The pay could be very nice, but I wasn't enjoying it.

It's easier to work at home, and just send out completed work to Dark Horse.