Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

In the Coming up in UY section, the blurb for #99 atributes the cover design to Cary Grazzini. I thought that Stan designed all of the UY covers. Who's Cary Grazzini?

Cary is the design director on the UY comics and books. He is the best that I have ever worked with. It was his idea to eliminate the Usagi logo on UY 75 (?)--last issue of Fathers & Sons. He was nominated for his work on The Art of UY last year.

Interesting!

So how much creative input does Cary contribute to the covers? How does the collaberation process work?

Actually, Cary has very little to do with the cover illustrations. I do the drawings, send it in to Diana who sends a scan to Tom Luth. Tom does the coloring, and sends scans to Diana and myself. We make minor changes if it calls for it, and then it goes to Cary. He makes any design decisions that needs to be made. Once a format is established though, we follow that. It was Cary's idea to blow up a panel to use on the inside front cover, the Usagi face icon on the back, and the new formats for the Grasscutter 2 issues.

Speaking of covers, we'll be posting the cover art for UY 101 next week sometime. That and a special preview of UY 98, the Return of the Black Soul! Stan tells me that the story will feature a look into Jei's past....bite on that for the weekend!

Todd Shogun wrote:Speaking of covers, we'll be posting the cover art for UY 101 next week sometime. That and a special preview of UY 98, the Return of the Black Soul! Stan tells me that the story will feature a look into Jei's past....bite on that for the weekend!

I FedExed a package to Diana today (only 3 weeks after deadline), and decided to send a few pages to Todd. It only hints at a part of Jei's past--and not in the pages that I sent Todd. The cover is in black and white, and though it looks like it is part of the issue 98 story arc it really isn't.

Fanfan--it does rain in this story.

Stan Sakai wrote:Actually, Cary has very little to do with the cover illustrations. I do the drawings, send it in to Diana who sends a scan to Tom Luth. Tom does the coloring, and sends scans to Diana and myself. We make minor changes if it calls for it, and then it goes to Cary. He makes any design decisions that needs to be made. Once a format is established though, we follow that. It was Cary's idea to blow up a panel to use on the inside front cover, the Usagi face icon on the back, and the new formats for the Grasscutter 2 issues.

That's pretty much what I'd originally assumed then. Where I'm confused is in understanding what Cary contributed to the cover of #99. Sorry if I'm dragging this out a bit. Just genuinely curious. I love learning everything I can about the support team behind you, Stan Sensai.

Oh, and I'm very excited that Jei will be returning soon!

Cary had nothing to do with the cover image that is on the link. However, he may have done something with the graphics--such as the UY logo--before it goes to press.

Tom did a wonderful job in making sense of this cover. Some areas looked little more than squiggly lines.

Here is what Stan meant:

Awesome design and/or layout for the title logo. Cary Grazzini deserves congradulations for this cover for sure!

Looking at the original scan posted of the cover art for this issue before this scan was posted, I had pictured in my mind the title logo done as a reflection in the water kind of like this, but I dismissed it because I was imagining it lower on the cover where it would have obstructed the portion of the image with the characters in it. I was also imagining it with the text and everything reversed or mirror imaged like a true reflection.

The cover to issue #98 is cool as well. Another of those rain scenes Stan is so great at drawing.

Abayo....

Stan's rain sequences are truly awesome. Brings back memories of the Dragon Bellow Conspiracy....

Todd Shogun wrote:Here is what Stan meant:

Ah. Now it all makes sense. Thanks, Todd!

Wow That's a great cover.