Sweden

[AT73]

Our thatnk go to you Stan.

It was very, very nice of you to come over here and a great
pleacure to meet you.
I hope that you have a fine and safe tripp back home.

And to Stve and Thomas.
I hope that your books will make it safe home to you also.
(Both where sent to you on friday the 25'th.)

[Thomas Froehling]

Well, I was able to get my books from the post office this afternoon (If I had been at home yesterday morning, I would have gotten them yesterday already), they arrived here in excellent condition.

So, thank you again, Sensei, for bringing them and AT73 for helping with this exchange.

[Stan Sakai]

I got home yesterday afternoon, with very little problems. I do not look forward to traveling again anytime soon, though.

There are a few Personal Messages in my box. I do have a few things to take care of, so will not be able to respond to them anytime soon.

Hopefully, I'll be able to write up a travel report in the next couple of days.

[AT73]

Good Lord, what happend to my spelling!?

Well, good to hear that your home safe Stan.

And Thomas, I'm so glad you got your books home safe to.
(Just hope that the ones for Steve also comes along fine.)

[bedlamborn]

Some photos from SPX.

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v319/ ... Sakai8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/ ... Sakai8.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v319/ ... Sakai5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/ ... Sakai5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Loved the way he drew Anders day.
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v319/ ... Sakai1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/ ... Sakai1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

It was a fun hour listening to Stan Sakai.

[Steve Hubbell]

And to Stve and Thomas.
I hope that your books will make it safe home to you also.
(Both where sent to you on friday the 25'th.)

I picked up the comics from the post office earlier today. Thanks again for all your help and generousity.

[AT73]

Your welcome.

I think it's more nice to help than to hate.

[Steve Hubbell]

Here are a couple entries from AT73's blog:
Comics and illustrations from Sweden

Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai

今回、私の好きなコミックについてご紹介したいと思います。
作画とも（実は先週 SPX にてお会いした）Stan Sakai氏による『Usagi Yojimbo （うさぎ用心棒）』。
物語の設定は封建時代の日本、江戸初期。
全てのキャラクターは擬人化された動物たち。

主人公の「Miyamoto Usagi 宮本兎」は、地域を放浪しながら用心棒として働いていますが、このキャラクターはウサギで、コミックのタイトルも彼の名から取られ、Usagi Yojimbo となっています。

宮本兎のキャラクターは、有名な日本のサムライ（剣術者）、宮本武蔵から。　また物語の気風などは『子連れ狼』や黒澤明の映画から、多大な影響を受けているそう。

ストーリーは、最初のうち短いエピソードの積み重ねだったのが、今は長めの冒険譚として続いています。
日本の歴史や民話を踏まえ、神秘的な妖怪も登場したり、また建築物、着物、武器などの品々は、その時代に従って忠実に描かれています。

様々な日本の美術や手工芸、例えば凧、刀、陶芸などが、どのような過程で作られるかを描き語るエピソードも多くあります。

次回は、もう少しこのコミックの作者について、また彼とお会いしたときのことを書きますね。

This time I think I’ll tell you about a comic that I like.

It's called “Usagi Yojimbo”, and is both drawn and written by Stan Sakai (whom I met at the SPX last weekend).

The story is set in the beginning of Edo period Feudal Japan.
All the characters are drawn like animals.

The main character is Miyamoto Usagi, who wanders the land occasionally selling his services as a yojimbo.

(This character is a rabbit, and from that comes the name: Usagi Yojimbo.)

The character of Usagi has been inspired by the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi while the tone and inspirations of the stories are heavily influenced by “Lone Wolf and Cub” and the films of Akira Kurosawa.

The story started out in short linked stories but now has entered a more epic stat, with more long running adventures.

The stories include many references to Japanese history and Japanese folklore, and sometimes include mythical creatures.

The architecture, clothes, weapons, and other objects are drawn with faithfulness to the period's style.

There are often stories whose purpose is to illustrate various elements of Japanese arts and crafts, such as the fashioning of kites, swords, and pottery.

Next time I'll tell you a bit more about the man behind the comic and my meeting with him.

http://at73.blog50.fc2.com/#entry42

Meeting with Mr. Stan Sakai

ストックホルムで行われた、今年のSPXのゲストである、スタン坂井 (Stan Sakai) 氏のお世話をさせていただくという栄誉に恵まれました。
坂井氏が私にメールで、観光案内などしてくれないかと聞いてくださったのです。

スタン坂井氏は、とっても素晴らしい方で、アメリカのあらゆるコミックに関する賞を受賞している人にもかかわらず、とっても気さくで謙虚な方でした。
ストクホルムの町を案内したり、博物館等にお連れしたり、ボートクルーズに参加したときも、いつも楽しそうで何事にも好奇心が旺盛でした。
食べ物の面でも問題なく、いろいろなスウェーデン料理にも果敢に挑戦し、全て気に入ってくださったようです！

スタン坂井氏とお話しするのは、とても興味深く感銘を受けることしきり。
彼自身、多くの偉大な漫画家たちとお会いしているのです。
例えば、スタン坂井氏が手塚治先生にお会いしたときのことなど。

カメラを持っていなかったので、残念ながら私が撮った写真はないのですが、誰かの写真画像をいただくことができたら、ブログにアップしますね。
こちらは、スタン坂井氏が私のために描いてくださった、ウサギと私、です。

もぉ～、死にそうに嬉しいっ・・・

I had the honor of taking care of Mr. Stan Sakai for his visit to Stockholm SPX this year.

He had mailed me and asked if I could help him out a little bit to show him around a bit.

Mr. Sakai was a very, very nice man and even though he had won every prize that you could win for a comic in America, he was very humble and modest.

He was happy and curious when I showed him around in town, took him to museums and cruised around in boats.

It was also easy to make him try all sorts of Swedish food.
He liked everything!

Talking to Mr. Sakai was so interesting as he had met so many great comic artists himself.

It was, for example, very interesting to hear him talk about his meetings with Osamu Tezuka.

I didn't have any camera myself, so there were no pictures that I took.

But if someone sends me some I'll post them so that you also can see.

But here is a picture Stan Sakai did of me and Usagi.

I think I'm dead.....

http://at73.blog50.fc2.com/blog-entry-43.html

[AT73]

I hope you don't mind that I put this on my blog!?

[Stan Sakai]

I hope you don't mind that I put this on my blog!?

I don't mind.

Don't forget that Lone Goat drawing I did during dinner on Monday, although no one is being decapitated in that sketch.