UY Sketchbooks

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 19:57 -0700

Three of my sketchbooks just sold on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SIGNED-Usagi-Yojimb ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/SIGNED-Usagi-Yojimb ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/SIGNED-Usagi-Yojimb ... dZViewItem

I do have literally hundreds of these left for $10 each (+ shipping), and have even offered them, for a limited time, through the Dojo. Sketchbook 5 will, hopefully, be finished in a couple of months (b&w like the others). I will offer them for a limited time through the Dojo as well.

I am quite certain these three sketchbooks were bought at MegaCon last week. I made my money, so I don't mind him selling them on eBay. However, I do feel bad that people are spending this kind of money for them.

Post by **Mayhem** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:43 -0700

Perhaps some proper eBay representation might be an idea Sensei? Though I figure you may not have enough time to mail things out to people, let alone list/run the auctions yourself...?

(my thought was to have someone list the auctions and handle payment, but Sensei send the items out to the buyers)

Thomas Froehling · Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:46 -0700

Well, here are some of my thoughts about the topic (I'm afraid this is going to be a kind of essay):

The sketchbook's distribution was/is mainly provided by convention attendance. Though there are usually huge crowds at each convention all over the land, a lot of people still are unable to attend any convention for various reasons; these reasons can be broken down to just one:

Conventions are time and money consuming, which are rescources not everybody has a great supply of.

Still, some fans want these sketchbook and are ready to part with an awful lot of cash via ebay (less then they would have to spend on attending a convention), which seems the easiest way to get hold of them. We know that they are wrong, however...

A lot of people are unaware that the Dojo could offer help acquiring some of these treasures. Hard to believe, but year after year passes, they must have read the advertisement for the Dojo in the comic many times over and still they don't join the forum. Hmm, how could they be reached..?

I've seen that ebay has changed their contact policies lately; is there still a way to contact bidders (winning and unsuccessful) over ebay? If yes, someone of this forum could contact those bidders, inviting them to the forum (maybe with a hint to a thread offering help).

Another way could be announcing a "How to get a sketchbook guideline" in one of the following issues, pointing to the Dojo as well.

How would that help people? Well, we've had a kind of non-profit distribution service for European UY fans when sketchbook #4 was published last year, and I'm more than willing to run something like this again this year (to make it a tradition, if necessary).

Maybe there are some North American UY fans who'll do something similar, maybe even on some regular scheme....

I think this would be the best way to prevent people from throwing their hard-earned cash after the comic-monsters...

Plus it would safe Sensei the trouble of shipping sketchbooks himself, thus he'd have more time to draw comics and art...

MIGHTYDUKE · Post by **MIGHTYDUKE** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:46 -0700

Stan I would like to get 2-4 & #5 when it comes out. If it wouldn't be too much to ask. Thanks

VikingSpawn · Post by **VikingSpawn** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 22:02 -0700

I don't have any of the sketchbooks and would definitely like purchasing any of them!

Thomas Froehling · Post by **Thomas Froehling** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:31 -0700

It seems that, with the begin of the convention season, there really should be some kind of advertisement for the "Get a sketchbook through the Dojo" method....

Here are some examples of sketchbooks on ebay, trying to pull huge amounts of money out of fan's purses:

http://cgi.ebay.de/signed-sketch-SPAIN- ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.de/signed-original-sket ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.de/signed-original-sket ... dZViewItem

I mean, ok, Sensei said he was out of sketchbook #1, but obviously this ebay seller didn't know that (he would have boosted about it, along with his other exagerations), otherwise he would have chosen even more outraguous prices for that item...

Oh my, maybe I should put my collection in a safe or raise my household insurance...

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:27 -0700

Thomas Froehling wrote:
Here are some examples of sketchbooks on ebay, trying to pull huge amounts of money out of fan's purses:

http://cgi.ebay.de/signed-sketch-SPAIN- ... dZViewItem

I've got maybe 200 of those Spanish Sketchbooks in the garage, which I've been selling at cons for $15. They do not sell that well. Maybe I am not pricing them high enough.

Thomas Froehling · Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:16 -0700

Stan Sakai wrote: I've got maybe 200 of those Spanish Sketchbooks in the garage, which I've been selling at cons for $15. They do not sell that well. Maybe I am not pricing them high enough.

But just as a thought: what about a little extra money for your children? What if they would run an ebay account for trading your surplus sketchbooks, art, etc...

And maybe, one day, that "mess" in your garage will be cleared out.

Just a thought...

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:25 -0700

Stan Sakai wrote: I do have literally hundreds of these left for $10 each (+ shipping), and have even offered them, for a limited time, through the Dojo. Sketchbook 5 will, hopefully, be finished in a couple of months (b&w like the others). I will offer them for a limited time through the Dojo as well.

Needless to say, I will be interested in obtaining Sketchbook #5 when it becomes available.

I have to admit that the plans for a full-color sketchbook was appealing, but I am also happy with another one in b/w.

Thanks again for producing this great items for us fans.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 15:58 -0700

I have received a few pm inquiries regarding the sketchbooks. Yes, I will be taking orders for Sketchbooks 2-5 and even the Spanish one when #5 is printed--probably sometime in May. Keep checking the Dojo Boards.

I offer these for limited times because I do not have the time or inclination to process orders year round. This way, I can do it for just a short period.

Thomas Froehling · Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:26 -0700

Another try with sketchbooks:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Usagi-Yojimbo-Spanis ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.de/Usagi-Yojimbo-Sketch ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.de/Usagi-Yojimbo-Sketch ... dZViewItem

This time, the start price was quite decent; I wonder where they will end up...

Hey, and again a #1 for sale! So, if anybody here still needs one...only about 30 hours left...

Post by **Mayhem** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 16:43 -0700

I did see these... the same seller had a Daisho h/c as well that I needed

(just down to Seasons and Grasscutter now...)

Apparently he's a Usagi fan as well as he stated he only needs Grasscutter h/c himself for a full set...

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