Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Hey all. I don't know where to post this so I thought this would be as good as any. I am in Portland for a work conference (I am from Indiana). While at a bar someone I met here happened to mention that Dark Horse Comics is 20 minutes down the road in Milwaukie, OR.

Naturally the next day I drove out to see if I could get a tour and possibly meet some of the great talent behind the comics I love. First being Mr. Sakai. I know, my chances were slim at best.

Well, they don't grant tours at Dark Horse just because nobody is usually there. Just editors. I did get my picture in front of the logo in the lobby though. Forgive the geekiness. However, the woman at the desk gave me some free comics and directed me across the street where Dark Horse owns a comics shop.

I went to the shop. No back issues of Usagi.

I went to the TPB section and there were hardbacks!! I picked up a copy of "Travels with Jotaro". Lo and behold it was copy 1/300 signed by Mr. Sakai.

This is the first piece of signed work I have ever owned. I will post pics when I get back to IN. I just wanted to share. I wish I could have afforded to buy the other HB copies, but I could not.

Regardless, I feel like I came away with a treasure.

Hello Tinlantern,

What a great story! Congratulations on your first piece of sign work! Travels with Jortaro is one of my favorite story lines. You are very fortunate to have 1/300. That's even more rare that Albedo #2.

I think this would be an interesting thread:

1) What was your first sign comic book related item?

I think my first signed comic book related item as TMNT #3 from a comic book store off of 101. I used to work for Abilities First (used to be called Crippled Children's Society - hmmm, I wonder why they changed the name) at their Camp Joan Mier in Malibu. There was a comic book store of Kanen Road on the 101. It was just before the first TMNT movie came out and I thought the issue would go up in value (I was a total speculator, not reader of TMNT). Signed by both Eastman and Laird at SDCC. I still haven't read the issue (I know sacrilege ). purchased in the summer 1989, I think.

2) And what was your first UY signed related item.

On 11.6.99 Mr. Sakai was doing a signing in Montery Park at the Cultural Impressions Holiday Craft & Gift Boutique. I drove down from Santa Barbara and had him sign my sketch book and three action figures:

The original one (which Go now owns):



The two Antarctic Press Toys / Dark Horse Usagi Yojimbo action figures.



Sorry for the big images and for recycling them from an old post.

Mr. Sakai was also nice enough to do a sketch in my sketch book. I'll have to take a picture of that and post in the Stan Sakai Art Gallery.

My sketch book is of self-portraits but Mr. Sakai drew a wonderful picture of Usagi in a field of grass. I was not assertive enough at the time to ask him for a self portrait.

Peace, maka

WOW, Tinlantern your so lucky that comicbook store sounds aweasome on my city we only have a comics book store but they unly sell DCs or manga ..... nothing about Dark Horse , Marvel , image , etc BUT!! when i go to San Diego thats other history jejejje

See ya ,
Marchino

The first signed comic I got was from the Novi Comic Con about 6 years ago. I was standing in the middle of a lane way that was virtually empty at that moment. I was looking through my back pack and looked straight up at the guy at the booth I was standing in front of. Apparently my eyes went wide when I realised it was James O'Barr (creator of the Crow).

I walked over, picked up another copy of the Crow trade and got him to sign it. He was a really nice guy.

First time I got Stan's signature was in a print I purchased through Diamond. (the folks who do distribution to all the comic shops). There were only 100 of them signed and cost me 100 dollars (Canadian). Its currently framed and up in my TV room with my other print that I got with issue 100.

Since then I have a small 8x10 Usagi print signed as well as issue 1 of the Fantagraphics run and volume 3 of the trades. It was part of my first Usagi purchase so I had to have it signed when I met Stan last year at Novi.

MikeM