Explain Your Avatar

[TheBroox]

Take a moment to provide some context for you avatar. Curious minds would like to know.

[TheBroox]

Mine is of Garik "Face" Loran. One of my all time favorite Star Wars Expanded Universe (now known as Legends under Disney) characters. This depiction of him also bears a bit of a resemblance to me in real life. Back when StarWars.com used to have its own message boards I selected this avatar from the options (couldn't upload your own) and have been carrying it with me all over the internet ever since.

[go]

One of my students drew this picture of me.

[Mayhem]

Mine is Stan's interpretation of myself from Usagi #100...

[Maka]

Mine is from the Japanese American National Museum exhibit of Labbits that were hand painted and crafted for a fundraising auction. Stan had one in that art exhibit that went for a lot of money (over $1,500) at the time (at least out of my price range). https://blog.janm.org/tag/labbit/

Peace, maka

[estee]

So way back in the day, Stan made a rare appearance at an Anime con up her in Canada. I was all set to see him. But I got the timings wrong and stood in 'line' for an hour, even when the staff said he should be there any second.

Well, I had twisted my ankle severely the day before and I was in some measure of pain, so after that hour I left. Well wouldn't you know one minute later Stan showed up. I found out about that later.

Anyway...I was on another comic message board lamenting my missing Stan, but took it in stride. Well wouldn't you know he found out about it and offered to send me a something to make up for it. I tried and tried to say it was okay. But he sent it anyway. And he knew I liked Chizu, cuz I mentioned it a lot in the reviews I wrote at the time and put her in it with Usagi.

And that is my first piece of original art from Stan Sakai and it became my avatar. And this proves that Stan is the nicest guy in all of comics.

[Maka]

So way back in the day, Stan made a rare appearance at an Anime con up her in Canada. I was all set to see him. But I got the timings wrong and stood in 'line' for an hour, even when the staff said he should be there any second.

Well, I had twisted my ankle severely the day before and I was in some measure of pain, so after that hour I left. Well wouldn't you know one minute later Stan showed up. I found out about that later.

Anyway...I was on another comic message board lamenting my missing Stan, but took it in stride. Well wouldn't you know he found out about it and offered to send me a something to make up for it. I tried and tried to say it was okay. But he sent it anyway. And he knew I liked Chizu, cuz I mentioned it a lot in the reviews I wrote at the time and put her in it with Usagi.

And that is my first piece of original art from Stan Sakai and it became my avatar. And this proves that Stan is the nicest guy in all of comics.

What a great story, Estee!

[Steve Hubbell]

So way back in the day, Stan made a rare appearance at an Anime con up her in Canada. I was all set to see him. But I got the timings wrong and stood in 'line' for an hour, even when the staff said he should be there any second.

Well, I had twisted my ankle severely the day before and I was in some measure of pain, so after that hour I left. Well wouldn't you know one minute later Stan showed up. I found out about that later.

Anyway...I was on another comic message board lamenting my missing Stan, but took it in stride. Well wouldn't you know he found out about it and offered to send me a something to make up for it. I tried and tried to say it was okay. But he sent it anyway. And he knew I liked Chizu, cuz I mentioned it a lot in the reviews I wrote at the time and put her in it with Usagi.

And that is my first piece of original art from Stan Sakai and it became my avatar. And this proves that Stan is the nicest guy in all of comics.

What a great story, Estee!

The "rest" of the story....

Hi Steve,

Thanks for sending this to me. I've never been to Comixtreme, so would not have found the thread.

I've posted a reply to Estee. Hopefully, he will contact me.

Thank you,
Stan

http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17427

Well, what an unmitigated disaster that was...

Considering, I'm not a huge Anime fan, I decided only to go to the Saturday show at Anime North. I arrive at about 11:15 and stood in line to get my ticket. Well over an hour and $30 later I'm through the door.

Okay where's Stan. I'll get my stuff signed, look around then I'm gone. The scene was just too weird even for me.

So I scour the area and find out he's across the road in a hotel. Fine. I go over. I scour the area again. I find out where he's signing. Fine. Only he isn't going to be there until 3 pm. It was about 1 at that time. Greeeat. Had a burger and beer and wandered a bit.

2:30 I stand in what I hope to be the line for Stan. I ask the volunteers where his seat was, they point me to it so I slip in. Whoo-hoo, I'm first. In fact I'm the only person in his 'line'.

3:00...No Stan...3:15...No Stan...Ask where he might be...no one knows...3:30 no Stan...People are getting antsy...schedual has another slew of people for 4:00...3:45...No Stan...Argh...4:00...its confirmed...He's a no-show. Ah well.

Sure by 4:01 he showed up. But by then, my ankle, which I twisted all to hell the night before was swelling up to twice the normal size, had pretty much told me enough was enough. And I left empty handed.

He was going to show today, but I have to work.

It was an interesting time. It also showed me that perhaps it would have been best if Japan HAD won the war, cuz then we may have been spared all the manga and anime hoopla.

There was a real cute voice actress from Japan, whearing a kimono, so it had to be a real deal signing autographs. A real trooper, she was there even after I left, so two hours at least. I always admire the celebrities during these things. Good for them.

And props to the staff at the thing. They were very attentative to my concerns about Stan. Very pleasent. Good job.

So $30 down the drain. And what's more, had I know Stan was in the hotel and not the main venue I could have done it all for free, cuz no one checked me and I never wore my stupid bage showing I paid. I could have just said I was in the hotel. Ah well, lessons learned for next time.
__________________

[Steve Hubbell]

Paul Montani, one of the contributors to the Usagi Yojimbo 25th Anniversary Tribute books, and creator of the "Welcome to the Rat Race" on-line comic strip had drawn his Rat characters dressed in samurai attire at one point after getting a drawing of them by Stan Sakai dressed as Usagi characters. Since I enjoyed his comic strip and ordered a couple books he put out, I had Paul do similar drawings in those books, one of which became my current avatar....

[Casey Burns]

Mine is a cover I drew and designed for a 12" record featuring mostly acoustic guitar tracks from folks like Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Steve Gunn, and William Tyler. It was letterpressed by Jeff Mueller at Dexterity Press. Jeff used to play in bands from Louisville and Chicago that I loved in the 90s (Rodan, June of 44, Rachels, etc). The drawing is based on a scene from a Clint Eastwood western.

Info on the release:
Eight Trails, One Path

[jabba359]

My current avatar comes from a character in the corner of a painting I bought from Jason Limon. I just love the gleeful expression of this little guy as he combusts. It makes me chuckle every time I see it.

The full piece can be seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/limon-art/15032148987/

[maichan]

My avatar was a commission from David Petersen of a samurai mouse. I thought it would be neat to see an Asian influenced branch of the Mouse Guard.

[Maka]

Steve, I love how you connect Stan with Estee situation. That shows your heart. And Stan’s heart for his fans was shown in how he reached out to Estee. Good people all around here. peace, maka

[estee]

Steve, I love how you connect Stan with Estee situation. That shows your heart. And Stan’s heart for his fans was shown in how he reached out to Estee. Good people all around here. peace, maka

Thanks, Steve for that...Comixtreme...brings me back.

That Con was weird. I was the only person not in costume. Felt so out of place!!!

And I really tried to have Stan not send anything, but he insisted. So...okay.

[Ap0kryphal]

Not much of a story for mine, I just like the this cover from UY 101, it's just kind of my vibe.