The Comic Art Professional Society is still running one of the greatest auctions ever of comic art…and it's all to benefit cartoonist Stan Sakai and his wonderful wife, Sharon. For those who came in late: Sharon is suffering from a horrendous medical condition that has to do with a brain tumor. Though the Sakais have health insurance, the costs of the necessary 24/7 care Sharon requires far exceed what the insurance covers. Stan is a great guy who has always been there to help others. Now, others are rallying to help him and Sharon.
The list of artists who've donated is amazing: Adam Hughes, Alex Maleev, Arthur Adams, Batton Lash, Eric Powell, Jan Duursema, Jerry Ordway, Jordi Bernet, Matt Groening, Michael Allred, Mike Mignola, Paul Gulacy, Sanjuliàn, Scott Shaw!, Jim Steranko, Tim Sale, William Stout, Bill Sienkiewicz, Cameron Stewart, Dan Brereton, Daniel Parsons, Dave Gibbons, Dean Yeagle, Doug Sneyd, Dustin Nguyen, Bill Morrison, Tone Rodriguez, Sergio Aragonés, Fabio Moon, Francisco Francavilla, Gene Ha, Geof Darrow, Gilbert Hernandez, Jack Davis, James O'Barr, Kevin Eastman, Jeff Lemire, Jeff Smith, Kazu Kibuishi, Liam Sharp, Tom Richmond, Michael Jantze, Olivia, Oscar Martin, Paul Chadwick, Richard Corben, Tom Mandrake, Walter Simonson, Charles Vess, Dan Spiegle, J. Scott Campbell and many more.
Wonderful items by many of these folks are closing today or in the coming week. Here's a link to go bid. Do it before you read the rest of this message…
Now then. There's one more thing you should do and, like buying something in the auction, it will benefit you while it helps the Sakais. At Comic-Con, there will be a new book available — a deluxe, hardcover volume called The Sakai Project: Artists Celebrate Thirty Years of Usagi Yojimbo. It will feature many of the drawings done for the auction and some other goodies, plus there's also a foreword in there by me. Dark Horse is publishing it but all proceeds will go to Stan and Sharon Sakai.
Of course, you'll be able to purchase a copy if you're not at Comic-Con but if you are, here's what you might want to consider. An awful lot of the fine artists who contributed to it will be there in San Diego. I may just carry mine around and get it signed by as many of the contributors as I can find. When you get to the con, you might want to head for the Dark Horse booth, purchase a copy and do this. The book's a treasure without that but a whole mess of signatures will make it even more of one. Just a suggestion.