Indie Edge Creator Spotlight: Stan Sakai
Sep 24, 2019
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PREVIEWSworld: Please tell us a bit about yourself!
Stan Sakai: My name is Stan Sakai, and I am the creator of Usagi Yojimbo, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year with a new publisher, IDW Publishing. I am also an award-winning letterer, having worked on Sergio Aragones' Groo the Wanderer and the Spider-Man Sunday newspaper strips for Stan Lee.
PREVIEWSworld:What are your favorite projects you’ve contributed to over the past decade?
Stan Sakai: I enjoy working on the current Usagi Yojimbo series. Though it has a long history, it is very reader-friendly, so you don't need to know a lot of backstory to get into the series. I also did a retelling of The 47 Ronin a few years ago. That is one of the most famous incidents in Japanese history. One of my favorite projects is Usagi Yojimbo: Senso (JAN150137) which answers the question: What if H.G. Wells' Martians had invaded feudal Japan?
PREVIEWSworld:What are you currently working on?
Stan Sakai: Besides the ongoing Usagi Yojimbo series, we are developing an Usagi Yojimbo animated series with Gaumont Entertainment (the world's oldest film studio), James Wan's Atomic Monster, and Dark Horse Entertainment. I am also finishing up lettering Groo Meets Tarzan, drawn by Sergio Aragones and Tom Yeates.
PREVIEWSworld:What fun titles are you reading?
Stan Sakai: Three books that I currently enjoy are Walter Simonson's Ragnarok (Vol. 1: Last God Standing / JUN170574) which explores the post-Twilight of the Gods; Jeff Lemire’s Black Hammer (Vol. 1: Secret Origins / NOV160051), a unique take on the superhero theme; and Canto (#1 3rd Printing / MAY198983), where a clockwork knight goes on a life-changing quest.
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