Out in finer book stores everywhere today, The Sakai Project! I was lucky enough to be a part of this incredible coffee table book, compiling artwork and interpretations of Usagi Yojimbo, all to benefit creator Stan Sakai and his wife Sharon to help them through some recent medical expenses.

This will probably stand as a career high for me. Not only was I absolutely enamoured with the character of Usagi Yojimbo when I first saw him in toy form as part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line of toys, but this book is splitting at the seams with a who's who of comic artists. I can't possibly name them all, but there are a lot of childhood heroes here to say the least (you can see the full list of all 262 artists here). I mean honestly, I alone share a page with great artists like Sean Bahr, Jeffrey Brown and Skottie Young. Jerry Ordway is next to us, Richard Corben on the back of that and Bill Sienkiewicz (who I credit for my love of New Mutants, and for teaching me comics artists didn't all have to draw the same) is a page flip away. Never mind the fact that probably my two favourite artists today, Mike Mignola and Guy Davis both are included inside.

Artistic endeavours, and comics especially don't always come with great health benefits. Sometimes artists can barely pay their bills with the money they make, probably why so many hold down day jobs. What's really great to see, and speaks to the comics community is their willingness to step up and help out when they can. This book was published by Dark Horse Comics and produced in association with the Comics Art Professional Society (CAPS). CAPS will also be holding periodic auctions of original artwork from the book, with all proceeds going to the Sakais, so check their website for more information.

Labels: CAPS, comics, Dark Horse Comics, Stan Sakai, The Sakai Project, Usagi Yojimbo