The CAPS benefit auction to support Stan & Sharon Sakai is fully underway with the first wave of original artwork having gone up on eBay on March 6 and the second one having followed this past Thursday. All proceeds of the auction will go to directly Stan Sakai, creator of the comic book series Usagi Yojimbo, to help with the rising cost of his wife’s medical expenses.
The Comic Art Professional Society (CAPS) first starting asking for donations to help the Sakais back in November of 2013. Since then they’ve received over 300 items from all over the world, most from comic professionals sending in artwork paying tribute to the characters and storylines in Usagi Yojimbo. These artists include Mike Mignola, Tim Sale, Art Adams, Craig Thompson, Matt Groening, Dave Gibson, Juanjo Guarnido and Walter Simonson.
CAPS will list each item for 10 days, adding about 40 new pieces every week on Thursdays at 5pm Pacific time until they’re all gone. You can find the listings by searching under the seller name, CAPSauction.
And while these auctions may be your only chance to own the originals, you’ll still be able to see most of the artwork in print thanks The Sakai Project, an oversized hardcover to be released by Dark Horse later this year in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo. All proceeds from this book will also go directly to the Sakai family.
Unfortunately, the hardcover will not be able to include all the pieces submitted to the auction. Even with the recent increase of its size to 160 pages, there still won’t be enough room for about half of the submissions. The editors at Dark Horse were tasked with the difficult decision of choosing which pieces would be featured. However, thanks to a number of colorists willing to donate their time and talents to project, many of the black and white pieces sold at the auction will appear in full-color in the book.
Randy Stradley, Dark Horse VP of publishing and co-editor of The Sakai Project, added:
“The thing that is really highlighted by the huge number of submissions, and by the width and breadth of the tones, styles, and approaches to the work, is the great respect and admiration artists from around the world have for Stan Sakai and his thirty years of dedication to a single character. It is our hope that the book will, in some small way, reflect the love that went into every single piece.”
The Sakai Project is scheduled to hit stores on July 23, 2014.
Artists who still want to send original art and other collectibles for the auctions can do so asap at:
SAKAI AUCTION
C/O TONE RODRIGUEZ
5740 Craner Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Also, monetary donations for the Sakais are greatly appreciated. You can donate through Paypal or send a check made out to “CAPS” or directly to “Stan Sakai” to:
SAKAI FUNDRAISER
C/O CAPS
P.O. Box 656
Burbank, CA 91503
