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Indie Spotlight: Yumi Sakugawa

Muy Mareado! — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:00:11 +0000

Welcome to Indie Spotlight! The independent scene is filled with many writers and artists alike and we here at Comic Book Therapy wanted to explore and reach reach out to these talented people to have the opportunity to learn about their works. For our first edition we present to you Yumi Sakugawa!

I am Yumi Sakugawa and I am a comic book artist and illustrator based in the Southern California. I am a regular comic / illustrator online contributor to Sadie Magazine and Wonderhowto.

Most recently, my comic zine “Mundane Fortunes for the Next Ten Billion Years and Other Stories” was selected as Notable Comics of 2012 by the Best American Comics anthology editors.

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Comic Book Therapy – Thank you very much for taking the time out to do this interview. How have you been doing?

Yumi Sakugawa – It is my pleasure! I’m finally fully recovered from a week-long cold so right now I am feeling pretty amazing.

CBT – You’re a self published comic book artist. How did you start?

Yumi – After I graduated from UCLA, I spent a year teaching English in Japan… because that’s what you do when you have just graduated from college with an art major and you have no idea what you’re going to do with yourself. During that time, a fellow English-teaching American artist friend and I spontaneously decided to sign up for a small booth at the bi-annual Tokyo Design Festa, a giant arts and craft convention that happens in Tokyo every May and November. I didn’t have any art on hand and I definitely did not want to show up as a first-time exhibitor empty-handed–so I furiously whipped up my first self-published 30-page comic zine “Milk and Moo” just in time for the event. Note to new artists, there is nothing like a convention deadline to really force yourself to kick your own butt to get something done.

This was back in 2008, and I had no idea that a zine culture even existed. When I moved back to Los Angeles, I made serendipitous connections with fellow artists in 2010 who introduced me to the zine scene and really got me hooked to showing comic zines at zine conventions.

CBT – What projects have you completed? Currently working on?

Yumi – I’ve self-published about eight comic zines in the last four years, ranging from illustrated guides on meditation to short comic story collections. My most recent self-published comic zine was a 50-page autobiographical diary comic of my travels in Paris and Rome.

Things I’m currently working on? I’ll definitely be releasing more self-published comics about meditation and mindfulness (people seem to really like those), and more short comic story collections. And since the world always needs more self-love and creative inspiration, I’m thinking of releasing a comic zine that deals specifically with self-love and staying inspired as an artist.

I’m also working on a longer fictional comic project right now, longer than anything I have ever made. It’s kind of a secret so either a lot of people will get to read it once it’s done or I won’t finish it and no one will ever know about it. Hopefully it will be the former and not the latter.

CBT – How long have you been in the art world? What inspired you to pick up the pencil/pen and create?

Yumi – I honestly don’t know what counts as being in the art world! I was in my first group art show in 2008 that wasn’t an art school student campus gallery show, so maybe since then? As for what inspired me to pick up the pencil / pen and create, I’ve always been drawing and doodling since I was a small kid, and drawing is the perfect medium to express yourself when you’re a really painfully shy kid and you’re trrified of talking to people.

CBT – As an artist, conventions and other means of showcasing are pretty important to promote your work. Have you attended conventions?

Yumi – Yes! I’ve attended maybe 6 different comic and zine conventions in the last few years and I really love the convention scene. For 2013, I’m really excited that I will be tabling away from the West Coast for the first time ever–at the Brooklyn Zine Fest in April and at the Toronto Comics and Arts Festival in May. Come visit my table if you think you’ll be going to either of those events!

I always make the coolest new friends and discover amazing new artists at every convention event. Seriously, I feel like there is a significantly lower percentage of douchey, pretentious creative types in the zine scene compared to other creative scenes or maybe I have just been really lucky with the people I’ve met. That, and I love having the opportunity to share my work with new people and connect in real-time with people who have seen my work previously on the internet or elsewhere.

If you are just starting out as a comic book artist, then I really recommend signing up for a table or a booth at a comic convention. Even if you don’t sell that many comics in the beginning, you get so much from the whole experience.

CBT – What is your best Convention memory?

Yumi – I think my best convention memory is the first comic and zine convention I’ve ever attended in 2010. I was crammed in one car with three other zine friends and left at 3 in the morning from Los Angeles to arrive just in time in Sacramento at around 10 A.M. to table at Indy Euphoria. I was only there for one day and I hitched a ride back to Los Angeles with another friend that same night. That convention memory is particularly special to me because that was the first time I had the chance to meet Dylan Williams, the late founder of Sparkplug Comic Books. It was at the convention when he actually bought copies of my first comic zine from me to distribute through Sparkplug and as a total newbie, I was so blown away by the possibility that complete strangers would really take a genuine interest in reading my comics. I feel so fortunate to have met him at that time and one more time before his unfortunate passing in 2011.

CBT – Things can be a bit difficult getting into the comic business. What encourages you to continue?

Yumi – I honestly don’t think much about the difficulty of getting into the comic business. Not because I naively think it won’t be difficult for me or anything like that, more so because I’m much more preoccupied on a narcissistic, mundane level with the daily difficulty of motivating myself every single day to find the time and the inspiration to move forward with my comic projects, regardless of busyness or creative blocks.

What keeps me going? Fan mail from an eleven-year-old girl. Complete strangers from countries I’ve never visited ordering my zines online. Seeing my self-published comics on display in my favorite independent bookstores. Kind messages from strangers. The painstakingly slow progress I make as an artist with every new project I finish. Being held accountable to my inner eleven-year-old who always dreamed of becoming a cartoonist.

CBT – Have you done work for other publishers?

Yumi – I’m actually working on something with another comic publisher. I can’t disclose too much information for the moment and more details will be revealed later in 2013. Stay tuned!

CBT – What do you enjoy most about doing comics?

Yumi – I think comics is the best creative medium for me to fully and honestly express myself as an artist and as a human being. Growing up, I was always torn between wanting to become a writer and wanting to become an artist; thankfully with comics, you can do both things at the same time.

CBT – With the year of rebirths and reboots, do you feel it contributes well to the comic business or takes the interest away from longtime readers?

Yumi – I’m the worst person to ask this question. I haven’t actually read any rebirth or reboot comic storylines.

CBT – Who is your favorite comic book artist? Favorite title or series that features his/her art?

Yumi – What a difficult question! I have many favorite comic book artists that changes with what I am interested in at the moment, but I always find myself revisiting again and again “Skim” illustrated by Jillian Tamaki and written by Mariko Tamaki. Coming-of-age stories with interesting female teenage protagonists are my personal catnip.

CBT – What comic book character would you find easy to relate to?

Yumi – This is a Japanese manga character, but I can relate too well with Maruko from the shoujo manga series “Chibi Maruko-Chan.” She’s lazy and disorganized, and prone to retreating to her own imaginary world a lot, just like me. (I can’t relate, however, to her immense dislike of nattou)

As for an American comic book character, this may be an extreme cliche answer but I think Charlie Brown and I would have had a lot of great coffee hang-outs. I was a pretty melancholy kid prone to over-nostalgizing my own childhood experiences in my head as they were happening in real time.

CBT – What would you consider your greatest piece to date?

Yumi – I don’t know if this would be my greatest, but I will always have a huge fondness for my first self-published comic story “Milk and Moo.” There is a wonderful magic that comes out of having no idea what you’re doing but somehow getting it done anyway.

CBT – For those who want to have a start in illustration, what advice would you share with them?

Yumi – Give the world as many opportunities as possible to see your artwork. Have a regularly updated art blog. Show your work at shows. Exhibit at conventions. Meet other artists. Make friends with artists whose skills and work ethic intimidate the shit out of you. Being an artist can be a lonely business, so find a community of artists you can join or make your own community. Find excuses to get your illustration out there, whether it’s volunteering to illustrate for a someone’s music event flyer or challenging yourself to publishing a weekly web comic with a friend.

In the beginning, all of this may seem like shooting darts in the dark. It is all worth it for the momentum that you create for yourself that will carry you over to your next great opportunity.

CBT – Thank you very much! Is there anything you’d like for us to be on the lookout for?

Yumi – Since so many people have asked about this, I will be releasing a limited artist booklet print of my emo-comic “I Think I Am In Friend-Love with You” sometime this month (January). If you are looking for the perfect not-so-subtle gift to give to your friend-crush for Valentine’s Day, this is it.

>Click Images for Bigger Versions<

Check out the sites below to see more of Yumi’s work and updates on her projects!

Bigcartel: yumisakugawa

Facebook: www.facebook.com/yumiverse

Flickr: yumisakugawa

Twitter: @yumisakugawa

Tumblr sketch blog: acrosstheyumiverse

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Hey writers and artists!! As the continuing interest in independent works grows, we want to reach out to the indie community and highlight those who dedicate their time and effort to a passion for their work. Tell us YOUR story! If you know someone that you would like to be featured in this section let us know!

To be featured in Indie Spotlight, please complete the following steps:

Contact us at: dezdewberry@comicbooktherapy.com (Please put “Indie Spotlight” in the subject line)
Provide a short bio and 5-10 pictures if you’re an artist
Sit down, relax and get ready to be contacted back!

Muy Mareado!, Indie Spotlight: Yumi Sakugawa

New Synopsis For CW’s Amazon Emerges

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:04:53 +0000

A new log line for CW’s proposed Wonder Woman origin series called Amazon has emerged in a new issue of Production Weekly (thanks to @_NerdyGeek_ ) listing info on new TV series and movies. The show will features a young Wonder Woman before she dons the bracelets, tiara, and lasso in a new world she doesn’t understand. The CW’s Smallville-esque Wonder Woman series is in active development, and based on a report a few months ago, looking for its leading lady. The log line names the character Iris, but as Geoff Johns stated when the news of the story first hit it’s just a codename to “avoid speculation.” Check out the synopsis that’s dripping with CW-ness and let us know what you think.

Chronicles female superhero’s life as a young Amazonian, before she becomes a warrior princess with super powers. Iris, comes from a remote, secluded country and until now has spent most of her life as a soldier and a leader on the battlefield. Because of relentless brutality of her life at home, Iris looks at our world with absolute awe and astonishment. She’s delighted -and just as often horrified – by the aspects of everyday life that we take for granted: skyscrapers, traffic, ice cream. It’s all new and fascinating and sometimes slightly troubling – to her. Iris is completely unschooled in our world, our culture, our customs. And she’s completely inexperienced at interpersonal relationships. She has no social filter, does not suffer fools, and tends to do and say exactly what’s on her mind at all times. She’s bluntly, refreshingly honest. She can tell when you’re lying to her. And she doesn’t have time or patience for politics or tact because she’s too busy trying to experience everything our world has to offer. There are too many sights to see – and things to learn – and people to care for. Hers is a true, noble, and generous heart. And she will fight and die for the people she loves. Iris is a fierce warrior with the innocent heart of a romantic – and she will fight to the death to make the world safe for innocents and true romantics everywhere.

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, New Synopsis For CW’s Amazon Emerges

A Review: -14- by Peter Clines

Michael Worthan — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:36:20 +0000

From Peter Clines, author of ‘Ex-Heroes and Ex-Patriots, comes -14- which is not only a great book that I’ve given 5 out of 5 it’s something unique and different to add to his growing reputation as a versatile and unique writer. Having read all of his books from “The Eerie Adventures of Lycanthrope Robisnon Crusoe” up to “The Junkie Quatrain” Peter Clines has always brought a unique twist to the books, but -14-, which is in paperback today (June 18th) and audiobook format tomorrow (June 19th), is something new and fascinating, something that not only had me going the entire time, but allowed me to finish it and want more in less than a days times. The synopsis on amazon is this:

Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.

There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment.

Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much.

At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s.

Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends.

Or the end of everything…

Without offering too much in the form of spoilers I personally went into this book thinking it was a cut and dry suspense book, but even then I knew that the author may throw in a few surprises that actually got me excited. What I came across in this book was definitely not what was expected, and for that alone I was all in. The characters are well created, and actually made you feel as if you were reading about a story with friends in it, the building is mysterious, and certain characters gave off certain vibes be it awesome or creepy that you just couldn’t shake.

When it was all said and done, and I had read the last page I was a bit upset that I was done with it so quickly. Regardless of how you read it (ebook, real book, or audio book) give this one a try it is definitely worth it.

Michael Worthan, A Review: -14- by Peter Clines

35 Years Of The Force To Be Reckoned With: A Star Wars Anniversary Tribute

DocBBanner — Sat, 26 May 2012 07:30:12 +0000

May 25th, 1977….twas a date to be LONG REMEMBERED. The day when a certain Science Fiction film project directed/written by filmmaker George Lucas, produced with Twentieth Century Fox, on an approximate budget of ten million dollars and a story several years in the making, made it to theaters. At first, it made its presence by a few spotty TV trailers and some movie ones with no one really knowing to expect when they first aired on television and at theaters. What came about was a Science Fiction film saga like no other at the time, that would change the face of the genre and science fiction filmmaking forever, in the areas of story telling, costuming, creature makeup effects, and of course, special effects in visual and audio. OF COURSE, THE FORCE, we are talking about STAR WARS!!

STAR WARS, A NEW HOPE, along with its following original trilogy chapters THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and THE RETURN OF THE JEDI, helped to make and give this film trilogy a a secured place in film history and with a tremendous box office sucess legacy. One for which A NEW HOPE, was kept as the number one top grossing film of all time for 20 years on. IN 1999, the saga’s continuation with its story prequels, THE PHANTOM MENACE, ATTACK OF THE CLONES, and REVENGE OF THE SITH garnered a moderate but still tremendously successful following to bring the saga to an epic close. We at Comic Book Therapy, along with Modern Mythology Press’s Eric M. Esquivel and his mighty cohorts at Heroes and Villains Comic Book Shops ring in the celebration with views and commentary! FEEL THE FORCE as we look back on the legend itself!

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OK, my say and thoughts on the first film and its hypnotic effect on my first view… Summer 1977, just a boy, eager first-grader walking along with his folks on the exciting streets of Hollywood Boulevard and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There, we arrived upon a crowd of eager filmgoers and upon one of the nation’s most celebrated movie houses, lined with promotional slide pics of scene from a certain science fiction film we had been hearing about. The place: GRAUMAN’S CHINESE THEATER!! The Movie: STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. HUGE, seemingly panoramic, screen view, HUGE auditorium, and amazing stereo sound for those days. As the lights dropped and feature began, all eyes and ears were attent on the classic Twentieth Century Fox logo and fanfare theme with the film itself designated made in CinemaScope as well (AND one of the last films to be produced in CinemaScope too). All senses were still agaze at the deep space scene, opening music score, and the Star Wars logo with the famous yellow-lettered prologue roll. As it disappeared and the theme decsended to a low movement, you could hear a pin drop from the audience as the scene of a lone Alderaan senate freighter appears above with an Imperial Crusier following in a hot blooded, blastfiring, pursuit. What followed there after was a blur, but I was transported to an AMAZING world I had never seen and will never get to see in real life, ever. A day at the movies never to be forgotten, though I had a annoying propensity afterward for calling Darth Vader, DARK Vader, until the age of eight. Hey, he had a black mask, helmet, cape, etc., its all good. Seeing Vader at Toy’s R US that same first grader year while hiding behind my mother and touching Vader’s gloved hand (wondering if there was a real person there) was DARK enough for me though. Heheh…

Who doesn’t love a battle with a happy ending?

THE BOTTOM LINE ON THE SAGA’S LEGACY..
For my view on Star Wars’s mark on pop culture…there is too much to say here. What I can tell you that is is that you could NOT talk about hit movies back then in Star Wars’s beginnings without even mentioning the Saga itself. It left an indelible mark on movies, film music, MOVIE MERCHANDISING, and overall pop culture so strong, it gave all of fellow Scifi giant Gene Rodenberry’s STAR TREK TV franchise a run for its money. Pop culture returned a response in praise and imitation to its greatness, with shows throughout TV and movie history paying homage and parody to the saga’s opening delivery, story, elements, characters, dialogue, and more. This pop culture legacy and hype carried on throughout many a TV show from Star Wars TV Specials to guest spots of Mark Hammil on the Muppet show. Later, it created strong influence for TV Shows Battlestar Galactica and several classic 1970′s/80′s Scifi Japanese anime series classics like Gundam and Macross. The hype continued through onto today, with hillarious comical references on popular cartoons Powerpuff Girls and Johnny Bravo, to other animated shows like South Park, Family Guy, and Robot Chicken. There are also references abound in Today’s geekfest movies like FANBOY and the Simon Peg/Nick Frost/Seth Rogen alien comedy, PAUL. From the biggest right down to the smallest plugs, there has even been some amusing name-drop references to characters Wedge Antilles, and Emperor Palpatine on the CW Horror TV show hit SUPERNATURAL. Among all else, with the AFI(American Film Institutes)’s Top three placement for All Time Movie Villain going to Darth Vader as performed in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, that was just more icing on the cake. To round it off here, I reiterate, Star Wars has made itself a tremendous place in society’s entertainment pop culture…The likes of which any other Science Fiction or other fantasy/adventure franchise will have a VERY hard time unseating.

-DocBBanner

One of the original movie posters!!

The Star Wars legacy that gets my midichlorians buzzin’ the most is that it set a precedent for “stickin’ it to the man”
science fiction.

Without Star Wars you don’t get Blade Runner, you don’t get The Matrix, you don’t get Neuromancer, or Firefly, or any of that good stuff.

I am the rebellious, anti-authoritarian turd I am today because Skywalker and the gang taught me that power has a tendency to corrupt, and that empathy and awareness of causality go hand-in-hand with superpowers and sweet lightsaber skills.

- Eric M. Esquivel
Marketing Specialist

Ewoks… That’s the only legacy Star Wars needs to be remembered for.

Ok, but really:

Star Wars is Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey in movie form. It’s something that goes so much deeper then words on a page or
pictures on a screen. It’s a story that screams to be told over and over again. It’s a traditional tale of a boy becoming a
man, becoming a hero and then becoming a legacy, not just in a galaxy far far away but on this world to these people.

In today’s world the words “Jedi” and “Lightsaber” are so common not just in comic shops or other places where fans of the
genre gather but all over western civilization. I’ve heard that Star Wars has caused some countries to concede to the
thought of Jedi being an actual recognized religion. The terms Jedi and Padawan are words that have somehow made their way into work places, clubs, and organizations, being used to describe the hierarchy of employees. May 4th (May the 4th be with you!) is recognized by many as the national Star Wars day. Star Wars invaded pop culture before pop culture knew what was hitting it.

When I was a young boy and growing up, Star Wars is what my dad and I bonded over. Collecting figures, watching the movies, going to midnight releases of the special editions and later the prequels. It shaped who I am today. It crafted my moral compass and showed me the difference between good and bad and light and dark. I can’t describe how Star Wars left a legacy in pop culture because for me and I think a lot of other people it has such a deeper meaning then that. It’s a childhood for some or a life style for others. It’s so far entrenched in our civilization that it’s hard to say what the phenomenon has caused and what it hasn’t.

- Matt Warnstedt
Operations (“Black Ops”) Manager

No question Star Wars has shaped the last 35 years of pop culture. Phrases from the movie have become part of everyday vernacular. At our store, since I’m to boss, staffers regularly refer to me as the Emperor (lovingly, I like to believe!). We also regularly use “These aren’t the droids your looking for”, replacing “droids” with whatever item we are trying to hide from our peers. Just the other day we had a brilliant full moon and a customer of ours posted on his facebook page the quote ”That’s no moon, that’s a space station!”, to which he very quickly got assorted “stay on target” and “red 5 I’m going in” replies.

Even characters in the fiction we enjoy eventually end up compared to their Star Wars counterparts. “The villains isn’t
nearly as cool as Vader”, or “Man, he whines as much as Luke” can be heard on the sales floor of our comic shop with
regularity. Does the fiction have a father/son conflict? How does it compare to Vader/Luke? Evil empire? Young band of
rebels? All of them have to be stacked up against Star Wars to earn a space in our hearts and minds.

No question about it…the Force is indeed strong with the Star Wars franchise.

- Mike Camp
Store Owner

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There you have it, STAR WARS….. a science fiction fantasy franchise galaxies beyond others in its legacy to the pop culture of entertainment, culture, and everyday life..

DocBBanner, 35 Years Of The Force To Be Reckoned With: A Star Wars Anniversary Tribute