Stan Sakai was born in Kyoto, Japan, grew up in Hawaii, and now lives in California with his wife, Sharon, and children, Hannah and Matthew. He received a Fine Arts degree from the University of Hawaii, and did further studies at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. His creation, Usagi Yojimbo, is the story of a samurai rabbit living in a feudal Japan populated by anthropomorphic animals. It first appeared in Albedo Comics in 1984. Since then, Usagi has been on television as a guest of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and as toys, on clothing, in comic books, and in a series of trade paperback collections. In 1991, Stan created Space Usagi, the adventures of a… descendant of the original Usagi, dealing with the samurai in a futuristic setting. Stan is also an award-winning letterer for his work on Sergio Aragon s' Groo the Wanderer, the Spider-Man Sunday newspaper strips as well as Usagi Yojimbo. He is the recipient of a Parents' Choice Award, an Inkpot Award, multiple Eisner Awards, two Spanish Haxturs, an American Library Association Award, and a National Cartoonists' Society Division Award. Usagi Yojimbo Book 12: Grasscutter was used as a textbook in Japanese history classes at the University of Portland.
Stan Lee, 1925 Stan Lee was born in 1925. He joined Marvel Comics in the early 1940's and has remained there for 60 years. He is the creator of Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, and has more than 2 billion comics books featuring these well known characters in print. While employed at Marvel Comics, Lee signed a contract that prohibited him from working for any company besides Marvel. When Marvel went bankrupt, the contract became null and void and Lee created his own company called Stan Lee Media. He remains Chairman Emeritus at Marvel, but spends most of his time on his new internet based company. Stan Lee Media will feature downloadable Superheroes. Lee… also signed a deal with DC Comics to revamp some of their signature characters, including Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.