The first of the Comic Art Professional Society benefit auctions for Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai and his wife Sharon has launched on eBay, featuring original artwork by the likes of Mike Allred, Dan Brereton, Josè Luis Garcìa-Lòpez, Mike Mignola and Jeff Smith.

Sharon Sakai suffers from a debilitating illness that required an extended hospital stay and convalescence; she's back at home but requires 24-hour care and medications that exceed their insurance coverage. All of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Sakais to help cover their medical expenses.

New auctions are scheduled to debut each Thursday, with contributions from such artists as Arthur Adams, Matt Groening, Jim Steranko, Francisco Francavilla, Glibert Hernandez, Fabio Moon, Bill Sienkiewicz, Paul Chadwick, Dave Gibbons and Walter Simonson.

CAPS is also working with Dark Horse on The Sakai Project: Artists Celebrate Thirty Years of “Usagi Yojimbo,” an oversized hardcover benefit book whose proceeds will go to the Sakais.