Tag Archives: usagi yojimbo

The Legendary Rabbit Rōnin is back in Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow

Posted on by

Dark Horse Comics, Dogu Publishing, and Stan Sakai partner for the return of the legendary rabbit rōnin in Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow! The new series features Usagi’s new-found cousin Yukichi, as well as the return of fan-favorite villain, Jei. Along with writing, art, and lettering by Sakai, the series also features colors by HiFi Colour Design.

Usagi and Yukichi are still in the snowy mountaintops of Northern Japan, following Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo story arc, “The Green Dragon.” They are led to the hut of a strange hermit who allows them to spend the night at her home to shelter from the snow storm. Meanwhile, the maniacal Jei and his familiar, Keiko, are on Usagi’s trail when they stumble upon a bandit lair and subdue a band of cutthroats and thieves.

Along with the main cover A by Stan Sakai, fans can also collect two other variant covers for issue #1. Variant cover B is provided by artist Skottie Young, available for standard order (UPC 7 61568 01096 1). Artist Paolo Rivera provides a third cover C (UPC 7 61568 01096 1), which comics retailers can order one copy for every 25 copies ordered of Cover A or B.

Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Snow #1 (of 5) will be in comic shops September 27, 2023. All three of the listed variant cover options are available for pre-order now at your local comic shop for $4.99. 

Preview: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen #2

Posted on by

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen #2

(W) Stan Sakai (A/CA) Stan Sakai
In Shops: May 24, 2023
SRP: $4.99

Sent back in time to feudal Japan, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles immediately face a fight for their lives against Yukichi and Jotaro! Mistaking the Turtles for the violent kappa terrorizing a nearby village, the long-eared samurai descend upon the Turtles with swords brandished. Can the TMNT convince Usagi’s allies to aid in their mission to stop Dr. WhereWhen from changing the future? Or will the larger threat prevail while Lord Noriyuki’s forces march into the final battle with the Dark Lord Hikiji?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen #2

Preview: Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 5 The Green Dragon

Posted on by

Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 5 The Green Dragon

(W) Stan Sakai (A) Stan Sakai
In Shops: Apr 19, 2023
SRP: $19.99

The rabbit ronin’s newest adventures continue in this fifth volume that sees Usagi and Yukichi on a mission to deliver a valuable object! In “A Ghost Story,” Usagi and Yukichi come upon a young woman, Shizuye, praying at a shrine to a girl murdered fifty years ago by her married lover. Usagi and Yukichi take it upon themselves to become her protectors. However, all is not what it seems as the local priest warns them to beware of ghosts in the area. Then, in “The Secret of the Green Dragon” Usagi and Yukichi are obligated to deliver a priceless jade dragon to a merchant. During their journey they witness a runner delivering a parcel of jewels to the same merchant killed on the road ahead. However, the killers left the jewels and escaped with the container leading them to the realization that the box they carry may be even more valuable than the jade within. Collects issues #27-31.

Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 5 The Green Dragon

Preview: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen #1

Posted on by

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen #1

(W) Stan Sakai (A/CA) Stan Sakai
In Shops: Apr 12, 2023
SRP: $4.99

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pursue the evil cyborg genius Dr. WhereWhen through a time portal…and emerge in feudal Japan! There, they encounter Usagi Yojimbo, 20 years into the samurai’s future but decades after the arrival of Dr. WhereWhen… who has already carved himself a fiefdom using mechanized clockwork samurai robots… with the intention of conquering both the past and current timelines!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: Wherewhen #1

Preview: Usagi Yojimbo Origins Vol. 4 Lone Goat & Kid

Posted on by

Usagi Yojimbo Origins Vol. 4 Lone Goat & Kid

(W) Stan Sakai (A/CA) Stan Sakai
In Shops: Jan 04, 2023
SRP: $24.99

Presenting the complete saga of rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi from the very beginning in new, definitive color editions! This volume focuses on a series of important short stories from the early days of Usagi’s adventures, including “Frost and Fire,” “A Kite Story,” “Blood Wings,” “The Way of the Samurai,” and “Lone Goat and Kid”! Beginning with these early issues, find out why the series has won ten Eisner Awards, two Harvey Awards, an American Library Association Award, and has been called by Stan Lee, “one of the most original, innovative, well-executed comic books anywhere to be found.” Collects all-new color editions of issues #19-24 of Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 1, originally published in black-and-white by Fantagraphics.

Usagi Yojimbo Origins Vol. 4 Lone Goat & Kid

Stan Sakai. Usagi Yojimbo. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. March 2023.

Posted on by

In 2023, brilliant storyteller Stan Sakai will once again weave together two of the most beloved concepts in history with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen. This five-issue comic book miniseries, published by IDW Publishing in partnership with Dogu Publishing and Paramount Consumer Products features colors by Hi-Fi and will launch in March 2023.

In 1984, the indie comics scene erupted with the creation of two enduring phenomena: Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Given the two series’ anthropomorphic heroes, reverence for Japanese culture, and mutual respect among their highly skilled creators, it was no wonder that the two properties would crossover in comics, multiple animated series, and toy lines over the next four decades.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pursue the evil cyborg genius Dr. WhereWhen through a time portal…and emerge in feudal Japan! There, they encounter Miyamoto Usagi, 20 years into the samurai’s future but decades after the arrival of Dr. WhereWhen—who has already carved himself a fiefdom using mechanized clockwork samurai robots, with the intention of conquering both the past and current timelines!

Each and every issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen will feature a glorious wraparound cover by Stan Sakai, plus alternate covers by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, Sarah Myer, and David Petersen. Issue #1 will also include a blank cover variant, perfect for artists or even convention commissions.

Preview: Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 4 Crossroards

Posted on by

Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 4 Crossroards

(W) Stan Sakai (A/CA) Stan Sakai
In Shops: Nov 16, 2022
SRP: $19.99

In “Ransom,” Usagi and Yukichi meet up with Kitsune, a street performer and thief, who has stolen a ledger recording bribes to local politicians. When Kitsune’s protégé is kidnapped in return, Usagi decides that he must help and get her back. Then, in “Crossroads,” Usagi and Yukichi come upon a group of pilgrims who have been left for dead by a band of cutthroat ronin. Deciding to go after them, Usagi must head back to the province, and the danger, from which he has just escaped! Collects #22-26.

Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 4 Crossroards

Preview: Usagi Yojimbo #31

Posted on by

Usagi Yojimbo #31

(W) Stan Sakai (A/CA) Stan Sakai
In Shops: Sep 21, 2022
SRP: $3.99

With the Komori (Bat) Ninja Clan behind them, Usagi, Yukichi, and Chizu flee over the snow-covered pass. They have to cross a frozen lake, but their position in the open on such a slippery surface makes them easy prey for the bats-and the ice is not completely frozen! Also, Yukichi learns a valuable lesson: you can’t trust a ninja.

Usagi Yojimbo #31

Stan Sakai brings Usagi and imprint Dogu Publishing back to Dark Horse

Posted on by
Dogu Publishing

Dark Horse Comics has announce a new partnership with Stan Sakai’s Dogu Publishing. The Usagi Yojimbo comics universe and more will return to Dark Horse under the umbrella of a new imprint, Dogu. The announcement of this new partnership comes just ahead of the September 1 release of Season 2 of the hit Netflix animated series, Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, based on the world of Usagi Yojimbo created by Sakai. 

Usagi Yojimbo had previously been published with Dark Horse but in 2019 the title moved to IDW Publishing. Now, it returns to Dark Horse. Sakai has hinted at displeasure with how his comics had been handled at IDW on social media.

Dark Horse Comics has been a longtime home of the works of Stan Sakai, most recently publishing the continuing new editions of The Usagi Yojimbo Saga. Dogu Publishing is led by Creative Chairman Stan Sakai, CEO Jeremiah Blank, COO Julie Sakai, and Daniel Fujii, President/Publisher for Dogu Publishing.

The goals of the Dogu imprint include: to create a space for up-and-coming creators and artists to be featured, andto expand the Usagi Yojimbo universe through working with other artists and writers. The expanding Usagi universe is sure to bring about exciting tales to please both new and longtime Usagi readers alike. 

Stan Sakai has won numerous awards for his work in comics, including most recently the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers for Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis with Julie Sakai. Dark Horse and Dogu plan to continue to publish Chibi Usagi, Space Usagi, the Color Classics, and more to be announced.

Preview: Usagi Yojimbo #30

Posted on by

Usagi Yojimbo #30

(W) Stan Sakai (A/CA) Stan Sakai
In Shops: Aug 17, 2022
SRP: $3.99

Merchant Awase, his family, and all his employees are dead, and his shop has been ransacked. Chizu, former head of the Neko Ninja, reveals to them the secret document they carry hidden in a nondescript jewelry box. A document that Lord Hikiji, the Shadow Lord, wants and has sent his Komori (Bat) Ninja squad to retrieve, no matter the cost.

Usagi Yojimbo #30
« Older Entries Recent Entries »