New Releases by Stan Sakai

Wandering ronin Usagi Yojimbo is alone once again, having emerged from his travels with young Jotaro. His brief respite from danger was not destined to last long, for adventure in feudal Japan waits for no one! In this volume of the internationally acclaimed series, master storyteller Stan Sakai treats readers to intriguing tales of Usagi on his own and catches up with a bevy of fan-favorite characters - "whodunit" maestro Inspector Ishida has another puzzling mystery to solve, bounty hunters Gen and Stray Dog are each on the tail of the possessed swordswoman Inazuma, bodyguard Tomoe has a new political rival in Lord Noriyuki''s court, and Priest Sanshobo''s temple is plagued by a vile demon! Throughout these stories we follow Usagi as he is roped into a covert smuggling operation, escorts a cantankerous old woman through dangerous territory, assists an inventor with a visionary flying machine, and once again encounters a vengeful young samurai. • Featuring a rare short story starring Katsuichi and young Usagi which has never seen print in the Usagi comics series!

Master storyteller Stan Sakai opens this brand-new collection with a deadly ambush on the fugitive Lone Goat Assassin and his child, Gorogoro. Lone Goat is victorious, but wounded-and his son is too young to help. Unable to seek proper medical attention, Lone Goat collapses in an abandoned house. What he needs is a knowledgeable ronin, and soon! Elsewhere, Usagi is in a desperate search for his young companion, Jotaro, who has eluded murderous kidnappers. His is a panic that only rises out of fatherly love, though he has kept the secret of Jotaro''s parentage from the boy throughout their travels together. If they are able to continue on to Kitanoji Temple, will the rabbit samurai confess before they part ways? Featuring appearances by readers'' favorite characters-including the deadly Neko Ninja. Collecting issues #69-#75 of the ongoing series.

The rabbit ronin faces a horde of the undead when a harmless-looking but powerful charm brings a betrayed army back to life. With hundreds of zombies and an evil wizard to contend with, Usagi finds himself far out of his depth! Fortunately, he has the aid of fan-favorite character Sasuké the Demon Queller, most recently seen in the Yokai graphic novel. This volume also features several action-packed short stories, including the Eisner-nominated “Death of Lord Hikiji”! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #117–#123 and stories from Dark Horse Maverick 2001 and MySpace Dark Horse Presents #35.

The rabbit ronin’s wanderings find him caught between competing gang lords fighting for control of A Town Called Hell. With the help of master swordsman Kato, Usagi takes on one gangster, while the other stirs up even more trouble! Now, with Kato on his trail, Usagi continues his travels, confronting a nukekubi—a flying cannibal head—aiding a disgraced samurai seeking redemption, and even crossing paths with the demon Jei! All the while, Kato awaits a rematch and a return to Hell! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #124–#131. * Introduction by Geof Darrow (Shaolin Cowboy, Hard Boiled)! * 2012 Eisner nominee for Best Continuing Series!

For years, as Miyamoto Usagi has wandered the countryside, an unseen, malevolent entity has been tracing his steps. Thought dead since the events of Grasscutter, the demon Jei-the Black Soul-has been inhabiting the body of the swordswoman Inazuma, intent on destroying the evil he claims to see in Usagi! Meanwhile, Boss Bakuchi, shamed by his inability to avenge his son''s death, doubles the bounty on the killer-Inazuma. The money brings out scores of bounty hunters, unaware that they are merely a flock of sparrows intent on bringing down an eagle. The hunt for Inazuma also draws Usagi, hunters Gen and Stray Dog, and a mysterious stranger named Isamu, each with his own motive. As the threat of the Black Soul reemerges, this epic storyline reveals at last the true origin of Jei! * Collecting "Sparrows," the dramatic return of the demon Jei, and "The Darkness and the Soul," Jei''s long-awaited origin, plus the Usagi short from Free Comic Book Day 2009. * Introduction by Charles Solomon of the Los Angeles Times.

The wandering life of a ronin is often a lonely one, and Usagi has been on that path a long time. A temporary peace, staying with the merchant Endo and his daughter Hanaka, is interrupted by the deadly League of Assassins, setting Usagi back on the road, but with the uncomfortable sensation that he is being followed. * Collects issues #94-#102. This volume also includes the landmark Usagi Yojimbo #100, a celebratory roast issue featuring contributions from several of the best writers and artists in comics including Frank Miller, Matt Wagner, Jeff Smith, Sergio Aragonés, and more! Introduction by Brian K. Vaughan! “Matching the writing, Stan Sakai''s cartooning remains a lesson to anyone wanting to learn the craft. Well-researched details ground each scene in reality, while the carefully chosen angles and zooms maximize the humor or drama of each story beat . . . Long story short, Usagi Yojimbo continues to be the best adventure comic in the world today, and Bridge of Tears is simply more evidence.” -Newsarma

The warrior’s path is fraught with peril as Miyamoto Usagi takes to the road with his bounty-hunter friend Gen. Traveling the countryside, the samurai odd couple must put bickering over money and shortcuts aside as they encounter a series of dangers, including trickster foxes, a gambler who is master of the bullwhip, and several factions of treacherous ninja. The stakes are raised even higher when the pair go their separate ways, as Usagi falls in with a clan on a suicide mission and Gen pursues a killer who isn’t what he appears, in adventures that will test each friend’s honor-and bravery! * Introduction by award-winning animator and official “Disney Legend” Floyd Norman! * The tales in this volume were nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series!

The discovery of gold ignites a struggle of striking proportions as a power-mad tyrant''s lust for wealth threatens to destroy not only Usagi Yojimbo and his companion Tomoe but an entire innocent village! When plague strikes a border town in the mountains of the Geishu Province, Lord Noriyuki sends his loyal bodyguard Tomoe to investigate. Once there, she and her retinue discover a truth far more terrible. Meanwhile, back at the castle, the sycophantic Lord Horikawa sets in motion a plot to eliminate Tomoe his own way. Only the rabbit ronin Usagi could extricate a friend from a predicament this perilous-if he hadn''t ended up landing in the same one himself! Usagi and Tomoe must use every ounce of skill and wit if they are to survive "The Mother of Mountains," an adventure in the spirit of the award-winning epic "Grasscutter" by internationally celebrated storyteller Stan Sakai! * Introduction by film director John Landis!

Learn why Tomoe is the most valuable retainer of Lord Noriuki of the Geishu Province, then plunge into a terrifying ghost story where a string of mysterious murders points to a woman dead for ten years. Finally, experience the mesmerizing beauty of a formal tea ceremony, as Usagi and Tomoe share this spiritual event to mark the rabbit ronin''s departure from the province to resume his travels. * Collects Usagi Yojimbo Color Special #1-3 (originally published by Fantagraphics) and Usagi Yojimbo #90-93. * Introduction by Heidi MacDonald of Publishers Weekly and features the newly redrawn "Tomoe''s Story" introductory tale! * Listed as one of the Young Adult Library Services Association''s (YALSA) Great Graphic Novels for Teens.

Usagis travels take him to a village plagued by rainstorms threatening to destroy it. While the rabbit ronin organizes the men to build a levee, the defenseless town is ransacked by bandits. Now Usagi and his companions must choose: chase after the brigands and risk a flood or finish the dike and face starvation! From a story idea by Sergio Aragoní©s! Reading Usagi Yojimbo is like curling up by a fire in a cozy blanket on a cold day. Its a comfortable, safe place that is fun to fully immerse yourself into and Sakai makes it easy to do that.ðComicosity This is a must read for any comic book fan.ðGraphic Policy

Usagi escorts a merchants daughter to the town where she is betrothed to a merchants son. While the parents are thrilled that the union will unite the two businesses, Usagi has his work cut out for him when Koroshi, the league of assassins, is hired to see she never arrives at her destination! Sakai puts on a Master Class in storytelling with each issue.� -Comic Book Resources

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest running and best-loved comic adventures of all time. Running from 1984 to the present day, and showing no sign of diminishing in popularity, the rabbit ronin is now seen as a figurehead of the comic book scene, and crucial to bringing the ideas of feudal Japan to a wider western audience. Roaming an anthropomorphic version of feudal Japan, the rabbit samurai has no master, but takes on tasks from any aggrieved animals he encounters - always ensuring he sticks to the noble way of the samurai.

Usagi Yojimbo is considered key in the world of comics, and an important link between the manga comics of Japan and the superhero comics of the U.S. The series'' creator, Stan Sakai, first started drawing Usagi in the early eighties. Roaming an anthropomorphic version of feudal Japan, the rabbit samurai has no master, but takes on tasks from any aggrieved animals he encounters.

Usagi Yojimbo is considered key in the world of comics, and an important link between the manga comics of Japan and the superhero comics of the U.S. The series'' creator, Stan Sakai, first started drawing Usagi in the early eighties. Roaming an anthropomorphic version of feudal Japan, the rabbit samurai has no master, but takes on tasks from any aggrieved animals he encounters, always ensuring he sticks to the noble way of the samurai.

What¡¯s to Love: No one can deny the cultural impact of Charles M. Schulz¡¯s Peanuts, and it has been a singular honor for us to be able to continue his legacy. In 2015, Peanuts celebrates its 65th anniversary, so we thought there was no better way to recognize Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the gang than to invite some of the world¡¯s best-known names in comics, children¡¯s books, comic strips, cartoons, and webcomics to come together and show their love for Schulz. What It Is: Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz is a giant love letter from creators new and old from comic strips to webcomics, children¡¯s books to comic books. Unprecedented at this scale, it is very rare for the Schulz estate to allow other cartoonists to illustrate the Peanuts gang in their own signature styles. This collection of original stories, pin-ups, and strips pay tribute to Schulz and the world of Peanuts, and includes contributions from Raina Telgemeier (Smile), Jen Wang (In Real Life), Patrick McDonnell (Mutts), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Terry Moore (Rachel Rising), Mike Allred (Silver Surfer), Paul Pope (Battling Boy), and many more. Features an introduction by Lincoln Peirce (Big Nate).

Miyamoto Usagi''s past comes to the fore in this latest volume of Dark Horse''s definitive Usagi Yojimbo compilations. First, Usagi attends a duel between his former teacher, Katsuichi, and Katsuich''s rival, and is drawn into a dispute involving a local fencing school. Next, Usagi struggles with the knowledge that his young traveling companion Jotaro is his son. Along the way, Sakai spins classic tales, as the Neko Ninja plot against Lord Noriyuki''s life, fan-favorite character Sasuké the Demon Queller returns, and the manga classic Lone Wolf and Cub is homaged in "Lone Goat and Kid"! Collects Usagi Yojimbo Volume Three #53-#75!

Join everyone''s favorite rabbit ronin as he continues his gripping exploits on the warrior''s path! In this volume, Usagi teams up with fan-favorite guest star Inspector Ishida to solve a double murder at a roadside inn, then helps an allied clan protect its honor, and discovers that the soy sauce business can be as deadly as it is tasty! Featured in this collection is the story "Two Hundred Jizo," which celebrates Usagi''s two hundredth consecutive appearance under the masterful pen of creator Stan Sakai! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #139-#144, plus three additional, previously uncollected short stories: "Buntori," "The Artist," and "Sukanku"!

In this volume, Usagi teams up with fan favorite Inspector Ishida, helps an allied clan protect its honor, discovers how deadly the soy sauce business can be, and more! Features “Two Hundred Jizo,” Usagi’s two hundredth consecutive issue drawn by Stan Sakai! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #139–#144, plus three additional, previously uncollected stories: “Buntori,” “The Artist,” and “Sukanku”! * Introduction by Guy Davis (The Marquis, concept artist on Pacific Rim and The Strain)!

Join everyone''s favorite rabbit ronin as he continues his gripping exploits on the warrior''s path! In this volume, Usagi teams up with fan-favorite guest star Inspector Ishida to solve a double murder at a roadside inn, then helps an allied clan protect its honor, and discovers that the soy sauce business can be as deadly as it is tasty! Featured in this collection is the story "Two Hundred Jizo," which celebrates Usagi''s two hundredth consecutive appearance under the masterful pen of creator Stan Sakai! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #139-#144, plus three additional, previously uncollected short stories: "Buntori," "The Artist," and "Sukanku"!

The rabbit ronin faces a menace from Mars in this extraordinary story from multiple Eisner award-winning creator Stan Sakai! Fifteen years in his future, Miyamoto Usagi fights with Lord Noriyuki''s Geishu clan, in an all-out war against the treacherous Lord Hikiji. In the fury of the final battle, a mysterious metal rocket crash-lands from the heavens, shattering both armies and igniting a new, more devastating conflict. It will take all the considerable fortitude, ingenuity, and heroism that Usagi and his loved ones can muster to combat the fearsome extraterrestrial war machines and halt the alien invasion. In the end, not everyone will survive to tell the tale.

In the tradition of the celebrated collections The Art of Sin Cityand The Art of Hellboy, Dark Horse is proud to showcase the work of multi award-winning creator Stan Sakai in The Art of Usagi Yojimbo. The sold-out hardcover edition, timed to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the creation of Sakai''s signature character, Usagi Yojimbo, was met with an overwhelming response from thousands of fans around the world. This edition features scores of never-before-seen pieces, a long out-of-print twelve-page primer illustrating how Stan creates each of his Usagi stories, forty-eight full-color pages of Stan''s beautiful painted artwork, and more. Additionally, some of the biggest names in comics pay tribute to their favorite rabbit ronin in a fantastic gallery section, with pinups by Frank Miller, Geof Darrow, Jeff Smith, Sergio Aragonés, and Matt Wagner, among others!

"This Gallery Edition reproduces Stan Sakai''s artwork for Usagi Yojimbo in full color and at original size. This first volume comprises the first ten years of Sakai and Usagi''s evolution, spanning from the earliest, unpublished Usagi story in the early eighties to the second Usagi Yojimbo series [in] the early nineties."--About this edition (CIP galley)

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest running and best-loved comic adventures of all time. Running from 1984 to the present day, and showing no sign of diminishing in popularity, the rabbit ronin is now seen as a figurehead of the comic book scene, and crucial to bringing the ideas of feudal Japan to a wider western audience. Roaming an anthropomorphic version of feudal Japan, the rabbit samurai has no master, but takes on tasks from any aggrieved animals he encounters - always ensuring he sticks to the noble way of the samurai .

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest running and best-loved comic adventures of all time. Running from 1984 to the present day, and showing no sign of diminishing in popularity, the rabbit ronin is now seen as a figurehead of the comic book scene, and crucial to bringing the ideas of feudal Japan to a wider western audience. Roaming an anthropomorphic version of feudal Japan, the rabbit samurai has no master, but takes on tasks from any aggrieved animals he encounters - always ensuring he sticks to the noble way of the samurai.

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest running and best-loved comic adventures of all time. Running from 1984 to the present day, and showing no sign of diminishing in popularity, the rabbit ronin is now seen as a figurehead of the comic book scene, and crucial to bringing the ideas of feudal Japan to a wider western audience. Roaming an anthropomorphic version of feudal Japan, the rabbit samurai has no master, but takes on tasks from any aggrieved animals he encounters - always ensuring he sticks to the noble way of the samurai.

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest running and best-loved comic adventures of all time. Running from 1984 to the present day, and showing no sign of diminishing in popularity, the rabbit ronin is now seen as a figurehead of the comic book scene, and crucial to bringing the ideas of feudal Japan to a wider western audience. Saga Volume 2 tells Sakai''s story from the very beginning. The title is also available in luxurious special edition format, limited to 900 copies and signed by Stan Sakai himself (see 9781616556723)!

The Red Scorpion Gang has been terrorizing the countryside for months, with evidence of their ill deeds appearing everywhere the rabbit ronin turns! Usagi first crosses swords with the Scorpions as the gang extorts protection money from poor farmers, then must defend a temple from their attacks. But when Usagi is accused of being a member of the gang, he has no choice but to take the fight to the Red Scorpion himself! This volume also features the return of wily thief Kitsune and the mysterious Lord of Owls! Collects Usagi Yojimbo #132-#138! Featuring an introduction by George Takei!

Experience the rabbit action epic that might have been! More than just a precursor to Stan Sakai''s beloved Usagi Yojimbo, his tales of medieval unwits Nilson and Hermy are every bit as funny, exciting, and beautifully illustrated as the saga of the familiar rabbit ronin! Collecting Nilson and Hermy''s complete exploits! * Collects every Nilson story, plus rarely seen extra art! * Newly scanned from Sakai''s original art and colored by Usagi colorist Tom Luth! * Don''t miss Nilson and Hermy in November''s Dark Horse Presents #30! "Stan Sakai is a master."—Alejandro Jodorowsky "Stan Sakai is one of the few artists working in comics who completely understand the medium."—Jeff Smith

Living legends Mike Mignola, Stan Sakai, and Jaime Hernandez all contribute to this final issue of _Dark Horse Presents_! Mignola and Ben Stenbeck deliver a new _Witchfinder_ story, while Hernandez introduces Merlon the magician! This issue also features new stories _Sunstroke_ from Luciano Saracino and Juan Manuel Tumbur̼s, a new _Clark Collins_ tale from Kel McDonald, two hilarious new strips from Patrick Alexander, and a surprise-ending sci-fi story from Martin Conaghan and Jimmy Broxton! * Plus, the exciting conclusions of _Cruel Biology_, _S.H.O.O.T. First_, _Usagi Yojimbo_, and _Davey Jones_! * Two-time Eisner and Harvey Award winner! Dark Horse''s prestigious anthology series . . . showcases emerging talent alongside some of the greatest writers, artists and cartoonists comics has to offer.�Comics Alliance

Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest running and best-loved comic adventures of all time. Running from 1984 to the present day, and showing no sign of diminishing in popularity, the rabbit ronin is now seen as a figurehead of the comic book scene, and crucial to bringing the ideas of feudal Japan to a wider western audience. Saga Volume 1 tells Sakai''s story from the very beginning, and is also available in luxurious special edition format.