Usagi Yojimbo: Senso

[JenBurdoo]

Fraggin' awesome! I can't wait to buy this!

[Steve Hubbell]

3 hours ago
I've finally finished UY: Senso. I just sent the last chapter in this morning. Now I'll be doing a variant cover for Marvel's Rocket Raccoon, a 4-pager for the Legal Defense Fund annual anthology, get ready for San Diego, then, after a 2 year hiatus, back to the regular Usagi series.



Here are two variations of the first page of Senso #6. After drawing the first one, I decided not to use it for a couple of reasons, so redid it. I've had to redraw pages a few times, more recently the splash page for Senso #2.

[Steve Hubbell]

about an hour ago
Here is a step-by-step look at the unused first page of UY: Senso #6. The art was done on 11x17 inch Strathmore 500 series bristol with a 10x15 inch image area.



I start off with very loose lines, drawn with a 3mm mechanical pencil with a 2H lead.



Hand lettered with Rotring Art Pens, M and B tips using Badger Black Opaque ink (old formula), and the Aames lettering guide set at 3.25.

Badger changed its formula about 5 years ago to an acrylic base which is terrible. Fortunately, I still have a few bottles of their old formula, but am looking for a new brand of ink.

I don't use the ink cartridges the pens come with, but replace them with ink converters which allow me to fill them with my own ink.



The pencils are tightened up using an HB lead. Buildings are determined using a 2-point perspective.



First round of inking done with a Koh-i-noor Sketch pen, then the pencils are erased.

The Koh-i-noor Sketch Pens were discontinued about 20 years ago. Fortunately, I do have a small supply of them. I usually use two pens when working on a story. One is an older, broken in pen that I use when I need a thicker line, such as for foreground characters, and a newer one that I use when I need a thinner line.



Blacks are spotted with a Pentel brush pen and Badger Black Opaque ink (old formula), then textures are added.



The finished page, which will not be in the book.

[go]

Dear Reader,
BBC version of Senso:
"The Great Martian War"
http://www.history.co.uk/shows/the-great-martian-war
Best wishes to all!
go

[Casey Burns]

Picked up the first issue today. What a great opening issue. Raises a lot of questions about that 20-year interval.
Art is beautiful. Excited to see how the story plays out. Fantastic work Stan!

[estee]

For those interested, I did a review for Senso #1 for cxPulp.

Click the link in my signature if you'd like to read it.

Love it.

Felt like a young nerd again!!

[Steve Hubbell]

Nice review!

I still miss the old forum where you originally posted your Usagi reviews.....

[estee]

I've been drifting away from reviews. As I find myself writing the same thing.

But I felt this Usagi series to be different. And it's awesome.

[JLM]

Very much enjoyed issue #1, and looking forward to seeing the story unfold.

A tad early, but will the series eventually be collected like the other books, i.e. a paperback edition and a signed limited hardcover?

[Maka]

There will be a graphic novel collection. But I don't know if they will also have a hardcover signed limited edition version. Peace, maka

[Stan Sakai]

There will be a b/w hardcover edition in a similar format as 47 Ronin and Nilson Groundthumper. There will not be a signed & numbered edition. I think it is scheduled for mid-2015.

[JLM]

Thanks very much for the info!

[JenBurdoo]

Enjoyed the issue, but I can't help thinking five issues will be too short for this.

[Steve Hubbell]

There will be a b/w hardcover edition in a similar format as 47 Ronin and Nilson Groundthumper. There will not be a signed & numbered edition. I think it is scheduled for mid-2015.

I really do like the Yokai / Nilson Groundthumper / 47 Ronin format of books, they are pretty neat. i am still kind of bummed that Senso won't get the deluxe embossed, s/n limited edition hc treatment that the regular Usagi books get. Maybe, between now and next summer, you can convince Dark Horse that they really do want to do the deluxe hc version as well.

[Maka]

Enjoyed the issue, but I can't help thinking five issues will be too short for this.

You are in luck! Senso will be six issues! Peace, maka