Query regarding 'Travels with Jotaro' trade

[CraigGrannell]

First post here for me here (hi, everyone!), although I've known about Usagi for years, having been introduced to the character via the Commodore 64 videogame of all places. (In fact, I penned an article on that game for Retro Gamer a while back.)

Anyway, after a fairly long period of tracking down the Fantagraphics and early DH Usagi trades, I finally have a collection up to #12 (of which I've read the first eleven), and have started looking for places where I can complete the set. It seems some of the trades are pretty rare in the UK, although via Amazon, Waterstones and FPI, all of them are available, bar 18. However, today I happened upon a store in London that had all of them, but only a HC of 'Travels with Jotaro'. Looking at DH's site, only a HC is listed there, but did this trade also come out in SC? Being rather, erm, anal, I'd prefer it if my set matched formats, even if I currently have a rather obvious mix of new and old with the Fantagraphics stuff.

Any advice would be appreciated, and if Stan Sakai himself happens upon this thread, many thanks, Stan, for the hours of enjoyment your tales have given me so far!

[sschroeder]

Yes, Volume 18 did come out in trade. And from what people around here have said, if you are patient, it will almost certainly be reprinted at some point.

[chickrockguitar]

Yes, it did come out in SC trade.

I'm one of the lucky ones who didn't have a problem getting it... I'm sure I got my from Amazon before they sold out.

Try googleing a few UK online comic stores and email them to see if they have any copies. Stores such as OK COmics, The Comic Guru, 86th Floor Comics, Mega City Comics...

There's also one on ebay in the US

LINK

I'm not ure if you can buy a copy directly from Stan via the internet. I know your able to at Comic Cons...

[Mayhem]

As stated, Craig wrote the excellent article in Retro Gamer on the game last year. I've generally not had an issue finding the softs, but am currently in the process of trying to get all the hardcovers. So if I can get #18 in London, that'll help

If I'd realised you were wanting the softs Craig, you could have had the ones I've got (now I've made the decision to get the HCs).

[CraigGrannell]

Thanks for the replies. I checked out that eBay auction, and you've just gotta love 'flat-rate' shipping. Even with the strength of Sterling, I'm a tad reluctant to part with 14 bucks to ship a book to the UK, although perhaps the seller will combine that and send two trades, at which point I'll happily buy them.

What's most annoying about all this is that Forbidden Planet in London had loads of Usagi books a year or so back, but at that time I was trying to find all the Fantagraphics ones. Now, FP has only a few books in London and an incomplete set on its website (which, handily, also neglects to show actual stock levels anyway). I was all excited earlier when I saw the #18s in London, and then I realised they were HC. Oh well—more searching ahoy!

[Steve Hubbell]

Gee, 14 bucks for international shipping sounds great to me. Coming this way, I keep getting quotes of 20 euros to ship a book or handful of comics to the USA from various places in Europe.

[CraigGrannell]

I just had a quick check on Royal Mail's website, and I guess it depends on the weight of the book. If it's about 750g, that's not a bad shipping price, actually, but if it's 500g, it's a bit much. Anyway, I guess I was a tad hasty in my criticism (plus the overall price ends up under 13 quid anyway, which isn't too bad for one of the bigger UY titles). Still, I've asked for confirmation about it being in SC and have also emailed a bunch of British comic shops, just in case they have a copy.

Half-way through Grasscutter at the mo', which I'm thoroughly enjoying.

EDIT: Turns out the store that I got the last few Fantagraphics Usagi books has just got #18 back in stock, so: yay!

[MikeM]

Volume 18 was the hardest trade I had to get. It took me 2 freaking years! My local comic shop tried to order it from Diamond so many times and couldnt get it. I eventually found it on the other side of the country on my honeymoon!

But now I have them all!

Welcome aboard btw.

MikeM

[CraigGrannell]

Ironically, I found #18 in the end, and then Forbidden Planet said it couldn't get most of the ones I'd ordered. #15 now seems the most elusive. So: on the hunt again!

[Mayhem]

When we were there yesterday they had Usagi issues on the shelves, but we didn't spot any of the trade books...

[CraigGrannell]

Last time I was in London, FP had a Usagi book in the trades section, and about a half dozen more in the Manga section. The online store (FPI), however, claimed to have almost all of them. Clearly, they were fibbing somewhat.

[Trevis Woods]

I just saw somebody is selling all 20 trades on ebay starting at .99 each and he will combine shipping on multiple wins. I know some people have been looking for certain ones to fill out their collection so I thought I'd let everyone know. Good Luck.

[CraigGrannell]

FWIW, FPI finally sent most of the stuff through (three packages arrived yesterday, all at once, likely due to the postal services strike). #15's still conspicuous by its absence, and is even out of stock on TFAW. Still, I'm finally stuck into #13 now...