USAGI YOJIMBO Volume 1, Number 12

Cast and crew,

When I first saw the cover of Usagi Yojimbo #10, I fully expected to find the prostitution of yet another exceptional character (no names, please); instead, I read a memorable crossover. I especially enjoyed Leo's ninja water technique and his words thereafter. I honestly hope there will be (as Usagi said) future adventures. Keep up the outstanding work!

J. Bluemist
Elmira, NY

Dear Kim and Stan,

Hi! How are you? I'm fine. I just had to write you a letter after I read Usagi Yojimbo #10. I thought that it was a great story! Before I read it, though, I looked through it just to see what it looked like. I first got the impression that it might be a story about a witch. But then, when I returned home to read it, I found out what it was about! "Blade of the Gods" was a unique story, unlike any Usagi stories I ever read. It was kind of sad to see all of those samurai die, just because Jei thought they were all "evil." I'm glad Jei was killed (or taken by the gods?) because he did not deserve life, even if he was mad. There's no telling how many lives he could have taken if it hadn't been for Usagi. Usagi himself was almost killed. But that would be ridiculous! All in all, a great story, Stan!

Peter Laird's "The Crossing" was also very good. It's great to see Usagi drawn by another artist. Usagi and Leonardo work well together. I hope to see more stories of them together in the future. "The Crossing" has to be the best back-up story you ever had. But I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch because "Cat Nippon" could be just as good!

In issue #8 a letter-writer stated that back-ups are a waste of time. This is ridiculous. I enjoy these back-up stories very much and I'm sure your many other readers do too. If you were to make Usagi Yojimbo an all-Usagi 32-page book, we might have to wait even longer for the next issue to come out. and, if you shorten the book and lower the price to $1.50, almost all of the readers will feel ripped-off. Surely these back-ups are worth more than 50 cents! Plus, what difference will it make schedule-wise? It will still be bi-monthly most of the year because you do 20 pages of Usagi per book (with the exception of #6, of course)! This is why I appreciate back-ups. All-Usagi issues are great once in a while but I wouldn't want to see you strain yourself on 32 pages of story. With all that work that you do (lettering Groo and Kamui, and doing everything on Usagi and Nilson Groundthumper) it must be a big enough strain on you already! Assistance on Usagi will make your fantastic work easier.

In issue #10, a letter writer stated that he used Usagi as reference on a paper for his history class. What a coincidence! So did I! Really! I agree that Usagi Yojimbo is a very cultural and interesting comic. Gee, is Usagi getting to be educational? It must be! It got me an A!

Well, keep up the unique and educational work and I'll see you at the San Diego con. ?Bye!

Todd Shogun
Cypress, CA

[Gosh, we're becoming the Cliff Notes for the ?80s here.

[I haven't had any complaints about back-up features lately - which, considering the calibre of back-up features this past year, is hardly surprising. I should mention that if we ever decide to dump ?em, the price would certainly not drop to $1.50. Maybe $1.75. So the question is: are the back-ups worth a quarter?

[Blanked-out eyeballs have been cartoon shorthand for alien or demonically possessed characters for a while now. (For an equivalent example in movies, see Zuul in Ghostbusters.)

[Before I go, I'd like to mention, for the benefit of readers who enjoyed Tom Stazer's "Lionheart" back-up strip, that the series is available in Critters #4 (the first story), #8-10, 17-18, 23 (a Christmas short), 25-29 (the latest, and longest, story). Issue #11, containing the climax to the story in #8-10, is out of stock here at Fantagraphics, but your local back-issue dealer should be able to sell you a copy not too much above cover price. For the others, see the inside back cover. Also, check out Tom's series Spaced, published by Unbridled Ambition/Eclipse. See you next issue, when Mark Evanier and Scott Shaw! present the long-awaited "Digger Duckbill" story.

[- ED.]

Last change: 19. May 2003

Back to UY Dojo Home Page

Because of getting swamped by spam eMail, we don't publish an eMail adress here but you can always reach us via the DojoBoard.

Usagi Yojimbo, including all prominent characters featured in the stories and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Stan Sakai and Usagi Studios. Usagi Yojimbo is a registered trademark of Stan Sakai. Names, characters, places, and incidents featured in this publication either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events, institutions, or locales, without satiric content, is coincidental.