USAGI YOJIMBO Volume 1, Number 18

Dear Mr. Sakai,

I drew this picture because first of all, I love Ninja and Samurai, second, I love Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Usagi, so I decided to make a team-up picture. I sent it to you because Eastman and Laird wouldn't care, at least not much; they're too busy to do anything.

Chris Ferguson
Newbury Park, CT

[Now, now, Chris, you shouldn't prejudge people just because they happen to be richer than Donald Trump - as, I believe, Eastman and Laird have become over the years. I'm sure Kevin and Peter would have been just as delighted to get the drawing as Stan is - and, in fact, we'll print it here for them to see. Fair enough? - ED.]

Fan Art by Chris Ferguson

Dear Mr. Sakai,

I am a very big fan of Usagi. I have the Summer Special, Book One, and all of the comics but #12.

My brother is a very big collector of comic books and he said when Leonardo fought Usagi he went through a time hole and went back to Japan. Is this correct?

I think you have done a great job on Usagi. I think that he is one heck of a good fighter.

I do not know if you have ever heard of Rocket Raccoon. If you have, I think Usagi and he would be good friends.

Keep up the good work,
Drew Allen (Age 10)
Troy, OH

[Is this the same brother who told you about the monsters in the closet? Actually, Drew, I tend to think of the Usagi/TMNT stories as dream sequences and you probably should too. - ED.]

Dear Stan,

I have a small suggestion for a story in a future issue that you might consider. How about having Usagi run into a bunch of pirates? I know that pirates (the Blackbeard-the-Pirate type) existed in a different century than Usagi's, but suppose a bunch came through a hole in time...?

Darren Ryder
Chaumont, NY

[The hole-in-time contingent is out in full force today, isn't it? I suspect there are quite adequate nautical-robber types in Japanese history that Stan can borrow if he needs to.

[In my files, I ran across a letter from ace letterhack Todd Shogun that I had rejected as being far too long to publish. It's still too long to publish, but Todd asks some questions worth answering, or at least making fun of. - ED.]

Fan Art by Todd Shogun

"The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy"

Dear Stan and Kim,

And now for some rilly dumb questions. (And you thought no question was dumb? Wait till you read these!!!)

1) In the Fantagraphics "Menagerie" back-issue department, the listing for Critters #6 said that it contained a Usagi cover, but it didn't. So here goes: was the cover for #14 originally for #6? The reason I ask this is because the cover for "Bounty Hunter 2" has almost nothing to do with the story, while it would almost tell #6's.

2) What kind of animal is Shingen? Cat? Lynx? dog? Bear? (No contests, please.) Actually, Shingen reminds me of a thylacine.

3) If Usagi and Tomoe were to interbreed, would their offspring bear a little resemblance to Tetra Matthews of Deal Whitley's High Orbit ?

4) Is Hebi related to Spot, by any chance?

5) Will Usagi ever team up with Catnippon?

6) Why are you so damn good at art?

7) What does "mulch" mean?

8) Why does Todd Shogun frequently get his letters printed?

Todd Shogun
Cypress, CA

[(1) People sure will come up with elaborate explanations to explain a simple goof on my part. Not that I don't appreciate it, mind you.

[(2) I don't know what kind of animal Shingen is, but I want to know if Stan ever considered calling one of the chapters of "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy" "Shingen in the Rain." No, huh?

[(3) That's an awfully personal question.

[(4) Ditto.

[(5) I'd be surprised if he didn't someday.

[(6) Stan struck a bargain with the devil; in exchange for his unparalleled artistic ability, he has to letter Groo for the rest of his life. (There was also some clause about a Hamsters cover.) But we think it was worth it.

[(7) A "mulch" is sort of like a smurf, only squatter and tending toward the brownish purple in color. Watch for the Saturday morning TV show this coming September. You'll love the cereal, too, although the milk does turn a kind of unpleasant color.

[(8) Because I like someone who offers me a set of good straight lines, and because normally Todd keeps his letters to a reasonable length!

[- ED.]

Dear Stan, I am an enthusiastic reader of Usagi. I have managed to collect all the comics in the series. I've got tons of questions, but I'll start with four.

1) How did Lord Hikiji, a human, get into the parallel universe of Usagi ?

2) Did Usagi's father ever go on adventures before Usagi was born?

3) Could you and Jim Davis get together and make a Usagi/Garfield mini-series?

4) What if George bush fell into Usagi's universe like Leonardo in Turtle Soup #1?

How about a couple of books with the origins of Gen and Shingen? Well, until next time, keep up the good work!!!

Your biggest fan,
Isaac Eccles
Brazil, IN

[Our biggest fan? Boy, our biggest fan before Isaac was 7'3". I wonder how tall Isaac is.

[(1) In case recent events in the news haven't made this clear, humans are often animals too, Isaac.

[(2) Good question. If they ever do a Usagi movie, though, we hope Sean Connery can play Usagi's dad.

[(3) I know a lot of people who would love to see a Garfield/Usagi team-up. "I hate Mon-SLASH!" Exit one orange cat. Did you know Mark Evanier was writing the Garfield TV show? Maybe we should take up the matter with him.

[(4) George Bush is too two-dimensional to fit in with Stan's richly-characterized world.

[- ED.]

Dear Kim,

Thought I would take some time to write about how much I enjoy Usagi Yojimbo. I love all the stories and art in every issue. The first Usagi story I read was in Critters #10. Since then I was hooked on Stan's style of writing. It has a lot of action, drama, humor and suspense. Usagi is a character that adapts well to each of those categories.

I especially like Tom Linehan's drawing in #16, yet I never heard of Morphs. Is there any way I can obtain a copy, since I can't find a copy anywhere?

The enclosed drawing is one of the many characters I have created.

Keep up the good work!
David Duperre
Jacksonville, FL

[You...that sounds like an order. You heard the man, Stan. Morphs is available from GraphXpress, PO Box 32292, Tucson, AZ 85751. Send Jim Groat two and a half bucks and he'll send you the latest issue (or one with Tom Linehan in it). - ED.]

Hey Usagi dudes,

As a reader of the Usagi series, I'd just like to say, Oh, yea! This rabbit is here to stay. But, in collecting your comic book(s) I've many questions and opinions, but I'll just ask two, since you guys are so busy producing this great, great comic.

1) Isn't Usagi getting lonely travelling around Japan? Why can't he meet up with a Playboy Bunny in a restaurant or something? There would be no confusion in what kind of animal she is, and would put a bit of a twist in the storyline.

2) Isn't Japan an island, also surrounded by water? Am I wrong to say that I have never seen Usagi take a swim or surf in the ocean?

Oh, well...that's all from here. Keep up the big guy's ears.

Your devoted fan,
Kevin Sugimura
Cerritos, CA

[A Playboy bunny? Go stand in the corner, Kevin. next you'll be wanting Usagi to drive a Volkswagen Rabbit. And if you haven't seen Usagi take a swim it's because you haven't picked up the last two Amazing Heroes Swimsuit Specials, both of which feature Usagi in aquatic straits. - ED.]

Dear Stan,

I won't bore you with all that stuff about how good the comic is because you probably hear it 24 hours a day. Don't get me wrong; I love the comic. I think you've done an extraordinary job and if I were you, I would keep it black and white. I know this probably won't make a difference anyway, but I prefer the crispness of black and white.

I myself am Japanese and I was wondering: doesn't Okii Ashiyubi mean "Big Foot" or "Big Toe" or something like that? I have yet another question that may sound a little stupid, but what is that thing above Usagi's eye? Is that a scar, or an eyebrow, or what? Your response would be greatly appreciated.

Your biggest fan,
Chris Saito "The Hos" Hosmer
Bridgewater, NJ

[You mean you're even taller than Isaac? Anyway, "Big Toe" is correct, and the thing above Usagi's eye is in fact a scar. I'm sort of amazed you're the first one who asked that. Read the Usagi books carefully and you'll be able to figure out pretty exactly when he got the scar, by the way. - ED.]

Dear Stan,

I think Usagi Yojimbo is the best comic book around. I would like to know if I can still get Usagi Yojimbo Book 1. Is it possible that I could get an autographed photo of you and Usagi? You and your crew keep up the good work.

Your admirer,
Joe Gibson
Sacramento, CA

[Nope, we don't have any photos of Stan and Usagi together. The ol' bunny's a bit camera shy; also, we tried once and his ears kept on flopping in front of Stan's face. Sure, you can order Usagi Yojimbo Book 1 from our back-issues page, or, better yet, hassle your local retailer until he orders a copy for you. Tell him Kim Thompson said the book is in print and why doesn't he have a copy in his store. - ED.]

Last change: 19. May 2003

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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.