Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

I was just reading the list of collectibles and noticed Usagi Yojimbo Book 4 Hardcover is in there at #3.

Why is this hardcover more collectable than any others?

I am just wondering because I have it in a box somewhere!

mgk2006 wrote:I was just reading the list of collectibles and noticed Usagi Yojimbo Book 4 Hardcover is in there at #3.

Why is this hardcover more collectable than any others?

I think the collectables list may need to be updated.

That said, I think #4 hardcover is more collectable because it has previously unpublished story (in beautiful water color). That story has been reprinted in Art of UY.

Personally, I think the currrent Hardcovers will be "worth" more because there are not as many made (the last few were 300 copies each). Basic supply and demand.

UY #4 had a great story (including the water color story). One of my favorites.

Peace, maka

According to Stan at San Diego, Hardcover #3 is completely sold out. I don't know if that is the only one or not, but it is the only one I am missing as well. I'd like to see an update of the collectibles list as well.

I just got my first hardcover (volume 21)
Looks like its going to be a long hard road getting those other 20.

A few facts about UY Book 4: It sold out immediately upon printing, but so has the more recent editions. It had a color story, which has since been reprinted in The Art of UY. Each copy had an original full drawing on the signature plate. Nowadays I just do a head sketch. This book also had the largest print run, and I still have a bunch of copies left.

I think Book 12: Grasscutter is much scarcer. A copy had gone for more than $300 on e-bay. Book 1 sold for just over $200.

Yeah, that list was created before eBay even existed

It is true that all other UY Hardcovers are actually more scarce, but actually are just hardcover versions of the softcovers. Book 4 came out as a hardcover first, with the softcover published later on with a different cover (which has now been changed back to the hardcover's cover). Maka already mentioned the watercolor story, which was never reprinted until UY V3 #10 (in re-worked B&W) and finally in its original watercolor form in the Art of UY book.

Adding to Book 4 HC's uniqueness is the fact that it's actually lightly larger horizontally than any other UY HC.

Book 4 HC used to be very hard to come by, mainly because it was the most "in-demand" HC. Now that all of it's content is readily available elsewhere, demand has dropped off. Now it's as commonly found as Albedo NR 2

Book 4 was the first UY collection to be printed in hard cover. That is why I did that new water color story and original drawings--just to make it a bit more special.

Thanks everyone!

I remember I preordered it from Fantagraphics, and it was pretty exciting to have something that Stan had actually signed and numbered and drawn in! I used to have a fridge magnet too, although I have no idea where it has gotten to.

So the obvious question has to be - what should the list really say?