What would you like to see in an Usagi Artist Edition?

[Stan Sakai]

I am not saying that there is one in the works, but, out of curiosity, what would you like to see in it? Grasscutter is out because they say it's too long. Would you like just the early stories? A retrospective from the early stuff to present? What particular stories comprise the best of what UY material is out there? What if it were a series of 2 or 3 Artist Editions? Would that change your choice of what is in the first book?

An Artist Edition is an oversize book reprinting original comic book art as close to the original art as a facsimile can get. It is printed the same size as the original and on paper that is as close to the original paper as possible. Though the art is reproduced in black and white in the comics, the AE is shot in color so as to get every stray un-erased pencil mark, blue pencil lines, white out, and coffee stain. I have always been resistant to the idea of an Usagi AE because my originals tend to be very clean and looks very much like the printed page, except bigger. Maybe I can go back and spill some coffee on some pages. One of the Dark Horse guys got a paper cut on one of may pages a few years ago, and now there is some of his DNA on a page. Too bad he didn't bleed more. We could have used that page.

[maichan]

Wow, that's quite a "What if"........ and one I'd really enjoy seeing.

Without thinking too hard, picking a single story is tough.

In a way, I think I'd get more out of some sort of retrospective approach. I always find it interesting when you show various works in progress on your Facebook page and I think something similar would translate well as an Artist Edition.

But that's just me... I'm very curious others think or would prefer.....

[TigerRider]

What I really like are the crafting-(short)stories. I mean the ones where we/ Usagi learn s.t. about, soy-sauce making, drum building, net making etc.

They are of different length so you can compose them together to get the desired size in total.

*

Apart from this (and if I knew there would be 2-3 AEs) I'd find it interesting to cover different themes in the volumes.

Maybe like, "Usagi and landscapes", "Usagi and architecture", "Usagi - friends and foes".

Stan could decide, which original-pages would match best in the themes.


Greetings
Jens

[Maka]

For maximum sales, TMNT crossover would probably be a good one if you have the rights to reprint that.

One of my favorite is the "Noodles" story.

Maybe a Japanese research theme? Kite story, seaweed farmers, drum making, shoyu.

I like traders of the earth - who doesn't like zombies.

I also like Travels with Jotaro & Fathers and Sons but that is probably too long.

Book two is also a good option because it retells Usagi's origin.

Peace, maka

[Steve Hubbell]

I gave a suggestion for this a while back in a reply to a message posted by Brendan Wright (if I remember correctly) on a recent post of his on Facebook where he was discussing a (non-Usagi) Artist Edition type book being released by Dark Horse.

I would love to see the Shizukiri & Mayumi story-line reprinted in an Artist Edition format, if it is not too long.

Remnants of the Dead / Shizukiri / Boss Hamanaka’s Fortune / Bridge of Tears / Fever Dream / The Killer
- skipping Return of the Black Soul (aka Rain and Thunder) and the issue #100 Roast.

1. It has a wide range of emotional scenes of Usagi, from playing with kids to dreaming he is possessed by Jei San
2. Lots of action with Usagi kicking butt all over town
3. Some great secondary characters, not limited to Shizukiri and Mayumi (Chizu and Tomoe both appear as well)
4. Would include stories of differant length and from differant veiw points.
5. Bonus material could include the final 2 pages of The Showdown where Usagi and Gen first encounter Shizukiri, the 1 page alternate ending to The Bridge of Tears, and Mayumi, the 10 page alternate ending to The Killer.

[Steve Hubbell]

It would also be great to see Usagi yojimbo: Senso released in an Artist Edition format......

[leonid]

artwise i think my favourite panel is from an old story where usagi walks into a village while a storm is brewing. there's leaves blowing in the wind, the atmosphere is very dark, it looked fantastic. i can't recall the name of the story but i always remember the art.

it's quite different from stan's current style, a lot darker.

[Robert Kassebaum]

To see the covers in an Artist Edition would be fantastic.

[roel]

SENSO hands down!!! This needs an artist edition! I already know it'll be my favorite.

[john h.]

It REALLY needs to be Grasscutter since it's the arc that's gained you the most awards.
Could it possibly be cut into 3 volumes with Grasscutter II included ?
If an Dark Horse "Artist Edition" is created, they should go with the best stuff possible.

IMHO,
John H.

[Thomas Froehling]

I would opt for the stories which gives insight into medieval Japanese day-to-day life, like Tigerrider and Maka said: Kite story, seewead farming, pottery, drum and soy making.... and wasn't there a story about crafting samurai swords as well? Ok, seems rather a lot for just one AE...

[rs2]

the dragon bellow conspiracy.
it was the first Usagi hardcover, after all...

I'd happily buy all of Usagi (again) in artist edition, truth be told.
whatever story is done, then I would like to see it's evolution (I know we've seen it before, but I loved Stan's strip on how the Komori ninja storyline evolved. I'd also like to see the antarctic press action figure previews strip republished. the rocket hands reaction still makes me smile to this day)

[Otter]

I agree. Dragon Bellow.

My favourite Usagi story arc, ever. And my favourite period of Usagi's style, artistically. (I've still been unable to secure a copy of the first silk screen.)

[Angilasman]

I'd prefer short stories the span the history of the series instead of just a longer story arc.

[Usagi-chan]

A Senso Artist Edition would be very cool. Another good one would be "A Town Called Hell".