Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Here's something I want to know. I came on the Usagi bandwagon when he was being published by DC in TPB on a semi-regular basis. This was fine. I got a great insight into the character without having to read over tons of back-issues, and the little summary at the beginning of "Shades of Death" was clever and concise.

And then...(da da da.....)

Out of nowehre, it seems, this Fox with white eyes and monk's robe with a spear is amblin' around the countryside, looking for our rabbit ronin to vanquish him from the face of the earth.

Now, I may be a little slow, but this seemed like a "came-out-of-left-field" event to me. I can't find the Mirage TPBs or any of the old issues, so I have no idea why Jei (or now, Inazuma-Jei), is looking for Usagi so badly. (Isuposse Inazuma-Jei for Jei being killed in Grasscutter, but...)

Little help here?

DC published Usagi TPBs? As far as I know, only Fantagraphics and Dark Horse have published UY TPBs (the Mirage issues are reprinted in the first DH's TPBs - Shades of Death, Daisho, The Brink of Life and Death). Anyway, Jei (I think he's a wolf) last appeared in the Circles TPB (Book 6) by Fantagraphics, before reappearing in the DH TPBs.

(SPOILER) Jei, who seemed to survive in the story "Blade of the Gods" (TPB #3), was looking desperately for Usagi to fulfill his (holy?) mission. Jei finally arrived to Usagi's hometown, recruited some bandits for his cause, and managed to kidnap Jotaro, Usagi and Mariko's son. In a succesful effort to rescue Jotaro, Usagi fought Jei next to a cliff and Usagi managed to throw Jei down. The next time Jei appeared, he was found lying on the riverside, probably dragged away from the place he fell from. You probably know the rest of the story.(END OF SPOILER).

I'm really looking forward to see Inazuma-Jei again. Jei has to be one of the best villains that I have ever seen in any story.

i meant to say dark horse. Thanks for the info!