Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

I've tried to figure out on several occasions how the series issue count in the more recent front covers was decided (I think this overall tally began with the renumbering of The Hidden). IDW seems to have picked up the numbering that was established in the Dark Horse run of The Hidden, but I'm wondering where those numbers come from? As of right now (IDW issue #8), the current count shows it is series issue #246. So how do we get to that number?

Looking at just the normal "Usagi Yojimbo" titled books (so no Albedo, Critters, or Space Usagi), I count:

Fantagraphics- 38
Mirage - 16
Dark Horse - 165
Dark Horse (The Hidden) - 7
IDW - 8

= 234 issues

So, that's 12 issues short of reaching the amount indicated inside the cover. What might those last ones be?

Usagi Yojimbo Color Special (Fantagraphics) - 3
Usagi Yojimbo Summer Special (Fantagraphics) - 1
Usagi Yojimbo Color Special: The Artist (Dark Horse) - 1
Usagi Yojimbo: Senso - 6

=245 issues

Still one short. Maybe Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai or the Usagi Yojimbo/TMNT: Namazu is the last one? Or maybe there's an issue I'm overlooking? Or maybe Senso (being an out-of-continuity mini series) doesn't count towards that number and I'm actually 7 issues short?

Any thoughts on how the official numbering as shown inside the recent front covers was achieved?

Does Senso count here? I don't know, maybe Stan can answer that one.

You haven't listed the fourth colour special though, Green Persimmon published by Dark Horse, so that's probably your missing issue.

jabba359 wrote:I've tried to figure out on several occasions how the series issue count in the more recent front covers was decided (I think this overall tally began with the renumbering of The Hidden). IDW seems to have picked up the numbering that was established in the Dark Horse run of The Hidden, but I'm wondering where those numbers come from? As of right now (IDW issue #8), the current count shows it is series issue #246. So how do we get to that number?

Looking at just the normal "Usagi Yojimbo" titled books (so no Albedo, Critters, or Space Usagi), I count:

Fantagraphics- 38
Mirage - 16
Dark Horse - 165
Dark Horse (The Hidden) - 7
IDW - 8

= 234 issues

So, that's 12 issues short of reaching the amount indicated inside the cover. What might those last ones be?

Usagi Yojimbo Color Special (Fantagraphics) - 3
Usagi Yojimbo Summer Special (Fantagraphics) - 1
Usagi Yojimbo Color Special: The Artist (Dark Horse) - 1
Usagi Yojimbo: Senso - 6

=245 issues

Still one short. Maybe Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai or the Usagi Yojimbo/TMNT: Namazu is the last one? Or maybe there's an issue I'm overlooking? Or maybe Senso (being an out-of-continuity mini series) doesn't count towards that number and I'm actually 7 issues short?

Any thoughts on how the official numbering as shown inside the recent front covers was achieved?

Hello! I too have been wondering this and I actually think I might have it figured out. I've created a spread sheet to help guide with what issues the overall series issue numbers correspond to. Overall issues 1-200 were pictured on the back of UY Vol. 3 #141 and I think, going by the order on that back cover, that this is how they map out. The issues from UY, Vol. 3 #141 and up (along with Summer Special, Senso, The Hidden, The Artist Color Special) all have the overall series number in the comic indicia. Yokai GN and TMNT/UY Namazu don't seem to be included anywhere in the overall numbering but I listed them on there as unknown.

Here is the sheet. Hope it helps!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

(Also, this spreadsheet has a photo of the back cover of issue V3 #141 showing that cover gallery for your reference. )

>>>>>05/31/2020: Updated again but moved to Onedrive Excel Online instead of google.

>>>>> https://1drv.ms/x/s!AvB-lcOIt6ld3nYSZgd ... 3?e=nzhgnu

Tried to do a list a while back of the internal numbering, not sure how it compares to the image on the back cover of issue #141

http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/forum3/view ... phy#p56079

I just had the chance to compare my internal numbering list (made back in May 2017) to the picture from issue 141 (and unstablemolecules' spreadsheet) and I have to dispute the placement of the first color special as shown in that picture. It was released in November 1989, a whole year later than what it would be according to the layout in that picture.

And a big welcome to unstablemolecules, welcome to the Usagi Yojimbo Dojo, and I have to say that I really like your spreadsheet.

Steve Hubbell wrote:I just had the chance to compare my internal numbering list (made back in May 2017) to the picture from issue 141 (and unstablemolecules' spreadsheet) and I have to dispute the placement of the first color special as shown in that picture. It was released in November 1989, a whole year later than what it would be according to the layout in that picture.

And a big welcome to unstablemolecules, welcome to the Usagi Yojimbo Dojo, and I have to say that I really like your spreadsheet.

Hey, thanks for the warm welcome!

Yeah I noticed the placement of UY Color #1. I wonder if Stan decided to move the first color special between issues 12 & 13 of V1 because he wanted it before the Dragon Bellows Conspiracy arc? It does seem to fit nicely in that spot. The Village of Fear story in UY Color #1 was published back prior to V1 #1. Maybe to fit the stories in a "compromised" fashion? lol

Plus, to make it more of a head-scratcher, Tomoe's Story from UY Color #1 was reprinted in TPB Volume 22, around the V3 #90-93 issues. Thought that might just be because they finally wanted to fit those into the trade volumes.

unstablemolecules wrote:Plus, to make it more of a head-scratcher, Tomoe's Story from UY Color #1 was reprinted in TPB Volume 22, around the V3 #90-93 issues. Thought that might just be because they finally wanted to fit those into the trade volumes.

I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong, but I believe Stan said that the chronological occurrence of "Tomoe's Story" was at that point, hence why it was included in that trade. Just the original art went AWOL so he redrew the entire story for the book.

Ah, I forgot that it had to be redrawn for the B&W trade. I think I'll have to rework my issue guide a bit then. Any idea where he might have said that so I can reference it to my notes on the spreadsheet?

Mayhem wrote:

unstablemolecules wrote:Plus, to make it more of a head-scratcher, Tomoe's Story from UY Color #1 was reprinted in TPB Volume 22, around the V3 #90-93 issues. Thought that might just be because they finally wanted to fit those into the trade volumes.

I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong, but I believe Stan said that the chronological occurrence of "Tomoe's Story" was at that point, hence why it was included in that trade. Just the original art went AWOL so he redrew the entire story for the book.

go wrote:http://www.usagiyojimbo.com/forum3/view ... raw#p26693

Thanks! I’ll update my sheet when I get a second!

Hey all,

I went ahead and updated my spreadsheet with some of the information we have discussed here. I decided to keep UY Color #1 as #14 (in the overall series) but added the notes (and links to this thread) as a comment in that cell. Leaving it as #14 though since I based my list originally off of the ordering on the back of V3 #141. The consistency was important to my OCD ways. lol

If anyone has any other comments or suggestions, I'm open to them. Especially about Yokai or TMNT/UY Namazu.



UPDATE SPREADSHEET: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

05/31/2020: Updated again but moved to Onedrive Excel Online instead of google. https://1drv.ms/x/s!AvB-lcOIt6ld3nYSZgd ... 3?e=nzhgnu

The internal numbering, basically an over-all numbering for all the issues, works the same way as the regular numbering for a comic series, by date and sequence of release of the actual issues of the comic. A series does not go 1 (Jan), 2 (Feb), 3 (Mar), 4 (May), 5 (Jun), 6(Jul), 7 (Apr), 8 (Aug), 9 (Sep).... Whoever at Dark Horse that set up the image for the backcover of issue #141 placed the cover of the first color special in the setup in the incorrect space, off by a whole year. Occasionally, a regular issue and a special will have the same release date, so deciding which issue should precede the other is optional.

Of course, there are sometimes weird exceptions to the rule like when The Goon's current publisher accidently released two issues in reverse sequence (#4 & 5 if I remember correctly).

Steve Hubbell wrote:The internal numbering, basically an over-all numbering for all the issues, works the same way as the regular numbering for a comic series, by date and sequence of release of the actual issues of the comic. A series does not go 1 (Jan), 2 (Feb), 3 (Mar), 4 (May), 5 (Jun), 6(Jul), 7 (Apr), 8 (Aug), 9 (Sep).... Whoever at Dark Horse that set up the image for the backcover of issue #141 placed the cover of the first color special in the setup in the incorrect space, off by a whole year. Occasionally, a regular issue and a special will have the same release date, so deciding which issue should precede the other is optional.

Of course, there are sometimes weird exceptions to the rule like when The Goon's current publisher accidently released two issues in reverse sequence (#4 & 5 if I remember correctly).

Yeah, I've rethought this and realize now that I was conflating continuity with the numbering sequence. I've updated my sheet to reflect that. Basically changing the overall numbering order of issues 1-199 to match the order of release. (Yokai and Namazu I still have on there as "not numbered" but placed them in their release order places too.)

Here is the new sheet, now hosted via Excel instead of Google Sheets. (I didn't like how the google sheets worked and am hoping I like this better. )

https://1drv.ms/x/s!AvB-lcOIt6ld3nYSZgd ... 3?e=nzhgnu