Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

#1) Are all three volumes part of the same continuity?

#2) I'm aware that there were Usagi stories in other comics before Usagi got his own comic, but are those stories part of the continuity also?

#3) In terms of reading Usagi where is a good place to start? (Collected Book volume 1 I suppose?)

1) Yes, they are. The "volumes" are just publisher changes, not actual volumes. Volume 1 is the Fantagraphics run, Volume 2 is Mirage's, and Volume 3 is Dark Horse's. But they all follow the same timeline.

2) No, all the UY stories that follow the main storyline are contained in the comic-book issues and the TPBs. There are many guest appearances, but they do not fit in the main storyline.

3) Yes, book 1 is a good place . But book 2 would be a good choice too. I started with book 8 .

And finally, welcome to the Dojo

Thanks for your help. I'll pick #1 up tomorrow. Out of curiosity why would #2 also be a good place to start?

Remember that 3 volume thing? Well, book 1 doesn't really fit in volume one because it was originally published in magazines like Albedo, and the reprinted as TPB by Fantagraphics. Book 1 contains the first UY stories, and you can clearly see the evolution in the art and stories until it gets to the current "feeling" the series has. Book 2 contains the first regular issues, and it's mostly about Usagi's background: how he learnt the samurai craft under Katsuichi sensei, how he became a samurai under the service of Lord Mifune, and how he became a ronin after the battle of Adachigahara. Pretty good stuff. And you also get the unstoppable Usagi-Gen duo .

Just to clarify on your second question. Sounded like you were referring to Albedo and Critters, two comics that featured Usagi stories before he got his own comic. This stories are part of the normal UY continuity and are all reprinted in UY Book 1. The Usagi comics start being reprinted in UY Book 2.

Is there a place on this site to purchase original sketches/art work? I have searched and haven't found any, may be I am missing the obvious. Help would be appreciated.

To my knowledge (through being here a fair while now), Stan doesn't do a lot of original sketches, and many of those are for people who meet him at cons. Neither does he actively sell much of his artwork off either.

Hence owning an "original" Stan Sakai piece is quite something.