Usagi Omnibus?

lostvader · Post by **lostvader** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:29 -0700

With all of the collections coming out from Dark Horse lately, (i.e. Aliens Omnibus, Predator Omnibus, Star Wars 30 Anniv. Collections, etc.) are there any plans to collect Usagi Yojimbo in an omnibus-type format. I know there are the twenty something graphic novels out there, but maybe having a few heftier tomes of Usagi would be better. I'd really like to see the Fantagraphics books collected together into a large volume. Any plans?

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:47 -0700

We had discussed DH publishing Usagi "bricks", with maybe three books in each volume. We may still go ahead with this, but not for a few years as each of the DH trades is being reprinted this spring.

lostvader · Post by **lostvader** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 14:16 -0700

Is there any way the Fantagraphics stuff can be collected in a larger volume? Also, if I recall correctly, there are some things that are not collected in other volumes. Are there any plans to collect these?

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 15:59 -0700

Fantagraphics will continue the individual trades. In fact, they are redesigning them as they go back to print.

Except for the stuff in those limited edition sketchbooks, just about every story has been reprinted in the trades. The only exceptions I can think of right now is The Treaty, a cross-over with Leonardo of the TMNT, that was reprinted in the Book 6 HC, and the color Return to Adachi Plain from Book 4 HC (the b/w version was printed in Bk 11).

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 19:22 -0700

Wasn't the color "Return to Adachi Plain" reprinted in The Art of UY?

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 21:36 -0700

The really cool short story "Usagi's Ark" has not been reprinted in any of the trade paperbacks either, unfortunately.

Very amazing how well Stan's and Ken Michroney's styles mesh together to make such a great little story. One of the very few stories Stan collaborated with another artist on.

It also showcased the mysterious "Ninjas of the Dark Light"

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 22:29 -0700

Todd Shogun wrote:Wasn't the color "Return to Adachi Plain" reprinted in The Art of UY?

Yes, it was. But it was not reprinted in any of the story trade collections.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 22:31 -0700

Steve Hubbell wrote:The really cool short story "Usagi's Ark" has not been reprinted in any of the trade paperbacks either, unfortunately.

Very amazing how well Stan's and Ken Michroney's styles mesh together to make such a great little story. One of the very few stories Stan collaborated with another artist on.

It also showcased the mysterious "Ninjas of the Dark Light"

I haven't seen Kenny for quite awhile. He's a really funny guy. He was at Pixar, and now is at Disney (or so I heard).

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:13 -0700

"Usagi's Ark" was probably the most entertaining crossover story of Usagi ever produced.

Back to never-reprinted UY stories, what about The Guardian, from the Trilogy Tour? That also appears in Art of UY but was it ever reprinted in a UY Trade?

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:05 -0700

Todd Shogun wrote:
Back to never-reprinted UY stories, what about The Guardian, from the Trilogy Tour? That also appears in Art of UY but was it ever reprinted in a UY Trade?

You're right about that. I do not have a copy of the line art, so that will never be printed in black & white like Return to Adachi Plain was.

Post by **Mayhem** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 13:57 -0700

Trilogy Tour? Was that the second one in 1998? Just asking as I randomly picked up a sealed limited edition of it a while back (85/150) and hadn't gotten around to opening it...

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 16:32 -0700

Mayhem wrote:Trilogy Tour? Was that the second one in 1998? Just asking as I randomly picked up a sealed limited edition of it a while back (85/150) and hadn't gotten around to opening it...

That was it. The first Trilogy Tour had Linda Medley, Charles Vess, and Jeff Smith. The next year, they invited Jill Thompson, Mark Crilley, and myself. It was my best year working in comics, also my most aggravating.

Post by **Mayhem** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:25 -0700

Gotta admit, the cover is very nice

Cheers for the confirmation Stan... guess I'll leave it sealed then if the story was in the Art Of book...

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 13:13 -0700

Mayhem wrote:Gotta admit, the cover is very nice

Cheers for the confirmation Stan... guess I'll leave it sealed then if the story was in the Art Of book...

If you leave it sealed up, then you will miss wonderful stories by Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, and Jeff Smith.

We mailed that cover all over the US, each of us adding our characters to it before passing it on. It took about two months to get it done. It did turn out nice.

I've still got a bunch of those HCs, trades, and signed trades.