Weekly Trivia Challenge June 6th - 13th

[Steve Hubbell]

Prior to the release of the Usagi Yojimbo: Samurai and other Stories Gallery Edition, which Usagi Yojimbo story had the distinction of being published in the largest format?

To make this question a bit easier, I will say that it was a story featuring "young" Usagi.

Please post the story title, publication title, and publication date here in this thread.

First correct answer wins.

[Mayhem]

Hmmm... maybe I'm mistaken then. My first thought was Dark Horse Extra, Feb 2000, issue #20 (to #23), the story Tsuru. Which doesn't feature Young Usagi. Now DHE was a pretty large format!

[Steve Hubbell]

Hmmm... maybe I'm mistaken then. My first thought was Dark Horse Extra, Feb 2000, issue #20 (to #23), the story Tsuru. Which doesn't feature Young Usagi. Now DHE was a pretty large format!

The story A Lesson in Courtesy was also published in Dark Horse Extra in this same format. Unfortunately, both stories were limited to a quarter of the page they were printed on, so they do not qualify as the largest "pre-gallery edition" Usagi story.

Here is a clue:

The story in this publication is a reprint of a story originally published by Mirage in 1993.

[Gaffey]

Well, I was going to say Return to Adachigahara Plain in the Art of Usagi Yojimbo book until you said it was Mirage.

Since you're the one asking this question it's probably some foreign publication.

I'll try Usagi's Garden in Previews Catalog, date(?). I don't even know if that exists, but I can only think of two young Usagi stories from Mirage and I'm just taking a wild guess. If I'm wrong then I've helped my fellow Dojo members reduce the possibilities.

[Mayhem]

The story A Lesson in Courtesy was also published in Dark Horse Extra in this same format. Unfortunately, both stories were limited to a quarter of the page they were printed on, so they do not qualify as the largest "pre-gallery edition" Usagi story.

Hence why I wasn't sure, but the definition of "format" for the question thus is the story has to take up the entirety of the media that it's printed upon then, not just the size of the format itself.

[Steve Hubbell]

Well, I was going to say Return to Adachigahara Plain in the Art of Usagi Yojimbo book until you said it was Mirage.

Since you're the one asking this question it's probably some foreign publication.

I'll try Usagi's Garden in Previews Catalog, date(?). I don't even know if that exists, but I can only think of two young Usagi stories from Mirage and I'm just taking a wild guess. If I'm wrong then I've helped my fellow Dojo members reduce the possibilities.

Reaally good guess, Gaffey, unfortunately, the only Usagi Yojimbo story that I am aware of that has been published in Previews was "Green Persimmon" which was actually the first appearance of the story (its appearance in UY Color Special #4 was a reprint).

The next clue: "This story has also been translated and published in a German magazine, but the large format version you are looking for is in English"

[Steve Hubbell]

Another clue: The place where Stan Sakai went to High School is just 10 minutes away from the source of this publication.....

[Steve Hubbell]

Wow, and I thought that last clue was going to make it way too easy.....

[Mayhem]

Correct story Gaffey (Usagi's Garden), but wrong publication. It was reprinted in the Hawaii Herald volume 23 #1 on January 11th 2002.

[Steve Hubbell]

See! I knew that was an easy question....

[Gaffey]

Pictures?

[Mayhem]

Unless someone somehow has a copy, probably not. I got the answer from the fact the interview featured is transcribed here.

[Gaffey]

Oh ok, I've never seen it so I was hoping you or Steve had a copy or a link to one.

[Maka]

I always learn something new from you hard core fans. Some day I hope to join your ranks. Thanks for the fun! Peace, maka

[Steve Hubbell]