"I enjoy more uplifting stories." Usagi Yojimbo #1 review

Stan Sakai has been telling Usagi Yojimbo stories since 1984, shifting from publisher to publisher: Fantagraphics, Mirage Studios, Dark Horse and now IDW. I'm not sure why Sakai moved the series to IDW - they had previously published a Usagi Yojimbo/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles one-shot. Perhaps the fact that Sakai's old friend Kevin Eastman has been telling Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories there helped entice him.

The big change in moving the series to IDW is that it's now in full-colour, whereas previously colour Usagi Yojimbo stories were a rare treat, published as 'color specials' or as original graphic novels. The colour artist on the new IDW series is Tom Luth, who has coloured most of the previous colour Usagi Yojimbo comics, so it's very consistent to the series' standards. It does, however, mean the artistry of black & white storytelling has been lost and the price tag on the comics has been raised. Altogether, I find it a mixed blessing.

Anyway, this new series is opening with a three-part story called 'Bunraku' which sees the return of Sasuke the Demon-Queller, one of my favourite Usagi Yojimbo supporting characters! I had never heard of Japanese bunraku puppet theater, so once again Sakai's story is quite informative about the details. With Sasuke's presence, there are certain to be supernatural problems to bedevil Usagi as the tale progresses. I'm not a fan of the higher cover price, but I'm happy to have more Usagi Yojimbo to enjoy.