"But... we're so close to the miracle!" Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums review

Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums is the most recent entry in Stan Sakai's long-lived Usagi Yojimbo series. The series came back to Dark Horse Comics in 2023 but instead of an ongoing series, it's now a series of limited series.

However, Stan Sakai still writes Usagi Yojimbo the same way; although Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums is a five-issue mini-series, it is not a five-issue story! It's actually a three-issue story ("Ten Thousand Plums") followed by a two-issue story ("Tabo"). As before, Stan Sakai wrote, drew and lettered the series; Emi Fujii is the current colourist.

In "Ten Thousand Plums," Usagi, his cousin Yukichi and their friend Gen visited the Valley of Ten Thousand Plum Trees, where a massive grove of plum trees belonging to the shogun is kept. However, a supernatural fox who was wronged by the locals in the past plots vengeance by destroying the grove.

In "Tabo," Usagi and Yukichi travel with a number of pilgrims headed to a Buddhist shrine - but these pilgrims aren't Buddhists, they're Christians who believe the shrine is actually celebrating the Biblical Mary and that the shrine's statue can perform miracles. This brings up matters concerning Christians in feudal Japan that the Usagi Yojimbo series has visited before, as in Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden. And since this is a world where many supernatural things exist, the characters have good reason to believe in the miracles!

The most touching part of "Tabo," however, is the afterword, where Stan describes his brother, who had recently passed away and inspired the titular Tabo of his story.

Usagi Yojimbo remains one my greatest delights in today's comic books and I'm so happy Sakai has managed to keep the series running these 40 years!

RIP: Tom Luth

Comic book colorist Tom Luth was found dead at home last Thursday following a heart attack; he was 70 years old.

Tom Luth will be best-remembered among comics fans as being part of the Groo the Wanderer creative team, coloring most Groo stories through that book's history (Groo writer Mark Evanier eulogiezes Luth here and Groo artist Sergio Aragones eulogized him as well). But though I've never cared much for Groo, I am a huge Usagi Yojimbo fan. Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo was usually presented in black and white stories, with the covers supplying the only colour. Luth coloured the cover of Critters #1 in 1986, when the series was just starting out, and continued to colour Sakai's covers from the Fantagraphics era, to Mirage, to Dark Horse and then to IDW. Along the way there were occasional Usagi Yojimbo Color Specials in which the character appeared in full-colour comics. Luth was the interior colorist on every Color Special both at Fantagraphcis and Dark Horse.

The move to publishing at IDW in 2019 resulted in Usagi Yojimbo switching to a full-colour format. From then on, Luth was tapped not only for the covers but the interiors as well. That seemed to be too much for him; in 2020 he announced his retirement from comics. Although Usagi Yojimbo has continued on as a full-colour comic (usually coloured by the studio Hi-Fi Design), 2020's Usagi Yojimbo #14 was Luth's farewell to the series. Luth did terrific work on Usagi Yojimbo for 35 years and left behind an excellent body of work.

Rest in peace, Mr. Luth.

"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.

"The Shogunate must not learn the secrets of our religion!" Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #7 thoughts

I suppose one of the most impressive things about Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo is that the series is constantly able to tread new ground and delve into previously-unexplored concepts. This is no mean feat for a 30+ year old title. Without transporting the series into a different setting (outside of Space Usagi, which has its own continuity) and without succumbing to tie-ins to other titles (other than the occasional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles jam), Usagi Yojimbo finds new ideas by simply exploring different aspects of feudal-era Japan.

Most recently the series ran Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden, a seven-issue limited series with an intriguing hook: two men are murdered and Usagi joins his old friend Inspector Ishida in examining the crime. However, the dead men are Christians at a time when Christianity is an illegal religion. As the story advances, they learn the dead men were carrying a Bible. A thief plundered the dead men and now various people are after the book; the killers turns out to be agents of the Shogunate, so it's the law vs. the law - Ishida as a local police inspector against the superior authority of the government.

Along with the recent Martin Scorcese film Silence, Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden is one of the few American pieces of pop culture exploring this interesting period of Japan/Christian history. The text pieces by Sakai were very fascinating, especially in the final issue where he describes how Japanese Christians would use mirrors to fashion the symbol of the cross.

The climax of the tale involves a very neat little sleight-of-hand with a genuinely surprising reveal on the final page which changes how the previous 6 issues are interpreted, which is again no small feat. Stan Sakai remains a master of comic art storytelling and Usagi Yojimbo continues to prove itself his masterpiece.

"They worship a criminal?" Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #1 review

Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden is a new 7 issue mini-series by creator Stan Sakai, continuing the tales of his rabbit ronin from the Usagi Yojimbo ongoing series. Like the earlier Usagi Yojimbo: Senso, this series replaces the ongoing for its duration. Likely this is meant to help raise the title's profile in the hopes that new readers might finally sample Usagi when they see the new #1. Hey, whatever brings in more fans; I would be very happy if Sakai kept writing & drawing Usagi Yojimbo until his death (and hopefully no one will continue the series without him).

Over the decades Sakai has written many multi-part stories in Usagi Yojimbo; so what makes this tale worthy of a seven-issue telling? The story is somewhat unusual in that the subject is the spread of Christianity during the age of feudal Japan. Sakai had earlier used this subject for a single tale where the Christian element was a last page surprise reveal. This time, Christians (or 'Kirishitans' as the characters call them) are front and center.

If you saw Martin Scorcese's recent film Silence - then, hi, you must be the other one. As in Silence, one of the methods the Japanese use to ferret out Christian believers is to demand they tread upon an image of the cross. In this story, Usagi is simply confused when it occurs; he knows nothing of Christianity and has no idea what kind of loyalty test it is meant to be.

The best part of the comic is Usagi engaging in a conversation about the Christians with his friend Inspector Ishida. As Ishida explains Christian beliefs, it becomes clear neither of them can quite grasp how the faith functions - their own Buddhist beliefs are simply too incompatible. It's particularly interesting to note they can't understand why Christianity's deity could be considered a model person when he was punished as a criminal. Heck, there are plenty of Christians who fumble with the idea of Christ's crucifixion.

Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden is published by Dark Horse Comics. You should give it a shot.

That Went Well: 2015

When I stop to think about the media I enjoy - prose, comics, film, video game - I can't quite escape a sense of ennui. Have I read every word worth reading? Seen every film worth watching? So much of what I find - old or new - is too familiar and I'm far too detached from the experience. I want to be entertained, but perhaps I've experienced too much?

But of course, then something comes along which I truly, unabashedly, enjoy. Sometimes it's not only good entertainment but even touches me personally. For that reason, I'm here to share my favourite discoveries of 2015.

PROSE BOOKS

I had once heard the book Hell on Ice by Edward Ellsberg dramatized by Orson Welles on the Mercury Theatre radio program. That was enough to convince me to read the book when a copy came past me for disposal. I wouldn't have otherwise glanced twice at it; it's the story of an expedition to the North Pole which goes horribly awry; it's a very long, slow burn, but when the explorers' ship is finally lost the tension of wondering how any of them could have survived sustains a heightened interest to the grim finale.

The graphic novel Unflattening led me to the work which (partially) inspired it, Edwin Abbott's Flatland, an engaging blend of drama, humour, philosophy and mathematics.

I read two more books by Paul Brickhill, best-known for The Great Escape. In Reach for the Sky, he told the story of aviator Douglas Bader, a man who is kept rather emotionally distant in the narrative, but his determination to resume flying planes after losing his legs is remarkable enough on its own. I also read Escape to Danger, a collection of stories about pilots who escaped from the Germans during World War II, many of them very unusual in terms of the near-deaths the pilots would survive and the oft-surprising ease with which they would escape.

After initially quite enjoying Fyodor Dostoevsky through Crime and Punishment, I'd begun to grow disenchanted with everything else of his I read, but his romance story White Nights helped bring me back - it's a brief read, but with palpable emotions.

My interest in Africa continues to lead me through various tomes on the subject, including two by Thomas Pakenham: The Scramble for Africa and The Mountains of Rasselas. The former explained the divvying up of the continent to me in a way I finally grasped (that it was told so that what each country was doing in relation to each other at each given time was most helpful) and the latter told of Pakenham's journey to Ethiopia in the 1950s with many beautiful photos; Ethiopia remains the African nation I most hope to visit one day.

As I've frequently remarked on this blog, I continue to enjoy the works of author Sax Rohmer, despite the frequent racism found therein. I read the biography Master of Villainy by Cay Van Ash but found the author far too willing to praise Rohmer to the heavens and wanted something less opinionated about him. The book The Yellow Peril: Dr. Fu Manchu & the Rise of Chinaphobia by Christopher Frayling was much more to my liking; it's meticulously researched to help explain the climate in England when the Fu Manchu stories first appeared and more interested in setting the facts straight than protecting Rohmer's reputation (which was Van Ash's problem).

I'm continuing to work my way through the original novels which inspired some of my favourite movies; in 2015 that included Deliverance by James Dickey, Paths of Glory by Humphrey Cobb, The Bridge on the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle, Hell House by Richard Matheson, The Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House by Eric Hodgins. I also delved into some good books about film and film people: Cagney by James Cagney and This Is Orson Welles by Orson Welles.

COMIC BOOKS

At last, Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo resumed regular publication (following his work on the 47 Ronin and Usagi Yojimbo: Senso mini-series) and, predictably, the quality is as high as before. Sakai continues to craft interesting tales about feudal Japan and the slow-yet-ever-changing cast of characters continue to progress. Usagi Yojimbo is the most dependable book on the market.

The Wild's End wrapped up, only to be followed by another mini-series, The Enemy Within. I need to post a review of this series as it isn't receiving a lot of notice, but Dan Abnett & I.N.J. Culbard are delivering a notably weird mash-up of two great institutions of British fiction: The Wind in the Willows and The War of the Worlds. The present series even includes a character who is vaguely analogous to H. G. Wells!

The Autumnlands by Kurt Busiek & Benjamin Dewey is taking a measured pace (much about the human protagonist remains unexplained) but I trust in Busiek to make the journey worthwhile; in the meantime, Dewey is delivering dynamic art and distinctive animal-people. I'm still following Busiek's Astro City (in trades) as well, and between the two they remind me of why I first became so excited by his writing back in '97.

Q2: The Return of Quantum & Woody reunited Priest & Mark Bright in a coda to their series. I gather Priest wasn't satisfied by the experience at all, but I enjoyed revisiting the characters and seeing Priest almost aggressively reject nostalgia in favour of continuing to move his cast forward.

The Complete Little Nemo was easily the best trade collection I picked up in 2015; I had eyed it for quite some time, but only moved on it when publisher Taschen ran a sale on their site. It is precisely what it claims to be - all of Winsor McCay's Little Nemo between two covers. What a delight!

Some other graphic novels I delved into were Deogratias by Jean-Philippe Stassen, Notes for a War Story by Gipi, Burma Chronicles by Guy DeLisle, Rose by Jeff Smith, On the Ropes and Kings in Disguise by James Vance, Unflattening by Nick Sousanis, Laika by Nick Abadzis and War Brothers by Sharon E. McKay, while I continue to follow Winterworld by Chuck Dixon, G.I. Joe by Larry Hama and Ragnarok by Walter Simonson.

MOTION PICTURES

Mad Max: Fury Road My brief thoughts on this picture were ultimately the most-viewed blog entry of 2015, which certainly speaks to how gigantic this film's reception was. I've rewatched it a few times since then and continue to be impressed by the ease at which the story is told and the subtle character development which unfolds. This is cinema that brings to mind Hitchcock, Ford, Murnau... hands-down my favourite theatre-going experience of 2015.

I caught up on The Edge of Tomorrow on DVD, having been intrigued by it's advertising. The marketing really did not sell this film - it's quite funny (particularly in terms of black comedy) and uses star Tom Cruise in a role which is quite different from his usual fare. In fact, I came to realize this is now my favourite Tom Cruise movie; previously, I would have asserted I didn't have a favourite. I like Cruise's development from craven coward to hero; I like Emily Blunt's far more capable secondary character who has to train him; and I laughed at a lot of Cruise's darkly funny death scenes.

Life Itself is the documentary on Roger Ebert filmed at the end of his life and intentionally designed to show what his life was like at the time; it is at first startling to see Ebert missing his lower jaw and I appreciate that he didn't want to hide it from the camera. The biography of Ebert's life is also engaging, particularly to hear how wounded Ebert was when Siskel didn't inform him of his impending death.

Diagram for Delinquents is a terrific documentary from Sequart about the oft-despised Fredric Wertham, the psychologist who opposed comic books. Amazingly, this film offers a perspective on Wertham than that which comic book culture has absorbed; it actually brought me around to his side on some of his thinking. For that reason, this is easily the best comic book documentary I've ever seen - I actually learned something important!

There are other movies I quite enjoyed: The Citadel (1938), which touched on notions of the struggle to attain one's ideal life as in other King Vidor pictures; Johnny Got His Gun (1971), which I watched after having read the book; Ender's Game (2013) which I have not read in prose but I found it to be a good picture; 42 (2013) which interested me despite my lack of interest in baseball and led me to The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014), Knuckleball (2012), Moneyball (2011) and even Ken Burns' Baseball mini-series; Harold & Maude (1971), a picture I'd heard a lot about but didn't understand the appeal 'til I saw it; Romero (1989), with Raul Julia dramatizing the life of a murdered priest; A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958) an adaptation of an Erich Maria Remarque novel which I haven't read (yet) but had an interesting look at Germany near the end of WW2; The Talented Mr. Ripley, which I had no idea had been adapted from a series of novels by the same woman who authored the stories adapted into Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train; Beasts of No Nation (2015) which examined African child soldiers and held up to everything I'd previously read on the subject; Nightcrawler (2014) I had heard praised in a few places and it turned out to be an extremely involving film with turns I couldn't quite predict and that's always a pleasure; finally, Bridge of Spies (2015) which is not what I'd have expected from a Spielberg/Coen Bros. mash-up, but told an interesting Cold War story in a very uncomplicated way.

VIDEO GAMES

In 2015, I upgraded to the Xbox One (or Xbone). I didn't plan to - I didn't want to shell out the money for what was (and is) still an expensive console when my Xbox 360 remained useful. Unfortunately, my 360 began to develop trouble reading discs and as it doubled as my DVD player, it crippled two modes of entertainment. Suddenly, the One seemed to make sense - it would mean upgrading to a blu-ray and, as my 360 friends had all abandoned that console for the One, it would mean having people to play games with again.

My mistake (and regret) was buying Destiny for the One. I already had it on 360 (Destiny was part of how I rationalized staying with the 360), but I wanted to play it with my friends as there were parts of the game you couldn't play without friends in your party. Unfortunately, by the time I got on the One my friends had given up on Destiny. I continued to play, but over time the game has actually become worse; the last update (The Taken King), which I avoided, actually barred me from accessing features I'd been able to use previously. That, coupled with the many behind-the-scenes troubles being reported on convinced me to stay away; if my friends went back to Destiny I'd consider giving it another go, but as it is I feel I've wasted enough money. It was good for what it was - that is, it kept me occupied until the release of...

Halo 5: Guardians. As I didn't plan on owning the One, I thought I'd played my last Halo game, but here I am. This game has a campaign story which is just okay; it turns a beloved character into a villain, which is unfortunate, yet never hits the emotions of the previous series entry (and I didn't think Halo 4's campaign matched the Bungie game entries). The campaign has some interesting fights, but the story's not as involving as it should be. Meanwhile, the matchmaking modes are pretty good; my favourite Halo mode, Firefight, remains MIA (was I the only one who liked it?) but the new Warzone mode finally perfects what some of the previous games were trying to accomplish; on the basis of Warzone mode alone, I'm very pleased with this game - I can happily play Warzone for hours. I still have hope there are other game types coming in future updates as this game is significantly smaller than Halo 4 was.

And those are my 2015 highlights!

"I have heard of it, and need to see it." Usagi Yojimbo #150 review

Having reached its 150th issue at Dark Horse Comics, you may well wonder if the recently-released Usagi Yojimbo #150 is a landmark issue. How fortunate that I'm here to address your wonderment!

"Death of a Tea Master" is a self-contained story wherein a European man named Rodriguez (Spanish?) is visiting the court of Lord Odo, testing his prowess with the saber against the katana styles of Odo's men. As part of the report Rodriguez is compiling, he wishes to observe the act of hara-kiri and demands Lord Odo order his subordinate Nobu the tea master to perform the deed. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, the tea master had a friend: the rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi.

It wasn't that long ago that Stan Sakai celebrated 200 issues of Usagi Yojimbo (added up between thre publishers). Sakai's fidelity to his creation over the decades is matched only by the likes of Sim, Aragones or the Pinis. And yet, for all the many recurring characters and relationships within the book's cast, Sakai has always kept this series very easy to jump in on, with only a handful of particularly lengthy storyarcs. "Death of a Tea Master" features no previously-met characters - anyone can begin their exposure to Usagi Yojimbo with this issue and not be left out.

Sakai celebrated 200 Usagi Yojimbo comics with a tale featuring a determined sculptor crafting 200 Jizo statues. Issue #150 has nothing as obviously celebratory, yet it is a special event in a certain way; the character of Rodriguez is perhaps the first European character seen in this otherwise all-Japanese series. Although an animal-person like the rest of the cast, Rodriguez's manner of dress, wavy hair, saber and cross (a symbol seen only once previously in the series in a story which made the point of how deep underground Christianity was at the time in Japan), Rodriguez is the first time Sakai has brought in an outsider to Japanese culture to comment upon it.

In a sense, it's strange that it's taken Sakai this long - after all, Sakai has lived most of his life in the USA, not Japan (and precisely zero years in feudal Japan). As a Japanese man in the west he's qualified to look at Japan as either outsider or insider. Although Rodriguez may ultimately prove to be an usual blip in the Usagi Yojimbo experience - perhaps there will never be another European character - it feels good to think how little of the world Miyamoto Usagi inhabits has actually been glimpsed in the thousands of pages Sakai has devoted to it thus far. Clearly, there is much more for Sakai to draw upon for stories and he need not retire the series yet (unless he's exhausted, which doesn't seem to be the case).

And now that we have had a story where someone from the west comes to observe the east, we see in Rodriguez the worst of westerners. Rodriguez operates under the pretension of honor, plying Lord Odo to his bidding by questioning the lord's own honor; he's a hypccrite, but because Lord Odo is a true man of honor, he cannot call Rodriguez out. Rodriguez plays upon the idea of the west being more innately civilized than the east, calling them "heathen" to Lord Odo's face. Rodriguez treats the life of Nobu the tea master casually; for Rodriguez - and so many in the west of the real world - eastern lands are simply a sideshow where one is entertained by the oddities of humanity.

Usagi Yojimbo is being published by Dark Horse Comics nearly every month and is available digitally at Comixology.

"There is still honor in war!" Usagi Yojimbo: Senso#1 review

Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo has been on hiatus since 2012 and won't truly return until next year, but at least some brand-new Usagi material has finally emerged: Usagi Yojimbo: Senso, a six-issue mini-series set about 20 years into the character's future.

For a fan such as I, there's a lot to enjoy in this book - Usagi and his old rhinoceros friend Gen are now employed by the Geishu Clan (something Usagi had avoided in the regular series), Lord Noriyuki is now fully-grown, Jotaro is now an adult warrior and the series' top antagonists Lord Hikiji and Hebi appear in full armour (Hebi's snakey body always makes armour on him a little hysterical to see). Heck, Hikiji appearing on-panel is an awfully rare occurrence!

In the midst of this showdown between Noriyuki & Hikiji's forces, there's a scientist named Takenoko who has developed a turlte-like tank for Noriyuki's side; this is the first hint of the science-fiction elements in this story, which are later enhanced by the arrival of a giant metal cylinder from space, which we readers already know from interviews will contain Martian invaders! Will they have tripods? I can't wait to find out!

Senso#1 is filled almost completely with action sequences, beautifully composed by Sakai. We've seen large battlefield scenes in this series before, but here Sakai has the room to fill the pages with details - it's all too-too great and we know there's more to come! The crash of the Martian cylinder is a particularly well-caught burst of energy. Senso may not be set within the same continuity as the regular Usagi Yojimbo tales, but I'm pleased as punch with this first outing.

"Artists! They're worse than spoiled children." Usagi Yojimbo Color Special#5 review

Stan Sakai has been crafting tales of the ever-lovin' rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi for 30 years now, the bulk of those years spent with publisher Dark Horse. Unfortunately, the Usagi Yojimbo series went on hiatus while Sakai provided art chores to 47 Ronin, then health troubles with his wife seemed to (understandably) further the delays.

Although Usagi Yojimbo will return soon, it will be in the science fiction mash-up mini-series Senso, which is not quite the same continuity as that which Sakai has maintained all these decades. It should be great fun, but all the same, there is at least one fine recent release for we Usagi fans - Usagi Yojimbo Color Special#5! This series of one-shots have occasionally burst on the scene like a magician's trick, then just as quickly fade away. It's always a pleasant novelty to read a Usagi tale in full colour, as opposed to his typical black & white haunts.

The special contains four complete stories which originally appeared online as part of Myspace Dark Horse Presents. That project have been shuttered up, it's great to have the material in a format which can sit on a shelf with the rest of we fans' collections!

Heading up the one-shot is "Saya," wherein Usagi accidentally insults a fellow samurai. Although he makes every effort to apologize, it soon becomes clear the offended samurai is spoiling for a fight - too bad he has no idea how deadly the long-eared lapin can be! This is the only tale in the one-shot which I read at Myspace. The plot is simple, but Sakai spices his concotion with interesting details, such as the rice planters who carry on working, oblivious to the rising tensions between Usagi and the samurai. A song one of the workers sings bookends the story and makes the point (one frequently heard in this series) to choose one's battles carefully. It's easy to see why this tale first appeared at Myspace - regardless of one's familiarity with the series, these eight pages tell a complete tale which is representative of the series itself.

"Cut the Plum" is a quick two-page tale set during the time when Usagi had the privilege to journey with his son Jotaro (continuity!). When Usagi relates the story of how his sensei once struck a plum from his nose (more continuity!), Jotaro resolves to test his own skills the same way. It's a quick and funny story which handily captures Jotaro's youthful determination.

"Buntori" sets Usagi against the supernatural - a not-unheard-of aspect of the series. In these eight pages, Usagi witnesses the ghosts of dead warriors still fighting the same battle over and over. As in so many ghost stories, it demands our hero's involvement so that the spirits can be laid to rest. In some ways I wonder if it would be creepier to see this story told in black & white, but the colours at least render the ghosts as being identifiably undead. This isn't the only story where Usagi has dealt with the restless dead; no wonder he's published by Dark Horse - he's practically Hellboy!

The end of the special brings up the longest tale, "The Artist," clocking in at 16 pages. Usagi provides bodyguard services to a travelling artist who has (surprisingly) been tutored by foreigners. While Usagi may live in a world of funny animal people, it's still supposed to be feudal Japan - thus, there are hardly any stories which even reference the world outside Japan. Somehow, this artist has made enemies for himself so Usagi's role isn't easy (does he ever catch a break?). In fact, the hired killers are old enemies of Usagi's seen before (yet more continuity!).

These shorter tales don't raise the kind of stakes found in Sakai's usual fare, but they're extremely easy to follow and of the same quality as the ongoing series. Perhaps Sakai's dependability and high standards have held this series back - perhaps he found his peak too quickly - there's often little to say to people about Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo then "yes, it's as good as the last several decades worth of Usagi Yojimbo!" Yet, it can't be said often enough: if you've never tried Usagi, you might be missing out on something quite extraordinary - intelligent, funny, action-packed and even educational - if the new Color Special were the first Usagi you sampled, it certainly wouldn't be a bad place to begin.

Presenting: Kitsune!

Following up my earlier look at Sasuke, I bring you another fine character from Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo: Kitsune, thief with a heart of... well, a thief with a heart, shall we say?

Debuting in the story "Kitsune," (Usagi Yojimbo#32, 1992/Usagi Yojimbo vol. 7: Gen's Story), we're first introduced to Kitstune as a street performer who demonstrates tops to enthralled audiences; her real goal is to lower the defences of the crowds so she can pick the pockets of whomever she judges to be carrying a purse. "After all," she says, "a girl has to do what she can to get by."

In this first tale, it's Usagi himself who unwittingly becomes Kitsune's mark; still, despite his initial naivete, he later has enough on the ball to pick Kitsune's pocket and steal his purse back. In her second appearance, Kitsune encounters Usagi while he's travelling with his frequent companion Gen; Gen takes an immediate interest in Kitsune, but Usagi neglects to inform Gen of Kitsune's true occupation, allowing Usagi a rare opportunity to one-up Gen (who typically finds means to trick Usagi into paying all of his bills).

It's quite a bit later when we finally learn Kitstune's background, narrated by her to Gen in "Kitsune's Tale" (Usagi Yojimbo#52, 2001/Usagi Yojimbo vol.16: The Shrouded Moon). There, we learn how her stepmother sold her to work at an inn; when faced with the prospect of being sold from the inn to a brothel, she ran for her life and eventually met Sachiko, a professional thief. We learn "Kitsune" is the name Sachiko gave her (explaining why Usagi's tales could include both the supernatural being Kitsune and a woman simply called "Kitsune").

Under Sachiko's guidance, Kitsune learned how to lift money and create diversions; working as a team, the duo prospered for some time, until they made the mistake of robbing a samurai who had already witnessed one of their earlier robberies. The samurai murdered Sachiko, leaving Kistune by herself. In the wrap-around to this tale, Kitsune meets Kiyoko, an orphan girl who tries to rob Kitsune & Gen. Reminded of her own childhood, Kitsune takes Kiyoko under her wing as an apprentice thief - and thus, the two have appeared together in Usagi Yojimbo since then.

Kitsune is always an interesting character to revisit as she almost always has enemies following in her wake requiring Usagi's intervention. At times she's been considered a romantic interest for Usagi (and Kiyoko for Usagi's son Jotaro), but would the honour-bound Usagi ever seriously romance an unapologetic thief and liar? Kitsune creates fine complications in Usagi's life; she's easily one of the top supporting players of the series.

Presenting: Sasuke, the Demon Queller!

Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo is, for all I know, beloved by all who read it. However, based on how seldom the series comes up around the blogosphere, I have to assume many of you are not reading the series. Perhaps the 25+ year publishing history seems daunting to you? It shouldn't; Sakai carefully crafts his tales to accommodate first-time readers joining the narrative at any point. On the other hand, suppose the adventures of funny animals in feudal Japan isn't your milieu? In that case, allow to argue in the favour of Usagi Yojimbo as a comic book series anyone can enjoy, even if you scorn funny animals.

Amongst the dozens of characters who comprise Usagi's cast, there's one who stands out as being a little more familiar to readers of comic books than most; his name is Sasuke and his singular occupation is that of demon queller.

 

When Usagi first met Sasuke in the story "Kumo" (found in trade vol. 14: "Demon Mask"), Sasuke appeared to be fox-man ronin. Up to that point, the tale had involved Usagi discovering webs left behind by giant spiders, spiders which had consumed a full-grown man. Venturing into a local tavern, Usagi began to describe what he'd seen to the locals. Sasuke is seen at first from the back of his head; he's just a figure in the crowd, one of the tavern customers. Of course, regular readers of the series know when Usagi meets another ronin in a tavern, the newcomer must be fated to aid or hinder our rabbit protagonist.

The first significant thing we learn about Sasuke comes when he calls Usagi by name, despite Usagi not having given it. "You must have introduced yourself when you came over," is Sasuke's simple response; Usagi might accept this, but we readers have the advantage of looking back over the previous panels, where we can see Usagi did no such thing. Something is off about Sasuke's explanation, but it's not because he's heard of Usagi by reputation or has been secretly observing our hero from afar; Sasuke knowing Usagi's name is just one of his supernatural talents.

The supernatural has figured in Usagi Yojimbo comic books almost from the first story, almost alwaysto bedevil Usagi. In "Kumo," Sasuke is an ally - and quite a powerful one!

 

Sasuke's magic goes beyond his mystic foresight and includes conjuring up bolts of eldritch energy, in a manner like any of Steve Ditko's sorcerers! Later in "Kumo" Sasuke battles a "Spider Queen" by conjuring up a giant frog to consume her massive spiders. Sasuke's demeanor against such supernatural horrors is as reserved as his explanation for knowing Usagi's name; one gets the impression his life is much less ordinary than our protagonist. In fact, Usagi can be quite unnerved by magical goings-on, providing a neat way to undercut his usual stoic manner. Just as Usagi could face a dozen armed men with grim determination, so does Sasuke confront the very demons of hell!

I enjoy how Sasuke's knowledge of people's names (and other pertinent information) is repeated each time he appears like a running gag. In "Sumi-E" (found in vol.18: "Travels With Jotaro"), Sasuke not only knows Jotaro's name before it is given to him, he also surmises Usagi is Jotaro's father. Again, Sasuke offers weak suggestions that he came by this information honestly. "Sumi-E" is an absolute delight, containing a loving tribute to Japanese giant monster movies such as Gamera and Godzilla. Perhaps the best Sasuke tale thus far is the full-colour graphic novel "Yokai" in which some details of the hero's tragic origins are revealed.

There you go: Usagi Yojimbo is not just a funny animal book with a period setting, it's also a raucous fantasy adventure! Is that helpful? Please consider picking up a Usagi Yojimbo story - don't dismiss such a fine series sight unseen!

Comic books of 2011: the good

In the 1990s, I was an avid fan of Siskel & Ebert's television program, watching every broadcast. I'd hoped to open this post with a particular clip, but sadly, I can't locate it on Youtube.

This moment has always stuck with me: the duo were reviewing the film Gamera: Guardian of the Universe; Ebert liked it, Siskel did not. Siskel covered the film first and closed off his review by saying he couldn't recommend the movie and instead suggested viewers seek out the original Godzilla, King of the Monsters from 1956. Ebert was almost livid in his reaction, asking Siskel (words to this effect) "If we're just going to recommend old movies, why don't you and I stay home all year rewatching Citizen Kane?"

In several of my discussions about the current state of comic books over at Colin Smith's blog, he and I have bandied words to the effect of "Kirby knew how to do this," "Toth would have done it right," "Wood forgot more than most artists have ever known," etc. I think all we mean to do is point to ready examples of clean, inventive comic book storytelling. The danger of such statements is you begin to imply comic books of the past are inherantly superior to what's being produced today.

It would be very easy to stop reading new comic books. If I spent the rest of my life just reading old stories by Kirby, Toth, Wood, Colan, Williamson, Krigstein, Maneely, Kurtzmann, Cole, Eisner, Barks, Kelly, Frazetta and Everett, I think I would be reasonably happy (and would have plenty to enjoy, even at the pace I take in comics). However, I'd be allowing my tastes to stagnate, denying myself the pleasures found in contemporary works which communicate how people living today feel about the world around them.

Thus, I've remained with contemporary comic books. I've taken some risks on new material and untested talent which haven't paid off, but I've also happened across new works which are really meaningful to me, entertaining me, bolstering my imagination, encouraging me to open my mind.

Therefore, here are the contemporary comic books of 2011 which I'm pleased to recommend:

Given how I complained about storytelling in comics yesterday, I feel I should begin with a series which wears brilliant storytelling like a glove: Usagi Yojimbo. The advantage Usagi has, of course, is that Stan Sakai is responsible for everything on the page - plot, script, art and letters. I'm very nearly completely caught up with Usagi now and it's a rewarding book, telling stories today which are as solid as those 20 years ago. It's particularly great to see how the cast of characters develop over time, revealing new layers and altering their connections to each other.

On a very similar wavelength is Sergio Aragones Funnies, which is likewise the brainchild of one man, Sergio Aragones. As I've said before, while I enjoy Sergio's gag cartoons and humorous stories (even the occasional dramatic tale), what I most enjoy are his biographical pieces. The most recent issue (#6) recalled an episode from his childhood and even though it's not life-altering or momentous (he and a friend once accidentally boarded a moving freight train), it's easy to see why it's remained etched in his memory; now it's etched on paper. I suppose what I really enjoy in Sergio is his openess and honesty.

Comic Book Comics completed its 6-issue run in 2011, but it could have easily kept going another 6 issues. Or 12. Or 18. It amazes me whenever I find a piece of information on comic book history I was previously unaware of. I wish Comic Book Comics had found the space to cover other turning points like the foundation of Image Comics, the Marvel bankruptcy or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles saga, but I'll treasure all of what they did deliver. Learning about comics history with Comic Book Comics is like having the stories told to you by a close friend.

Although I'm an all-around Marvel Comics guru, I don't care much for Daredevil. It's a serious blindspot in my mastery of Marvel - there are huge chunks of Daredevil I've never read (not even all of Miller), even though there are five Daredevil comics I'd place on my all-time favourite list. I've never really warmed up to protagonist Matt Murdock and the deeply depressing life he leads, but Mark Waid may yet change my way of thinking. Thanks to his collaborators, Marcos Martin and Paolo Rivera, he's turned in one of the most beautiful super hero comics I've seen in years; the amount of love and craft on every page is invigorating, especially in how Murdock's radar senses are brought to life by sound effects. In most super hero comics, sound effects seem to be workmanlike at best; Daredevil uses sound effects in ways I normally only find in indie comics, such as Matt Murdock dodging bullets represented by sound effects (above). Daredevil is the super hero book I most anticipate - quite a reversal!

Speaking of Daredevil, someone had the bright idea to have the Black Panther take over Daredevil's job as defender of Hell's Kitchen in Black Panther: the Man Without Fear/Most Dangerous Man Alive. I haven't put any real stock into Black Panther since Christopher Priest left the franchise and this series was saddled with depriving the hero of his supporting cast, setting and special weapons while putting him into Daredevil's setting. To top it off, writer David Liss is a newcomer to comic books, being an import from the world of prose. You wouldn't expect Black Panther to work, and yet... it's both true and liberating to the character. Removing the Black Panther's special weapons, army of loyal allies and political power scales him back down to a point where he can actually lose; what's great then is that he gets to display new strengths, relying on his initiative and reflexes to get past problems. To top it off, it's hopeful.

In Black Panther's Fear Itself tie-in, the Hate-Monger uses his emotion-altering powers to inflame locals, fanning racism to turn them against the Black Panther. However, the Hate-Monger's most ardently racist supporter - Chambliss - isn't even under the man's power. When the crisis is averted, Chambliss goes to the Panther asking to make amends; he's then made a janitor in the Panther's diner. So yes, we all get a good laugh at the racist, but at the same time, the Panther is extending a second chance to him; very cool and all too rare. Finally, most of the series has boasted the art of Francesco Francavilla, who's just been exploding on the scene at various titles (Detective Comics, Captain America & Bucky); he's one to watch, for sure.

It probably also helps David Liss that his mini-series Mystery Men was illustrated by Patrick Zircher. It flew under most people's radar, but as a 1930s super hero tale it was well-crafted and told at a breakneck pace. Virtually every character in Mystery Men was created by Liss for the series, but in just five issues he makes his characters come to life, including some of the background characters met along the way. Somehow Liss and Zircher managed to tell an alternate history epic where Ayn Rand helped conspire in the Lindbergh baby kidnapping; that's chutzpah, there.

Xombi lasted a mere six issues; six issues of glorious insanity. Big, bold imaginative ideas by John Rozum with art to match by Frazer Irving. Everyone reading Xombi realized it couldn't last, but I for one was glad they made the effort. Even with no experience of the original 1990s version of the comic and despite the dense text, I accepted Xombi on its terms and its bizarre ideas were as much charming as usettling. More about Xombi here.

Finally, who would have thought Journey into Mystery would work its way into our hearts? It became a darling of comic book fans almost immediately, with its adventures of a child-sized Loki trying to save Asgard and his brother Thor by playing tricks on everyone. Every issue has held so much deft plotting and characterization by Kieron Gillen, it's a joy to behold. Young Loki's desire to good by committing little evils creates an interesting balance in the book, where we readers don't want Loki to fail, but fear his solutions will only increase the misery of others.

A balanced diet of reading

Recently I was thinking about the comic books I read and considered how so many of them have a consistent tone or style - that is, I know what tone to expect in the Punisher, I know what style to expect in a Roger Langridge title. I found myself wishing there were at least one comic book in 2011 which delivered a wide range of tones, from serious to irreverent, from action to drama, from meticulous world-building to turning points, from intellectualism to bawdy humour. Boy, I'd love a comic book like that.

"Oh yeah." I recollected. "I'm already reading Usagi Yojimbo."

I've blogged about Usagi Yojimbo a few times already, but I feel like I can't stress enough just how fine this series - in no small part because it goes unmentioned by virtually every comic book review site & blog on the web. Here's a book which has survived three publishers, driven on by a single creator's vision, telling a variety of small stories which fit together into a larger ongoing story with no end in sight...but as much as readers claim they want self-contained stories, they never seem to prove it with numbers.

Camouflaged by the funny animal trappings, Usagi Yojimbo has shocked me:

Usagi Yojimbo has educated me:

Usagi Yojimbo has amazed me:

Usagi Yojimbo has made me somber:

Usagi Yojimbo has made me laugh:

Usagi Yojimbo has thrilled me:

Usagi Yojimbo has warmed my heart:

Usagi Yojimbo has kept me guessing:

Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai is a full course meal. I think you should treat yourself to a generous portion.