Created in 1984 as a supporting character for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stan Sakai s Usagi Yojimbo has vaulted to the very forefront of iconic modern comics characters and is a perennial favorite amongst both children and adult fans. Stuffed with engaging supporting characters, villains, and even a romantic interest or two, Usagi Yojimbo chronicles the action-packed wanderings of a masterless samurai (a ronin ) in feudal Japan as told with funny-animals. (If Pixar and the late Akira Kurosawa were to collaborate on a movie, it might very well look like this.) For the first ten years of his career, the battling bunny was published by Fantagraphics Books. In honor of his 25th anniversary, Fantagraphics is releasing a deluxe slipcase set collecting the first seven Usagi books, including the earliest stories; the origin story, Samurai; The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy, a full graphic novel; and literally dozens more. With over 1000 pages of story, this is the complete, definitive, early Usagi. But that s not all This Special Edition (our third in a line of books revisiting Fantagraphics most beloved classics, following Palestine: The Special Edition and Ghost World: The Special Edition) will also be brimming with extra material, some from the long-out-of-print hardcover editions of those first seven volumes, some brand new. Just a few of the goodies are a complete full-color gallery of the more than 50 Usagi covers from that period (never-before-collected); many preparatory sketches, including Sakai s original first draft of the Samurai story; two non-canon Usagi stories by Sakai co-starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (with whom Usagi also shared screen time in the TMNTs TV series); and an updated and expanded, long out-of-print and feature-length, career-spanning interview with Sakai from the pages of The Comics Journal.

This seminal book collects the classic original Usagi storieschronicling a time of settling unrest and political intrigue, toldthrough the story of a wandering and masterless samurai named MiyamotoUsagi, AKA Usagi Yojimbo!

This fifth volume collects the epic-length "Blood Wings," in which Usagi battles a fearsome clan of ninja bats, while "Lone Goat and Kid" offers a cunning and affectionate parody of the famous "Lone Wolf and Cub" manga while doubling as one of Usagi's most dramatic and heartfelt adventures. "Frost and Fire" and "The Way of the Samurai" provide the psychological drama of this volume, which is rounded out by one of the most unique Usagi tales ever, "A Kite Story," which doubles as a fascinating look at the daily life and work of a 17th century Japanese kite maker, dramatically showcasing the thoroughness of Sakai's research and his skills as a storyteller. Featuring a foreword by the legendary Stan Lee

Circles features the graphic-novel-length epic title story, in which Usagi returns to his native village only to find everything very different indeed. (The discovery that his mentor, whom he thought dead, is actually alive and kicking is only the first of the shocks that await him.) "Circles" is an epic adventure, a love story, and one of the most affecting Usagi stories ever. In addition to the 80-page "Circles," this volume includes "The Bridge," "The Duel," and the hard-to-find "The Tangled Skein" from Critters #38. Jam-packed with lethal sword battles alternating with humor, horror, suspense and slapstick, this beautifully crafted and exciting volume (with an introduction by Jeff Smith creator of Bone) is both an excellent starting point for new readers, and an absolute necessity for Usagi completists.

Usagi Yojimbo Book 3 collects full-length Usagi stories from issues #7 through #12 of the original Fantagraphics series, including "The Tower" (which introduces Usagi's traveling companion Spot the Wonder Lizard), "Return of the Blind Swordspig," "A Mother's Love," "Blade of the Gods," "The Shogun's Gift," and the hilarious Groo tribute "The Tea Cup," co-starring the amoral mercenary rhino Gen. ("Gen does what Gen does best ") Plus, the little-seen Usagi team-up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, "Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew," written and drawn by Sakai. A must-have for adventure lovers of all ages

The bunny's back Originally printed in the long out-of-print Usagi Yojimbo #1 through 4, this volume features Usagi's origins as a wandering rabbit warrior in feudal Japan, and introduces many members of the cast of characters. Brimming with exciting swordfights, authentic locales and costumes, drama and humor, this is some of Stan Sakai's finest work. If you're unfamiliar with this multiple Harvey and Eisner winning comic for all ages, then what rock have you been living under? Get your history lesson right here.

One of the great epics in the comic book field stars a rabbit? That's right, Stan Sakai's enormous dramatic saga of death and treachery, of ambition and honor, is the comics equivalent of Akira Kurosawa's classics such as The Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress. This volume of the Usagi series features the novel-length "The Dragon Bellow Conspiracy," which originally ran in six consecutive issues of the Usagi comics series. Jam-packed with lethal sword battles alternating with humor, horror, suspense, and slapstick, this beautifully crafted and exciting volume features all of the most popular supporting characters from the series, including Tomoe Ame, Gen the rhino, and Zato-Ino the blind swordspig. Both an excellent starting point for new readers, and an absolute necessity for Usagi completists