It also received the Parent’s Choice Award and a couple of other awards, domestically and foreign. It was used as a text book in Japanese history classes on the college level. And that story starts off with the creation of the Japanese islands and then recounts how Grasscutter was found in the tail of a eight-headed, eight-tailed dragon and went on to how it was lost at sea during the Gempei Wars, which is Japan’s civil war. I try to do as much research as I can within reason. They say it’s in a temple but it’s hidden away and it has not been seen for generations. It took about three months for these Dojo members to ferret out a picture and to get it authenticated. Now, it’s been portrayed in Japanese woodcuts and anime but it’s always been shown as katana, a Japanese single-edge sword but I knew it was a tsurugi, which is a Chinese-style, double edged sword. But I wanted a drawing or a photograph of the original sword. Grasscutter is a sword that was given to Japan by the gods. It took years and years to research and write. I did a story called Grasscutter and it was a major undertaking. It was created and is run by fans and they’re great support. This is even before I had access to the internet. It was one of the first comic book websites. The website has been around since the 1980s. Tell us about the Usagi Yojimbo Dojo forum, and how they have helped you with Usagi comics. He first appeared in Albedo comics in a few issues and then regularly as one of the features in Critters.ĮXCLUSIVE: Interior art from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai.
That’s pretty much where Usagi first got his start. This is back in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s and it was published by Fantagaphics Books and edited by Kim Thompson. Well, Usagi appeared in an anthology called Critters. I seem to remember Usagi had some connection to Critters from back in the day. And I would love to do another Space Usagi miniseries and just wrap up the entire storyline. There is also another descendant of his takes place in the 1930s, and is a pulp, The Shadow-type of character. I just drew the first chapter, but I abandoned it because I got so busy. She’s an investigative reporter and she gets caught up in a whodunnit, Agatha Christie-style mystery called Ten Little Critters. I actually had a 21st Century of descendent of Usagi’s planned out. I’m a big fan of mystery, whodunnits and that type of genre. Be sure to ask your local comic shop about the special variant cover by David Petersen of Mouse Guard fame.Usagi has been to space, travelled through time… Where haven’t you taken him yet, that you would still like to? Both editions feature exclusive extras including layouts, pin-ups, character studies, and more. This exciting crossover event will be available this July in standard comic book format as well as in an amazing deluxe hardcover collector’s edition. “I love the fact that our two creations were intertwined from the beginning and could not be more thrilled that Stan is coming back to tell a new story in the IDW TMNT comics universe.” “Stan and I both started out the same year, 1984, and here we are still living the dream telling stories with characters we created over three decades ago,” said Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Usagi Yojimbo franchises have a long history, previously appearing together in their respective comics, animated television series, and the popular TMNT line of toys. “Relationships have to be reestablished, suspicions overcome, and trust earned. The survival of all Japan literally rests on them working as a team." "I had wanted to reunite Usagi and the TMNT for awhile, but these are not the Turtles that he knew,” said Stan Sakai. Miyamoto Usagi has embarked on a quest to save Japan, and combining forces with the Heroes in a Half-Shell to take on the maniacal Jei may be the only path to coming out of this alive. Legendary creator of Usagi Yojimbo, Stan Sakai, will write and illustrate a new adventure which sees ronin rabbit, Miyamoto Usagi, cross paths with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. San Diego, CA (April 2, 2017) – Coming this summer, two decades after their last encounter, comic book universes collide as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles step foot into the world of Usagi Yojimbo in a special one-shot comic. IDW Publishing and Dark Horse Comics Present A Reunion