Starting point for Usagi Yojimbo?

[Eskana]

Hi there,

I recently picked up an issue of Usagi Yojimbo (which I think was a FCBD standalone) and am interested in reading more. I found out, though, that there are apparently a lot of series (I think?) so can anyone recommend a good starting point?

Thanks!

[The Cheat]

Hi there,

I recently picked up an issue of Usagi Yojimbo (which I think was a FCBD standalone) and am interested in reading more. I found out, though, that there are apparently a lot of series (I think?) so can anyone recommend a good starting point?

Thanks!

Start at the beginning with the first Saga volume. You can start later, most of the stories read well without much prior knowledge, but the TPBs are well stocked everywhere so you might as well go back to the very start.

[Deathstroke]

I agree, simply start at the beginning.

[MRP]

If you have access to Hoopla through your local library system, most of the run is available to read for free.

-M

[Eskana]

Thanks for the tips, guys!

I actually do use Hoopla to catch up on a LOT of things, it's pretty awesome. But they often organize things weird, so that's part of my problem. On Hoopla, there's:
- Usagi Yojimbo 2019
- Usagi Yojimbo
- Usagi Yojimbo Saga

I'm assuming the 2019 is just a new addition or a new "series" as it were, but is there a difference between starting with the normal one versus "saga"? Either way, there are multiple volumes... just wondering if there's a right way that would also save some time...

[MRP]

2019 is the newest series from IDW, picking up where the Dark Horse series ended.

The Saga collections reprint the Mirage and the Dark Horse series (Mirage picks up where Fantagraphics ends, Dark Horse picks up from the end of the Mirage series. Each of these collects about 3 of the earlier Dark Horse trade volumes).

The Fantagraphics collections (Vol. 1-7) collects the earliest material-the shorts originally appearing in anthologies like Albedo, Critters, etc. and the first Fantagraphics series.

That early Fantagraphics material has recently been colored and presented in the Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics series from IDW, and Hoopla has volume 1 of that, which is where I would start.

But if you want those stories in b&w as they were originally published, I would start with Vol. 1 of the Fantagraphics series entitled Ronin (Hoopla also has this).

In collected form I would do

Fantagraphics Vol. 1-7
Usagi Yojimbo Saga Editions Vol. 1-9
IDW 2019 series Vol. 1 on

however, hoopla does not have all the Saga editions, and that's where it gets complicated. As I said above, each Saga edition collects 3ish of the regular Dark Horse volumes (Saga Vol. 1 collects vol. 1-3 of DH, Saga 2 collects 4-6, etc.) so if you are reading exclusively through Hoopla, you might have to get some of the regular DH volumes to stand in for the Saga editions they are missing (for example they do not have Saga Vol. 5, which I missed as well, so I got volumes 20-22 of the Dark Horse series instead.

I am currently doing a reread of the entire Usagi runs and am in Saga vol. 2 at the moment (just about to start the Grasscutter storyline again). I heartily recommend starting with the earliest Fantagraphics material and moving forwards from there.

-M

[Eskana]

2019 is the newest series from IDW, picking up where the Dark Horse series ended.

The Saga collections reprint the Mirage and the Dark Horse series (Mirage picks up where Fantagraphics ends, Dark Horse picks up from the end of the Mirage series. Each of these collects about 3 of the earlier Dark Horse trade volumes).

The Fantagraphics collections (Vol. 1-7) collects the earliest material-the shorts originally appearing in anthologies like Albedo, Critters, etc. and the first Fantagraphics series.

That early Fantagraphics material has recently been colored and presented in the Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics series from IDW, and Hoopla has volume 1 of that, which is where I would start.

But if you want those stories in b&w as they were originally published, I would start with Vol. 1 of the Fantagraphics series entitled Ronin (Hoopla also has this).

In collected form I would do

Fantagraphics Vol. 1-7
Usagi Yojimbo Saga Editions Vol. 1-9
IDW 2019 series Vol. 1 on

however, hoopla does not have all the Saga editions, and that's where it gets complicated. As I said above, each Saga edition collects 3ish of the regular Dark Horse volumes (Saga Vol. 1 collects vol. 1-3 of DH, Saga 2 collects 4-6, etc.) so if you are reading exclusively through Hoopla, you might have to get some of the regular DH volumes to stand in for the Saga editions they are missing (for example they do not have Saga Vol. 5, which I missed as well, so I got volumes 20-22 of the Dark Horse series instead.

I am currently doing a reread of the entire Usagi runs and am in Saga vol. 2 at the moment (just about to start the Grasscutter storyline again). I heartily recommend starting with the earliest Fantagraphics material and moving forwards from there.

-M

Mille grazie!!