Dark Horse Comics and Dogu Publishing today revealed another reissued, recolored limited series celebrating the 40th anniversary of Stan Sakai‘s ongoing adventure epic, Usagi Yojimbo. Debuting in October, Space Usagi: White Star Rising is the second reissued series featuring Sakai’s original writing, drawing, and lettering, printed for the first time in color with work by colorist Emi Fujii. Each issue will also feature a new, eight-page story by Sakai and Julie Sakai featuring the character Akemi.
“It’s exciting to see Space Usagi‘s second adventure re-colored for this edition, and it features a brand new short story starring a new member of the Usagi cast,” Sakai said.
Usagi Yojimbo is set primarily at the start of the Edo period in feudal Japan and follows a rabbit rōnin (samurai) named Miyamoto Usagi on a warrior’s pilgrimage, occasionally working as a bodyguard for funds. Space Usagi is a space-opera spinoff set in a futuristic version of feudal Japan originally published in the ’90s by Mirage Comics and then Dark Horse. The series consists of three limited series and two short stories.
During the 40th anniversary of Sakai’s original, award-winning work, Dark Horse is reissuing each series with color work by Fujii and new cover art. White Star Rising takes place immediately after Space Usagi: Death and Honor, and follows Usagi Yojimbo’s descendent Miyamoto Usagi continue to defend the Shirohoshi clan from their rivals, the Kajitori. In this arc, he meets colorful new characters like the space pirate Rhogen and makes new enemies led by Empress Amateh.
In addition to new main cover art for each issue, Space Usagi: White Star Rising #1-3 will also feature variants by Peach Momoko. The Beat can exclusively reveal Momoko’s cover for issue #1, seen below.
Space Usagi: White Star Rising #1 will be available for $4.99 at your local comic book store and digitally on October 23. It’s currently available for pre-order.
