Usagi Yojimbo and Black Panther

 

The title says it all - this is a tale that I think would make for a visual feast.  I can imagine lots of crowded battle scenes and action against a backdrop of scenic vistas and ancient villages.  Reading a comic like that would not be a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon 

BunnyBunch!

 

I've been getting requests for a bunny based super group pretty much since I started creating teams for STF.  I finally got around to it, and since rabbits are known for multiplying, this is easily my largest team to date.  At 10 members, they are a pretty powerful force - but I'm sure some people will still be  saying, "Hey, where's Thumper?" or something. Oh well, I hope that your favorite made the cut! 

Usagi Yojimbo Vs. Storm Shadow

 

We had a couple of bunny rabbits when I was growing up.  They were so calm and docile that it's hard for me to imagine them ever mastering martial arts.  Actually, one of them, Abraham, was quite adept at escaping his pen and hiding, I remember one winter during a blizzard the whole family looking for him, It turned out he was right under the front deck the whole time.  So I guess he did have some ninja capabilities after all. 

Paws of Fury!

 For today's team, I thought that it might be fun to put together a dojo consisting of some of the best four-footed fighters in fiction.  I just completed the fourth season of the oh-so-addictive Cobra Kai this week and it had me in a karate mood.  Maybe the next Kung-Fu Panda movie can have Po enter the multiverse and we can get a team like this assembled.

Bucky O'Hare and Usagi Yojimbo

 

I remember seeing advertisements for Bucky O'Hare and thinking that it was simply one of the many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rip off series.  Maybe I should have taken a closer look, as it had a pair of very talented creators in Larry Hama and Michael Golden. Thanks to Nate Jones for suggesting this meeting!

Seven Swordsmen

Back in another life, when I went to acting school, I took a fencing class, and it was an absolute blast.  There were a few offensive and defensive moves to learn, and once I had them down, it was easy to choreograph battles.  We would practice in slow motion until we got it perfect and then switch to real time.  Tons of fun!

Hoppy the Marvel Bunny and Usagi Yojimbo

One thing that I liked about CC Beck's Shazam Family stories was the blurred line between super heroics and more cartoony funny animal comics.  His whimsical yet exciting tone had room for characters like Tawky Tawny, Mr. Mind and Hoppy in addition to more traditional supporting characters and villains.  Sure, there were some cartoony characters like Mr. Mxyzptlk, Bat-Mite, Itty, Zook and the rest in the DC titles, but they never quite fit in as well for me as the Shazam characters did.

Samurai Jack and Usagi Yojimbo

I think that this would be an interesting match up.  Both a wandering warriors of few words  who are extremely proficient with a sword, no matter how big the odds they are facing. It is hard to say who would come out one top if they were ever to clash, but it would be a blast to read... even more fun to see animated!

Usagi Yojimbo Joins Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew

I have enjoyed the DCU animated shorts that are played during their cartoon series.  Most are light hearted and skew to a younger audience, so I think that some Zoo Crew appearances would be a fitting and welcome addition to the  line up.  These guys are tailor made for animation!.

As a reminder, you can order a copy of The Sakai Project below.   All of the proceeds from this over-sized book go to Stan and Sharon Sakai to help pay for medical bills incurred from a brain tumor that Sharon has been battling.

The Sakai Project

Daredevil and Usagi Yojimbo

A great thing about the comic community - fans and pros alike - is that they stick together in times of need.  One such instance is the with Stan Sakai, the creator of Usagi Yojimbo.  Sakai's wife has been battling a debilitating brain tumor, and to help with the substantial medical bills, many talented artists have contributed original art featuring his most famous creation.  The art was auctioned off and many of the pieces are featured in The Sakai Project, a publication produced in association with The Comic Art Professional Society.  All of the proceeds from this over-sized book got to Stan and Sharon Sakai, and it can be ordered here:

The Sakai Project

Batman and Usagi Yojimbo

This cover fulfills a request from a friend.  I have to confess that I have yet to read an issue of Usagi Yojimbo.  It was years before I realized he had a scar on his forehead and wasn't just always cocking his eyebrow.  I remember seeing Usagi Yojimbo when it first came out and thinking it was just another TMNT type parody comic.  From what I have heard and seen since, that first impression could not be more incorrect.  It seems to have stood the test of time and developed into quite an epic saga.  So, where is a good place to start for folks like me who have never read the character before?