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Post by lobsterjohnson on Dec 15, 2017 10:44:00 GMT -5
A new 7-issue Usagi story has been announced in the March 2018 Dark Horse releases (link to Bleeding Cool: link). Here's the description: A new story begins here!
Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #1 (of 7)
Stan Sakai (W/A/Cover)
On sale Mar 21
b&w, 28 pages
$3.99
Miniseries
On his way to see Inspector Ishida, Usagi is confronted by Shogunate guards . . . a sign of the times. While unraveling a pair of murders in town later, Usagi and Ishida become wary as they find the corpses stripped of all identification—except for a talisman that leads to a startling discovery!
• Part one of seven—the perfect place to start!
“Long story short, Usagi Yojimbo continues to be the best adventure comic in the world today.”—Newsarama
I'm curious about this issue being Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #1 instead of having the usual numbering of the ongoing series. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 15, 2017 12:09:52 GMT -5
I'm curious about this issue being Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #1 instead of having the usual numbering of the ongoing series. Might be a marketing experiment. Usagi is arguably more popular than ever and certainly getting more mainstream exposure, but if that isn't being reflected in comic sales, it could be because big issue numbers seem prohibitive to new readers. A #1 always comes off as a good jumping on point. Another possibility would be Stan looking to slow down his publication schedule. If he wants to get in more time traveling and/or spending time with his family, especially after four decades committed to Usagi, transitioning to a limited series format would allow him a lot more freedom. Colleagues such as Sergio Aragones, David Peterson, and Mike Mignola are already doing this with their properties. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 15, 2017 13:41:19 GMT -5
From Stan's facebook page: "Usagi Yojimbo is changing it's format to become a series of mini-series, as is Hellboy and other regular Dark Horse comics, but the numbering will still continue in the indicia." |
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Post by lobsterjohnson on Dec 15, 2017 15:20:25 GMT -5
From Stan's facebook page: "Usagi Yojimbo is changing it's format to become a series of mini-series, as is Hellboy and other regular Dark Horse comics, but the numbering will still continue in the indicia." I've always liked that approach for the Mignolaverse books, and I think it's a good fit for Usagi. Hopefully it will help bring in new readers. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 18, 2017 10:20:36 GMT -5
From Stan's facebook page: I've always liked that approach for the Mignolaverse books, and I think it's a good fit for Usagi. Hopefully it will help bring in new readers. Yes, and the idea makes complete sense. Stan has been writing/planning with the trades in mind for decades now anyway. Slapping the title of the trade on the floppies and resetting at #1 is actually a pretty good reflection of this. It will also encourage newer fans looking to read the old stuff to turn to the trades instead of the floppies, as it will be nearly impossible to know the reading order looking at the floppies. |
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Post by jabba359 on Dec 18, 2017 15:25:29 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to the new numbering scheme hopefully bringing new readers in by making the issue count far less intimidating.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 19, 2017 14:58:54 GMT -5
The other upside to all of this is that each issue will probably carry the TRUE legacy numbering on it as well. No more needing to explain how it's issue #163, but actually issue #215.
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Post by richarddragon on Dec 19, 2017 15:34:48 GMT -5
The other upside to all of this is that each issue will probably carry the TRUE legacy numbering on it as well. No more needing to explain how it's issue #163, but actually issue #215. Stan did mention it. The inside cover will feature both #163 (with DH) and #215 (overall) |
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Post by jabba359 on Dec 19, 2017 21:44:12 GMT -5
Once you know what the startling discovery is (though there are hints as to the subject matter earlier in the issue), I have a movie to recommend watching to add some historical context. I don't want to post any spoilers, so unless Stan reveals a bit more about the subject of this story arc, I'll have to wait as the movie recommendation will give the subject away.
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Post by usagigoya on Dec 20, 2017 13:37:26 GMT -5
Once you know what the startling discovery is (though there are hints as to the subject matter earlier in the issue), I have a movie to recommend watching to add some historical context. I don't want to post any spoilers, so unless Stan reveals a bit more about the subject of this story arc, I'll have to wait as the movie recommendation will give the subject away. I'll try to maintain silence as well......
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 27, 2017 22:16:51 GMT -5
I'm really looking forward to this!
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 27, 2017 22:47:07 GMT -5
I wish Marvel would do the legacy numbering in the indicia thing.. it's SUCH a good idea.
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Post by usagigoya on Dec 28, 2017 14:45:39 GMT -5
I am actually surprised, now that I think of it, that Dark Horse hasn't done it with Sergio Aragones' Groo comics yet.....
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2017 16:09:54 GMT -5
I wish Marvel would do the legacy numbering in the indicia thing.. it's SUCH a good idea. I first remember seeing legacy numbering in the indicia on their Conan books, and it really hasn't helped sales at all on that, as #1 issues keep getting sales bumps but the attrition is higher between 1 and 3 each successive time they do it and the next #1 sells less than the previous #1. Now both the Mignolaverse books and Usagi have more consistent creative teams and quality of content than the Conan books, so that should alleviate some of the attrition, but the technique in and of itself is not a panacea for attracting new readers. Right now I am not even sure if DH will be doing more Conan books after the Wonder Woman x-over is complete, and I have no desire to see that happening to any other books that use it as I highly enjoy it. But it points to a continued problem with the market as currently constituted, customers pay far too much attention to trade dress and not enough on the actual quality of content. Brand names and issue numbers have far more influence on sales than good stories and art. I don't begrudge creators and publishers doing what they need to do to survive in that kind of market, and until the mindset of the customer base changes, there will be a need for this kind of thing, but at the end of the day, there's not going to be growth in the direct market until that mindset changes. -M |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 28, 2017 22:24:26 GMT -5
I really just want it to make things easier to keep track of, really. It's a small thing that doesn't require money or effort on the publishers part, but that would create a fair amount of goodwill.
I totally agree with you about trade dress being more important than content.. that's a big problem. I still think the answer (For Marvel and DC anyway) is cheap paper Shonen Jump type anthologies as the first printing... then quickly to trades
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