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Old 08-31-2022, 12:54 PM   #1
CyberCubed
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Did we ever find out why Dark Horse stopped publishing Usagi comics?

Usagi had been with Dark Horse since 1996 and published nearly 200 issues with Stan Sakai. Then in 2019 Dark Horse stopped publishing the comics and Stan went to IDW to continue the series.

I've been looking online but can't find any real reason Dark Horse suddenly dropped the series after publishing it for nearly 20 years. Did Stan ever say why?
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Old 08-31-2022, 01:19 PM   #2
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Wasn't selling.
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Old 08-31-2022, 02:57 PM   #3
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I'm just surprised since from 1996-2018...they kept publishing them for over 20 years. When you're with a publisher for two decades, being dropped like that is a bit shocking.
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Old 08-31-2022, 04:12 PM   #4
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The sales figures and the things going on at Dark Horse (plus the retirement of his long time friend Diane) I think encouraged Stan to look for a new publisher. Plus obviously TMNT and Kevin were at IDW.
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Old 09-02-2022, 08:19 AM   #5
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TF this have to do with TMNT. Usagi is Turtles-adjacent but his own thing and has been forever.
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Old 09-02-2022, 09:53 AM   #6
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I personally never cared much about the Usagi-TMNT connections. Even the crossovers with Usagi and Mirage TMNT, it didn't feel like the Mirage TMNT, really.
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Old 09-02-2022, 02:39 PM   #7
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Seems like Dark Horse has lost just about all their major licenses from the 1990s. Star Wars is the big one, obviously. But along with Usagi, Godzilla comes to mind.
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Old 09-02-2022, 03:37 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Ninjinister View Post
TF this have to do with TMNT. Usagi is Turtles-adjacent but his own thing and has been forever.
Where else should I have made this thread, the dead book/comics section nobody looks at? I posted it here because people post here the most.
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Old 09-03-2022, 01:21 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by oldmanwinters View Post
Seems like Dark Horse has lost just about all their major licenses from the 1990s. Star Wars is the big one, obviously. But along with Usagi, Godzilla comes to mind.
I hate to say it, but Usagi isn't a "major license." Maybe it'll become that if this cartoon thing takes off.

Like, imagine if Mirage TMNT stayed only Mirage TMNT. There was no deal with SURGE Licensing and Playmates or Fred Wolf or anything. It was just a B&W comic that continues going after 30 years with no guest artists or writers or anything and never really "expands." I respect it, absolutely, but Usagi hasn't been like a hot ticket franchise since ever. Personally I say that's a good thing, but whatever.
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Old 09-03-2022, 05:21 PM   #10
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It surprises me also that Stan Sakai himself writes and does the art for every issue for 35 years. Isn't that unusual for an American comic? He never had any guest writers or artists do issues, every issue is written and drawn by himself. I seriously can't think of any other comic that's only done by 1 guy for two decades.
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Old 09-03-2022, 05:52 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by CyberCubed View Post
It surprises me also that Stan Sakai himself writes and does the art for every issue for 35 years. Isn't that unusual for an American comic? He never had any guest writers or artists do issues, every issue is written and drawn by himself. I seriously can't think of any other comic that's only done by 1 guy for two decades.
To be fair it's far more common in Manga.
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Old 09-03-2022, 07:51 PM   #12
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That's what I mean. Usagi started in 1984, its been nearly 40 years and every single issue and story is written by Stan Sakai. Is there any other comic done by just 1 person like this for nearly 40 years? It's so strange to me the series is still going or Stan himself never lost interest or wanted to stop.
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Old 09-03-2022, 10:04 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by CyberCubed View Post
That's what I mean. Usagi started in 1984, its been nearly 40 years and every single issue and story is written by Stan Sakai. Is there any other comic done by just 1 person like this for nearly 40 years? It's so strange to me the series is still going or Stan himself never lost interest or wanted to stop.
Dave Sim on Cerebus and Eric Larson on Savage Dragon come to mind.
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Old 09-04-2022, 05:18 PM   #14
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I read a few Usagi Yojimbo novels some years ago, and they had some great stories within them. I never knew that D.H. and Stan Sakai had parted ways until I came across this thread.
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Old 09-07-2022, 12:34 PM   #15
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Been sitting on this for a day or so… but Usagi is technically going back to DH…!

https://screenrant.com/new-usagi-yoj...gu-publishing/
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Old 09-07-2022, 01:55 PM   #16
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Been sitting on this for a day or so… but Usagi is technically going back to DH…!

https://screenrant.com/new-usagi-yoj...gu-publishing/
Intriguing. I imagine SS getting his own imprint had a major influence in his returning to DH ...
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Old 09-09-2022, 03:24 PM   #17
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The irony of me just making this thread. Usagi is now returning to Dark Horse:

https://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/3593/...nt-dark-horse/

What the hell. IDW only published 31 issues of Usagi Yojimbo from 2019-2022 and now Stan is leaving and returning to Dark Horse. So why on earth did he part with them in the first place?
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Old 09-10-2022, 04:54 AM   #18
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The irony of me just making this thread. Usagi is now returning to Dark Horse:

https://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/3593/...nt-dark-horse/

What the hell. IDW only published 31 issues of Usagi Yojimbo from 2019-2022 and now Stan is leaving and returning to Dark Horse. So why on earth did he part with them in the first place?
Andrew did claim it was because of sales but considering he's getting his own imprint just for this, I'm guessing DH might have been threatening with some editorial meddling to increase those sales?
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