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Usagi Yojimbo Reading Order, the comics that inspired Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles

Now adapted on Netflix under the title “Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles,” Usagi Yojimbo is certainly not a new series. In fact, this creator-owned comic book series was created by Stan Sakai in 1984 – Usagi Yojimbo first appeared in Albedo Anthropomorphics #2, published by Thoughts and Images in November 1984. 

Openly inspired by Japanese cinema and real-life samurai Miyamoto Musashi, Usagi Yojimbo explores Japanese history, folklore, arts, and more. The story tells the adventures of the Miyamoto Usagi, a rōnin samurai rabbit, in Japan at the beginning of the Edo period (early 17th century) – it is an anthropomorphic comic where humans are replaced by animals – as he travels the country on shogyusha, sometimes monetizing his services as a bodyguard. 

The concept of the series, with Usagi meeting new people which each new adventure during his travels, makes reading Usagi Yojimbo easy as you don’t have to track down every book in order of publication. You can just pick a story at random. Of course, if you like what you read, you can also start from the beginning.

The publication history of Usagi Yojimbo is not clear and simple, as the series has been published by multiple publishers: Fantagraphics Books (Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 1), Mirage Studios (Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 2), Dark Horse Comics (Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 3), and lately IDW Publishing (Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 4). The samurai also appeared in occasional short stories published by other companies.

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Harrow County Reading Guide to Cullen Bunn’s Horror series

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Published by Dark Horse Comics, Harrow County is an Eisner-nominated horror fantasy tale created by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook that originally began as a serialized prose story called “Countless Haints” written by Bunn and released on his website. A lot changed when the story was repurposed with artist and co-creator Tyler Crook, so here is the synopsis:

Emmy always knew that the woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts and monsters. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures–and to the land itself–in a way she never imagined.

The original Harrow County series ended after 32 issues in 2008, but now the series has come back as Tales from Harrow County, and there are multiple editions. Here is a guide to help you navigate all this.

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The Goon Reading Order

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The Goon Reading Order

Published since 1998, The Goon is a famous horror comedy indie comics series written and illustrated by Eric Powell, first published by Avatar Press, then by Powell’s own Albatross Funnybooks, then by Dark Horse Comics, and now again by Albatross Funnybooks. It was a journey! But a great, funny, dark, and violent one. Goon is not a nice guy, but he is not a bad one either.

When we met The Goon, he is the enforcer for the gangster known as Labrazio. He runs his operation, collecting money and offing deadbeats, and basically being just violent with the help of his best friend/wise-cracking sidekick, Franky. In Lonely Street, The Goon and Franky must now deal with zombies raised from the dead by a Zombie Priest and more craziness.

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Buffyverse Comics Reading Order: Buffy and Angel Comic Books published by Dark Horse (and IDW)

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a supernatural television drama series that aired between 1997 and 2003. It follows the adventures of Buffy Summers, the Chosen One. She is gifted with the strength and skills to fight vampires, demons, and other supernatural creatures. As Buffy grows up, she must face the challenge of every teenager (and after) life and also the darkness. She is surrounded by friends and family who help her in her mission.

Now, you can continue this adventure in comic book form. Some depict events and situations unseen during the series’ run, while other comics follow the characters after the conclusion of the show’s official run. Some are canon, some are not.

What to read (and watch) before the Buffy and Angel comics?

If you are here, it means you are familiar with Buffy Summers for at least the television series, Buffy the Vampire Series. Our heroine made her first appearance in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, before becoming the badass heroine of her own television show and comic books.  Obviously, you want to have watched both Buffy (seasons 1-7) and Angel (seasons 1-5) at least once before diving into the comic books.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic publication began during the television show aired. Most of those stories during that time take place in parallel with the series’s events. Despite that, they are not all considered canonical.

After the show’s concluded, the publisher began releasing new seasons and spin-offs written and/or supervised by creator Joss Whedon and officially recognized as canon to the show.
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Hellboy Universe Reading Order (Hellboy, BPRD, Abe Sapien), from the mind of Mike Mignola

The Hellboy Universe is vast and full of monsters. It’s also composed of multiple series and miniseries, stories published in a non-chronological order. The following article is not the ultimate reading order, it’s a reading guide, an attempt to offer a good view of one of the best comic book universes.

Created by writer-artist Mike Mignola (you can read about the origin of the creation of the character here), Hellboy is a half-Demon who was summoned from Hell to Earth as a baby by the “Mad Monk” Grigori Rasputin for the Nazis. Adopted by Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, the man behind the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (also called the B.P.R.D.), Hellboy grew up with humans and learned to hunt monsters. Adult, he is easily identifiable. After all, he is red-skinned, huge with a tail, horns, and cloven hooves for feet, and his right is hand made of stone.

Working with the B.P.R.D., he hunts Nazis, witches, and other types of Lovecraftian monsters, teaming up with the amphibian humanoid Abe Sapien, and pyrokinetic Liz Sherman. As the years pass, Hellboy must confront who he really is and fulfill his destiny as the B.P.R.D. becomes the first line of defense against cosmic menaces.

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Black Hammer Reading Order: How to read Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston comic book series?

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American comic book series created by writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dean Ormston, Black Hammer is published by Dark Horse Comics and tell a rather different superhero story.

Everything started ten years ago when the famous Black Hammer and six other superheroes from Spiral City fought the deadly Anti-God in order to save the world.

They win, but they also disappeared after the fight. The world believes them dead, but they became trapped in Rockwood, a small city in the middle of nowhere. They just can’t leave. Black Hammer died trying. They must live mundane lives in this timeless rural city.

They don’t really know where or when they are and they lost almost all hope to leave one day or to discover the truth about what happened to them.

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The Legend of Korra Comics Reading Order, the sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender

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The Legend of Korra Comic book Reading Order

A sequel series to Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra is an animated American television series with four seasons. The story picks up seventy years after the end of the Avatar: The Last Airbender and follows Korra as she faces the difficult challenges, duties, and responsibilities that come with being the Avatar.

Now, the adventure continues in comic book form, with most stories taking place after the conclusion of the show’s official run. Here is the official synopsis:

“Relishing their newfound feelings for each other, Korra and Asami leave the Spirit World . . . but find nothing in Republic City but political hijinks and human vs. spirit conflict! A pompous developer plans to turn the new spirit portal into an amusement park, potentially severing an already tumultuous connection with the spirits. What’s more, the triads have realigned and are in a brutal all-out brawl at the city’s borders–where hundreds of evacuees have relocated! In order to get through it all, Korra and Asami vow to look out for each other–but first, they’ve got to get better at being a team and a couple!”

What to read before The Legend of Korra?

Before going into The Legend of Korra, you can watch and read about The Last Airbender (see Reading Order), then (re)discover The Legend of Korra animated series.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender Comics Reading Order

Avatar: The Last Airbender Comics Reading Order

An American animated television series for three seasons, Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the adventures of Aang and his friends, who must save the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai and ending the destructive war with the Fire Nation.

Now, you can continue the adventure in comic book form. Some depict events and situations unseen during the series’ run, while most comics follow the characters after the conclusion of the show’s official run.

What to read before the comics Avatar: The Last Airbender?

More than reading, it is better to go for a rewatch of the TV series, before or in parallel with the first comics, as you prefer. But it’s also the perfect place to acknowledge Chronicles of the Avatar, a series of novels chronicling the lives of previous Avatars.

Taking also place before the events depicted in the television series, you can read more about Zuko in a graphic novel detailing the years between his banishment and the reappearance of the Avatar. It has been released as a tie-in for the 2010 movie, but it still fits pretty well inside the canon (thanks to Somebody in the comments!)

Finally, you can revisit the animated tv series, with a Screen Comix retelling of the original series with full-color images and dialogue from the series, published by Random House.

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