Death of a Paper Salesman

[skjam]

It's been a long while since we've had an Usagi Yojimbo post. Let's have one now.

For those just seeing him for the first time, Usagi is a ronin (masterless samurai) who wanders a funny animal version of feudal Japan, righting wrongs and perfecting his sword style.



This scene does not appear in the story.

Four pages from #140, the most recent issue.



In the previous issue, Usagi had met his friend Ishida, one of the few non-corrupt shogunate officials. Ishida was escorting the notorious bandit Haya to trial. A rainstorm forced the three to seek shelter in an inn, where they found several other travelers. Tensions ran high....






Note the dark lines at the bottom of the woman's kimono, there to let us know that it's sopping wet.

Ishida and Usagi discover a second corpse, deepening the mystery. Whodunnit and why? I'm certainly not going to tell you the ending!



Your thoughts and comments?

SKJAM!

Comments

[q99]

I find Usagi has gotten less adventurous with it's plots in recent volumes, dealing with gangs or solving individual crimes a lot (*especially* gangsters).

Still, it's certainly no less technically adept, each story is still good :)

[grazzt]

Plus there are also the occasional forays into Japanese culture. I loved the issue that was entirely a tea ceremony between Usagi and Tomoe.

[q99]

I wish we got *more* between Usagi and Tomoe! Relationship progress!

[grazzt]

I haven't read anything since the Tomoe's Story trade. Did the whole arranged marriage thing actually happen?

[skjam]

Not yet. Usagi-time is six times slower than real world time, so it hasn't been that long.

[q99]

Still up in the air I think.

Also the Cat ninja situation hasn't really changed either.

Usagi's done stuff with some of his friends, but I am hoping some major plot threads'll either be resolved or at least majorly touched upon.

[philippos42]

I love Inspector Ishida, medieval detective. I haven't read UY in years, but I was a big fan back in the day.

[glprime]

It was the daughter, right? Right?

[shadur]

Not unless she changed into a wet kimono after doing the strangling.

"Hmm. It's dry." remember?

The wet kimono suggests that the daughter has been outside recently, probably wearing an overcoat to keep from getting soaked - except at the hem.

I'm certain what she was or wasn't doing outside will feature in the conclusion, but it does suggest she personally wasn't the killer.

[skjam]

Got it in one, which is why I mentioned that particular clue. For the rest, you'll have to see the issue (and maybe pick up the previous one, which sets up the motives.)

[ogrebear]

Interesting art style.

[blackruzsa]

It's a great comic altogether, though I've only picked up one or two shorts I found in those anthology type books.

Though the dark lines are vague at best. If you hadn't told me they were there, I'd have continued assuming they were shadowing from her kneeling,.

[skjam]

That's what I thought too, first readthrough. But Inspector Ishida points it out later.

[ar_feiniel]

I like this!