Usagi Yojimbo #116

Stan Sakai's cover for issue #116 sets a quietly haunting mood: Usagi stands alone in a downpour, paper umbrella in hand and katana drawn, his blue kimono a vivid contrast against a sea of somber stone figures that crowd every inch of the background. The atmosphere is contemplative and a little eerie, suggesting the rabbit ronin finds himself surrounded — whether by enemies, spirits, or something else entirely — beneath a gray, rain-soaked sky. With "The Outlaw" as the story title, this 2008 Dark Horse issue promises the kind of moody, atmospheric storytelling that has made Sakai's long-running series such a singular achievement in comics.