Usagi Yojimbo #119

Miyamoto Usagi stands defiant at the center of this Sakai-rendered cover, sword raised high as a mob of armored, snarling warriors closes in from every direction — a composition that practically radiates the series' blend of action and feudal atmosphere. At issue #119, "Traitors of the Earth, Part Three" promises a story already deep in motion, and the cover's overwhelming odds stacked against the lone rabbit ronin set an irresistible tone. Stan Sakai's expressive linework — handling every creative role on this 2009 Dark Horse release — gives the scene a kinetic energy that's hard to walk past on a shelf.