Usagi Yojimbo #4

Stan Sakai's cover for this 1996 Dark Horse issue puts the rabbit ronin Usagi front and center, blades drawn and teeth bared as he squares off against a snarling, winged bat creature looming from the shadows above. Crouched below and looking decidedly unsettled is a young cat companion, adding a wonderful sense of stakes and camaraderie to the scene. The title "Bats, the Cat, and the Rabbit" practically writes itself given what Sakai has laid out here — an atmospheric, beautifully composed cover that showcases his signature blend of anthropomorphic charm and genuine tension.