Usagi Yojimbo #97

Stan Sakai's cover for issue #97 puts the rabbit ronin Usagi front and center in a fierce sword-locked standoff against a scowling cat opponent, while a wide-eyed, grinning smaller figure in green crouches nervously at their feet — all set against the weathered wood of what looks like a barn or stable. The composition crackles with kinetic energy, Sakai squeezing real tension and a touch of humor into a single crowded frame. "Boss Hamanaka's Fortune, Part Two" promises more of the street-level intrigue and sharp blade-work that makes this long-running Dark Horse series such a pleasure in 2006.