In August, Dark Horse is launching Senso, a new Usagi Yojimbo miniseries from creator Stan Sakai, taking the samurai rabbit on a science fiction journey 20 years into his future in furry animal feudal Japan.

From the publisher:

Twenty years in his future, Miyamoto Usagi fights as a general for Lord Noriyuki, against the treacherous Lord Hikiji. In the fury of the final battle, a metal rocket crashes to earth—and inside is an enemy that neither side could have ever imagined! Witness the final fates of your favorite Usagi characters, in this all-new samurai epic with a startling science fiction twist!

The release is timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo, which made its debut over in Albedo Anthropomorphics at the now defunct Thoughts & Images, staying in semi-regular publication since 1984.

It’s one of the more successful indie comics, if only because of its sheer longevity and ability to survive the tumult of the comics market. That’s kind of a trick for a comic about a sword-wielding rabbit.

You can lay that success at the feet of Sakai, a masterful storyteller and cartoonist who’s been able to turn his title character into a chanbara hero. Usagi Yojimbo works as both a funny animal book as well as great, long-form action storytelling.

Dark Horse plans to collect the 200-odd issues published between then and now, starting with the new, omnibus-sized (at 600 pages, we’re talking a little phone book here) Usagi Yojimbo Saga. The collection will include Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 2 #1–#16 and Vol. 3 #1–#6, with both a hardcover and softcover edition on the way in October.

Usagi Yojimbo: Senso #1 will be available on August 6th and the Saga omnibus will be available on October 15th.

Dark Horse provided a look at the cover of the omnibus edition below: