At the Diamond retailer summit in Las Vegas, I got the chance to meet Billy Tucci. I've followed Shi, his signature work, through its self-publishing journey and seen Billy at conventions throughout my career in comics, but I'd never gotten the chance to actually meet the guy behind the book, so I was excited.  Billy was excited too. I was immediately struck by his refreshing enthusiasm about his work. He seemed to know everyone in the room, shaking hands and cracking jokes with comics retailers from across the country. You could tell that he was a man who took pride in his art, loved what he was doing, and this energy rubbed off on everyone in the room. During a talk I gave at the summit, I announced that Shi was coming to Dark Horse, and the attendees burst into a spontaneous standing ovation. This April, Shi returns as a limited series, Shi: Ju-Nen under the Dark Horse banner. When you think about it, Shi and Dark Horse make sense together. Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson has been a tireless advocate for creator-owned comics and Shi has been one of the most popular creator-owned books since its first appearance 10 years ago. Shi: Ju-Nen returns Billy Tucci to the character that made his mark in comics, and will be his first full miniseries following several film projects, including his award-winning short film, some trouble of a SeRRious nature.
Ten years have passed since Shi: The Way of the Warrior, when Tucci first introduced us to the shadow war, which has raged for hundreds of years between the warrior monks of the Kyoto and Nara Sohei, direct descendants of Japan's greatest samurai. In the first Shi series, we met Ana Ishikawa, who set out on the path of revenge but found herself lost in a sea of conflict, much of it within her soul.
Things have changed in the last decade. The Narans have finally been defeated, and the Kyoto Sohei are about to rub it in-with the encouragement of the Yakuza and with potentially disastrous consequences. Once again, Ana Ishikawa will don the guise of Shi, Death Incarnate, and try to make things right.
As usual, Tucci's gorgeous artwork and expert storytelling are complemented by extensive research. Shi is not only a great read, but it truly captures and conveys the bushido ideals of Japanese samurai culture. For ten years, it's been one of the best comics around. Now Dark Horse gets to come along for the ride.
-Jeff Macey