Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time in America. An epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- over 7000 pages -- Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami in Japan) is acknowledged worldwide for the brilliant writing of series creator Kazuo Koike and the groundbreaking cinematic visuals of the late Goseki Kojima, creating unforgettable imagery of stark beauty, kinetic fury, and visceral thematic power that influenced a generation of visual storytellers both in Japan and in the West. The Yagyu clan, the deadly assassins empowered to enforce the Shogun's will coveted Ogami's office of the executioner as well. They framed him, killed his wife, and now they come to his home bearing an official order from the Shogun, demanding Ogami's death by ritual suicide...

The epic continues! Among the five stories in this issue: Cub has been captured while Lone Wolf lies unconscious! All of Cub's captors are cruel, all but the osue (the lowest maid). But her help may be her undoing. The household waits for the feared Lone Wolf to come looking for his son...and when he does...pick up Volume Two to find out what happens -- plus four other great stories, as this classic epic continues!

Join renegade samurai Itto Ogami and his infant son, Daigoro, in five more adventures on the dark road to Hell. What do three mysterious Shogunate assassins, a street entertainer, and the crests of the dead have in common? "The Baby Cart Wolf" continues his dealing of death for gold and encounters one ronin who is bent on putting a stop to his journey. Will he succeed? Follow the monthly adventures of Lone Wolf and Cub, one of the true classics of comics literature, available in America for the first time in over a decade!

Dark Horse continues its presentation of the entirety of Japan's Lone Wolf and Cub, one of the unquestioned landmarks of graphic fiction, packaged in the digest format preferred by creator Goseki Kojima. The fourth volume of this ambitious monthly program collects four classic Lone Wolf tales, including one never before seen in America, where little Daigoro searches for his lost father while amazing a well-known samurai with his warrior's eyes and cool demeanor. Also, the Lone Wolf takes on the sons of the war-bell warden, legions of organized crime bosses, and a mysterious tattooed lady with a dark story and impeccable killing skills. It's bloody and romantic...and among the best the comics medium has to offer. To defend the great war bell of the Tokugawa is to defend Edo, the capital of feudal Japan. The warden of the bell, the Tsuji Genshichi, must combine heart and skill in a single body. To the bell warden, the loss of his right arm is the loss of his life - and the Lone Wolf has pledged to sever the arm of the new bell warden.

This volume contains five powerful, classic tales of the assassin Itto Ogami, the Lone Wolf, as he continues his journey to hell. The Yagyu clan, fearful of the growing legend surrounding Lone Wolf, has decided to protect itself by sending its own assassin after him, and later pit the greatest swordsman of a rival clan against him. Also, Lone Wolf must face the leader of a bounty-hunting gang who seeks revenge against Ogami for slaying his young lord years ago, and a master gunsmith who values the art of warfare above all else and will change his life forever. Don't miss a single volume of the acclaimed epic series that belongs on every bookshelf: Lone Wolf and Cub. Itto Ogami has taken the assassin's road. He has become a masterless samurai - a ronin - and he walks the path of Meifu-mado, the dark road to hell. But "Headless Sakon," a disenchanted samurai who has abandoned the art of death, teaches the Lone Wolf that there is another road - one which may cost Ogami his life.

The legend of Lone Wolf and Cub continues to grow in this latest chapter of Koike and Kojima's epic samurai masterpiece chronicling the wanderings of Japan's deadliest assassin, Itto Ogami, and his infant son, Daigoro. In this volume, Ogami takes on the most dangerous killer of the countryside, foils the plans of a deceptive gambling troupe, tricks an evil lord into exposing his weak underbelly, and pits himself against the Shogun's dangerous and deadly Kurokawa ninja! Drawing extensively from Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and featuring the saddest puppy-dog story ever published, this must-have volume is packed with action and emotion. The complete origin of Lone Wolf and Cub unfolds in this special 72 page Volume. His wife and retainers brutally murdered, his exalted position ruined by treachery, Itto Ogami takes his newborn son in one hand and his executioner's sword in the other and sets out on the bloody path of vengeance across a nation of samurai.

There is more than just blood between parent and child. Itto Ogami and his son Daigoro have seen more blood flowing from more bodies than anyone in Edo, but what connects them is their spirit and path. In this collection of classic stories, Itto must protect a young girl after her family is destroyed by a cunning courtesan. Meanwhile, Itto's arch-enemy, Yagyu Retsudo, has sent the civilian police force to round up the Lone Wolf as a common criminal, and before long, Daigoro is coincidentally tangled in a messy pair of crimes. And, most dramatically, Itto returns to the scene of one of his past executions to enter a tender and honorable sword fight against an executed lord's former retainer. Even in the fabled pleasure quarter - the realm of "those who shun the outside world" - they fear the Lone Wolf. But when Ogami befriends a young girl sold into prostitution by her destitute family, he must survive the tortures of the Kutsuwa to win her freedom from the shadowy Japanese underworld - the world of the dreaded Yakuza.

The journey of vengeance in blood and honor continues. Under the itinerant thumb of Yagyu Retsudo, the Shogun's secret ninja warriors, the Kurokuwa clan, attempt to ensnare Ogami. Can the Lone Wolf break the chains? If so, there are many in line behind Yagyu waiting to challenge the masterful swordsman, such as a vengeful widow, numerous police, and the freezing cold of winter itself. Plus, read the story of Ogami's rise to the position of the Shogun's Officer of Death, feel the seething root of Retsudo Yagyu's bitterness against Ogami, and watch Ogami teach a proud thief about true honor and the wages of deception. Five action-packed chapters, including never-before-translated material, are included in the latest volume of this classic series. Read it on the bullet train to Edo!

Water, death, and angry ninja take the foreground in this exciting volume of the legendary Lone Wolf and Cub series! A pitiful ferryboat girl discovers the tragic ways of "A Wife of the Heart," as the Lone Wolf, Ogami Itto, stands against the man she loves. In "Wayward Swords," a rogue swordsman-for-hire learns a valuable lesson about Bushido, the Way of the Warrior, from the Lone Wolf. Afterwards, Ogami once again must face the treachery of the Kurokuwa ninja clan, then becomes a river porter to foil the secret plans of his enemy, the Yagyu clan, and in doing so declares war against them all! The Lone Wolf's actions lead to a nationwide manhunt and an epic, bloody battle unlike any in comics. Don't dare miss a volume of the series that belongs on every bookshelf: Lone Wolf and Cub.

The six paths and four lives are split asunder, as Itto Ogami and Daigoro become separated in one of this series' most powerful stories to date! The Lone Wolf's arch-enemy, Yagyu Retsudo, pursues Ogami to retrieve the secret letter stolen from him, only to watch dozens of his men fall victim to the Lone Wolf's hungry sword! But Yagyu drives father and son apart as they tumble down a cliff and must survive on their own! Little Daigoro must begin his honorable search for his father. But with Yagyu's henchmen hunting high and low for the Lone Wolf and his cub, the net drags closer and the danger wraps tighter, but the blood flows ever freely...

The Lone Wolf and his cub, father and son, are separated by the hatred of the Yagyu -- and the path to togetherness is lined with blood and honor. As Ogami continues his search for little Daigoro, he must battle deadly Yagyu assassins and aspiring, cocky samurai. He prepares to give them a taste of his blade... Meanwhile, Daigoro visits a crazed old woman living under a bridge, and teaches her a valuable lesson. In these and other stories in this volume, Lone Wolf and Cub continue to unlock the mystery of the Yagyu, one step closer to the truth behind his quest for vengeance.Separated from his father, lost and alone, Daigoro must fend for himself and endure both hunger and the raging elements. An ordinary child would surely perish under such circumstances. But Daigoro is no ordinary child - he is the son of Itto Ogami. He is the Lone Wolf's cub.

A woman driven to insanity by the murder of her child, and the horribly burned husband seeking revenge; unseen samurai under the thumb of a power-hungry woman; a beggar ronin seeking the downfall of his greedily ambitious wife; a good-for-nothing beggar willing to use a child to make easy money; a lady magician threatened by swindling gangsters: all of these people have something in common -- the need to regain their honor, and this quest almost always means death. Ogami Itto, a wandering ronin on a road to vengeance, has been paid to put these folks back on that path, at any cost. For this grim samurai and his infant son, there is nothing left in this world except honor, vengeance, death, and blood. Fortunately, there's plenty of each to go around...

Yagyu Retsudo is a man on fire. For years he's been planning the destruction of Ogami Itto, the Lone Wolf. Ogami is a one-man army, having cut down all of Yagyu's sons -- except one, who's been sent to avenge his brothers or die trying! Meanwhile, the toughest cop in Edo, now retired, has the chance to take in the killer of a lifetime, Ogami himself. But is he up to the task? And Daigoro, the Wolf's cub, finds himself in adventures of his own, befriending a rich family and their spoiled son, and mysterious female falconers! It's all in a day's work for Lone Wolf and Cub... Don't miss out on the best-selling graphic novels of the year and a series that belongs on every bookshelf! The Prequel to the saga of Lone Wolf and Cub reveals the events that led to Itto Ogami's appointment as the Shogun's officer of death - and the origins of the dreaded Yagyu's plot to overthrow Ogami and seize control of the Shogunate.

As the flames draw nearer, the fire gets hotter. Ronin assassin Ogami Itto seeks to learn what's written on the secret messages from the corrupt Yagyu clan to the Shogun, and leaves a river of blood in his path. Elsewhere, a shamed woman attempts to force her husband to name his own child, but his job and honor stand in the way. Daigoro makes a new friend in another samurai fated to seppuku -- ritual suicide -- and defends the honor of a young playmate. The world keeps turning as the Lone Wolf and his Cub wander the land seeking revenge and answers, the questions to which are written in blood and ink.

The legendary saga of Lone Wolf and Cub passes the halfway mark with this stunning volume. Watch as Ogami Itto, the Lone Wolf, comes face-to-face with his arch-enemy, Yagyu Retsudo, in a tale of dark ambition and political intrigue. Witness the tragic tale of the Women of Sodeshi. Stalk alongside a deep-cover ninja as he chases his brother who has fled his station, while a group of shadow warriors prepare for a suicide mission to find a secret gold mine -- guarded by the Lone Wolf!

The Lone Wolf's arch-enemy, Yagyu Retsudo, begins to reach the end of his rope, as he sends his only daughter and last child after the blood-storm that is Itto Ogami! Meanwhile, Ogami and Daigoro happen upon another clue about the mysterious Yagyu Letter in a final showdown with the Kurokuwa ninja clan. A desperate Retsudo puts a bounty on Ogami's head, and two of Japan's most deadly bounty hunters hunt for the Lone Wolf and his Cub, while a poor woodcutter must decide between the bounty and his life by sheltering Ogami and Daigoro!

The epic journey of Ogami Itto and Daigoro continues in this stunning volume! A female yakuza and her band are ordered to catch Lone Wolf and Cub, but the authorities aren’t counting on a woman’s heart. Meanwhile, the Yagyu have called in Japan’s most deadly bounty hunters, and offer an even greater reward — can the Lone Wolf trust anyone around him, when the lure of wealth tempts even seemingly harmless peasant folk? And with Daigoro feverish and near death’s door, can Lone Wolf and Cub make it through a winter gale to safety?

The Shogun himself has given Retsudo a stern warning: do something about Itto Ogami, the Lone Wolf, or the Yagyu clan will fall out of favor. Now Retsudo must turn to the Fire Watchers, a select band of warriors, for help -- as well as the last surviving members of the legendary Kurokuwa ninja clan! As death stalks him, Ogami is confronted by desperate, impoverished peasants who want him to share his fortune with the suffering. With Ogami's cub, Daigoro, caught in the middle, what will he decide? Find out what everyone can't stop talking about.

The time for delay is past. Itto Ogami and Daigoro are headed for Edo, to face Retsudo of the Yagyu once and for all! Stalked by bounty hunters and killers after their reward money, the Lone Wolf now faces deadlier enemies still. Retsudo has called out the nation's most accomplished rifleman, and dispatched a cannon-laden man of war, to intercept the father and son as they navigate treacherous cliffs and the high seas of Japan!

A quest for vengeance wouldn't be complete without a little poison. Having tired of his retainer's futile attempts at reining in the unstoppable samurai, the shogun himself sends Abeno Kaii, a master of poison, to join the Yagyu in their hunt for ronin Itto Ogami and his little boy Daigoro. Armed with a sack full of poison and a network of streetwalking spies, Abeno creeps ever closer to the father and son. Soon Ogami and Daigoro find themselves surrounded on all sides, facing deadly secret agents, murderously seductive prostitutes, and a river of poison flowing all around them!

As the trail of blood and honor gets deeper and longer, corruption and double crossings abound. Two considerably evil and ambitious forces, previously teamed to finally kill the vengeful samurai Ogami Itto, clash in the torrential rains that continue to pound Edo. Determined to be the first to reach Ogami Itto and his son Diagoro, the shogun's own poisoner waits in a temple where the samurai and his toddler boy left their cart, reflecting on the path that has led him to this point, and brewing his most deadly poison. And the fiery Retsudo won't be stopped in his quest to kill Ogami, however now he must be wary of the poisoner's crafty ways. Meanwhile, the Lone Wolf and Cub enlist the aid of a tailor to help them prepare for what could be their last stand! There's something in the air, and it smells like death!

Rain. Poison. Explosives. Vengeance. It's a deadly combination that forms a volatile mixture of deceit, betrayal, and hate as the final showdown between Lone Wolf assassin Ogami Itto and his nemesis Retsudo begins. While the torrential rains continue to pound Edo, the fiery Retsudo and his bloodthirsty Yagyu army rush along the banks of the swelling Hatcho River, racing to beat a load of explosives that's traveling down the other side, heading right into the hands of the vengeful samurai Ogami. Meanwhile, the cunning poisoner Abeno sees his chance to destroy both sides as they run headlong on their collision course -- he's going flood all of Edo! Forced to put their battle aside, Ogami and Retsudo find themselves fighting side by side to save all of Edo from the floods, while Ogami's little son Daigoro wanders alone, fighting for his life and searching for his father! It's a deluge of evil, and it threatens to wash away all that stands in its path!

Edo is flooded, and by flooded, we mean crazy-flooded. Bridges are crumbling, rivers are washing past retaining walls, and everything in Edo is floating away, including our vengeful ronin, his foe, and his little boy. In an ironic show of samurai respect, little Cub Daigoro gets saved by the conniving Retsudo Yagyu. And proving he can lend a hand, too, Lone Wolf Ogami pulls someone to safety as well -- but maybe he should have let him drown. Eventually, the two opposing master swordsmen dry off and go head to head in a sword fight of a thousand stances and couple of days length. This seems like it could be the deciding bout between the two, unless that nasty, Abeno Kaii gets in the way, and he seems to do that a lot lately.

The true meaning of Bushido, the warrior code, oozes from every page of this volume. A little boy desperately attempts to drag his ronin father to safely, even if it costs him his own life; that same wandering samurai and his mortal enemy work together to save the frostbitten fingers of the same little boy, knowing they will eventually match swords again in a battle to the death; another samurai bites his own tongue, killing himself and locking a dark secret in his grave. The code of the samurai is complex and rich with irony, which is why so few carry this code through life. But as we draw closer to the conclusion of this epic struggle, the true bushi are stepping forth and showing their colors. It will truly be a fight to the finish. So, in these final days, a ronin and his young boy will visit the grave of their murdered wife and mother. It just might be the last Spring the two will share, like the many petals falling from branches.

The mortal enemy of our ronin hero, Retsudo Yagyu has been imprisoned in Edo castle by the shogun. It seems the conniving poisoner, Abeno Kaii, has exposed the Yagyu letter! And Yagyu's jailer is none other than the poisoner himself, determined to feed Retsudo the dose that will end his life in a pit of dishonor. But Yagu has spies even in Edo caslte, and a message is sent to his "grass," members of the clan hiding in secret, living as normal townspeople throughout Japan. It is up to them to give their lives in this final hour of desperate need. Meanwhile, Itto Ogami is living in a shack and training his little boy for the day when he must protect the battlefield with his own little hands. Still, two swords remain in this field of death, awaiting the two hands that will draw them from the soil and bring us closer to the end of our tale.

One could believe the old adage about the grass being greener on the other side. But, if you're referring to the "other side" of the Sanzu, the river between life and death, chances are it will be white, the color of a samurai's death robes. And a lot of that "grass" was probably dispatched by the hand of Itto Ogami. The Yagyu "grass," spies planted for years in local citizenry, has been on the move, gathering in Edo for a final battle. The ronin Itto Ogami has walked a path of demons with Daigoro at his side, on a quest of vengeance and death that has shaken the very foundations of the samurai caste and the shögunate. No one has been able to stop him, not even the crafty, Abeno Kaii and it looks like he's about see his final day, but he won't go out without a battle of wits! Only three more volumes until the long-awaited conclusion of Lone Wolf and Cub. And when it's over, you'll only want to read it again.

The tension is getting so thick, a dotanuki wielded by the strongest samurai would have a hard time cutting through it! Just two more volumes left until one of the world's most classic pieces of comic-book literature reaches its exciting and emotional conclusion. Two swords remain planted in the ground, awaiting the final duel between the conniving Retsudo and the vengeful Itto, and little Daigoro guards the two blades with his life. Indeed, his life is threatened when a stampede of villagers escaping a burning village almost plow him into the dirt. Impressed townfolk decide to stop and help him, staying for a while on the same beach. For once, Daigoro experiences the joy of being a child, playing with the other children, but that peace won't last long. Yaygu Retsudo, imprisoned in the castle of the shögun, deceives his way to freedom and commands the very last members of the Yagyu ninja to kill Itto! But knowing swords alone won't kill him, Yagyu sends a strange and fascinating weapon to the battlefield, the exploding ninja!

What exactly needs to be said in solicitation copy for the VERY LAST VOLUME OF LONE WOLF AND CUB? It's the moment you've all been waiting years and years to read. It's the end of the long path the ronin father and son have been on since the boy's birth. Through unimaginable violence and bad weather, across hundreds of miles of blood-soaked roadbeds, over years of tragedy and anguish, to this final 320 pages of still-epic story, Itto and Daigoro have kept us holding on to what little hope exists in a world where honor is all but forgotten and warriors are obsolete. It's a bloody battle all the way to the finish, with dramatic twists and turns right up to the final page. Stay with us as we conclude the translation of what will always be considered one of the finest examples of comic-book mastery ever created, Lone Wolf and Cub.