InuYasha was the first comic that I actively collected, the manga that introduced me to the Wednesday comic-buying ritual and the very notion of self-identifying as a fan. Though I followed it religiously for years, trading in my older editions for new ones, watching the anime, and speculating about the finale, my interest in the series gradually waned as I was exposed to new artists and new genres. Still, InuYasha held a special place in my heart; reading it was one of my seminal experiences as a comic fan, making me reluctant to re-visit InuYasha for fear of sullying those precious first-manga memories. VIZ’s recent decision to re-issue InuYasha in an omnibus edition, however, inspired me to pick it up again. I made a shocking discovery in the process of re-reading the first chapters: InuYasha is good. Really good, in fact, and deserving of more respect than it gets from many critics.

The second VIZBIG volume, which arrives in stores this week, gives ample proof of Takahashi’s skill. The story arcs are long enough to be complex and engaging, but not so long as to test the patience. Like her sister-in-shonen Yellow Tanabe, Takahashi knows how to stage a fight scene that’s dramatic, tense, and mercifully short (not to mention coherent). Takahashi’s villains are powerful and strange, not strawmen; though we know our heroes will prevail — it’s shonen, for Pete’s sake — Takahashi throws creative obstacles in their way that makes their eventual triumph more satisfying. Then there are Takahashi’s characters — they’re familiar types, to be sure, but with enough gumption and warts to make them interesting. Kagome is a great example: I remembered her as a whiny tag-along, but was surprised to discover that she was feistier, smarter, and more like a real teenager than I remembered.

If you haven’t looked at InuYasha in a while, or missed it during the height of its popularity, now is a great time to give it a try. Each volume of the VIZBIG edition collects three issues, allowing readers to more fully immerse themselves in the story. And if you’re a purist about packaging, you’ll be happy to know that VIZ is finally issuing InuYasha in an unflipped format — a first in the series’ US history. Still need persuading? Then check out Connie’s Slightly Biased review of the first VIZBIG volume, in which she enthusiastically compares it with Mermaid Saga and Ranma 1/2.

What else is arriving in your local comic book store? Here’s a run-down of new releases, courtesy of Midtown Comics. For a more complete list of Wednesday’s new arrivals, consult the ComiXology website.

NEW SERIES/ONE-SHOTS

• 9th Sleep (DMP)
• How to Capture a Martini (DMP)
• Rampage, Vol. 1 (CMX)
• Taimashin: Red Spider Exorcist, Vol. 1 (DMP)

CONTINUING SERIES

• Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Vol. 4 (VIZ)
• InuYasha, Vol. 45 (VIZ)
• InuYasha VIZBIG Edition, Vol. 2 (VIZ)
• Jormungand, Vol. 2 (VIZ)
• Kekkaishi, Vol. 20 (VIZ)