In all probability this volume might be deemed the absolute pinnacle of Prince Valiant's long saga, at least in terms of its overall importance and drama. It is in this tome, in these years that Val at long last comes to understand his fascination with the Queen of the Misty Isles, the lovely Aleta and sees that fascination, which had been mistaken for hatred, become full-blooded love. This Fantagraphics tome tells the story of their romance as Aleta begins as Val's captive, he assuming she has killed his men when they attacked her island. He is of course wrong and slowly but surely his anger turns to love and adoration. The two of them prove to be ideal partners, sharing wit and courage and bravado.
We see the young lovers survive a deadly trek through a desert and we see them rise to become the leaders of a forsaken tiny kingdom when the leader of that place attempts to abduct Aleta and reckons not with Val's fury and savvy. His kingdom falls and quickly Val ascends to the throne, but just as quickly the two leave and head to Rome which is in the process of being sacked by the Vandals. This precludes their plan to being married by the Pope no less but still they are joined for all time in a humble wooden bower by lowly hermit priest.
The newly married couple sail to Camelot and Aleta wins the court over with her charm and bravery. She even goes with Val and his men, disguised as a knight dubbed "Sir Puny", a ruse that fools few for very long. Ultimately it falls to the canny Aleta to save all of Camelot when Sir Modred accuses Lancelot of having an improper relationship with the Queen. His plan fails when Aleta declares that it was Lancelot and herself he saw. Her lie saves Camelot for the moment, but requires that Val trust her and he does. They leave for Thule, his homeland and there she again finds that kings fall victim to her charms.
The book ends with Prince Valiant and his wife Aleta the Queen of the Misty Isles content. As we of course know strife is just around the corner when they find themselves in a "New World".
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Every time I see Hal Foster's work, I'm quietly amazed all over again at how rich & evocative it really is, combining beauty with energy that makes it liv eon the page.
ReplyDeleteI'm embarrassed that it's taken my whole life to finally get around to reading these earliest adventures. But then they've never been presented as well as these Fantagraphic volumes I've been gathering for years. This is the guy who inspired Kirby -- it's stunning!
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