The Sunday Funnies - Prince Valiant 1963-1964!

Fantagraphic's Prince Valiant Volume 14 - 1963-1964 by Hal Foster is an action-filled tome. The book features many personal conflicts between Valiant and various villains as well as the run-up to and presentation of the Battle of Badon Hill in which King Arthur leads his Knights of the Round Table against the invading Saxons and defeats them in a manner which will bring peace to Britain for thirty years. 

The ongoing saga picks up in the Misty Isles as Queen Aleta and Prince Valiant are heading back to Camelot after an extended trip. They must quickly rescue young Prince Arn who has been kidnapped and then head quickly to Camelot where King Arthur charges Valiant with keeping tabs on King Cidwic of Wales who leads an attack on Camelot but who is turned away quickly. After much struggle Valiant ends up defeating Cidwic in Arthur's name and the kingdom Cidwick's son Cuddock becomes King and develops a friendship with Arn who helps save Cuddock when his life is threatened by traitors. We briefly get the stories of three rustic knights who are trying to stay solvent as they scheme to participate in tournaments and win. They all end up poorer. Finally Valiant and Arn return to Camelot and find a new home which is immediately threatened by the plots of Sir Modred. He is defeated and then Arn finds himself captive of invading Saxons led by Hengist and is able to fool these enemies that he is the son of Boltar. He is rescued after much derring-do when a Count Brecy shows up at Camelot and plots to make Aleta his next wife and to do that he schemes to kill Valiant. That fails of course but then other random matters of romance strike the kingdom.  Soon the threat of the Anglo-Saxons becomes even more pressing and Valiant and Arn ride out to gather allies for the great Battle of Badon Hill. That victory secured the stage is set for Valiant's next great adventure. 

This volume contains a nifty section highlighting Hal Foster's fine art work with many of his oils displayed. Also there is a foreword by Roger Stern discussing Foster's influence on a myriad of comic book artists who went on to both swipe images and become major influences themselves in the area of comic art. Among the artists discussed are Bob Kane, Shelly Moldoff, Charles Gothkopf, Everett Raymond Kistler, Frank Frazetta, Wally Wood and Jack Kirby. Lots of delightful examples are shown to prove the points made. The Foster scholar Brian Kane offers up a nifty piece comparing Valiant with heroes such as Captain America. 

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