Sunday, August 29, 2021

The Sunday Funnies - Prince Valiant 1967-1968!


Prince Valiant Volume 16: 1967-1968 by Hal Foster from Fantagraphics is one of the more action-filled editions of the run in a while. 


The saga begins with Valiant trying to keep a kingdom together by convincing a young prince to do his duty. A tragedy convinces him he should and becomes a worthy leader. Then Valiant seeking some fun pals around with an acting troop though trouble comes when he and another young noble named Reynolde switch roles when they realize they look alike. It's all in good fun until a seedy actor tries to run a scam on a noble princess. Valiant is playing matchmaker a bit with the help of Aleta and Reynolde gets girl as does another young but dull-witted warrior named Bala. There is a great hunt in Camelot and Prince Arn runs up against a Berserker and his Mother, two deadly enemies. Then it's time to head to the Misty Isles yet again as Aleta is alerted to possible trouble. Valiant though has another mission along the way, to try and rescue Sir Gawain who is being held for ransom by a slave master named Balda Han. Valiant himself is made a slave though when he is reunited with Gawain it's not for long when uncover an ancient sword in a hidden tomb. Valiant and Gawain free the slaves and set them up in their own society but it falls apart soon after they leave because the slaves seem to know little about how else to live. Then it's off to the Misty Isles where Valiant and Gawain help Aleta with her problems. When she was last there she arranged for lucrative trade deals but that wealth has been hoarded by a few nobles and not shared with the populace at large. The navy has become slack and in general the people are weak and ripe for plunder. Valiant takes steps to toughen the nave and Aleta hands down edicts that make the nobles responsible to the rest of the population which made their wealth possible. Prince Arn is instrumental in laying waste to a hostile fleet of ships using the same savvy as his father had done so many times. The Valiant clan head back to Camelot, all of the kids growing up. Along the way home Aleta and the twins Valeta and Karen are kidnapped by a Mullah and Valiant and Arn fight ferociously to save them. Katwin, the children's nurse is also saved by the ship's captain who loses an arm in the process. But as he heals Katwin and he find they care for one another. 


In the extras this time there is a short essay by Greg Hildebrandt discussing Hal Foster's influence on his artwork. And there is a lengthy section about Hal Foster and  Prince Valiant's influence on Mardi Gras with lots of neat photographs of some resplendent floats and costumes. Next time changes are in the air as Hal Foster begins his search for an artist to take the helm of the strip as it enters a new decade. 

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