Prince Valiant

Back in the days of yore, when knights were bold, and the Sunday funnies were resplendent, Prince Valiant was a comics-page colossus. Its sweeping stories of derring-do in Arthurian times were captivating in themselves, but it was Foster's gorgeous illustrations, displayed to full advantage in the era's broadsheet newspapers, that made Valiant one of the most celebrated of all comics. In the initial two years of the strip collected here, the young Nordic prince journeys to Camelot, becomes the squire of Sir Gawain, and performs heroic feats on behalf of King Arthur. The storylines may lack originality early on, Val actually slays a dragon and rescues a fair damsel but that's easy to overlook in light of the spectacular visuals. Fantagraphics reprinted Valiant in the 1980s and '90s, but this new series utilizes improved scanning technology to produce a noticeable upgrade. Although the finer details of Foster's meticulous linework are lost even these oversized pages are significantly smaller than those of the original newspapers the presentation does justice to Foster's classic creation.--Flagg, Gordon Copyright 2009 Booklist

Medieval swordplay and adventure have never been as glorious as in Foster's Sunday-only comic strip. Although much reprinted (including an earlier version from the same publisher), this edition has been reproduced from pristine printer's proofs to give the gorgeous artwork its crispest version ever. The story takes young Prince Valiant, exiled heir to the conquered kingdom of Thule, from a witch's evil prophecy to adventure at the court of King Arthur, with stops for heroic rescues, conniving foes, beautiful maidens, Viking invasions and even a broken heart or two. Narrated in captions rather than told in speech balloons, Foster's script is literate and full of vivid characterizations, like the headstrong but cunning Val and carefree Sir Gawain. But nothing surpasses his artwork-rich with details of armor, weapons and dress, the story comes to life with a palpable sense of magic and danger. Each drawing is a flawless illustration, perfectly composed; even a battle of 20 men comes alive in a tiny panel, with every action clearly delineated. Prince Valliant is one of the best-drawn comics ever, and this new edition does ample justice to its achievement. Bonus material includes an interview with Foster and an afterword by editor Kim Thompson for context. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved