Today marks the 75th anniversary of the epic Sunday comic strip, PRINCE VALIANT. You may have noticed a cleverly scripted installment yesterday that allowed Gary Gianni to draw in a crowd of memorable characters who have passed through over the years. If you were paying close attention you may have also noticed the insertion of Val’s creator, Mr. Hal Foster – take a look along the right side of this panel:
Beginning with Foster, followed by John Murphy and Cullen Murphy, then Gary Gianni and Mark Schultz, PRINCE VALIANT has been produced by such wonderfully talented men over the years. At the hands of these creative wizards, VAL has offered an unparalleled comic strip experience from its beginning through today. And it will surely continue to delight for many more years. As editor, I’m proud to have been a part of the tradition. I’m particularly tickled that I’ve been able to work with Gary and Mark the past few years – I hate to reveal the age difference between me and these gents, but I grew up admiring them. I remember meeting Gary at a comic convention when I was in high school – he drew a sketch of THE SHADOW for me at that convention. I still have it.
I speak for all of King Features when I say that we are endlessly pleased to have represented PRINCE VALIANT for these 75 years – it’s one of the greatest, boldest, most excellent comics in the history of the medium. And the adventure continues…
Happy Anniversary! Mark Schultz involvement and the fact that adventure strips are not to found in any San Francisco Bay Area newspapers is what got me subscribing to Daily Ink. Love The Phantom and Prince Valiant as well as some of the classic strips like Radio Patrol you offer.
The Family of Hal Foster is very proud to see Valiant turn 75!
Aleta Hoover
-the great granddaughter of Hal Foster
This would be a great Poster for my room as a sentimal old man ..reading since the start Price valiant and ..this daily Ink is the only possibility to view this Comic. Only in germany (of course in german) being printed. When will Fantagraphics continue also the After Foster excellent comics ?
Best regards from the Netherlands
Gerard
A fantastic tribute to a great strip. I started reading Prince Valiant as a kid, during the Murphy years. It took a while for me to get into it, since it looked different from the other strips on the page, but eventually I got into it. I’ve been a fan of both Mark Schultz and Gary Gianni for years from their comics work, so when I heard they were taking over the strip, I was very excited. I love the first collection of their first few years on the strip, and hope we get a second volume when there are enough strips to make up a full book. (Surely we must almost be there?) And this anniversary strip is fantastic.
When I was a youngster someone gave me a Little Golden Book about a young Prince Valiant in the fens of his homeland. I read and reread the book countless times. Imagine my delight years later when I married Hal’s granddaughter, Lucy A. Foster, that I met and visited with him and his wife Helen in their Conn. home. I was fortunate enough to watch Mr. Foster actually drawing the PV comic strip. I have remained a PV fan through the years regardless of the artist involved. Happy Birthday Prince Valiant!!!!!
I have been an avid PV fan since my dad used to read the strip to me almost 60 years ago. It took over 20 years, but between the early Nostalgia Press and Fantagraphics books, plus cutting strips out each weekend, I now have the complete saga in one version or another. Add to that comics and videos and figures, and you have a complete PV nut here. PV was never always the strongest or the best, but he has always been the cleverest. Thanks for all the years of adventure. Sundays can’t come too soon around our house.
I agree with Gerard. I’d love to frame a poster of that anniversary panel!
Wow, thanks for joining the discussion, Donald and Aleta (love the name Aleta — your parents must’ve been inspired with that choice!).
Been reading Prince Val since I was a kid which is a long time ago. That strip is almost the only reason that I subscribe to Daily Ink. Can’t find it anywhere else.
Ive been reading Prince Valiant since I was a kid as well, though when you take into account that I was born the same year Murphy took over the strip full time…its not really that long. However my hometown paper dropped Val about 15 years ago and Gianni and Shulz were already 3 years into their run by the time I learned about DailyInk. Thats along time to be without Prince Valiant!! I second the intense desire for Murphy’s series to be added to the vintage section or that it see print in some way. The last story I remember reading was about Cormac in Hibernia and the theft of the Stone of Scone. Please Please Please somebody help me fill the hole in my Prince Valiant collection! Thank you Daily Ink for doing what you do!
Sooooooo, I’ve spent nearly as much time on planet Earth as Prince Valiant (was born the year he entered kindergarten) . . . and have loved reading the script ever since!
Looks like a lot of fun! Getting ozaingred is quite the daunting task, but maybe knowing I’m not the only one struggling will make it more do-able . Great job!
I just heard that Gary Gianni is leaving the strip effective April 1st. His replacement is a very competent artist whom I’ve admired for years but it just kills me to see Gianni go. I’ll never get to his Valiant family portrait. It would have been nice to see him go the distance like Foster and Murphy. Continiuty means more than just story telling. I wish you well Mr. Gianni with whatever direction your skills take you.
My mother was pregnant with me when Aleta was pregnant with Arn. My parents wrote Mr. Foster to ask permition to name me after Prince Valient if I was a boy. He wrote a lovely letter and sent a signed pen and ink of Val, Aleta and baby Arn. As I turned out to be a girl, I was named Val Aleta. Still have his letter and picture. He was a gracious and talented man.
There have been Prince Valiant editions in German most of the time for the last 60 years. Especially the Bocola hardcovers reprinting the complete works are very nice.
There are some offers on Amazon.com. In German Prince Valiant is published as “Prinz Eisenherz” (that is Prince Ironheart).
Kind regards from Germany
Ludwig
The heading should be corrected. It still says “Gianni”.
I see you fixed it. Excellent!