When I met the Prince.
I remember that, at the age of 7 or 8 years old, we were living in a friend’s house in Burbank. I can still recall the nice house on a hill with a park just down the road. Dad, who noticed how easily I got bored would bring me along to visit the spots in the district, in search of a location for the strips he was preparing. We would often stop for breakfast at his friend H’s place, who also had a huge collection of original comics and strips. It was during one of these visits that I met Prince Valiant of Harold Foster. Dad’s friend did not have – strange to say – a fetishistic rapport with his collections. He did keep the originals in transparent envelopes, (acid-free for sure) but allowed me to take a look, leaf through them without manifesting any anxiety. I recall those tables, that were just my height. Sprawled on the carpet of the study and with the pages strewn all over the place, I would practically immerse myself in those gigantic pages.
PRINCE VALIANT STORY INDEX
Story 1) Pages #1(13 Feb 1937) – #4(6 Mar 1937) Into the Fens
(King Aguar introduced page #1, Prince Valiant page #2)
2) #4(6 Mar 37) – 11 (24 Apr 37) The Prophecy
(Horrit the Witch introduced page #5)
3) #11(24 Apr 37) – 15(22 May 37) The Home-made Knight
4) #16(29 May 37) – 20(26 June 37) The Trial of Sir Negarth
(Sir Gawain introduced page #16, Camelot, King Arthur,
Guinevere, Merlin page #19)
5) #21(3 Jul 37) – 22(10 Jul 37) From Throne Room to Dungeon
6) #23(17 Jul 37) – 38(30 Oct 37) The Fake Quest
7) #39(6 Nov 37) – 55(26 Feb 3
The Maid Ilene
#55(26 Feb 3 – 64(30 Apr 3 The Sorceress
9) #64(30 Apr 3 – 85(25 Sep 3 Ilene Abducted
10) #86(2 Oct 3-103(29 Jan 39) The Saxon Invasion of Britain
(Val knighted in page 103)
11) #104(5 Feb. 39) – 107(26 Feb 39) The Bargain
12) #107(26 Feb 39) – 111(26 Mar 39) Claris
13) #112(2 Apr 39) – 117(7 May 39) The Cave of Time
14) #118(14 May 39)-127(16 Jul 39) Andelkrag, the Unconquerable
15) #128 (23 Jul 39) – 169(5 May 40) The Legion of Hun-Hunters
16) #169(5 May 40) – 187(8 Sep 40) The Road to Rome
(Note: In this story the approximate dating of Val’s saga
is explicitly indicated for the first time, when page 183
mentions that the fall of the Roman Empire at Ravenna, will be
about 20 years later. This and the depiction of the fall of
the Huns in the previous stories places these adventures
in the 450’s AD. See chronology, Appendix 1).
17) #188(15 Sep 40) – 199(1 Dec 40) Valentinian’s Justice
1 #199(1 Dec 40) – 246(26 Oct 41) Fights for the Singing Sword
(Queen Aleta introduced page #208)
19) #246(26 Oct 41) – 253(14 Dec 41) The Misty Isles
20) #253(14 Dec 41) – 289(23 Aug 42) Homeward Bound
(Pirate Boltar introduced page #253)
21) #290(30 Aug 42) – 311(24 Jan 43) The Roman Wall
22) #311(24 Jan 43) – 317(7 Mar 43) Merlin Solves a Problem
23) #318(14 Mar 43) – 350(24 Oct 43) The Long Voyage to Thule
24) #351 (31 Oct 43) – 354(21 Nov 43) The Seductress
25) #355(28 Nov 43) – 358(19 Dec 43) The Call of the Sea
26) #358(19 Dec 43) – 363(23 Jan 44) The Jealous Cripple
(Gundar Harl introduced page #360)
27) #363(23 Jan 44) – 368(27 Feb 44) A Quick, Bloody Battle
2 #368(27 Feb 44) – 378(7 May 44) The Rewards of Treachery
(Note: In 1944-1945 Foster devoted the bottom 1/3 of his
page to “The Medieval Castle”)
29) #379(14 May 44) – 468(27 Jan 46) “The Winning of Aleta”
30) #465(6 Jan 46) – 484(19 May 46) Matrimony
(Note: Val and Aleta married, page 470, during sack of Rome,
which occurred in AD 455, used as our time reference.
Katwin introduced page #480).
31) #484(19 May 46) – 504(6 Oct 46) War in the Forest
32) #504(6 Oct 46) – 507(20 Oct 46) Self-Sacrifice
33) #507(27 Oct 46) – 519(19 Jan 47) Aguar’s Daughter-in-Law
34) #520(26 Jan 47) – 594(18 Apr 4 The New World
(Note: Arn born page #551, Tillicum introduced page #549).
35) #595(4 Jul 4 – 615(21 Nov 4 The Mad King
36) #616(28 Nov 4 As Arn Tells It
37) #617(5 Dec 4 – 624(23 Jan 49) The Christening
3 #624(23 Jan 49) – 643(5 June 49) Black Magic in Wales
39) #644(12 June 49) – 647(3 July 49) The Ambitious Boy
(Note: Introduced in page #644, Geoffrey is to
become the official historian of Prince Valiant.)
40) #647(3 July 49) – 675(15 Jan 50) Into Scotland
41) #675(15 Jan 50) – 683(12 Mar 50) Home Again
42) #684(19 Mar 50) My Sword
43) #685(26 Mar 50) – 691(7 May 50) The Challenge
44) #691(7 May 50) – 758(19 Aug 51) The Missionaries
45) #758(19 Aug 51) – 767(21 Oct 51) “?”
(Twins introduced page #767)
46) #767(21 Oct 51) – 769(4 Nov 51) The Prince Arn Story
47) #770(1 Nov 51) – 782(3 Feb 52) The King’s Justice
(Note: Boltar and Tillicum marry page 782)
4 #782(3 Feb 52) – 790(30 Mar 52) A Little Hunting
49) #791(6 Apr 52) – 794(27 Apr 52) The Wager or Val Eats Crow
50) #794(27 Apr 52) – 796(11 May 52) Another Christening
(Note: Baby girls christened Valeta and Karen).
51) #797(18 May 52) – 799(1 June 52) The Stolen River
52) #799(1 June 52) – 810(17 Aug 52) Sigurd’s Doom
53) #811(24 Aug 52) – 816(28 Sept 52) The Story Teller
54) #817(5 Oct 52) The Huntsman
55) #818(12 Oct 52) – 825(30 Nov 52) Kidnapped
56) #826(7 Dec 52) – 836(15 Feb 53) Valhalla
57) #837(22 Feb 53) – 840(15 Mar 53) The Explorer
5 #841(22 Mar 53) – 851(31 May 53) The Vanishing Army
59) #852(7 June 53) – 869(4 Oct 53) The Rule of Irish Kings
60) #870(11 Oct 53) – 879(13 Dec 53) Merlin’s Message
61) #879(13 Dec 53) – 897(18 Apr 54) Under the Frivolous Curls
62) #898(24 Apr 54) Prince Arn and the Sorceress
63) #899(2 May 54) – 917(5 Sept 54) The Pilgrimage
64) #918(12 Sept 54) – 931(12 Dec 54) Back in the Misty Isles
65) #932 (19 Dec 54) – 988(15 Jan 56) The Strange Route
66) #988(15 Jan 56) – 995(4 Mar 56) Into the Wilderness
67) #996(11 Mar 56) – 1006(20 May 56) The Wolf at the Door
6 #1006(20 May 56) – 1022(9 Sep 56) Survival
69) #1023(16 Sep 56) – 1029(28 Oct 56) Tournament Days
70) #1029(28 Oct 56) – 1062(16 Jun 57) Trouble in Cornwall
71) #1062(16 Jun 57) – 1074(8 Sep 57) The Red Stallion
(Introduction Arvak, Val’s warhorse).
72) #1075(15 Sep 57) – 1083(10 Nov 57) Three Men and a Horse
73) #1084(17 Nov 57) – 1090(29 Dec 57) The Exchange
74) #1091(1 Jan 5 – 20 Apr 5 The Wanderer
75) #1106(20 Apr 5 – 1133(26 Oct 5 Reckless Youth
76) #1133(26 Oct 5 – 1137(23 Nov 5 The Jealousy of A Queen
77) #1137(23 Nov 5 – 1152(8 Mar 59) The Singer in the Tower
(Note: Merlin led away into limbo by Nimue, appears
for the last time in page #1141).
7 #1153(15 Mar 59) – 1162(17 May 59) Kerwin’s Ordeal
79) #1162(17 May 59) – 1174(9 Aug 59) The Marriage Contract
80) #1175(16 Aug 59) – 1187(8 Nov 59) The Earl’s Justice
81) #1187(8 Nov 59) – 1217(5 June 60) The Grail Quest
82) #1217(5 June 60) – 1225(31 Jul 60) The Mad Warrior
83) #1225(31 Jul 60) – 1249 (15 Jan 61) The Abdication
(Note: Arn abdicates position as heir to
Misty Isles in favor of his new baby brother).
84) #1249(15 Jan 61) – 1259(26 Mar 61) Kidnapped
85) #1260(2 Apr 61) – 1263(23 Apr 61) The New Era
(New baby boy christened Galan).
86) #1263(23 Apr 61) – 1292(12 Nov 61) The Business Trip
87) #1293(19 Nov 61) – 1302(21 Jan 62) Rome
8 #1303(28 Jan 62) – 1327(8 Jul 62) The Overland Trade Route
89) #1329(29 Jul 62) – 1331(12 Aug 62) Arvak the Wild
90) #1328(22 Jul 62) – 1342(28 Oct 62) The Voice
91) #1357(10 Feb 63) – 1374(9 Jun 63) War Clouds
92) #1375(16 Jun 63) – 1383(11 Aug 63) The Rustic Knights
93) #1384(18 Aug 63) – 1393(20 Oct 63) Seeds of Revolt
94) #1393(20 Oct 63) – 1403(29 Dec 63) Saxons in the Vale
95) #1404(5 Jan 64) – 1417(5 Apr 64) Another Abduction
96) #1417(5 Apr 64) – 1436(16 Aug 64) The Battle of Badon Hill
97) #1435(9 Aug 64) – 1442(27 Sept 64) The Matchmakers
9 #1442(27 Sept 64) – 1455(27 Dec 64) Guerilla War in Thule
99) #1455(27 Dec 64) – 1532(19 June 66) Arn in The New World
100) #1533(26 Jun 66) – 1551(30 Oct 66) Mordred’s Intrigue
101) #1552(6 Nov 66) – 1555(27 Nov 66) The Mermaid
102) #1556(4 Dec 66) – 1567(19 Feb 67) The Missing Heir
103) #1567(19 Feb 67) – 1592(13 Aug 67) Enter Sir Reynolde
104) #1591(6 Aug 67) – 1599(1 Oct 67) To Have and to Hold
105) #1600(8 Oct 67) – 1605(12 Nov 67) The Beserker
106) #1606(19 Nov 67) – 1621(3 March 6 Slaves in Dathram
107) #1622(10 Mar 6 – 1635(9 June 6 Trouble in the Isles
108) #1635(9 Jun 6 – 1646(25 Aug 6 Ortho Bey
109) #1646(25 Aug 6 – 1650(22 Sept 6 At Home with the Kids
110) #1651(29 Sep 6 – 1672(23 Feb 69) Return to Britain
(Note: Final app. Katwin, who marries Captain Helge Hakkon)
111) #1672(23 Feb 69) – 1681(27 Apr 69) Gawain’s Misadventures
112) #1682(4 May 69) – 1683(11 May 69) Arn, the Poacher
113) #1683(11 May 69) – 1696(10 Aug 69) The Saxon Dilemma
114) #1697(17 Aug 69) – 1705(12 Oct 69) Who Breaks the Peace?
115) #1705(12 Oct 69) – 1708(2 Nov 69) The Enchantress
116) #1708(2 Nov 69) – 1716(28 Dec 69) Geoffrey’s Fulfillment
117) #1717(4 Jan 70) – 1727(15 Mar 70) Arn’s Servitude
118) #1728(22 Mar 70) – 1731(12 Apr 70) The Vanishing Deer
119) #1732(19 Apr 70) – 1759(25 Oct 70) Ah! Women!
(Note: Page 1757 ghosted by Gray Morrow)
120) #1759(25 Oct 70) – 1815(21 Nov 71) The End of Romance
(Note: Pages 1760,1764-1767, 1769-1772, 1774, 1775, 1777-87
drawn by John Cullen Murphy, who took over art from Foster
after page 1788 (Foster’s last except for Page 2000.
Page 1762 ghosted by Wallace Wood).
121) #1816(28 Nov 71) – 1821(2 Jan 72) The Vanishing Groom
122) #1822(9 Jan 72) – 1834(2 Apr 72) The Indolent City
123) #1835(9 Apr 72) – 1841(21 May 72) Theft of the Singing Sword
124) #1842(28 May 72) – 1859(24 Sept 72) The Lonely King
125) #1860(1 Oct 72) The Romancers
126) #1861(8 Oct 72) – 1870(10 Dec 72) The Amorous Poet
127) #1870(10 Dec 72) – 1885(25 Mar 73) Boltarson
128) #1885(25 Mar 73) – 1959(25 Aug 74) Arn’s Adventures
(Note: Introduction of Lydia, Haakon’s Daughter, Arn’s fiancee).
129) #1960(1 Sept 74) – 1972(24 Nov 74) Karak the Terrible
130) #1972(24 Nov 74) – 1975(15 Dec 74) The Improbable Journey
131) #1975(115 Dec 74) – 1980(19 Jan 75) The Lady of Quality
132) #1981(26 Jan 75) – 1999(1 Jun 75) The Pirate Raid
133) #2000 (8 Jun 75) Milestones in the Story of Prince Valiant
(Note: Foster’s last signed page. Reprinted as large color
poster by King Features. Foster was said to have continued
doing the scripts and coloring for several more years).
134) #2001(15 Jun 75) – 2032(18 Jan 76) Another Eventful Journey
135) #2032(18 Jan 76) – 2050(23 May 76) Treasure of the Bats
136) #2050(23 May 76) – 2076(21 Nov 76) The Quest for Helene
137) #2077(28 Nov 76) – 2093(29 Mar 77) King of the Minstrels
138) #2093(20 Mar 77) – 2110(17 Jul 77) Quest for the Relics
139) #2111(24 Jul 77) – 2128(20 Nov 77) Petropolis
140) #2129(27 Nov 77) – 2138(29 Jan 77) Here Come the Amazons
141) #2138(29 Jan 7 – 2156(4 Jun 7 Return to Camelot
142) #2157(11 Jun 7 – 2164(30 Jul 7 Conflict at Camelot
143) #2165(6 Aug 7 – 2173(1 Oct 7 The Sinister Stronghold
144) #2173(1 Oct 7 – 2180(19 Nov 7 The Snowslide
(Note: Death of Lydia).
145) #2180(19 Nov 7 – 2197(18 Mar 79) The Neglected Bride-to-Be
146) #2193(18 Feb 79) – 2202(22 Apr 79) A Family Affair
147) #2200(8 Apr 79) – 2207(27 May 79) The Towering Giant
148) #2207(27 May 79) – 2209(10 Jun 79) Arvak’s Daughter
(Note: Arvak, Val’s faithful red stallion, dies of old age).
149) #2209(10 Jun 79) – 2225(30 Sep 79) Galan Enters A New World
150) #2226(7 Oct 79) – 2246(24 Feb 80) Trouble in the Irish Sea
(Note: End of involvement by Foster, who sold rights to
PV to King Features and retired late 1979 at age 87.
Subsequently John Cullen Murphy’s own signature
appeared for the first time, and the subtitle “Created by
Hal Foster” was added to the Prince Valiant logo).