Prince Valiant, Vol. 2: 1939-1940

About 40 years ago, my father get two Nostalgia Press books of Prince Valiant. I loved the strip, but the binding was terrible, and they only had about 3-4 years worth of strips. I've been looking for extend the collection every since, but reprints were all terrible and often B&W and abridged. When Fantagraphics reprinted the entire run about a decade ago, I got some, but they were hard to find and were paperback.These new books are literally something I've been looking for for my entire life.These new books have vinyl covers, which are a little cheap, but much more durable than the paperbacks. More importantly, the comics are beautiful. The printing is a little larger than the old Nostalgia books, and the coloring is better. This was obviously a labor of love. Where I have over-laps, I've compared the coloring and printing. The Nostalgia books better reflect the words in the story and often color in scenes that were all blocked in one color in the older book.I bought the first one for $80 and was immediately ready to shell out that much for each. To find them for only $14 was an added bonus.If you already love Prince Valiant, buy them without hesitation.If you've read it in the newspaper but weren't impressed, buy it and you'll understand why it is considered such a classic -- the old Hal Foster stips were soooooo much better than the ones today.

Prince Valiant is my all time favorite comic strip in the newspaper. I missed out on early years and discovered this and other earlier volumns. I am glad to get them. People here in Houston got so upset with the Houston newspaper when they decided to cancel Prince Valiant. Irrate subscribers began canceling their subscriptions and within two weeks Prince Valiant was once again back in the comics.

Volumes 1 and 2 are excellent quality reproductions of this continuing novel with a new chapter every Sunday. Hal Foster put his heart and soul into developing the concept and creating new and fresh stories each Sunday. The Sunday stories are each a reasonable short story that is an integral part of the whole. The same thoughtful care was the standard when he found people who would continue the beauty, the story and the traditions.Anyone who would this a comic strip is preoccupied with the vehicle and sadly misses the beauty. I hope they will take some time to study at least one of the several books in this series as the art of painting and story telling that they find there.I have only started to collect the books but I have read the story longer than 60 years, and always look forward to a new gem every Sunday.

Read these as a kid, from the combined book collections of both my parents. Glad they were republished, and the forewords are just as good as the comics themselves. Bought them for my kids, who are enjoying them.

If you're an old-time fan of PRINCE VALIANT, or just a young pupdiscovering that strange, beautiful, buried-in-the-moldering past world of the Sunday funnies, this second volume of Hal Foster newspaper strip reprints is a treasure vault sublime.The years covered are 1938-1940: Val is out and about in the world, discovering its lurking perilsand enticing wonders. In the process of his development, we can see Foster's art maturingas each Sunday page rolls off the press. There is brutal reality here, as when Valbreaks through Hun lines to participate in the siege of Andelkrag - amazing details of panoramic battle! - and witnesses the fateof its defenders. There is also Dunsanian fantasy, when Val visits the Cave of Time and is soundly (and easily) defeated by Old Man Tempus. The strips' reproduction is faultless; its coloring superb.Easily the best (and most economical) way to finally enjoy PRINCE VALIANT after all these years!

Ever since my childhood I've enjoyed the newspaper comics of Prince Valiant. When I received Vol 1 from my daughters as a Christmas present, I was thrilled. Recently I ordered Vol 2 and have read, seen and shared the experiences within, from cover to cover. I was not disappointed and at some future date hope I and/or my family will order volumes 3-8.

I have always loved the historically based high adventure stories of Prince Valiant and these Hard cover Fantagraphics volumes are even better than the original Sunday comic strips! The exquisitely drawn illustrations by Hal Foster bring to life the entire historical era right in your living room! I often find myself lingering over them as they really transport you into another time. Better than watching a movie! Shipping was prompt, always came securely packaged before the anticipated arrival date, and I simply felt like a kid opening a present on Christmas morning!

This series is outstandng and I recommend it without reservation. I have enjoyed the Prince Valiant comic strip for over 50 years and Fantagraphics has done an excellent job in publishing this oversized, hardcover series. With every page in dazzling color, and with high resolution, crisp reproduction, the books are a joy to read--just the opposite of the softcover set. Two years of Hal Foster's great work for just under $20 is an amazing bargain and I encourage you to add it to your collection.

A visual treat - the story is naff but better than most from that period. The drawing and the colour are fantastic.

Das Buch zeigt die Sonntagsseiten in ununterbrochener Reihenfolge,die von Hal Foster gezeichnet wurden.Die Größe des Buches kommt recht nahe an die Größe der Original "Sunday pages",sodaß die herrliche Darstellung der einzelnen Zeichnungen besonders deutlich wiedergegeben werden. Auch die Aufbereitung der Farben für diese Zeichnungen sind einmalig schön gelungen. Ich kenne keine vergleichbare Prinz Eisenherz Edition,die so gut ist.Natürlich bin ich ein großer Bewunderer von der künstlerischen Arbeit von Hal Foster,von seinen fantastischen Zeichnungen, aber auch von seiner Prinz Eisenherz (Prince Valiant) Saga. Da stimmt einfach alles.Deshalb finde ich das Buch absolut empfehlenswert.

the art is the highlight. these are strips of the 40s..art is well researched. for todays readers the characters might seem quite shallow.. especially female leads.but for budding comic artists like me..its a great book to learn how not to create silly characters and to be inspired by it beautiful art.

Nach Band 1 eine herbe Enttäuschung: PE erobert sein Königreich zurück, der Kreis schließt sich. Danach geht es mit der Qualität der Geschichten - nicht der Zeichnungen - rasant bergab. Zusammenhangslos und stellenweise albern. Schade, schade, schade.

All of the Prince Valiant volumes are phenomenal! Awesome stories, very creative and with a sense of adventure that incites a passion for life even when our hero is going through adversity.