Nearly 60 years after its debut, the Prince Valiant strip still managed to surprise in the ‘90s with its biggest adventure ever. Acting on a vague hint, Valiant and crew set out on an extended expedition across the Atlantic in search of rumored civilizations far further south than previously believed. But first, his oldest daughter takes her first steps toward leadership. Later, Val stumbles across Utopia and learns all is not as perfect as it seems.
Buy Prince Valiant Vol. 30: 1995-1996Val and Aleta’s daughter, Valeta, yearns for adult responsibilities and successfully lobbies to be appointed steward of the Misty Isles. Unfortunately, her rise to power happens just in time for the twin disasters of a devastating earthquake and resulting tidal wave, wiping out much of her territory and marooning her shipbound parents. The tragedies test the young leader, providing ample opportunity for her to prove her mettle. Cullen Murphy’s plot works to mature Valeta into full adulthood, forever altering the perception of longtime readers who followed her life from birth. This natural age progression of characters is a hallmark of the strip, even if Val and Aleta remain miraculously well-preserved as their progeny enter adulthood.
When Val discovers an ancient treasure chest and writings in archaic Phoenician, the rough translation convinces him that the defunct civilization had discovered new territory south of North America, now known as Guatemala. With tales of massive pyramids and human sacrifice, the restless adventurer is driven to follow in the footsteps of the Phoenicians and find the new land. His son, Prince Arn, also joins his crew for a months-long excursion in both the strip timeline and its publication schedule. It’s a thrilling, surprising journey that gives Murphy the opportunity to stretch his artistic horizons with depictions of tropical lands and civilizations vastly different from Valiant’s typical European haunts. Val’s subsequent sojourn in Utopia is a rewarding tale of comeuppance, but the lengthy Guatemalan expedition is the beating heart of this riveting two-year collection.
Writer Cullen Murphy continues his drive to educate while he entertains, including a fascinating point about the direction of circular stairway construction to favor typically right-handed defenders descending from above. He also has Val’s men learn the details of trebuchet construction to bamboozle the natives into thinking spirits are flying overhead. His scripted depictions of foreign lands, customs, and historical events are stuffed with well-researched details that continue to make Valiant’s adventures feel exceptionally realistic. He also makes great use of his growing cast of characters, giving ample time to the often independent adventures of Val, Aleta, and their maturing children.
The preface in this volume is penned by Meg Nash, daughter of artist John Cullen Murphy. In it, she reminds readers that in the wake of the ‘70s departure of its creator, Hal Foster, the strip had become very much a family affair, with father producing the art, son providing the stories, and daughter handling the color and lettering. She also shares insider knowledge on the relationship between Foster and Murphy during the handover decade, including Foster’s dislike of Murphy’s expressive character faces and Murphy’s distaste for Foster’s depiction of hulking, muscular horses. It’s a fabulous piece complete with old family photos from her archives, well worth the time of all Valiant aficionados.
