Hal Foster's Prince Valiant Sketchbooks
An Illustrated Memoir
In the works for several years, Hal Foster's Prince Valiant Sketchbooks: An Illustrated Memoir presents never-before-published Prince Valiant art by the strip's legendary creator, Hal Foster, collected in a series of six annotated portfolio volumes. Part sketchbooks, part biography, part tutorial, part memoir--Hal Foster's Prince Valiant Sketchbooks is an unprecedented look into Foster's personal life and creative process during his final nine years on the strip. It's also a fascinating look behind the curtains as Foster coached and interacted with his chosen successor: John Cullen Murphy. Produced with the full permission and participation of the Foster and Murphy families, this series is a testament to author and Prince Valiant historian Brian M. Kane's research prowess and determination to bring Hal Foster's creative process to light. This uniquely intimate view of Foster's creative process is a long-awaited dream come true for Prince Valiant fans.
Over the course of these volumes, Kane annotates with painstaking clarity and thoroughness 366 penciled layout pages, 40 character sketches, and 577 text pages of Foster's descriptions and instructions for each panel. Also featured are an additional 143 pieces of art, mostly by Foster, 100 photographs detailing his life and career, and 123 personal letters and notes, all adding immeasurably to this exploration of Foster's life and art, as well as his collaboration with Murphy.
Brian M. Kane is a comics historian and adjunct professor at Ohio State University. He edited 18 volumes of Fantagraphics' collection of the Prince Valiant strip, as well as The Prince Valiant Companion.
9798875001192
Book, Hardcover
Hal Foster's Prince Valiant Sketchbooks: An Illustrated Memoir: Volume 1
- Author: Hal Foster
- Editor: Brian M Kane
Fantagraphics Books, 2025
112
English
14.00 x 10.50 x 0.70 inches, 3.05 pounds
| Acceptable: | Fairly worn but fully readable and intact. Pages may include notes, highlighting, or minor water damage. Dust jacket, CDs, product codes, or other inclusions may be missing or expired. |
| Good: | Shows signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes or highlighting. Dust jacket, CDs, product codes, or other inclusions may be missing or expired. |
| Very Good: | Item has seen limited use and has minimal signs of wear. Pages are clean without markings. Dust jacket, CDs, product codes, or other inclusions may be missing or expired. |
| Like New: | Shows little to no signs of wear. Spine has no signs of creasing. Pages are clean without markings. CDs, product codes, or other inclusions may be missing or expired. |
| New: | Brand new, unused, and in perfect condition. Includes all original packaging and accessories. |