As this fourth volume begins, Prince Valiant, haunted by Aleta, seeks Merlin'swise counsel. This brief episode segues into one of Hal Foster's patentedepics, "The Long Voyage to Thule," which ran for seven straight monthsand featured Valiant's return to his birthplace and reunion with his father. Ofcourse, Foster's astonishingly detailed and evocative depictions of Val's homelandcontribute greatly to this sprawling epic.
After a series of shorter adventures including "The Seductress," "The Call ofthe Sea," and "The Jealous Cripple," Val finally decides he can stand it no moreand sets out to find his long-lost love. Long-time fans know that his quest willeventually be successful, but Foster throws so many obstacles in the way of truelove that the saga "The Winning of Aleta" would end up stretching a full yearand a half, well into the next volume.
With its stunning art reproduced directly from pristine printer's proofs, Fantagraphicshas introduced a new generation to Foster's masterpiece, while providinglong-time fans with the ultimate, definitive version of the strip.
