Valiant (comics)

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title = Valiant


caption = The cover of the "Valiant" annual of 1975.
schedule = Weekly
format =
publisher = IPC Magazines
date = April 6, 1962 - October 16, 1976
issues = 713
main_char_team =
writers = Scott Goodall
Tom Tully
artists = Jesús Blasco
Eric Bradbury
pencillers =
inkers =
colorists =
creative_team_month =
creative_team_year =
creators = "For the U.S. comic publisher, see Valiant Comics."

Valiant was the title of a British boys adventure comic which ran from 1962 to 1976. It was published by IPC Magazines and was one of their major adventure titles throughout the 1960s and early 1970s.

It contained a mix of conventional action stories such as "Captain Hurricane", a humorous strip set in World War II as well as humour strips such as "Billy Bunter", but it had new heroes such as "Kelly's Eye", "Adam Eterno", "The House of Dolmann" and "The Steel Claw" in particular who would have a long lasting influence on comic creators such as Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

However it began to be seen as old-fashioned when the first of a new type of comic was launched with the first issue of "Battle Picture Weekly" in 1975. The title suffered further when Pat Mills launched "Action" in February 1976. Attempts by John Wagner to update the title were initially successful but it struggled to find a place in the market against these tougher adventure titles. "Valiant" limped on for a few more months but merged with "Battle Picture Weekly" in October 1976.

Several of "Valiant"'s characters have made appearances since the comic's cancellation. Alan Moore and Alan Davis used several (renamed) characters during their "Captain Britain" run. Quality Comics also released a four issue mini-series featuring "The Steel Claw" in 1986 featuring recoloured reprint material, as well as new material drawn by Garry Leach which acted as a framing device. The Steel Claw and several of IPC's 1960s heroes were also featured in "Zenith" in "2000 AD". This was followed by a one-off special featuring the old "Valiant" and IPC characters.

In 2005 many of IPC's characters have been featured in a mini-series called "Albion" published by the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics and plotted by Alan Moore.

ee also

*"Albion"
*"Battle Picture Weekly"

External links

* [http://www.26pigs.com/valiant/index.html 26pigs.com-A fansite for British comics]
* [http://www.comp.dit.ie/dgordon/Albion/ "Albion" fansite]