Number 1484: Viking Prince by the crown prince of comic artists

The Viking Prince feature, which ran in The Brave and the Bold for the first two dozen issues in the mid-to-late fifties, is a collaboration between Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert. I believe the Viking Prince was a version of Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant, although the comic book character was original enough in his own right. Being written by Kanigher in the Comics Code era meant that the blood and thunder was not in violent battles between humans, but often with supernatural entities, like the living giant stone statue in “The Secret of Odin’s Cup!” Kubert’s art on the story is superb.

From The Brave and the Bold #20 (1958):

Number 790

Un-Super Heroes Week: The bravest and the boldest

August is theme month, and here we are in week three with the first entry in the Un-Super Heroes Week. Un-Super heroes would be those who have no powers bestowed by accident, birth, being a mutant, coming from another planet, magic, etc. They're the heroes who are heroes in the old-fashioned way. They're human. They've earned it.

First up, all three origin stories from DC Comics' great title, The Brave And the Bold #1, 1955. Most of us know B&B from its long run of Batman and guest star team-up issues, but it started out in 1955 with brand new characters, and a brand new restrictive Comics Code to live with. In this first issue, Golden Gladiator (who was a short-lived character, being soon replaced by Robin Hood) is written by France Herron and drawn by Russ Heath; Viking Prince, one of my all-time favorite Joe Kubert series, and Silent Knight, drawn by the excellent Irv Novick, are both scripted by Robert Kanigher.

I loved B&B when I was a kid, but missed these first few issues. I picked up on it a couple of years later, in '57 and '58. By that time the series had dropped the third character, Robin Hood, and had longer stories featuring Silent Knight and Viking Prince. Silent Knight couldn't talk lest his voice be recognized. Viking Prince is an amnesiac who doesn't know who he is. He's just called Jon. His girlfriend's name is Gunnda. I'd never seen a name like that. Still haven't except in these comics.

Three good characters in good stories set in interesting times and locales, drawn by three top comic artists. In my opinion those things make The Brave And the Bold #1 one of DC's finest first issues.

The Brave and the Bold #30

The Brave and the Bold #30: Green Lantern and Doctor Fate
CBR | Jan 2010 | 25 Pages | 13.4 MB
No evil shall escape Fate! As a man who makes his own rules, headstrong Green Lantern Hal Jordan isn't a big believer in fate... But he'll have to put his trust in the Doctor if either man expects to overcome this threat! It's another thriller from best-seller J. Michael Straczynski (Thor) and sensational artist Jesus Saiz!

Download MIRROR #1

Download MIRROR #2

Batman The Brave and the Bold #6

Batman The Brave and the Bold #6
English | CBR | 10 MB | June 2009

Download HERE

Download HERE

Number 486


We come from the land of the ice and snow


In 1955, after implementation of the Comics Code, DC Comics created The Brave and the Bold, an anthology comic with three different heroes. The original lineup was Viking Prince by Joe Kubert, Shining Knight by Irv Novick, and Golden Gladiator by Russ Heath. Gladiator was soon replaced by Robin Hood.

The Brave and the Bold was a hit with me because of the Viking Prince. At the time I didn't see it as DC Comics' take on Hal Foster's Prince Valiant, all I knew was I really loved the artwork and the stories about vikings.

As the series opens, Jon, the main character, is an amnesiac, who is rightful ruler of a kingdom usurped by the "evil Thorvald," who wants him permanently out of the way. This story, "The Ice Dragon," is from Brave and the Bold #5. The stories for B&B were by Robert Kanigher, who also edited. The three artists for B&B also worked for him on the war comics.


"The Ice Dragon" is scanned from DC Special #12, May-June 1971.