Product description
Part sketchbooks, part biography, part tutorial, part memoir—Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant Sketchbooks are an unprecedented revelation of Foster’s personal life and creative process during his final nine years on the strip, as well as a fascinating look behind the curtains as Foster coached and interacted with his chosen successor: John Cullen Murphy. Beautifully, meticulously designed and produced with the full participation of the Murphy family, this series is a testament to author and Prince Valiant historian Brian M. Kane’s research prowess and determination to bring Foster’s aesthetic and storytelling strategies to light. 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 of 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.
This is a preorder listing | FOC date 11/09/2026 | Estimated in-store date 12/23/2026
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS
Writer: Hal Foster, Brian M Kane
Artist: Hal Foster
Cover artist: Hal Foster
Format: Hardcover
Trim size: 10.6 × 14.3 in.
FOC date: November 9, 2026
Estimated release date: December 23, 2026
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS
Writer: Hal Foster; Brian M Kane
Artist: Hal Foster
Cover artist: Hal Foster
View graphic novel & manga preorder policies
Shipping: We ship across Canada and to the United States. Every book is packed with sturdy materials. Orders with preorder items ship once everything in the order is released and processed. Holdbox orders can ship earlier: tap Request shipping on your Legionnaire Holdbox page to ship whatever has been released so far. Combined shipping is calculated at checkout.
Pricing: Prices are based on the publisher's US cover price, converted to Canadian dollars at the current Visa exchange rate plus a 3% bank fee, and rounded up to the nearest 5¢. Preorders are 20% off that price. Prices are updated weekly with the exchange rate; once you order, your price is locked in.
Release dates: Graphic novels and manga typically have longer lead times to release, so please note the estimated release date on each listing. Release dates are publisher estimates and may change.
Condition: Books are brand new from the distributor. Minor shelf wear or manufacturing defects may be present.
Cover art: Cover images are publisher previews, and the printed cover art and specs may vary.
Product description: Details are sourced from distributors and various other platforms and may not be entirely accurate.
Damages and shortages: Books damaged in transit from our supplier, or shorted or allocated by them, will be replaced if possible. If not, we'll offer a full refund.
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Description
Part sketchbooks, part biography, part tutorial, part memoir—Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant Sketchbooks are an unprecedented revelation of Foster’s personal life and creative process during his final nine years on the strip, as well as a fascinating look behind the curtains as Foster coached and interacted with his chosen successor: John Cullen Murphy. Beautifully, meticulously designed and produced with the full participation of the Murphy family, this series is a testament to author and Prince Valiant historian Brian M. Kane’s research prowess and determination to bring Foster’s aesthetic and storytelling strategies to light. 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 of 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.
This is a preorder listing | FOC date 11/09/2026 | Estimated in-store date 12/23/2026
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS
Writer: Hal Foster, Brian M Kane
Artist: Hal Foster
Cover artist: Hal Foster
Format: Hardcover
Trim size: 10.6 × 14.3 in.
FOC date: November 9, 2026
Estimated release date: December 23, 2026
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