Comic strip prince (7) - Crossword Clue
Answer: VALIANT
Understanding the Prince Valiant Comic Strip Legacy
- The Prince Valiant comic strip distinguished itself through Foster's meticulous attention to historical detail, cinematic panel layouts, and sophisticated narrative structure.
- Unlike typical comic strips of its era, Prince Valiant featured caption-based storytelling without speech bubbles, creating a more literary reading experience.
- The strip's influence extends beyond comics into film, television adaptations, and modern graphic novels.
- Crossword constructors frequently reference Prince Valiant because the name "VALIANT" perfectly fits common letter patterns and provides an accessible pop culture reference that spans generations.
- The character's enduring popularity makes this clue appear regularly in puzzles ranging from easy daily crosswords to challenging Sunday editions.
Related Comic Strip Characters in Crosswords
- Crossword puzzles frequently feature comic strip characters alongside Prince Valiant. Popular alternatives include Flash Gordon, another adventure hero, though his name doesn't fit the seven-letter pattern.
- Comic strip royalty also includes characters like Prince Arn (Valiant's son), Princess Aleta (his wife), and various Disney princes, but none match both the letter count and "comic strip" specification as precisely as VALIANT.
- Understanding the landscape of comic strip characters helps solvers tackle similar clues.
- Classic adventure strips like Terry and the Pirates, Steve Canyon, and Buck Rogers provide the historical context for why Prince Valiant earned such prominence in both popular culture and crossword puzzles.
Tips for Solving Comic Strip Crossword Clues
- Study Classic Comic Strips: Familiarize yourself with golden age comic characters like Prince Valiant, Dick Tracy, Little Orphan Annie, and Popeye, as they appear frequently in crosswords.
- Count Letters First: Always verify the letter count matches before committing to an answer, especially when multiple characters might fit the description.
- Look for Crossing Letters: Use intersecting answers to confirm your solution, particularly for proper names that might have alternative spellings.
- Consider the Era: Clues referencing "comic strip" often point to newspaper strips from the 1930s-1960s rather than modern comic books or webcomics.
- Learn Character Relationships: Knowing that Prince Valiant has a son named Arn or wife named Aleta can help with related clues in the same puzzle.
- Watch for Wordplay: Sometimes "valiant" might appear as a standalone adjective clue rather than referencing the character, so context matters.
Comic strip prince (7) - 7 Little Words - FAQs
Q: What comic strip features Prince Valiant?
Prince Valiant appears in the self-titled comic strip "Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur," which has run continuously since 1937, making it one of the longest-running comic strips in history.
Q: Who created Prince Valiant?
Hal Foster created Prince Valiant in 1937. Foster was renowned for his realistic illustration style and previously worked on the Tarzan comic strip before launching Prince Valiant.
Q: Is Prince Valiant still published today?
Yes, Prince Valiant continues publication in newspapers worldwide, currently illustrated by Thomas Yeates and written by Mark Schultz, maintaining the strip's legacy for modern audiences.
Q: Why does Prince Valiant appear so often in crosswords?
The name VALIANT works perfectly for seven-letter entries, the character enjoys widespread recognition across generations, and classic comic strips are common crossword reference material.
Q: Are there other seven-letter comic princes?
While other comic characters might be princes, none combine the seven-letter format, "comic strip" medium, and cultural recognition as definitively as Prince Valiant.
