Valiant in the 60's/70's chat getting the right mix

[Raven]

Trail to Nowhere was a really nice western serial - drawn, appropriately enough, by Mike Western - running from the first issue that Valiant combined with Lion: 25th May 1974 until the end of the year. Set in the late 19th Century, it's about a stroppy young boy who demands that the wandering trapper who saves him from Commanche Indians transports him to Fort Hazard in New Mexico. Well written, it focuses on the awkward relationship between the two as much as typical Wild West action.

There were still a lot of good strips in 1974 Valiant, really: Danny Doom, Valley of the Giants, Adam Eterno, and co.

[Peter Gray]

i love the horse saving the day...it does have some good ideas..
I have a few of Valiant and Lion I'll just reread them..

UPDATE
Its only in my one issue 30th Nov 1974..the raft falls apart after being shot at!! I can see what you mean it is good..

[Raven]

A potential watery doom awaits the duo on 7th December 1974 - some dynamic art by Mr. Western here.

Trail to Nowhere is the kind of thing that should really be published in an album.

[Peter Gray]

As a good guess he is not dead...I watch loads of sci-fi But it still is good dramatic stuff...alos the upset and him shotting dead the man..so strong stuff..

[Raven]

As a good guess he is not dead...I watch loads of sci-fi

No, Crazy Man, their outcast Apache Indian friend is dead. Valiant pulls no punches!

[Peter Gray]

well I didn't expect that...I'll try and not have nightmares..

[Raven]

well I didn't expect that...I'll try and not have nightmares..

Don't read the Danny Doom strip, then.

Or look at the next instalment of Trail to Nowhere ...

[Peter Gray]

As an adult it looks like a great strip...
very creepy...skeletons always find scary..did as a kid..

I'll do a post on this strip with your two scans.and my issue..thanks Raven

[Peter Gray]

I like the website Adam E and interesting the many origin stories slightly different...I quite like the falling down stairs version..and good he tried to save him..

[dwitefry]

Am I alone in thinking that Jim Frobisher from The Ghostly Guardian was... (I'm trying to think of a word that isn't four letters)...the sort of person you wouldn't've wanted to have in your gang at school? Maybe it was just to make Firebrand look even more awesome hmm?

Looking over my limited scans and issues of Valiant from the time-period, i'd've have to put in a vote for the latter half of the sixties as 'best time-frame' - all this great stuff like Mytek the Mighty, House of Dollman, Kelly's Eye, Steel Claw, The bizarre (and possibly casually racist) Legge's 11 (I have the story with the robot trainer, odd indeed), Jason Hyde, The Wild Wonders, Jason Hyde, The two Shrinker serials and the quite nightmare inducing The Last Boys on Earth plus funny stuff like The Crows and Bluebottle & Basher (do we know the artist for them? It looks like our ol' pal Leo, but then lots of strips look like him don't they?) all in one place, in fact from about '66 to early '69 the only one letting the side down was Captain Hurricane, i suppose at least his art had evolved into something nice and stylized.

[Raven]

Am I alone in thinking that Jim Frobisher from The Ghostly Guardian was... (I'm trying to think of a word that isn't four letters)...the sort of person you wouldn't've wanted to have in your gang at school? Maybe it was just to make Firebrand look even more awesome hmm?

Whaaat? Jim Frobisher was a totally cool IPC Seventies working class urchin and I'd have had him in my gang at school like a shot. (I'm assuming the word you're thinking of is 'wimp' and nothing worse?)

To prove my point, just look how he dealt with the bully at Hilltop Secondary School (attached) and eat your words.

Bluebottle and Basher was indeed by Leo Baxendale.

[Peter Gray]

The Last Boys on Earth!!

What adventures and stories happened in this strip.it sounds like Survivors But only with one!!!!!! Sounds very haunting.my imagination is running wild at the thought!

[dwitefry]

(I'm assuming the word you're thinking of is 'wimp' and nothing worse?)

Bluebottle and Basher was indeed by Leo Baxendale.

I was thinking of the one that rhymed with dwat, but that bully bashing page is slightly making me change my opinion. (and ta for BB&B).

The Last Boys on Earth was fantastic Peter Gray, these kids came out of school and found that them and their science teacher (Mr Watts) were the last people left in the country, they later found a Professor Harrison in American and went there, it turned out the Earth had been invaded by alien machines from the planet Urallius, but it was exceptionally atmospheric and quite creative, plus everyone became a complete badass by the story's end - there was empty towns, floods, shipwrecks, battles with robots - it started about May 1966 and lasted until mid '67 (anyone has the correct dates? I have very little, it's going to be a problem with everything i post for the next month or so until the indexes I've ordered arrive).

here's an earlyish strip (about the second or third) from the 7th May 1966 issue of Valiant proving that the first thing British kids think of after the apocalypse is nicking stuff:






I don't have the complete strip sadly but it's easily my favourite of the Valiant serials I've read. Though I liked The Lurking Menace a fair bit, but i like those 'monster rampages, fairly attractive man tries to stop it' stories like the Planet Z strips or The Sludge.

[Peter Gray]

thanks dwitefry i've done a mini blog post on this..

It is very Survivorish..kids with guns in no time..

[dwitefry]

You're welcome mate

I really can't place The Survivors...was it a strip? or like a Telly series or something?