Review- FRANK BELLAMY'S KING ARTHUR: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES

FRANK BELLAMY'S KING ARTHUR: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES (Book Palace Books, 2008; Flexi-cover)

Collects the King Arthur And His Knights comic strip from Swift Vol. 2 #31-53 and Vol. 3 #1-18 and the Swiss Family Robinson strip (cover dates October 9, 1954- May 5, 1956)

Writer: Clifford Makins (King Arthur And His Knights) and Johann Wys (Swiss Family Robinson)

Artist: Frank Bellamy

Frank Bellamy rules! He is a legend in the UK but is largely unknown to us colonists. This book collects his entire King Arthur And His Knights strip as well as 31 of his 40 Swiss Family Robinson strips. Why only 31 of them, you ask? Who knows! At one time I would have stared at the ceiling and gone downstairs and ordered it in the middle of the night, but nowadays I don't care enough to upgrade anymore.

King Arthur And His Knights is a lot of fun, with tons of medieval action with zero humor and snark. Swiss Family Robinson was Bellamy's first steady strip, and while it lacks the polish of his later stuff his talent was already apparent. Lesser Bellamy is better than many artists' best work.

These Book Palace Books are expensive and not easy to find if you live Stateside. If you don't enjoy paying exorbitant international shipping charges then there aren't many places to find these books other than Bud Plant. Still, they are always top notch affairs and worth the money and the hunt.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Not quite a hardcover yet not quite a softcover, this flexicover is pretty nice overall. It's more malleable than a hardback yet more durable than a softcover.

Linework restoration: Cleaned up scans. They look very good overall.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock.

Binding: Smyth sewn binding. Binding is tight but loosened up considerably while reading.

Flexi-cover notes: The cover has a dull matte finish and is resistant to scuffing.