Valkyrie Press

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British publisher of comics, 1987–1989

title: "Valkyrie Press" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1989-disestablishments-in-the-united-kingdom", "british-companies-established-in-1987", "british-companies-disestablished-in-1989", "british-small-press-comics", "comic-book-publishing-companies-of-the-united-kingdom", "defunct-comics-and-manga-publishing-companies", "publishing-companies-established-in-1987"] description: "British publisher of comics, 1987–1989" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie_Press" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary British publisher of comics, 1987–1989 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox publisher"]

Field	Value
name	Valkyrie Press
founded	1987
status	defunct (1989)
founder	Chris Bell
image	ValkyriePress-logo.jpg
headquarters	Bristol
country	United Kingdom
keypeople	Fox, Harry Payne
parent	Luckyglobe Limited
publications	Comic books
genre	Adventure, fantasy
::

History

Valkyrie Press begin in 1986 as an imprint of Harrier Comics, established to collect the first four issues of Redfox (which had been published by Harrier) in a trade paperback.

Redfox co-writer Chris Bell launched Valkyrie as a standalone publisher in 1987, initially solely to continue publishing Redfox. As Bell described it, "the board of Valkyrie Press, which is [a] ... limited company, consists of five people: one solicitor...; one accountant...; one company secretary and transport manager...; one Chairman [Fox]...; and me."

Redfox won the 1987 Eagle Award for Favourite New Comic (reflecting its run with Harrier).

The company then took on The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, publishing nine issues — the first six of which were reprinted from Near Myths #1-5 (Galaxy Media, 1978–1980) & pssst! #2-10 (Never–Artpool, 1982) with extra pages; and the last three with all-new material; followed, at readers' request, by a tenth issue, entitled ARKeology, containing articles about the history and production of the comic and some extended back story and character information. During this period, Valkyrie also published the trade paperback The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 2: Transfiguration, the money for printing of which was put up by Serge Boissevain, publisher of the cancelled pssst! anthology.

Valkyrie's The Adventures of Luther Arkwright won four 1988 Eagle Awards — for Favourite Character (UK), Favourite New Comic (UK), and Favourite Comic Cover (UK) (for The Adventures of Luther Arkwright #1); with Talbot winning the Eagle for Favourite Artist (UK).

Valkyrie's titles were printed by Wiltshire Ltd. of Bristol, and were distributed by Titan Distributors.

In 1989, Bell announced her retirement from publishing as she wanted to focus on raising a family.

Titles published

The Adventures of Luther Arkwright (9 issues, Oct. 1987–Feb. 1989) plus one issue of ARKeology in early 1989
- The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 2: Transfiguration (Nov. 1987), — introduction by Alan Moore
Redfox (10 issues [issues #11–20], Sept. 1987–June 1989) — numbering continued from Harrier Comics series
- The Book of Redfox (Dec. 1986), co-published with Harrier Comics, — collects Harrier issues #1–4 as well as the story "Fair Exchange," by Martin Lock, Fox, and Carl Cropley, from Swiftsure and Conqueror #9 (Harrier Comics, July 1986)
- Redfox Book II: The Demon Queen (Dec. 1988), co-published with Harrier Comics, — collects Harrier issues #5–8

References

Notes

Sources consulted

The Adventures of Luther Arkwright editorials
Redfox editorials

References

(April 1993). "[[Cerebus the Aardvark]]".
"Valkyrie Press". Comic Vine.
[http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/v/valkyriepress.htm "Valkyrie Press,"] An International Catalogue of Superheroes. Retrieved Dec. 6, 2022.
Bell, "Arkeology," ''ARKeology'': "Pleased to meet you. I'm Chris Bell. I'm Valkyrie Press."
[https://www.comics.org/brand_group/5893/ "Harrier : Valkyrie Press (Brand Groups),"] Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Nov. 28, 2022.
[https://www.comics.org/series/71883/ "The Book of Redfox,"] Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Nov. 28, 2022.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120314223555/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/1987/ Previous Winners: 1987] at the Eagle Awards website, archived at The Wayback Machine. (Retrieved 22 September 2018.)
Méalóid, Pádraig Ó. [https://www.bryan-talbot.com/features/interview-padraig-o-mealoid.php "Interview with Bryan Talbot,"] BryanTalbot.com (Started 6th May 2009. Finished 21st September 2009).
"The Adventures of Luther Arkwright: Valkyrie Press, 1987 Series". Grand Comics Database.
Bell, "Arkeology," ''ARKeology'': "Serge Boissevain ... has been waiting for the complete ''Adventures'' for about ten years now, patiently encouraging Bryan, publishing the first Book, putting up the money for the second...; without him, Bryan might well never have managed to make time to complete ''Luther''."
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120314223933/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/1988/ Previous Winners: 1988] at the Eagle Awards website, archived at The Wayback Machine. (Retrieved 22 September 2018.)
Bell, "Arkeology," ''ARKeology''.
Bell, "Arkeology," ''ARKeology'': "I'm expecting a baby in May."
"The Valkyrie Press edition of Arkwright: thumbnail cover gallery.". Bryan Talbot.
Moore, Alan. (November 1987). "Introduction". The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 2: Transfiguration.

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