Monday, May 20, 2019

Milliron Monday: Prince Valiant 5 20 19

Abbott "Pete" Smith, D.V.M.
June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

You cannot give me my soul and take away my heart.
Prince Valiant 

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 

Reading the Sunday Comics is an American tradition. Full color and vibrant, we all have our favorite comic strip. Dr. Smith's favorite was Prince Valiant, an ongoing story from King Author's realm. Written and illustrated by American icon Hal Foster, Valiant is the epitome of chivalry. The dialogue is just enough to keep you intrigued from Sunday to Sunday. Sometimes just one panel, the key is to remember where the storyline ends the Sunday before.

In 8 Things You Might Not Know About Prince Valiant (by Jake Rossen), we learn that Prince Valiant may not be a comic strip at all. Rossen writes, "... leading Valiant historian, author Brian Kane, declared it a 'massive illustrated novel presented in a comic art-like style.'" 

With all the sword wielding, horse drama, princes, princess, detailed imagery, fanciful scenarios, and medieval adventure, Dr. Smith rarely missed the Sunday funnies to see what (who or how) Prince Valiant was up to. The panels, meticulously illustrated with fine detail, engage the reader from week to week.



My Dad, who was a client and friend to Dr. Smith, enjoys reading the Sunday funnies, too. He was a fan of Prince Valiant until our hometown newspaper, The Athens Messenger, stopped running the strip. Now my Dad reads The Phantom, which is just as entertaining - including drama, weapons, damsels, bad guys and good guys. (By the way, if you see my Dad today, wish him a Happy Birthday!). See you in the funnie papers...


He told them I was valiant, and that became my name.


Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

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