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Cover: Irv Novick

The Brave and the Bold #2

Oct 1955 · DC · 0.10 USD

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★ 1st appearance — Slasher

About this Issue

The Brave and the Bold #2 (cover date November 1955) is the second chapter in DC's pioneering historical-adventure anthology, continuing the trio of features — the Golden Gladiator, the Viking Prince, and the Silent Knight — that defined the series before it ever became a superhero vehicle. Each story deepened ongoing serial threads established in issue #1: Marcus the Golden Gladiator earns his freedom and is immediately weaponized by villain Cinna on a mission against Attila the Hun; Jon the amnesiac Viking Prince squares off against the mystery of the 'phantom ship' and unmasks an impostor for his arch-enemy Thorvald; and Brian Kent completes a perilous errand through the Forest Perilous as the Silent Knight, further cementing his double identity. The issue is a textbook example of mid-1950s DC's effort to offer readers adventure serial continuity in genres — ancient Rome, Norse myth, medieval chivalry — that could sidestep the Comics Code Authority's restrictions on crime and horror content.

In "The Sword of Attila!", Brian takes up a perilous quest after a mysterious message calls him to deliver the Sun Ruby to a castle beyond the Forest Perilous. With the help of his loyal hawk Slasher and the mysterious armor of the Silent Knight, he faces brigands, treacherous bridges, and underwater dangers in a tale of courage and mystery. Written by Robert Kanigher and illustrated with dynamic energy by Irv Novick—whose bold pencils and inks define the cover and interior—this 1955 adventure is a standout in DC’s early anthology series.

Contains 5 stories

The Sword of Attila!

8 pp · Adventure, Historical

Gorgo (a gladiator) (single appearance)Attila the Hun (villain)unnamed Roman Emperor

In a pulse-pounding tale from *The Brave and the Bold* #2, gladiator Gorgo and the Roman Emperor’s niece Lucia join forces on a perilous mission to steal the legendary sword of Attila the Hun. With catapults blazing and the mighty Hun’s drum looming as both a fortress and a trap, Gorgo must outwit death and seize the blade before Rome falls.

The Threat of the Phantom Vikings!

8 pp · Adventure, Historical

In "The Threat of the Phantom Vikings!", Viking Prince Jon—still grappling with his lost memories—leads a coastal village in defense as a mysterious ship drifts into the bay. When a shark attack leaves him wounded and flames erupt in the village under the ship’s eerie return, Jon uncovers a hidden hold filled with traps and deadly sharks. Facing off against a masked Thorvald in a clash atop the ship’s dragon figurehead, Jon defeats his foe—only to realize the enemy is an imposter. What drives Thorvald’s obsession with Jon’s downfall remains a mystery.

Untitled Humor story

1 pp · Humor

MaximusMinimus

Untitled Humor story

0.5 pp · Humor

Knight for a Day!

7.67 pp · Adventure, Historical

Sir Duncan (introduction)

In "Knight for a Day!," a young man named Brian takes up the mantle of the legendary Silent Knight when summoned by Sir Duncan to retrieve the Sun Ruby and deliver it across the Forest Perilous. Armed only with courage and the mysterious armor hidden in a secret grove, Brian faces brigands, treacherous bridges, and the depths of a fish-infested moat—all while guided by the loyal hawk Slasher.

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (Good) $163

CGC 8.0 · 1 in census $893*

CGC 7.5 · 1 in census $716*

CGC 7.0 · 4 in census $595*

CGC 6.5 · 2 in census $499*

CGC 6.0 · 4 in census $432*

CGC 5.5 · 6 in census $363*

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CGC 5.0 · 9 in census $345

CGC 4.5 · 5 in census $295*

CGC 4.0 · 2 in census $274

CGC 3.5 · 8 in census $265

CGC 3.0 · 6 in census $202*

CGC 2.5 none in existence

CGC 2.0 · 3 in census $139*

CGC 1.5 · 2 in census $107*

CGC 1.0 · 1 in census $89*

CGC 0.5 · 3 in census $64

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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Raw / ungraded ▾ $1.49–$39.72 5 listings

Raw / ungraded $1.49 Raw / ungraded $2 Raw / ungraded $12.49 Raw / ungraded $39.72 Raw / ungraded $39.72

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History

Robert Kanigher served as editor and primary writer of the early Brave and the Bold run, with the three features divided among a stable creative trio: Russ Heath on the Golden Gladiator, Joe Kubert on the Viking Prince, and Irv Novick on the Silent Knight. For issue #2, the Golden Gladiator story 'The Sword of Attila!' was scripted by France Herron with art by Heath, while Kanigher himself scripted both the Viking Prince story (art by Kubert) and the Silent Knight story 'Knight for a Day!' (art by Novick). The cover for issue #2 was drawn by Irv Novick. The series launched in August–September 1955 as a bi-monthly title, and this second issue continued its original format of three distinct historical-adventure serials packaged with short non-fiction articles and filler pieces, reflecting DC's post-Code strategy of broadening into adventure genres.

Trivia · 8 facts

Cover date: November 1955; published by DC Comics as the second issue of The Brave and the Bold (Vol. 1, 1955–1983). Cover by Irv Novick.
Contains three serialized stories: 'The Sword of Attila!' (Golden Gladiator, script France Herron, art Russ Heath); 'The Threat of the Phantom Vikings!' (Viking Prince, script Robert Kanigher, art Joe Kubert); and 'Knight for a Day!' (Silent Knight, script Robert Kanigher, art Irv Novick).
In 'The Sword of Attila!', Marcus the Golden Gladiator wins his arena freedom before being sent by the scheming Cinna on a suicide mission to steal Attila the Hun's sword; Lucia, Cinna's niece, disguises herself as a soldier to accompany him — her first substantial action role in the series.
In 'The Threat of the Phantom Vikings!', Jon the amnesiac Viking Prince discovers a booby-trapped ghost ship packed with sharks and trap doors, defeats what he believes is arch-enemy Thorvald — only to find a masked impostor, deepening the serial mystery of Thorvald's true plans.
In 'Knight for a Day!', Brian Kent (the Silent Knight) rescues Lady Celia from a moat full of savage fish, is dispatched by Sir Oswald Bane to deliver the Sun Ruby across the Forest Perilous, and uses his secret armor and hawk Slasher to complete the mission while concealing his dual identity from Bane.
The Golden Gladiator story 'The Sword of Attila!' and the Viking Prince story 'The Threat of the Phantom Vikings!' were both later reprinted in Best of the Brave and the Bold #3.
The Silent Knight story 'Knight for a Day!' was reprinted in The Brave and the Bold #116 (December 1974–January 1975).
The issue is part of the 'Joe Kubert Library' hardcover The Viking Prince by Joe Kubert (DC, July 2010, 296 pages), which collects the complete Kubert-illustrated Viking Prince run from Brave and the Bold #1–5 and #7–24.