Plot
Valda was a long running and popular character from Mandy. She is a mysterious girl, who gained long lasting life, youth and powers from the fire of life. She has to bathe in the flames regularly to replenish her youth and strength, whenever she exhausts her powers. The powers and skills that Valda primarily is shown to have are; a youthful appearance, strength, ability to leap great distances, mental influence, a knowledge of herbs and a rapport with animals. As a baby over 200 years ago, she was found by an old gypsy woman Dorcas. Dorcas raised her and taught her about herbs and potions and shared with the water of life. After Dorcas died, Valda continued her quest to find the fire of life. While the flames will restore Valda when she is weak, she also has temporary restoration methods, gained from a crystal pendant she wears.
Due to her long life, she appeared many times over the years. She had adventures with hidden tribes and lost worlds, she fought evil forces and sometimes she competed against athletes to prove her skills. In her first appearance she challenges the world champion ice skater, and other stories saw her compete in sports such as tennis and diving. When the Valda serial appeared in Mandy it would usually come under different names such as; “The Amazing Valda” “The Ten Tests of Valda” and “The Return of Valda”. In 1974 her origin was told in the “The Girlhood of Valda“.
She was an interesting character, and her original inspiration may have been from a boys comic strip from the 1940s “The Truth about Wilson” in The Wizard, which had some similarities. Obviously she was quite popular character, and is well remembered. She appeared in a lot of the annuals and in the 2002 annual she was updated with a more cartoony and superhero look.
Full list of appearances are below.
Notes
List of Appearances:
- The Truth About Valda – Mandy: #56 (10 Feb. 1968) – #75 (22 Jun. 1968)
- Reprinted – Mandy: #347 (08 September 1973) – #366 (19 January 1974)
- Reprinted – Mandy: #590 (06 May 1978) – #609 (16 September 1978)
- Reprinted – Lucky Charm: #22 (1983)
- Reprinted – M&J: #129 (30 October 1993) – #143 (05 Feb 1994)
- The Amazing Valda – Mandy: #91 (12 Oct. 1968) – #110 (22 Feb. 1969)
- Reprinted – Mandy: #367 (26 January 1974) – #386 (08 June 1974)
- Reprinted – Lucky Charm: #1 (1979)
- The Girlhood of Valda – Mandy: #139 (13 September 1969) – #163 (28 Feb. 1970)
- Reprinted – Mandy: #396 (17 Aug. 1974) – #420 (01 Feb. 1975)
- Reprinted – Mandy: #1034 (08 November 1986) – #1057 (18 April 1987)
- Reprinted (abridged) – Lucky Charm: #8
- The Return of Valda – Mandy: #195 (10 Oct. 1970) – #209 (16 Jan. 1971)
- Reprinted – Mandy: #504 (13 Sep. 1976) -#518 (18 Dec. 1976)
- Reprinted- Mandy: #1060 (09 May 1987) – #1073 (08 Aug. 1987)
- Ten Tests for Valda – Mandy: #243 (11 Sep. 1971) – #256 (11 Dec. 1971)
- Reprinted- Mandy: #557 (17 September 1977) – #570 (17 December 1977)
- Reprinted- Mandy: #856 (11 June 1983) – #869 (10 September 1983)
- Reprinted- Mandy: #1139 (12 November 1988) – #1152 (11 February 1989)
- Valda in the Secret City – Mandy: #300 (14 Oct. 1972) – #314 (20 Jan. 1973)
- Reprinted – #824 (30 October 1982) – #838 (05 February 1983)
- A Mission for Valda – Mandy: #454 (27 Sep. 1975) – #465 (13 Dec. 1975)
- Valda – Girl of Mystery – Mandy: #639 (Apr. 14 1979) – #652 (Jul. 14 1979)
- Valda and the Survivors – Mandy: #717 (11 Oct. 1980) – #731 (17 Jan. 1981)
- Reprinted: Mandy #1217 (12 May 1990) – #1231 (18 Aug. 1990)
- Valda and She of the Shadows – Mandy: #839 (13 Feb 1983) – #850 (30 Apr 1983)
- Valda and the Baby Prince – Mandy: #920 (1 Sep 1984) – #933 (1 Dec 1984)
Other Appearances:
- Valda – Mandy Annual 1971
- Valda – Mandy Annual 1974
- The Amazing Valda – Mandy Annual 1976
- Valda – Mandy Annual 1983
- Valda – Mandy Annual 1984
- Valda and the Guardians of the Tomb – Mandy Annual 1986
- Valda and the Way of the Messenger – Mandy Annual 1988
- Valda and the Burning of Barthol – Mandy Annual 1992
- Valda- Traveller in Time – Mandy Annual 1993
- Valda – Mandy Annual 2002
- Valda – Mandy Picture Story Library: #151
- Valda – Mandy Picture Story Library: #156
- Valda – Mandy Picture Story Library: #162