The Adventures of Luther Arkwright

[SuperheroMethod]

An underrated gem, Bryan Talbot's The Adventures of Luther Arkwright seems really overlooked imo.

What's your thoughts on this series? Also, is there anything else out there that's similar and worth checking out. Thanks in advance.

[Jorge]

An underrated gem, Bryan Talbot's The Adventures of Luther Arkwright seems really overlooked imo.

What's your thoughts on this series? Also, is there anything else out there that's similar and worth checking out. Thanks in advance.

Well, there are is a sequel but I'd doesn't compare. I think Luther is a masterpiece of rate medium. Heck, I think most of what I know about the reformation probably is wrong because it came from this book. Talbots art is superb.

If you like sci Fi political/religious I recommend Dreadstar. It isn't as adult as Luther but it is genius. Definitely start with the Metamorphosis Odyssey and the two graphic novels - Dreadstar and The Price.

[slop101]

Well, there are is a sequel but I'd doesn't compare...

People always say that, but I think it compares just fine. Sure, the first series is better, but it's not like the sequel was bad - it was really good in its own right, and just because it's not as good, people knee jerk into either not liking it and wanting to separate it from the original, which is a load of bullocks.

Anyways, good timing with this thread as it seems like a Luther Arkwright hardcover collection is right around the corner!

[MRP]

Talbot was strongly influenced by the ideas of Michael Moorcock concerning the multiverse and an Eternal Champion, so if you liked those aspects of Luther Arkwright you might want to check out some of the Moorcock stuff, either in prose or some of the comic adaptations.

-M

[JackDaw]

An underrated gem, Bryan Talbot's The Adventures of Luther Arkwright seems really overlooked imo.

What's your thoughts on this series? Also, is there anything else out there that's similar and worth checking out. Thanks in advance.

Basically deserves to be better known.

I agree with stop101 that the sequel (Heart of Empire) is well worth following up... probably not quite as good as Luther A, but still deservedly featured on many UK "best graphical novels of the year" lists when it came out.

Like a lot of his work.

Other possible things that he did that I really enjoyed were:-
A two issue story in Legends of the Dark Knight (Masque?? Can find details for you if its sort of thing you'd like to read.)
Did a run on Teknophage... first as artist, then as writer...that's a real fun light hearted multiverse romp, with a killer lizard in charge of the main Earth
"The Tale of One Bad Rat" (story about a young London beggar whose life is turned round by a visit to the Lake District.)
"Alice in Sunderland" (about the history of Sunderland and Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell's relationship with the city)

The one I would recommend above all the the others is "The Tale of One Bad Rat"... regard that as a wonderful book.

[Billy Batson]

Jack, have you checked out Talbot's Grandville?

[Jorge]

People always say that, but I think it compares just fine. Sure, the first series is one better, but it's not like the sequel was bad - it was really good in its own right, and just because it's not as good, people knee jerk into either not liking it and wanting to separate it from the original, which is a load of bullocks.

I'm glad you liked it. I found it unnecessary and inferior. Both the writing and the art. I struggled to get through it. It is interesting that you think people knee jerk reacted to it. That sounds like what a lot of people say about DKSA detractors.
I personally found DKSA inferior but I enjoyed it when I read it. Wish I could say that about Heart of Empire.

[JackDaw]

Jack, have you checked out Talbot's Grandville?

Yes. Enjoyed the two I've read (not come across Bete Noir yet)...but had mixed feelings about key decision to draw main characters as anthropomorphic animals.

Yes, I could see that it must be an interesting artistic challenge to do it that way (makes it so much harder to portray emotions?), and it enabled some very good jokes about arrogance of way human race regards other animals.

But gut feeling was that for me I'd have enjoyed it just a bit more if the characters had been drawn as humans.

Certainly just a quibble...still really enjoyable reading.

[SuperheroMethod]

Thanks guys- a good bunch of stuff for me to get my teeth into.

A two issue story in Legends of the Dark Knight (Masque??

"Masks" maybe? I was just reading about this on another thread. Sounds good.

Will check out Michael Moorcock and Dreadstar too.

Don't know how I managed to miss LA sequel. <the wheel is turning but the hamster is dead> Little shame faced about that. Hopefully this hardback re-issue will get it a little more attention.

[Balakin]

Never heard of this book but I just found out that there is a a Big Finish audio drama adaptation with David Tennant! Wow!
Bit off topic: What would you recommend from Moorcock? I've started The Coming of the Terraphiles (Doctor Who book) but couldn't finish it, it was really boring and uninteresting.

[JackDaw]

Thanks guys- a good bunch of stuff for me to get my teeth into.



"Masks" maybe? I was just reading about this on another thread. Sounds good.

With that clue had a quick double check...turned out to be "Mask" (no s).... really good story. It was in Legends of the Dark Knight 39 and 40, and also included in a trade LODK trade paperback collection called "Dark Legends".

Honestly can't remember where I saw it, but can remember reading how Bryan Talbot described how he came to do the story. At time, he was working on British "underground" comics, and completely by accident meet Archie Goodwin at some obscure comics festival.

He managed to snatch a brief conversation with Archie, the festival's star guest, and said that a couple of years earlier that he'd had a really good idea for a Batman story. Archie...obviously in a rush...said something like "Whatever it is, I'm interested, get in contact".

Bryan assumed Archie was just being polite, and just got on with other stuff... and forgot all about it until Archie got in contact to ask him "Where's this idea for a Batman story you promised me?".

[MRP]

Thanks guys- a good bunch of stuff for me to get my teeth into.



"Masks" maybe? I was just reading about this on another thread. Sounds good.

Will check out Michael Moorcock and Dreadstar too.

Don't know how I managed to miss LA sequel. <the wheel is turning but the hamster is dead> Little shame faced about that. Hopefully this hardback re-issue will get it a little more attention.

Honestly, the best introduction to Moorcock is the Neil Gaiman short story, One Life Furnished in Early Moorcock. P. Craig Russell did a comic adaptation of this in the Zero issue of Elric for Topps Comics in 1996 that has been collected elsewhere as well.

Moorcock has been writing sci-fi and fantasy since the 60s and has touched on almost every subgenre under those umbrellas. From proto-steampunk in The Land Leviathan to planetary romance in the things like The Blades of Mars to sword and sorcery with Elric, probably his most famous creation.

The DC mini-series Michael Moorcock's Multiverse and Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer are probably good introductions in comic form, and BOOM's Elric: The Balance Lost shows Moorcock's multiverse and array of literary creations in full bloom, but can be a bit overwhelming if you are not familiar with Moorcock's stuff coming in. Roberson does well in capturing the feel and flavor of Moorcock's world, but not so well in making it accessible to new reader sin that series.

For Talbot, I will heartily second the recommendation Of Tales of One Bad Rat, and also mention Talbot's issues of Sandman done with Gaiman.

-M

[earl]

While not being a comic writer, I think Michael Moorcock has been a huge influence on comics through his influence on Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, and many others. The Jerry Cornelius novels and the early Elric stories would be my suggested places to start if you wanted to try his writing.

[SuperheroMethod]

With that clue had a quick double check...turned out to be "Mask" (no s).... really good story. It was in Legends of the Dark Knight 39 and 40, and also included in a trade LODK trade paperback collection called "Dark Legends".

Honestly can't remember where I saw it, but can remember reading how Bryan Talbot described how he came to do the story. At time, he was working on British "underground" comics, and completely by accident meet Archie Goodwin at some obscure comics festival.

He managed to snatch a brief conversation with Archie, the festival's star guest, and said that a couple of years earlier that he'd had a really good idea for a Batman story. Archie...obviously in a rush...said something like "Whatever it is, I'm interested, get in contact".

Bryan assumed Archie was just being polite, and just got on with other stuff... and forgot all about it until Archie got in contact to ask him "Where's this idea for a Batman story you promised me?".

Oh wow- I'm in!