Scan barcode
stephlovesbooks's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
ramonnogueras's review against another edition
4.0
Hay que esforzarse o tomar muchas drogas para entender este cómic. Pero si haces el esfuerzo, encuentras uno de los cómics más originales que habrás leído. Así que merece la pena el esfuerzo.
libkatem's review
5.0
There are no words to describe this book. At all. I don't even like graphic novels, but I'm on the hunt to buy this one. Seriously. @_@ My knowledge of history and the layout of London really helped me with this book.
I have the audio book, but I'd love the graphic novel!
I have the audio book, but I'd love the graphic novel!
arthurbdd's review
4.0
Often needlessly male gazey and a little cultural appropriation-happy, but still a fun counterculture superhero story. Bridges the gap between Michael Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius and Grant Morrison's The Invisibles. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/2021/02/15/puritans-purges-and-parallel-worlds/
mobilisinmobili's review
5.0
Well drawn psychedelic mod romp that was clearly influential on basically all of my favorite comics.
nwhyte's review
4.0
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2164391.html[return][return]It's weird to think that this is over thirty years old, though not published in book form until some time later. It's also a bit embarrassing that I hadn't read it before, given its seminal importance to the comics genre in the UK. I liked a lot of things about it very much: the interplay between Royalist rebels and Cromwellian puritans, the latter still ruling Britain in the 1970s; the role of Arkwright, agent of order, but not necessarily of good; the fantastic detail in the art, and the intricacy of the plotting. Arkwright is clearly based on Jerry Cornelius, and Michael moorcock returns the favour with a warm but also very political introduction to this edition. I am, however, a little relieved that the fan consensus is that the sequel, Heart of Empire, is easier to digest, to the point that some recommend starting with it instead. I shall try to get hold of it.
theartolater's review
4.0
While this was a great comic and a great read, it has aged incredibly poorly in style. The overall result of this book is one that is a multidimensional literary achievement that is rooted in British history and various tropes, but has such an old feel that is difficult to overcome.
Get past the style and you have a wonderful read, though. A must for those who like their comics a little more esoteric and strange.
Get past the style and you have a wonderful read, though. A must for those who like their comics a little more esoteric and strange.
daviddavidkatzman's review
4.0
Mind-bending, freak-ass sci-fi mysticism. Grant Morrison wishes he was this good.*
Both this graphical novel (black & white) and the sequel, Heart of Empire: The Legacy of Luther Arkwright (in color) deserve to be in the collection of anyone who likes literary comics. The Adventures of… (first issued in 1990) was just reprinted by Dark Horse, so this is a great chance to snap up both collections.
Bryan Talbot writes (sophisticated storytelling, complex characters) and illustrates (beautifully) this master work. Amazing to see how his art got even better in part two. The storyline is a re-imagined history of England if the empire kept growing, rather than collapsed under its own weight, and became a regime much like Nazi Germany. Oh, and if it was supported by dark forces from across parallel universes, of course. You get the idea…no, not really—-both novels have more twists and turns than Timothy Leary’s intestines. Features shamanism, sex magik, critique of power, politics, journalism and many other tasty treats. Fans of Alan Moore will love this.
*Not quite true. The Invisibles was genius. Let’s say, Morrison lately wishes he was this good. (snark!)
Both this graphical novel (black & white) and the sequel, Heart of Empire: The Legacy of Luther Arkwright (in color) deserve to be in the collection of anyone who likes literary comics. The Adventures of… (first issued in 1990) was just reprinted by Dark Horse, so this is a great chance to snap up both collections.
Bryan Talbot writes (sophisticated storytelling, complex characters) and illustrates (beautifully) this master work. Amazing to see how his art got even better in part two. The storyline is a re-imagined history of England if the empire kept growing, rather than collapsed under its own weight, and became a regime much like Nazi Germany. Oh, and if it was supported by dark forces from across parallel universes, of course. You get the idea…no, not really—-both novels have more twists and turns than Timothy Leary’s intestines. Features shamanism, sex magik, critique of power, politics, journalism and many other tasty treats. Fans of Alan Moore will love this.
*Not quite true. The Invisibles was genius. Let’s say, Morrison lately wishes he was this good. (snark!)
kmccubbin's review
3.0
This project was an inevitable failure. Trying to take on Brian Talbot's epic, form defying, hallucinogenic masterpiece as an audio drama is foolhardy at best. If Alan Moore argued that "Watchmen" was unfilmable because it was a comic ABOUT the form of comics, Luther Arkwright is the same, exponentially.
It is a narrative that clearly influenced the great British Invasion of comics by taking on subject matter that was previously outside of most English language comic's purvue. One find it hard to imagine an Alan Moore or, especially, a Grant Morrison without Talbot's grand statement. But what is truly fascinating about the work is Talbot's willingness to switch art styles radically to suit the particular tones of those sections of the story. This was certainly hinted at by the work of Steranko or Jim Starlin, but never this boldly.
And therein lies the problem with adapting this for audio. Without the stylistic changes of the art, the narrative is just chaos. Trippy in a bad way.
That all said, there is real heart in this thing. It had to be a labor of love and it feels like it. David Tennant, just before becoming Dr. Who and Paul Darrow long after starring in Blake's Seven are sinking their teeth in as deeply as they can. The audio landscape is ridiculous, but charming. It's hard not to giggle everytime the faux-Soviet theme is played by a cheap synthesizer. And it certainly doesn't lack for bombast.
THere are a million things that don't work with this mess, but you might, as I did, find youself, from time to time, grinning at how ridiculous it all is.
"And now Luther, we make the love?"
"Not now. I have to meditate."
It is a narrative that clearly influenced the great British Invasion of comics by taking on subject matter that was previously outside of most English language comic's purvue. One find it hard to imagine an Alan Moore or, especially, a Grant Morrison without Talbot's grand statement. But what is truly fascinating about the work is Talbot's willingness to switch art styles radically to suit the particular tones of those sections of the story. This was certainly hinted at by the work of Steranko or Jim Starlin, but never this boldly.
And therein lies the problem with adapting this for audio. Without the stylistic changes of the art, the narrative is just chaos. Trippy in a bad way.
That all said, there is real heart in this thing. It had to be a labor of love and it feels like it. David Tennant, just before becoming Dr. Who and Paul Darrow long after starring in Blake's Seven are sinking their teeth in as deeply as they can. The audio landscape is ridiculous, but charming. It's hard not to giggle everytime the faux-Soviet theme is played by a cheap synthesizer. And it certainly doesn't lack for bombast.
THere are a million things that don't work with this mess, but you might, as I did, find youself, from time to time, grinning at how ridiculous it all is.
"And now Luther, we make the love?"
"Not now. I have to meditate."
lordofthemoon's review
4.0
I'm really not entirely sure what to make of this graphic novel. It was very dense, in multiple senses of the word, and I did get lost more than once. Luther Arkwright can travel without technological aid between the worlds of the multiverse, and he's working with the stable, ordered Earth of zero-zero to try and prevent a weapon that will destroy Earths throughout the multiverse from being found and unleashed.
The first thing that hit me here was Talbot's art style. As someone who's only really familiar with his work through [b: Grandville|6660561|Grandville (Grandville #1)|Bryan Talbot|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347413078s/6660561.jpg|6855323] and its sequels, this is very different indeed! Lots of line work and intricate detail, it's lovely but in a way that requires more effort than the clean lines of Grandville.
The story itself is a twisting, turning tale encompassing parallel universes, variations of Earth where the British Empire never fell or where the English civil war waged for three hundred years. It's on this latter plane that we spend most of our time, as Arkwright manipulates the nations of this world into a position where the enemy will be forced to reveal themselves, rather than to work through shadowy agents. And that's another facet to the book: conspiracy theories to your heart's content, along with secret societies and hidden manipulators of worlds. It's all here.
Oh, and, of course, the religious symbolism is fairly intense, especially later on. The recurring motif of the figure dying with their arms outstretched(not to mention Arkwright's little resurrection trick!) is a powerful image.
There's a lot to digest here, and I suspect it's a book that would reward rereading.
The first thing that hit me here was Talbot's art style. As someone who's only really familiar with his work through [b: Grandville|6660561|Grandville (Grandville #1)|Bryan Talbot|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347413078s/6660561.jpg|6855323] and its sequels, this is very different indeed! Lots of line work and intricate detail, it's lovely but in a way that requires more effort than the clean lines of Grandville.
The story itself is a twisting, turning tale encompassing parallel universes, variations of Earth where the British Empire never fell or where the English civil war waged for three hundred years. It's on this latter plane that we spend most of our time, as Arkwright manipulates the nations of this world into a position where the enemy will be forced to reveal themselves, rather than to work through shadowy agents. And that's another facet to the book: conspiracy theories to your heart's content, along with secret societies and hidden manipulators of worlds. It's all here.
Oh, and, of course, the religious symbolism is fairly intense, especially later on. The recurring motif of the figure dying with their arms outstretched
There's a lot to digest here, and I suspect it's a book that would reward rereading.
More...