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I am a major fan of Bryan Talbot's and I have been so ever since
a long ago issue of Imagine
magazine (and if you can remember that, then you're showing
your age as much as I am!) that ran a scenario based on the Adventures
of Luther Arkwright for the Traveler system. Well, that got
me intrigued, so I shelled out my 8 quid for Rat Trap and
ever since then I have been hooked.
It's not that he's just a great artist - he is... it's not that he's just
a great author - he is... it's the fact that altogether he's one of the
best storytellers I have ever encountered - in any medium - ever.
When I finally got my hands on the last installment in the story - issue
9 of the Valkyrie Press comic - I took it home without looking at in any
way. Once home I warned everyone away from my room with threats of physical
violence should they disturb me in any way and then I read the final installment.
It was the best reading experience of my life: I had been waiting for
the story to conclude for something like 8 years, and it was done do so
soul-satisfyingly well that I got the buzz you get from finishing something
that hasn't just occupied your imagination but you've lived for
as long as you can remember.
On top of everything else it is so obvious that Luther Arkwright
especially is a total and utter labour of love. I mean he wrote, drew
and inked the entire thing himself: it's not a collaborative effort
at all - it's all his imagination and concepts, realised on the page in
his own hand. And what's more, there are no thought bubbles, and
no sound effects: characters never stand with their feet
two meters apart and pontificate: there is a coherent story line with
a beginning, middle and end - unlike the Marvel and DC stuff which just
goes on for ever and ever...
Also, whilst at University I went through a phase of consciously dressing
like Luther did during his "down and out" period: I wore an
army surplus great coat (German Airforce I think) and an Ankh... I lived
in that coat for about six months! It was excellent! Almost an entire
week's necessities could be kept in the pockets, thus avoiding needing
to go home, or even to lectures! Also it was a "look" that was
in conscious homage to a character I loved and an artist I deeply respected,
but who no one else was familiar with: so it was a unique look, and also
gave me a chance to introduce people to his work... which has in fact
become something of a hobby of mine. In My Humble Opinion not nearly enough
people know about Bryan and his work, and thus it REALLY narks
me when people spout on about the Best Comic Ever, and mention things
like the Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns and the Sandman - and then
they confess to not even having heard of the Adventures of Luther Arkwright!!
I mean it leaves the others standing! This is one of the reasons for this
website: to try and turn more people on to Bryan's work. It always gives
me a buzz when a mate tells me that they've read Luther and were absolutely
gobsmacked: believe me it is worth it! If you want to find out where to
get hold of Bryan's work, check out the stuff
page.
I have read most of Bryan's other work including the Nemesis strip
in 2000ad, the Nazz, One Bad Rat,
and Technophage. I have also recently caught up with Frank
Fazakerly, Ace
Wilmslow and Chester
P Hackenbush. I am waiting with baited breath for the sequel to
Arkwright, which I am convinced I read in an article or interview
somewhere would involve Luther and Anne's psychic daughter exploring the
parallels after Childhood's End.... And after meeting
Bryan (an amazing experience in itself) I have found out exactly what
the sequel will contain, and I have also been lucky enough to see some
of the work before the publisher - which was Bryans way of saying thank
you for creating this website for him!
(Please note: this was written before Heart
of Empire the sequel to The Adventures of Luther Arkwright came out,
and so I had no idea what was going to happen in it!)
Also see the articles homepage where all
of the articles about Bryan are linked to; also see the page where I tell
you what it is like to meet your hero, and also
have a look at the tour of the site and the frequently
asked questions and Bryan's advice
to new comic artists.
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