View source for The Adventures of Luther Arkwright

{{Short description|Comic book limited series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox comic book title
<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image = Luther arkwright cover.jpg
| caption = The cover of issue #2 of the [[Valkyrie Press]] edition of ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright''.
| schedule = Monthly
| format =
| limited = y
| publisher = [[Valkyrie Press]]
| startmo = Oct.
| startyr             = 1987
| endmo               = April
| endyr               = 1989
| issues = 9
| main_char_team = Luther Arkwright
| writers = [[Bryan Talbot]]
| pencillers = Bryan Talbot
| inkers = Bryan Talbot
| letterers = Steve Haynie
| colorists =
| creative_team_month =
| creative_team_year =
| creators = Bryan Talbot
| editors = Bryan Talbot
| TPB = The Adventures of Luther Arkwright
| ISBN = 1-59307-725-4
| sort = Adventures of Luther Arkwright, The
}}
'''''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright''''' is a nine-issue [[comic book]] [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]] written and drawn by [[Bryan Talbot]] in the period 1978–1989. The story is adult in tone, with many mythological, historical, and political references, and a little explicit sex.

In 2003 English writer [[Warren Ellis]] called ''Arkwright'' "probably the single most influential graphic novel to have come out of Britain to date... probably Anglophone comics' single most important experimental work".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Ellis|first=Warren|author-link=Warren Ellis|quote=Luther Arkwright is probably the single most influential graphic novel to have come out of Britain to date... |magazine=Artbomb (archived on Bryan-Talbot.com)|date=2003|url=http://www.bryan-talbot.com/oldsite/articles/warren-elli-review-AOLA.html|title=Warren Ellis reviews The Adventures of Luther Arkwright}}</ref> The series was nominated for eight [[Eagle Awards]] in 1988, winning four: Best New Comic, Favourite Character, and Best Comic Cover, with Talbot winning the award for Favourite Artist.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314223933/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/1988/|title=Previous Winners: 1988|website=Eagle Awards|archive-date=14 Mar 2012|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/1988/}}</ref> In addition, the book was given the 1989 Mekon Award for "Best British Work" by the [[Society of Strip Illustration]].<ref name=BC1 /><ref>{{cite web|last=Freeman|first=John|author-link=John Freeman (editor)|url= http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2012/07/timelord-talbot.html|title=Timelord Talbot!|website=DownTheTubes.net |date=29 July 2012}}</ref>

== Overview ==
The character of Luther Arkwright owes something to the influence of [[Michael Moorcock]]'s<ref name=BC2>{{cite news|last=Johnston|first=Rich|author-link=Rich Johnston|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/bryan-talbots-legend-of-luther-arkwright-out-today-i-just-read-it/|title=Bryan Talbot's Legend Of Luther Arkwright Out Today & I Just Read It|work=[[Bleeding Cool]]|date=July 14, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bryan Talbot: an interview with the father of the British graphic novel|first=Patrick |last=Barkham|date=29 Jan 2015|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/29/sp-bryan-talbot-grandville-father-of-british-graphic-novel}}</ref><ref name=MorningStar /> [[Jerry Cornelius]] stories,<ref>{{cite news|last=Parker|first=John R.|url=https://comicsalliance.com/tribute-grant-morrison/|title=Grant Morrison And The Great Work|work=[[ComicsAlliance]]|date=February 1, 2016}}</ref> though Moorcock and Talbot agree that the similarities between the characters are limited.{{cn|date=November 2022}} 

Arkwright made his first appearance in the mid-1970s in "The Papist Affair", a short strip for ''[[Brainstorm Comix]]'' where Arkwright teamed up with a group of cigar-chewing biker nuns to recover the sacred relics of "St. Adolf of [[Nuremberg]]" from "a buncha male chauvinist priests".<ref>{{cite comic|title=Brain Storm Comix|issue=3|date=Winter 1976|publisher=Alchemy Publications|pages=1–7}}</ref>{{efn|"The Papist Affair" was reprinted in ''Bryan Talbot's Brainstorm: The Complete Chester P. Hackenbush and Other Underground Classics'', released by [[Lee Harris (South African writer)|Alchemy Publications]] in 1999, {{ISBN|0-9508487-1-9}}.}}

==Synopsis==
''Luther Arkwright'' is a work of apocalyptic [[science fiction]] set in parallel universes. The eponymous hero has the unique talent of being able to move between universes purely by force of will, and is aided by '''Rose Wylde''', a telepath whose many incarnations across the parallels can communicate with one another. Luther and Rose are agents of a parallel universe known as "zero-zero", whose stable position in the [[multiverse]] has allowed the development of a world at peace with itself and sufficiently high technology to monitor the parallels for signs of the malign influence of the "Disruptors".

Most of the action in the story is set in a parallel world where the [[English Civil War]] has been indefinitely prolonged by the actions of the Disruptors, who are also responsible for unleashing "Firefrost", a legendary artifact that is destabilizing the multiverse. Arkwright intervenes on the Royalist side to draw out the Disruptors and locate and destroy Firefrost. Along the way his unit is ambushed, and he is killed, only to return to life with his powers enhanced.

The storytelling of the early episodes is complex, with flashbacks to Arkwright's upbringing by the Disruptors, escape to the parallel of his birth, and early missions for zero-zero intermingling with the course of his mission in neo-Cromwellian England, with story-telling techniques and art styles shifting to match. The scenes of Arkwright's death and rebirth are particularly abstract and full of religious and mythological symbolism. The comic is unusual in being one of the few adventure stories where the readers and the protagonist both know from the beginning that he will die; only the event itself is not known.

The later parts of the story have a more straightforward, linear form. In the end, Arkwright, having completed his mission, renounces violence.

==Publication history==
''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright'' had a start-and-stop publication history, beginning in 1978 and not being completed until 1989. The first parts of the story appeared as a five-part serial in the British [[underground comic]] ''[[Near Myths]]'' in 1978–1980.

The story continued in the comics anthology ''[[pssst!]]'' in 1982. After five more episodes, however, the story was interrupted when ''pssst!'' was canceled, less than half complete. Before shutting down, ''pssst!''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s publisher, Serge Boissevain, collected all the ''Luther Arkwright'' stories — including the material from ''Near Myths'' — in a trade paperback called ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 1: Rat Trap''.<ref name=Arkeology>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkeology.org.uk/Editorials/ed_arkeology.html|title=Arkeology: Not just Luther Arkwright 10|work=Arkeology|date=Spring 1989|last=Bell|first=Chris|quote=Serge Boissevain ... has been waiting for the complete ''Adventures'' for about ten years now, patiently encouraging Bryan, publishing the first Book, putting up the money for the second, and publishing the third...; without him, Bryan might well never have managed to make time to complete ''Luther''.}}</ref>

Between 1987 and 1989 Talbot completed the story, which was published as a series of nine standard [[comic book]]s by [[Valkyrie Press]], followed, at readers' request, by a tenth issue, titled ''ARKeology'', containing articles about the history and production of the comic and some extended back story and character information.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comics.org/series/11956/|title=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright: Valkyrie Press, 1987 Series|website=Comics.org|publisher=Grand Comics Database|access-date=February 9, 2023|quote=An un-numbered and un-dated (mostly) text 'appendix' issue was also published.}}</ref>

In 1987, Serge Boissevain paid for the printing of the Valkyrie Press trade paperback, ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 2: Transfiguration''. In 1989, under the publisher name Proutt, he published the final trade paperback, ''Book 3: Götterdämmerung''.<ref name=Arkeology />

=== Later publications ===
The entire series was subsequently published in the United States by [[Dark Horse Comics]]. 

In 2005 the artwork was digitally remastered by Comics Centrum for an edition in [[Czech language|Czech]] (''Dobrodružství Luther Arkwrighta''), allowing proper reproduction of both light and dark parts of "tonal" pages. The new artwork was also used for a French edition by Kymera Comics. Bryan Talbot has described the Czech edition as "the best ever published".{{cn|date=November 2022}} In 2006, the story was republished as a webcomic using the digitally remastered files at the official fan page.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

=== Collected editions ===
* {{cite book|title=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 1: Rat Trap|publisher=[[Pssst!|Never Editions]]|location=London|date=1982|isbn=9780907865025}} — introduction by [[Ramsey Campbell]]
* {{cite book|title=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 2: Transfiguration|publisher=[[Valkyrie Press]]|location=[[Bristol]]|date=Dec 1987|isbn=978-1870923002}} — introduction by [[Alan Moore]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bryan-talbot.com/oldsite/moore_intro.html|title=Introduction|first=Alan|last=Moore|author-link=Alan Moore|publisher=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 2: Transfiguration|website=The Official Bryan Talbot fan page|date=November 1987}}</ref>
* {{cite book|title=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright Book 3: Götterdämmerung|publisher=[[Pssst!|Proutt]]|location=[[Preston, Lancashire|Preston, UK]]|date= 1989|isbn=0-907865-03-8}} — introduction by [[Iain Banks]]
* {{cite book|title=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright|publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]]|location=[[Milwaukie, Oregon]]|date=1997|isbn=1-56971-255-7}}; republished in 2004 and 2007
* {{cite book|title=Arkwright Integral|publisher=[[Dark Horse Books]]|location=Milwaukie, Oregon|date=December 2, 2014|isbn=978-1616553876}} — foreword by [[Michael Moorcock]]; also includes the 1999 sequel ''[[Heart of Empire]]''<ref name=DS>{{cite web|title=Bryan Talbot's Luther Arkwright gets ultimate collection: Dark Horse is publishing the hardback Arkwright Integral collection.|first=Hugh |last=Armitage|date=5 Apr 2014|work=[[Digital Spy]]|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/comics/a562644/bryan-talbots-luther-arkwright-gets-ultimate-collection/}}</ref>

== Sequels ==
In 1999, [[Dark Horse Comics]] published Talbot's sequel to ''Luther Arkwright'', called ''[[Heart of Empire]]: The Legacy of Luther Arkwright''.<ref name=DS />

A third story, ''The Legend of Luther Arkwright'',<ref name=BC1>{{cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/bryan-talbot-legend-of-luther-arkwright-after-almost-twenty-years/|title=After Twenty Years, Bryan Talbot Returns With 'The Legend of Luther Arkwright|author=[[Johnston, Rich]]|publisher=[[Bleeding Cool]]|date=21 August 2019|accessdate=29 December 2020|archive-date=9 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809211050/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/bryan-talbot-legend-of-luther-arkwright-after-almost-twenty-years/}}</ref> was published in the UK in July 2022 by [[Jonathan Cape]].<ref name=BC2 /><ref name=MorningStar>{{cite news|date=Oct 26, 2022|title=Literature: A Scheherazade-style framing of the entire story|quote=This is a symbolic autopsy of 21st century Britain – the Britain of our own corner of the multiverse....|first=ANDY |last=HEDGECOCK|work=[[Morning Star (British newspaper)|Morning Star]]|url=https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/c/scheherazade-style-framing-entire-story}}</ref> The much delayed American edition by [[Dark Horse Comics]] was released in for December 2024. <ref name=BC3>{{cite web|url=https://www.darkhorse.com/Books/3011-203/The-Legend-of-Luther-Arkwright-HC|title=The Legend of Luther Arkwright HC (darkhorse.com)}}</ref>

== In other media ==
===Audio adaptation===
{{Infobox audio drama|
|publisher = [[Big Finish Productions]]
|series = New Worlds
|number = 1
|featuring = [[David Tennant]],<br />[[Paul Darrow]],<br />[[Siri O'Neal]]
|cover = Adventuresoflutherarkwrightcd.jpg
|writer = [[Bryan Talbot]],<br />adapted by Mark Wright
|director = [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
|producer = Jason Haigh-Ellery
|executive_producer = none
|production_code = LACD01
|set_between =
|length = 3 hrs 3 min
|date = March 2005
|}}
In 2005, ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright'' was made into a full-cast, three-CD audio adventure by [[Big Finish Productions]], starring [[David Tennant]] (cast near the time of the CD's release as the [[Tenth Doctor]] in ''[[Doctor Who]]'') and [[Paul Darrow]] (Avon in ''[[Blake's 7]]'').

; Cast
* Luther Arkwright — [[David Tennant]]
* Cromwell — [[Paul Darrow]]
* Rose — [[Siri O'Neal]]
* Karl/Czar Nicholas — [[Robert Jezek]]
* Computer/Octobriana/Emily — Michelle Livingstone
* Archduke — [[Robert Lockwood, Jr.]]
* Montpelier/Wittgenstein — Alfred Hoffman
* Miranda/Lady-in-waiting — Zoe Robinson
* Standish/the Scientist — Andrew Westfield
* The Disruptor/Harry Fairfax/the Interrogator/The Five — Jeremy James
* Pennington — Robert Curbishley
* Whitelaw — [[Mark Donovan (actor)|Mark Donovan]]
* King Charles — Steve Dineen
* Princess Anne — [[India Fisher]]

In 2023, Big Finish produced an audio adaptation of the 1999 Arkwright sequel, ''[[Heart of Empire]]''. [[David Tennant]] returned as Arkwright, along with the entire cast from the 2005 production, with the exception of [[Paul Darrow]], who had died in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=Luther Arkwright – David Tennant returns… after 18 years (updated)|date=Sep 7, 2023|first=IAN |last=McARDELL|website=CultBox|url=https://cultbox.co.uk/news/luther-arkwright-david-tennant-returns-to-another-role-after-18-years}}</ref>

===Feature film adaptation===
In 2006, [[Benderspink]] announced a [[live action]] [[film]] adaptation of ''Arkwright'', with producers Andrew Prowse and Sophie Patrick.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=4514 |title=Benderspink Takes on Arkwright"|work=SuperheroHype.com |date=July 20, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314002623/https://www.superherohype.com/news.php?id=4514|archive-date=March 14, 2007}}</ref> According to Talbot, the rights for the project lapsed in June 2010.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Etherington|first=Daniel|title=The Making of Grandville|magazine=Comic Heroes|issue=3 |date=Autumn 2010|page= 34}}</ref>

=== Television adaptation ===
In 2021, Three River Studios announced to adapt ''Arkwright'' into a live-action television series. The ''Arkwright'' series would be produced by Three River CEO Jonathan Drake, with Talbot acting as executive producer.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bryan Talbot's 'Luther Arkwright' Graphic Novels to Be Adapted as Live Action Series By Three River Studios (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Naman |last=Ramachandran|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=Apr 28, 2021|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/global/adventures-of-luther-arkwright-tv-series-bryan-talbot-1234962057/}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* {{gcdb series|id=11956|title=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright}}  (Valkyrie Press)
* {{gcdb series|id=23573|title=The Adventures of Luther Arkwright}}  (Dark Horse Comics)
* {{gcdb series|id=11341|title=Heart of Empire}} (Dark Horse Comics)

==External links==
* [http://www.bryan-talbot.com/arkwright/ ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright''] at Bryan Talbot's official fansite
* [http://www.bryan-talbot.com/oldsite/lutherarkwright/ ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright webcomic''] — the whole of the comic available to read online as a webcomic. {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130119095237/http://www.bryan-talbot.com/oldsite/lutherarkwright/ |date=19 January 2013}}
* [http://www.arkeology.org.uk/ ARKeology]: partial index and electronic copy of "ARKeology", the "un-numbered and un-dated (mostly) text 'appendix' issue"
* [https://thecartoonmuseum.wordpress.com/2022/09/14/from-the-vaults-comic-highlights-the-adventures-of-luther-arkwright/ ''Luther Arkwright'' overview] on [[The Cartoon Museum]] website

{{Bryan Talbot}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adventures Of Luther Arkwright, The}}
[[Category:1978 comics debuts]]
[[Category:2005 audio plays]]
[[Category:Big Finish Productions]]
[[Category:British comics titles]]
[[Category:Comic book limited series]]
[[Category:Comics about parallel universes]]
[[Category:Comics by Bryan Talbot]]
[[Category:Dark Horse Comics limited series]]
[[Category:Dark Horse Comics titles]]
[[Category:Defunct British comics]]
[[Category:Science fiction comics]]
[[Category:Steampunk comics]]