Review - Heart of Empire by Bryan Talbot
July 11th, 2008 John Posted in Comic Books, Reviews |
First appearing in 1999 and recently re-released in 2008, Bryan Talbot’s “Heart of Empire” is a sequel to the legendary, cult comic “The Adventures of Luther Arkwright,” which Talbot produced on and off from 1978 to 1989.
Revolving around parallel worlds and alternate histories, Talbot’s original comic followed the mysterious Arkwright as he saved the multi-verse from destruction while involving himself in an England where Oliver Cromwell’s civil war continued on perpetually. “Heart of Empire” picks up two decades later and offers, among other things, more refined artwork and a clearer storytelling technique.
Perhaps I’m a bonehead, but while I found the original fascinating, there were passages that I also found confusing and a bit obscure — all that jumping back and forth between alternate worlds mixed with very complicated politics, allegiances, and riffs on history wreaks havoc on a dull brain like my own. I recognize the achievement of it, but feel I need to give it another reading down the line.
In this sequel, we get a more streamlined tale of Arkwright’s daughter, Victoria (the post-war princess of the country) becomes involved with a revolutionary group seeking a democracy in England, while also tangling with an assassin hired by the Pope to kill Queen Anne and a conspiracy of fascists who plan to do the same.
As far as anyone knows, Luther Arkwright is dead and it is up to Victoria to realize her position in the multi-verse and save everything.
Talbot is terribly inventive with his plot and as his recent masterpiece “Alice In Sunderland” will attest, he is a master at not only weaving modern narrative around historical facts and concepts, but also of capturing the time periods he pulls from. Talbot’s alternate history is one that draws you in with its detail.
Talbot also offers something that isn’t achieved often enough in comics — an action tale that also offers so much depth and so many levels that it begs you to return to it to puzzle over its mysteries, even as it excites you each time with its adventurous tone.
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