Now Available — ‘Luther Arkwright: Heart Of Empire’ Audio Adaptation

The second volume of Bryan Talbot’s essential graphic novel series, Luther Arkwright: Heart Of Empire comes out as a full-length audio drama starring David Tennant…

We told you about this back at the tail-end of last year, but we’re now at the release stage of the new full-cast audio drama of Luther Arkwright: Heart of Empire, based on the second volume of Luther Arkwright tales by Bryan Talbot and starring David Tennant as the voice of Luther Arkwright.

It’s taken a little while for Heart of Empire to be released by Big Finish Productions, just the 18 years since Tennant first voiced Arkwright in the original adaptation The Adventures of Luther Arkwright back in 2005. But quality over speed ever time, eh?

David Tennant has this to say…

“There was always a vague ambition to perhaps return to this character. It takes a bit of bending of the brain to fully appreciate the worlds of Luther Arkwright but it’s definitely worth the effort. We’ve almost waiting long enough for the sequel to be in real time. Eighteen years is quite a long time ago. A lot’s happened in between. Another life.”

Mark Wright, the man adapting the story, and the previous Arkwright audio…

“It feels like a little bit of unfinished business has been put to rest. The chance to work once again in the breathtaking, mind-bending, exciting universe that Bryan created is one of those ‘pinch-me’ moments. I got to do it in 2005, and to get to do it again years later is just lucky!”

The original audio adapted Talbot’s original black and white series, The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, one of the greatest graphic novels there’s ever been in comics history, originally published from 1978.

This second audio adaptation covers Talbot’s second Luther Arkwright series, Heart of Empire, originally published in colour in 1999 and featuring Arkwright’s daughter, Victoria – played by Georgina Hellier in this new audio adaptation. Set 23 years after the original, Heart of Empire finds the daughter of Arkwright and Queen Anne, Victoria, attempting to uncover her family history, something that will transform the Empire and England beyond recognition.

If you want my opinion, the first Arkwright is a masterpiece, a visionary tale, the very definition of epic steampunk sci-fi. And all these years later, it is still a perfect example of experimentation in the narrative art of comics.

Heart of Empire… not so much. The tone, the art, everything is different from Arkwright to Heart Of Empire. I thought/think Arkwright was/is a work of incendiary genius. I thought Heart Of Empire something less. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a damn fine graphic novel, right up there with some of the best. But as a sequel… well, it’s a sequel.

However, I’m still going to be getting the audio version, because if it’s anything like as enjoyable, as well done, as true to the graphic novel as the first audio adaptation, it’s going to be a damn good way to spend a fair few hours!

The Adventures of Luther Arkwright: Heart of Empire is now available as a collector’s edition 2-disc CD box set and digital download from Big Finish. And right now, the original Adventures of Luther Arkwright is discounted right down to a ridiculously good £2.99 for digital.

And obviously, the entire Luther Arkwright saga should have a place on your bookshelf. And there are a fair few ways to get hold of it… the first two books are available as the Arkwright Integral hardback or the softcover Luther Arkwright. And of course, we have a third volume, The Legend of Luther Arkwright. That’s a definitive trilogy of the very finest sci-fi ever committed to the comic page.