Heart of Empire #9

Chapter Nine of Bryan Talbot's nine-part steampunk saga "Heart of Empire: The Legacy of Luther Arkwright" arrives here, and the cover makes a fitting finale statement — a white-shirted figure stands with their back to us, facing an inferno, while a sleek blue ornithopter named Ariel soars overhead. Surrounding them is a striking collage of faces: a cold-eyed soldier in a golden helmet, a sinister clown, a bloodied figure in round spectacles, and a chorus of alarmed onlookers, all framed by ornate Victorian decorative borders. Cover pencils and inks by Bryan Talbot and William Morris give the composition a richly detailed, almost tapestry-like grandeur that feels entirely earned as this serialized adventure reaches its conclusion.