#261 From Hell (1999)

Author: Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell
Title: From Hell [Collected Edition]
Genre: Graphic Novel
Year: 1999
Pages: 550
Origin: borrowed and enjoyed
Nod Rating: 4 nods out of 5

 

The Worm’s initial meeting with From Hell was in the form of the Johnny Depp movie from 2001. The film was terrible. The less said the better. Fast-forward a decade and the Worm’s current (seeming) fixation on Alan Moore led him to the original graphic novel version. Published in sporadic serial form over a 7 year period, between 1989 to 1996, the novel focuses on the Jack Ripper murders of Victorian London.

Yes, Jack-the-bloody-Ripper. A seemingly ever-enduring and popular legend. This is just the reason that Moore has picked such a theme, developing and elaborating on various conspiracy theories involving the birth of an illegitimate royal baby. Prince Eddy – the Duke of Clarence – fathers a child with a commoner, Annie Crook. When Queen Victoria becomes involved the decision is made to “correct” Annie with the help of William Gull who damages her thyroid gland, whilst the baby is secretly taken to Annie’s parents. The plot thickens when Annie’s friends – a group of prostitutes – become aware of the scandal and attempt to blackmail those involved. Ever the trusty right-hand man, Gull is sent to deal with the women: one by one they meet a grisly end, thereby giving the genesis of the Jack the Ripper alias.

Gull is an intriguing character. Much time is spent developing his story, from childhood, as well as a deep exploration of his links to Freemasonry. Within Gull the writer Moore hints on the connections within time (the supposed “fourth dimension”) with everything in a specific order, with links made to other murders and crimes committed in later years, such as the Sutcliffe murders. Moore hints at this throughout the various chapters, particularly in Gull’s experiences of witnessing modern-day life (such as peering in at a television set in a Victorian alley-way, as well as appearing in a modern office furnished with computers). The horrors of later days to come were prefigured in the Ripper murders: “For better or worse, the twentieth century. I have delivered it.” Gull delivers to a speech to the twentieth-century office workers:

“With all your shimmering numbers and your lights, think not to be inured to history. Its black root succours you. It is inside you. Are you asleep to it, that cannot feel its breath upon your neck, nor see what soaks its cuffs? See me! Wake up and look upon me! I am come amongst you. I am with you always!”

Interestingly, Moore links both murderer and murdered into the same boat, yearned and desired after by later generations: “Ah, Mary, how time’s levelled us. We are made equal, both of mere curios of our vanished epoch in this lustless world.” Yes, Jack-the-bloody-Ripper, perfect fodder for Moore to make a point about the passages of time.

The wealth of research into the period, theories and historical characters is clear to be seen (as testified by the various notes and references made available in the collected edition). Victorian London is brought life, with Moore unable to bring in a few notable – but pointless – connections, such as the Elephant Man. However, other central characters – such as the “physic” Robert James Lees and the police-inspector Abberline – are more well-rounded.

The artwork has none of the razzmatazz expect of modern day comic books.  Printed in black and white, it adheres to a structure of nine panels on every page (aside from a few deviations). But the story is so much greater than the artwork alone, and despite being slightly dense and inaccessible in parts, From Hell is a considerable work. Particularly within the graphic novel field, packed as it is with pointless and faceless superheroes who continually save the world in an empty and unsatisfying manner. As such, the Worm heartedly endorses it to the level of 4 nods out of 5. This is a must-read for any fan of Moore’s work.

Read about it here