By: Alan Moore Publisher: Top Shelf Production Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Top Shelf Production Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 572 Publication Date: February 23, 2000
Product Description: FROM HELL is the story of Jack the Ripper, perhaps the most infamous man in the annals of murder. Detailing the events leading up to the Whitechapel killings and the cover-up that followed, FROM HELL is a meditation on the mind of a madman whose savagery and violence gave birth to the 20th century. The serialized story, presented in its entirety in this volume, has garnered widespread attention from critics and scholars. Often regarded as one of the most significant graphic novels ever published, FROM HELL combines meticulous research with educated speculation, resulting in a masterpiece of historical fiction both compelling and terrifying. This new edition, which has been completely re-mastered, is certainly the finest edition of the book produced to date.
Amazon.com Review: The mad, shaggy genius of the comics world dips deeply into the well of history and pulls up a cup filled with blood in From Hell. Alan Moore did a couple of Ph.D.'s worth of research into the Whitechapel murders for this copiously annotated collection of the independently published series. The web of facts, opinion, hearsay, and imaginative invention draws the reader in from the first page. Eddie Campbell's scratchy ink drawings evoke a dark and dirty Victorian London and help to humanize characters that have been caricatured into obscurity for decades. Moore, having decided that the evidence best fits the theory of a Masonic conspiracy to cover up a scandal involving Victoria's grandson, goes to work telling the story with relish from the point of view of the victims, the chief inspector, and the killer--the Queen's physician. His characterization is just as vibrant as Campbell's; even the minor characters feel fully real. Looking more deeply than most, the author finds in the "great work" of the Ripper a ritual magic working intended to give birth to the 20th century in all its horrid glory. Maps, characters, and settings are all as accurate as possible, and while the reader might not ultimately agree with Moore and Campbell's thesis, From Hell is still a great work of literature. --Rob Lightner
Perfect Medium for a Graphic Story In the late 1880s in Victorian London, a series of murders shocked Great Britain. Prostitutes from London's White Chapel district were turning up murdered - not only murdered, but viciously mutilated, carved up and left for display in the streets. The police were left with many clues but no idea as to who was responsible. The public, encouraged by daily newspapers and tabloids, went into a frenzy of fear, speculation and rumor-mongering, culminating when the killer sent a piece of a victim's liver to the police. After that, hundreds of fake letters, many written in red or blood, claiming to be from Jack the Ripper, streamed in to the London Police departments.
Alan Moore, writer of such comics as V For Vendetta, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and the recently filmed Watchmen, wrote the novel From Hell, which was originally serialized as a comic book in 13 issues. (From Hell was also made into a movie in 2001 with Johnny Depp and Heather Graham, but like many other movies made from comics, should be avoided until after you've read the comic.)
The comic begins many years after the murders, as the main investigator and a "psychic" look back on their lives and their roles in the events. If there was to be one main character, it would be Dr. Gull, physician to the Queen of England, and it turns out, an expert in human anatomy, surgery and deception. The story is highly sexual, with many highly suggestive scenes of sexual encounters between prostitutes, princes, married couples and the victims themselves. Each of the victims is introduced, and with the length of the novel approaching 600 hundred pages, much time is given to their stories, their work and their murders.
One of the advantages of the graphic novel over a traditional book is the visual advantage that the comics give the reader. One scene in particular, of a murdered prostitute laying in the street, is shown over nine panels. The murder takes place in the first; by the third, strangers pass her by on the street; by the 8th and 9th panels, the police have discovered her body and a small crowd gathers to watch. While there is no sympathy extended to the serial killer himself, perhaps one of the most moving sequences in the book is when the killer, now captured and locked away in an insane asylum, moments before his death, sees his life flash literally before his eyes. It is even more convincing when you can see his life, his memories and his consciousness leaving his body, only to drift to the darkness and cold of his death.
The style of artist Eddic Campbell is at first very minimalist, as it looks as if he scratched his quill pen to some stiff parchment. His drawings are moody and dark, his line work at times thick and solid, sometimes like scribbles. London itself sits back upon dark skies and the air of criminality, and the 1880s are depicted vividly with horse-drawn carriages, impressive architecture and the formal fashions of the day.
From Hell is a fascinating story, a masterful graphic novel, which should be read by teens in high school or with their parent's approval.
From Hell is Ok yet really good? I thought this was an extremely good Graphic novel, but it had its WTF moments. For example (no Spoiler), there is a part where (if your like me)you get choked up with emotions over one of the characters, but then Alan Moore goes and hits you in the head with a frying pan (making a B movie error). This is not a novel on his Theory of the Jack the Ripper Killings for one. So let me get that out of the way if you want to buy this. Its a story he created with little bits of Jack the Ripper facts, but it ISN'T his theory on the killings. A lot of reviewers have that confused. If you read it, you will understand that right away. If you want a Graphic novel with some dark and existential meaning then get this novel, but if you want something that you would read again, then don't get this novel. Its a one time reader. Also there are like only 2 characters you might feel anything for. So don't expect a tragedy nor a horror for that matter. I think it should be next to last on your Alan Moore list (DC comic collection being very last)
A must have! An amazing book. Great story and beatufil artwork. A thorough work depicting the Victorian London. Even better than Watchmen!
Sublime Horror Moore's masterpiece. A gargantuan, almost nausea-inducing look at turn-of-the-century London, with its crime, power struggles, sex, secrets, poverty, and insanity. A MUST read.
a must for any Alan Moore fan i bought this book from a comic shop while i was in seattle around december. i was looking for something new to read by alan moore and i always had an intrest towards the story of jack the ripper. it was a really fun book to read. i enjoyed it and wasn't expecting much of an ending. but it blew me away. leave it to alan moore. like the headline says, this is a must for anyone who is a fan of anything by alan moore. its long but its a great read that you dont want to put down.
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