Let's Read I am Jack the Ripper on my way to Heaven. (LR: From Hell)

[Vaarna_Aarne]

But if you just straight up don't like superhero comics, you won't like the rest of his works. You can totally read and appreciate From Hell, though.

He still has a lot of other non-superhero works.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Chapter 4

Spoiler

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Chapter 5

Spoiler

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

So... ?

 

[CappenVarra]

We just need Black Cat to approve the symbolism...

 

[laclongquan]

Banal, shit, boring~

Really, Varna! I expect better.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

We just need Black Cat to approve the symbolism...

Actually a more important part here is that Gull is being a prophet as well. Just note the things he says to Netley as they ride around London. What do you think he means with calling down the sun itself? Atom bomb, moar liek Atum bomb.

Another good one is his ominous allusion to the power of symbols, when taken in conjunction with his talk of the sun and suns...

 

[CappenVarra]

Yeah, that first update with them just riding around and Gull talking was pretty entertaining, even if nothing really happened.

 

[Tigranes]

I glazed over in that part when he just went on the city tour, but it's definitely interesting. Codex is giving me the opportunity to re-evaluate comic books, since the more common superhero titles always seemed boring-shit to me.

Moar.

 

[Radisshu]

Yeah, most of everything else he's done is either Superhero fiction or Superhero metafiction.

 

[SerratedBiz]

While I've read and appreciated other comics you've posted, I do agree with everyone else that the more crude, down-to-earth imagery in From Hell, coupled with the theme and setting, sets it right apart from his other works (that I know of).

Very much enjoying it, do post more.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Well, I was hoping you'd have questions or something similar, those are more handy than bumping.

But going back to Gull speaking about symbols, the reason why it's such an ominous prophecy (Gull will make a lot of these) is because both the swastika and the red star are solar symbols.

 

[Tigranes]

How much of the story so far is working from 'historical' material (especially given the number of contemporary theories about Jack the Ripper)?

It's tough for me to go with the flow with these kinds of totally-disengaged-cool-genius-maniac characters that will have not an ounce of hesitation pulling out people's hearts and such. Of course, the other option these days seems to be full on Freudian emo, which is worse, but that's the thing, the characters seem to be either perfectly at ease with their (vile) selves or rent catatonic with contradiction. Will be interesting to see if we get a more nuanced look into the mind of Gull.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

How much of the story so far is working from 'historical' material (especially given the number of contemporary theories about Jack the Ripper)?

It's tough for me to go with the flow with these kinds of totally-disengaged-cool-genius-maniac characters that will have not an ounce of hesitation pulling out people's hearts and such. Of course, the other option these days seems to be full on Freudian emo, which is worse, but that's the thing, the characters seem to be either perfectly at ease with their (vile) selves or rent catatonic with contradiction. Will be interesting to see if we get a more nuanced look into the mind of Gull.

Alan Moore himself states that he did not make a story about what he thought happened (he shows his personal thoughts on the subject at the appendix comic I'll post at the end), but the one that was most dramatically pleasing, which is the Stephen Knight's theory. You'll get a list of all the theories and a history of Ripperology at the end of the comic, since I'll post Dance Of The Gull-catchers (the aforementioned appendix comic) at the end. Suffice to say, sir William Gull being tasked by the Queen and Freemasons to prevent a royal scandal is actually one of the most sensible theories.

Historically, the circumstances and events general public would be aware of are real, as are forensic details of the murders. Several conversations and even a few lines are historically accurate. Moore helpfully points out both these and dramatic liberties he's taken for some scenes in his appendix (read, I'm selling the book to you, go buy it if you like it), a good example is the presence of a poet of the time reading one of his poems to create a contrast to a scene.

As for Gull's behaviour, he's actually apparently very psychologically accurate, as his behaviour and mindset are modelled after delusional serial killer psychology (the appendix has Moore explain quite a bit about the subject and why Gull is doing what). We'll get a lot deeper into his madness as the killings go on.

 

[grotsnik]

How much of the story so far is working from 'historical' material (especially given the number of contemporary theories about Jack the Ripper)?

I was hesitant to comment on it, because like Vaarna says, I think Moore goes into detail about this himself later on and he clearly knows his stuff, but this is an immensely handy resource as we go through the murders (if you read the Mary Ann Nicholls entry or any of the contemporary newspaper reports on the crime, you'll see that much of the dialogue of the initial witnesses in From Hell and the exact location where her body was found have been taken straight from the records.) The whole 'poisoned grapes' bit is a fascinating bit of total bollocks, though, as far as I know: an elderly shopkeeper told the police he'd seen nobody suspicious around his grocer's stall that night in an initial statement, then changed his mind and told a couple of private detectives and the papers that he'd sold a bunch of grapes to one of the victims and the Ripper himself. The timings in his story don't add up, he gave several differing descriptions of the murderer and victim which seemed to be based on inaccurate press reports more than on first-hand experience, and he continued to try and court publicity by telling the press that the Ripper had turned up on the street and started giving him 'frightful glares'. No grapes were found in any of the victims' bodies.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

How much of the story so far is working from 'historical' material (especially given the number of contemporary theories about Jack the Ripper)?

I was hesitant to comment on it, because like Vaarna says, I think Moore goes into detail about this himself later on and he clearly knows his stuff, but this is an immensely handy resource as we go through the murders (if you read the Mary Ann Nicholls entry or any of the contemporary newspaper reports on the crime, you'll see that much of the dialogue of the initial witnesses in From Hell and the exact location where her body was found have been taken straight from the records.) The whole 'poisoned grapes' bit is a fascinating bit of total bollocks, though, as far as I know: an elderly shopkeeper told the police he'd seen nobody suspicious around his grocer's stall that night in an initial statement, then changed his mind and told a couple of private detectives and the papers that he'd sold a bunch of grapes to one of the victims and the Ripper himself. The timings in his story don't add up, he gave several differing descriptions of the murderer and victim which seemed to be based on inaccurate press reports more than on first-hand experience, and he continued to try and court publicity by telling the press that the Ripper had turned up on the street and started giving him 'frightful glares'. No grapes were found in any of the victims' bodies.

Let's not delve into Koch's Snowflake too much though, shall we?

 

[Gregz]

Well Vaarna, I hope you're happy.



You've derailed me from finishing The Invisibles to reading this one again.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Well Vaarna, I hope you're happy.



You've derailed me from finishing The Invisibles to reading this one again.

May a Scorpion loa do nasty things to you.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Yeah, most of everything else he's done is either Superhero fiction or Superhero metafiction.

Out of curiosity, do you define V For Vendetta as superhero fiction?

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

While I've read and appreciated other comics you've posted, I do agree with everyone else that the more crude, down-to-earth imagery in From Hell, coupled with the theme and setting, sets it right apart from his other works (that I know of).

Very much enjoying it, do post more.

If you want similar comics, I recommend getting into Guy Delisle's travel diaries. A good starting point is his breakthrough work, Pyoungyang, which is about the few months he spent in North Korea as a foreign expert consultant in an animation studio (for example, those Corto Maltese animations have all their legwork animation done in North Korea because it's cheaper to do that there than in China nowadays). His best work is his latest, recounting his year in Jerusalem. Very down-to-earth, slice of life kind of stuff, but the things he encounters and places he stays at and comments on from an outsider's perspective make them absolutely fascinating.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Incidentally, these are shameless bumps.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Absolutely shameless!

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

SHAMELESS!

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

I feel dirty.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Are we there yet, incidentally?