From Hell

Alan Moore (Watchmen) and Eddie Campbell (Bacchus), grandmasters of the comics medium, present a book often ranked among the greatest graphic novels of all time: From Hell.From the squalid alleys of the East End to the Houses of Parliament, from church naves to dens of the occult, all of London feels the uniquely irresistable blend of fascination, revulsion, and panic that the Ripper offers. The city teeters on the brink of the twentieth century, and only the slightest prodding is necessary to plunge it into a modern age of terror.Moore and Campbell have created a gripping, hallucinatory piece of crime fiction about Jack the Ripper. Detailing the events that led up to the Whitechapel murders and the cover-up that followed, From Hell is a modern masterpiece of crime noir and historical fiction.

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

Angoulême International Comics Festival Winner of the Harvey and Ignatz Awards for Best Graphic Novel Winner of the International Horror Guild Award A New York Times Bestseller!

Winner of five Eisner Awards Winner of the Prix de la Critique

Leo Carey, The New Yorker

"Remarkable."

Douglas Wolk, Publishers Weekly

"Fearsomely complex."

Warren Ellis, Entertainment Weekly

"My all-time favorite graphic novel … an immense, majestic work about the Jack the Ripper murders, the dark Victorian world they happened in, and the birth of the 20th century."

Patrick Day, The Los Angeles Times

"Moore's works have often defied the public's expectations of the medium, and his most ambitious work, the massive graphic novel From Hell, is no exception. … The result is at once a meditation on evil, a police procedural and a commentary on Victorian England. … an impressive piece of work."

Tasha Robinson, The AV Club

"A massive exploration of the Jack The Ripper murders that incorporates British history, Masonic ritual, and London geography in a fascinating and horrifying conspiracy theory."

looping in the Royal family, Masonic occult ritual, the Elephant Man and the nature of London itself

"Moore, one of the great fiction minds of his generation, never accomplished anything more satisfying than this. Both creators are at the top of their game: Campbell's grubby lines are the perfect evocation of the horror of everyday Victorian life in the underclasses, while Moore's allegorical plotting

CBR

"Centered on the murders of Jack the Ripper, From Hell delivers a very frightening and suspenseful story that has captivated audiences for years."

About the Author

Alan Moore is widely regarded as the best and most influential writer in the history of comics. His seminal works include Miracleman and Watchmen, for which he won the coveted Hugo Award. Never one to limit himself in form or content, Moore has also published novels, Voice of the Fire and Jerusalem, and an epic poem, The Mirror of Love. Four of his ground-breaking graphic novels—From Hell, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen—have been adapted to the silver screen. Moore currently resides in Northampton, England.

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