Review: From Hell

From Hell by Alan Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To be upfront, I'm not even that big of a fan of Alan Moore. 'Fan' implies that their love of the art/artist allows someone to overlook its flaws as to not forsake their enjoyment. For example, a 'Star Wars Fan' overlooks the fact that it's ultimately a film franchise that hasn't produced a good movie since 1980. While I consider Moore to be an insanely talented writer, there is a worship of him that is completely unwarranted. He is not a god. He's a demigod at best.

That being said, "From Hell" might be his best full graphic work. "Watchmen" will always be his most culturally significant work, but, to be honest, I've always been a dissenter when it comes to its accolades as the "greatest comic book ever". "From Hell" is more about a flawed humanity than flawed heroes and the driving plot doesn't force the book to contradict itself. I just feel Moore is at his best here, if anything else, at least on the technical level.

Even though the details of the plot are very much fiction, it incorporates several facts about the White Chapel murders. The particulars around Leather Apron being the most important. Technically meaning this story is a half-truth, making it that much more convincing. Though I wouldn't use this book as a reference if you're doing a paper on the subject.

I had mixed feelings about the art. It comes off as rough and inconsistent when you're first introduced to it. However, over time, it grew on me and I realized there was no other style better than what is used. The shifts from blobs of shade to well-flushed out faces are gradual and are used to great effect. Also, the nine-panel page format is the best and most natural way to tell a story in graphic novel form. You can fight me on that if you wish, but you'll lose.

If you're at least in your thirties (this book might be too much if you're any younger than that), you should already be reading this book. It's a great insight into one of the most gruesome stories of the western world. Its theory into the identity of Jack the Ripper is too complex to be true, but it's definitely the most interesting take you'll ever come across.

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