Rating: Summary: Excellent Review: Alan Moore is one of those authors whose comics could be called great literature. "From Hell" is a disturbing comic about the Jack the Ripper murders. Alan Moore does an excellent job in researching the historical facts of the tale, and even provides an appendices which discuss where he got his information from. In depth historical research went into every panel of this graphic novel. Not only does it have an excellent historical grounding, but the fictitious take of Moore's is one which many of his fans would expect: occultism, mysticism, and an investigation of the nature of time. Like most of Moore's comics, every panel is set up and composed with a filmic precision. Although he always works with different artists, this panel set up must be Moore's mastermind because it is similar in every comic he writes! Campbell does a great job at rendering Moore's story into creepy etchings. The art style reflects the feeling of the story. An amazing comic, and definitely a piece of literature in its own right. Highly recommended
Rating: Summary: Incredible Review: I am so in love with Alan Moore. I have the biggest man-crush on him now after reading this tome. I have been wanting to get this book for years, but $$... always came up. If you are a fan of comics or actually literature at all I implore you to scrounge up the dinero and BUY THIS BOOK!!! I am forcing the wife to read this so I can talk to someone about it, it is so much fun. I cannot recommend this book any higher. It is now in the pantheon with The Watchmen, Dark Knight, The Long Halloween, Sandman, Preacher, Astro City, ABC Comics, Transmet, Miracleman, Swamp Thing (Alan Moore's only) and Superman: Man for All Seasons
Rating: Summary: Get the Missing portion of From Hell on Amazon Auctions Review: One of the best comic book graphic novels ever written, From Hell mixes detailed historical research with a gripping story that originally appeared in 11 issues of the magazne complete with foot notes. This book edition contains the complete From Hell graphic novel from issues 1-10 but does not include From Hell 11 which contains a complete 20 page story by Moore- a brilliant piece on why we are interested in the Ripper phenomena at all as well as articles on the history of graphics used in the 1880's to create the ripper legend. From Hell 11 is out of print but available complete with autograph from myself who wrote several of the articles in it from the Amazon Auction section for $10 + postage.
Rating: Summary: Jack the Ripper as Representative of the Modern Human Soul? Review: Alan Moore's "From Hell" is, quite simply, one of the finest literary achievements in years. It's a work of fiction - many fall into the trap of thinking that Moore has finally unmasked the real killer - but a fiction forged from theories that hold more water than most; when Moore "unmasks" Jack, he shows us our 20th Century - our moral-free modern cesspool - in all its Hellish glory. Campbell's drawings, all German Expressionistic flourishes and stark contrasts, evokes Victorian London brilliantly, and the mood created is just perfect for a story involving The Ripper, the occult, and the birth of a new century. Moore hasn't been this good since "Watchmen" and "V for Vendetta".
Rating: Summary: I guess someone has to disagree.... Review: I bought the first three issues of this series years ago. I bought the paperback on a whim...and God, how I wish I could get my money back. Simply put, Alan Moore is pretentious. More so than any comics writer that comes to mind. I had some interest in the Ripper murders while in high school and devoured any book I could find about them. Moore's theories (borrowed for the most part, like the plot of WATCHMEN, from other sources) are ludicrous. William Withey Gull's misogynist dialogue is unintentionally hilarious. All the research in the world doesn't make for a compelling read, and FROM HELL is boring. If I were less familiar with some of the books Moore had drawn from, perhaps I would have liked it better, but I think Moore is trying for the umpteenth time to be seen as some literary figure for a work that was lifted from what someone else wrote. I must say that Eddie Campbell's art is fantastic. Worth an extra star in the rating by itself. He deserved a better writer. Do yourself a favor: don't waste $30 on this bloated piece of recycled tripe. Go buy Grant Morrison's 2 issues of Doom Patrol with Red Jack (Jack the Ripper) as the villian...it's cheaper, it's funnier,it's more original and in the end you'll thank me. In short: this is an overwrought rehash of subject matter that has already been fully explored by more original writers. We know that the Royal theory is trash, but more importantly so is this book. What happened to the Alan Moore that wrote SWAMP THING?
Rating: Summary: More Campbell than Eddie Review: I think we must pay attention to Eddie Campbell's graphic work in From Hell. I mean, after reading the trade paper-back edition, it was Eddie's work of art, not Alan's, What kept me reading the book. Of course Moore knows how to tell a story, and if I was interested on From Hell at first It was because Alam Moore was its writer. But somehow, Eddie's storytelling made keep on reading the book.
Rating: Summary: A Perfect Novel Review: Completely, utterly and totally amazing. Moore has crafted a graphic novel that is better than most true novels I have ever read. Sure, it didn't really happen this way back in 1888, but that doesn't matter; this is engaging reading at its best. Campbell's artwork takes about 10 pages to get used to, but once you do, you see how perfectly suited these two creators 9Moore and Campbell) are to each other. Calssic!
Rating: Summary: Fantastically Goth Review: From Hell is a magnificent, dark, obsessively researched masterpiece. The illustrations veer from images you might find scrawled on a napkin in a Whitechapel pub, to cinematic spreads that are as good as any in comics today. The book is sprawling and claustrophobic, and reading it is too close to walking down a dark strange alley for comfort.
Rating: Summary: Alan Moore aka History Professor Review: Alan Moore might be famous for his Watchman series, but he outdoes himself with From Hell, his personal view on the Jack the Ripper murders. A dense read that is not for the squemish, From Hell depicts a London that is distinct but with suprisingly modern traits such as bumbling policeman, the power of the press and the public in the grip of terror. Alan Moore acts as history professor as well by offering an architectural overview of London filled with insightful analysis and insight that shows how much research he has put in this. He also gives the readers little bites of English history in the form of narration, quotes and footnotes that could inspire the reader to investigate some things himself. I only gave this four stars because although it is an interesting read, the dialogue and story do drag on at times. If you have some free time and are an Alan Moore fan, definitely pick this up, but be aware that this is definitely NC-17 material.
Rating: Summary: Beyond comics Review: It took Alan Moore around 10 years to do this and it shows. The attention to detail is unbelievable and also the research he has done. He'sprobably read every book on the subject ever made. The detail is so much that there is an appendix to each and every page telling us about the background of it...whether it is fiction or not and so on...Incredible. This book contains VERY graphic violence and is extremely dark so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. It ain't a light read. The latest news of the movie are good with Nigel Hawthorne and Johnny Depp playing the leads. I don't know whether it's good to have the Hughes Brothers direct it. The only men that can do this justice are men like David Lynch or David Fincher.
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