Alan Moore’sepicWatchmenseries is often cited as thebest superhero comic book of all time, but according to horror author Joe Hill,another one of Moore’s classic graphic novels deserves to be lauded as the author’s masterpiece:From Hell, the surreal Jack the Ripper story that truly pushes the limit of the comic medium.
Men’s Health recently collected comic recommendationsfrom nearly fifty authors and artists, and naturally Alan Moore’s work comes up multiple times on the list, but Hill’s declaration thatFrom Hellis Moore’s best work stands out from the rest.
“If the graphic novel form has a Ulysses, this is it,” Hill wrote, drawing a comparison betweenMoore’s sprawling exploration of the Jack the Rippermystery and the James Joyce novel which is often ranked at the top of lists of the best novels of the 20th century.
Author Joe Hill Calls “From Hell” Alan Moore’s True Masterpiece, Ranking It Above Watchmen
Hill ComparedFrom HellToUlyssesBy James Joyce
In his recommendation, Joe Hill had this to say aboutFrom Hell:
If the graphic novel form has aUlysses, this is it.Watchmenmade Moore a legend, butFrom Hellis bette; a knotty, salty, grand Guignol that paints the late 19th century so vividly, reading it is practically the same as time-travel.
Originally published in serialized form over the course of nearly a decade, the full collected edition of the graphic novel was published in 1999.A heavily truncated film version, starring Johnny Depp, was released soon after, in 2001, and decades later, the under-appreciation of Moore’s Jack the Ripper story can perhaps, at least in part, be traced back to the lukewarm reception of the movie. However, Hill’s comments are a reminder thatFrom Helldeserves a critical reappraisal.
From Hellis arguably Alan Moore’s most complex, challenging work, yet its avant-garde status in comic history is often overlooked, at least in part, because it is a work of historical fiction, rather than a superhero caper.
The parallel Hill draws between Moore’s work and that of legendary Irish author James Joyce is apt, because both are synonymous with work that intentionally seeks to challenge its readers, and moreover, pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved in the comic and prose mediums of fiction, respectively.From Hellis arguably Alan Moore’s most complex, challenging work, yet its avant-garde status in comic history is often overlooked, at least in part, because it is a work of historical fiction, rather than a superhero caper.
“From Hell” Deserves More Attention, But There’s A Reason Watchmen Will Always Be More Highly Regarded
From HellIs A Heavy Read
There has always been more to comic book storytelling than just superheroes, but it is fair to say superheroes are the tentpole of the medium, and as such, becauseAlan Moore’sWatchmanis looked at as the gold standardfor superhero comics, it is an almost default position to declare it the greatest comic book story ever. Except, as Joe Hill reminds readers,Moore’s non-superhero work represents his most staggering contribution to the history of the medium, withFrom Hellas arguably his shining achievement.
Yet becauseFrom Hellis more than just challenging, but also difficult to read, it will likely never be elevated aboveWatchmenas Moore’s best work.As heavy asWatchmengets, it is fundamentally fun to read, for the most part;From Hellis one of those stories, regardless of the medium, that can feel more like work than play to read. Still, for those who are willing to take Joe Hill’s word for it, there is plenty of reason to revisitAlan Moore’sunderrated Jack the Ripper comic, so readers can decide for themselves if it surpassesWatchmen.
