From Hell

This graphic novel was a bit too graphic for me. The subject matter, about a vast conspiracy being at the root of the Jack the Ripper murders, is fascinating and the research notes at the end of the volume really add to the book. I just found the murder scenes themselves to be too gory and gratuitous. I guess I'm a wimp when it comes to violence. In that regard, I much prefer implication to detail. Still, the artwork, (all black & white pencil sketches), is gorgeous and the brooding atmosphere of late 19th-century London comes to life on the page. There is no denying that the work is brilliant - but I much preferred Moore's Watchmen to this one - if only due to the subject matter.