“Most of London’s stories are not written in words; instead, they are a literature of stones and place names and their associations.”
Comics are one of the most versatile storytelling mediums devised by mankind. You can do virtually anything within these pages. Not limited by budget. It’s just my imagination. You can tell all kinds of stories, both fiction and nonfiction, that blur both. From generic four-color fantasies with superhero fistfights to moving, soul-searching memoirs featuring planes from war-torn countries. It goes undercover in a profession not often seen in the media and provides a rare taste of perhaps one of the most gruesome serial murder cases to produce the 20th century.
And even within the latter, deviations can occur in why and how. More than just a madman’s plan to murder prostitutes in Whitechapel, Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s From Hell has a much bigger plan. It served as a finger of condemnation pointing out the flaws and vices of the monarchy, a rebuke to the aristocracy, and harshly criticized the man William Gall, who believed he was using myths, masonry, etc. to complete great works. Some of this will be revealed in chapter 4, “What does the Lord require of you?”
While the previous chapters and prologue set the stage for much of the story, the characters, and the catalyst of a child born to a prostitute by someone of royal blood, Chapter 4 begins the full cover-up. And the logic behind what the killer is trying to do. Along the way, you’ll take a detour on a guided tour of some of London’s occult history. Visit Nicholas Hawksmoor’s church and other important buildings and continue the conversation about the history of Freemasonry and the interpretation of the phallic myth of the Sun replacing the Yoni Goddess of the Moon. That’s definitely something.
However, remember that seagulls are unreliable narrators of travelogues. This is not to say that the historical or architectural information is wrong in any way, just that his conclusions and interpretations should not necessarily be taken at face value. And one of the key points of this part of the story is that it’s not just his beliefs and convictions, but that his assistant, through this tour, has come to the conclusion that Gal is most likely completely insane. It’s impressive what the lessons are about occult history, sacred geometry, and intentional geography. All with outrageous applications of radical misogyny. It is ironic that it comes from an edict set by Queen Victoria.
Overall, From Hell by Moore and Campbell is a challenging piece of work. Thoroughly researched, meticulously thought out, and meticulously crafted in both dialogue and art. The film not only tells the story of history’s most notorious serial killer, but also strives to push the limits of what media can do. This is something I will continue to revisit, but Chapter 4, “What Does the Lord Require of You?”, continues to stand out as a uniquely magical work in that extraordinary work. It combines history, mythology, the occult, and figures into one fast-paced story.
From Hell – Chapter 4: “What Does the Lord Require of You?”
Screenplay: Alan Moore
Artist: Eddie Campbell
Original black and white version art assist: Steve Stamatiadis
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions (master edition) | Mad Love (first black and white serialized collection) | SpiderBaby Grafix (original publication)
Release date: December 13, 2018 (master version) | June 1993 (first black and white serial collection) | 1991 (originally published in Taboo #5)
Available in From Hell (black and white) and From Hell: Master Edition (color)
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