Advance Review: Inconsistent Visuals Blunt The Impact Of ‘Ripperland’ #1
by Tom Smithyman
Jack the Ripper is no stranger to comic books. From Gotham by Gaslight to From Hell, the serial killer from Victorian England has long captured the imaginations of creators and readers. Now Jack – or a version of him anyway – is back in Dark Horse’s limited series Ripperland.
The story, written by comic veterans Steve Orlando and John Harris Dunning, puts a unique twist on the legend. The setting is the late 22nd century, and England has essentially been turned into an amusement park for Americans wanting to step back into the past. (Brexit hit the country hard.) The realm is something akin to Westworld, with all of its inherent dangers, only with real people instead of the so-called Hosts.
When a wealthy American is murdered in London, the FBI sends in damaged agent Holden to solve the crime. Unless of course, the bureau is setting him up for failure. Too soon to tell! One thing is for certain, though: Holden is no fan of the dress-up, make-believe culture that England has become.
The two writers have developed an interesting, though familiar, tale. None of these circumstances – serial killers, the law-enforcement agent looking for redemption, a fish out of water – is particularly new. But placing them together in this context is at least worthy of a look. At this point, though, the high points are really the snide comments about the English, which can sometimes seem like fishing in a barrel.
Alessandro Oliveri’s artwork is broad, sometimes on the verge being off-putting. Many of his drawings lack detail to the point where it is difficult to understand what is happening in a given panel. Other times, though, he paints an interesting portrait of London, with its horse-drawn carriages parading down cobblestone streets. That inconsistency blunts the impact of what could be a good story.
At only four issues, Ripperland needs to quickly fix its visual flaws or risk being lost to history, like the real Jack the Ripper.
Ripperland #1 will be available for purchase on January 22nd, 2025.
Overview
While the story of a wannabe Jack the Ripper let loose in retro London may sound familiar, the inconsistent and confusing artwork manages to throw the reader for an uncomfortable loop. Some of the pages are great, but other panels looks like one of the Ripper’s victims.
