Queen In Black #2 Cover By Ryan Stegman (Credit: Marvel Comics)
This event is spinning out of both Al Ewing’s current Venom series and the upcoming Knull limited series. Marvel just recently revealed details for Queen In Black: Venom Unchained, and we now have a look at the other tie-ins releasing as well. Al Ewing said this about the event:
“One of the joys of QUEEN IN BLACK is going big and weird with symbiotes and aliens… and they don’t come much bigger and weirder than the Symbiote Intelligence!”
Queen In Black #2 is out on July 29th, and the issue’s description reads:
“Hela has seized Knull’s throne and commands a legion of deadly symbiotes as the Queen in Black! Meanwhile, Knull has conquered the Lightforce Dimension, claiming a new power and army as the God of the Void! Two of the most powerful evils in the galaxy are at war, and Earth is the final prize!”
You can see the rest of the announced tie-in below:
Queen In Black: Defenders Of Light And Dark
Queen In Black: Defenders Of Light And Dark #1 Cover By David Marquez (Credit: Marvel Comics)
“UNLEASH THE HEROES!
Beta Ray Bill is the only hero in Midgard who remembers Hela, the Goddess of Death… but does that mean he and his team can counter a Queen in Black? Meanwhile, Tony Stark’s all-new Black Metal Armor is the ultimate weapon against Knull, God of the Void… but does he have command of his own defense squad? This all leads to the mission that’ll decide the outcome of the Queen in Black saga!”
Queen In Black: Hela
Queen In Black: Hela #1 Cover By Pasqual Ferry (Credit: Marvel Comics)
“THE QUEEN TAKES HER THRONE!
All the secrets of the Queen in Black—revealed! Why were Hela and Tyr in Midgard when the Rainbow Bridge fell? How did she cage Knull, God of the Void? And which Thor tried to stop her? Balder the Brave seeks the answers from Karnilla of the Norns… but will he live to tell anyone else?”
Queen In Black: Thor
Queen In Black: Thor #1 Cover By Pasqual Ferry (Credit: Marvel Comics)
“A TRUE KING RISES!
As Beta Ray Bill battles Hela at the edge of space, he considers his role as the heir of Thor’s story… little dreaming that the story continues with Sigurd Jarlson or that the Death-Goddess has plans for the Mortal Thor. Somewhere in the city, a man with a hammer is about to face the ultimate test.”
Venom #260
Venom #260 Cover By Carlos Gomez (Credit: Marvel Comics)
“THE LEGACY OF THE LETHAL PROTECTOR REVEALED!
Months ago, Dylan Brock was killed by Carnage—and granted an audience with the Eventuality, the ultimate iteration of his father. He asked five questions and he was given five answers – hints at a dark future waiting for him. Now that future is here…”
Studio Hermitage’s beautiful TTRPG, Our Brilliant Ruin, is getting it’s long awaited Hardcover release later this year. This world is a beautiful upstairs-downstairs drama-filled world, and this guide will help with creating your world for it.
The book’s full description reads:
“Our Brilliant Ruin is set in the Dramark, a place where the last fragile remains of society burn with excess and intrigue in the shadow of a dying world. The Ruin, a preternatural force befouling everything it touches, has ravaged geography and culture alike, wreaking destructive havoc and transforming both people and animals into monstrous creatures. With the world plunged into darkness, how will you spend the time you have left?
Dive into the dramatic world of Our Brilliant Ruin with the official tabletop role-playing rulebook, created by Studio Hermitage and now available from Dark Horse Books. This full-color hardcover tome will be your guide to the Dramark, its inhabitants, and the horrors that lurk in its shadows as you launch your next saga.”
Our Brilliant Ruin TTRPG Rulebook releases September 15th.
Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft #1 Main Cover (Credit: Dark Horse Comics)
Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft is a new 4-issue series coming from an amazing creative team, including:
Writer: Amy Chu (Carmilla: The First Vampire, Red Sonja)
Artist: Ariela Kristantina (The Girl Who Draws on Whales, Adora and the Distance)
Colorist: Arif Prianto (Poison Ivy, Green Lantern Corps)
Letterer: Haley Rose-Lyon (BUMP: A Horror Anthology, Jill and the Killers)
The first issue will also have amazing covers from artists like:
Guillem March
Riley Rossmo
Francesco Francavilla
Todor Hristov
Angela Wu
The comic’s full description reads:
“Ravenloft is falling apart, and nobody knows why. Fortunately, monster hunter Ez D’Avenir is on the case! She’s searching the frozen wasteland of Lamordia for an undead creature that may hold the key to Ravenloft’s fate. But when Darklord Viktra Mordenheim catches wind of her quest, Ez is suddenly the one being hunted!”
Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft #1 releases August 19th.
It’s been right at a month since Amazon Prime Video rolled out its newest original series, “Scarpetta”. The high-profile forensic crime thriller is based on the iconic book series by Patricia Cornwell. After decades of anticipation, Cornwell fans, myself included, get our first adaptation of her most famous character, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, on the screen.
The Story
The series unfolds across two timelines. Both follow Dr. Kay Scarpetta, but at different times in her career. While the story begins in 1998, the series opens with Dr. Scarpetta returning to her old stomping grounds, having returned to her position as the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia (sworn in by author Patricia Cornwell in a cameo appearance). The series jumps right into the action, bringing Dr. Scarpetta to a grisly murder that terrifyingly resembles her career-defining case from 28 years earlier.
The series then brings in the second timeline as we jump back to 1998, as Dr. Scarpetta becomes the newest Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia and begins to investigate a series of brutal stranglings. The series continues to jump back and forth between the dual narrative, introducing us to key characters, including Kay’s husband, Benton; her partner/investigator, Pete; her sister, Dorothy; and her niece, Lucy. All the while, we see the toll a lifetime around death begins to take on Kay as she begins to wonder if she put the wrong man away all those years ago.
Scarpetta Promotional Image. Image from Prime Video
Series Background
The first season of this series consists of eight episodes. Unique among today’s modern television, Season 2 was given the green light before the premiere of Season 1, with production beginning in March 2026, shortly after the Season 1 premiere. Also unique is that the dual timeline allows showrunner Liz Sarnoff to adapt two of Cornwell’s novels to tell the story. The 1998 timeline is heavily based on Cornwell’s first novel to feature Kay Scarpetta, Postmortem, and the present-day timeline adapts the 25th novel of the series, Autopsy. The adapting of both books in the Scarpetta series (currently at 29 books) allows Sarnoff to create a narrative bridge between the past and the present with the present case involving a suspect from the original Postmortem case.
Review
This series is off to a very good start. The team picked two really good stories within the Scarpetta series to adapt. The dual timeline offers a look at both modern tech and classic sleuthing. It’s clear that Amazon believed in this series and pulled out all the stops. Despite utilizing dual timelines, the series features a star-studded present-day cast as well as lesser-known but still amazing actors for the 1998 timeline. Nicole Kidman takes on the task of playing Dr. Scarpetta in the present-day timeline, with Rosy McEwen doing an amazing job as the 1998 version of Kay. Jaime Lee Curtis serves as the present version of Kay’s sister Dorothy, Simon Baker as Kay’s husband and FBI profiler Benton Wesley, and Ariana Debose as Lucy, Kay’s niece.
The dual timeline really works. The season is enjoyable and features some really solid forensic science as well as an in-depth look at Kay’s family dynamics. The show focuses heavily on its psychological complexity and isn’t afraid to show the reality of crime scenes and homicides. It is not for the faint of heart, with Prime offering realistic depictions of autopsies and homicide scenes. The utilization of the modern book Autopsy from 2024 allows the show to really highlight Lucy through the lens of technology and AI.
Final Thoughts
Scarpetta on Amazon Prime is a really good adaptation of Cornwell’s character. As good as it is, there is room for improvement. This show is a classic example of being harmed by an A-list cast. As good as the show is, when you realize how star-studded the cast is, you just feel like you want a little bit more. I highly recommend the show and that everyone check it out. However, when you see the cast, and you get to the end of season one, it leaves you wishing there was a little more. It feels like there’s another level this show can reach that it doesn’t quite get to in season one. Here’s hoping they can turn it up a notch in season 2.
Overall Grade: 4/5
What did you think about Scarpetta? Let me know in the comments below
Who would’ve thought that Michael Scott and the Dunder Mifflin Employees would inspire what would become a genre defining film, but that’s exactly what director, Markian Tarasiuk has done with his pseudo-found footage film, ‘Hunting Matthew Nichols,’ which is equal parts ‘Blair Witch Project’ and ‘The Office,’ all of which works remarkably well. The film takes a genre that finds itself often times relegated to the bargain bin and breaths fresh life into it. ‘Hunting Matthew Nichols’ is what happens when creativity drives a project that is a clear labor of love. It’s refreshing.
Tara Nichols has never been able to let go of her brother, Matthew, who disappeared with a friend 20 years ago. The circumstances were mysterious and the investigative work had holes in it. Turning her trauma into a documentary to finally get to the bottom of her brother’s disappearance, Tara pushes the limits of her own sanity and mental well being hunting Matthew down at all cost. It’s this compelling story, cast, and dedication to authenticity that makes ‘Hunting Matthew Nichols’ such an incredible cinematic experience.
Miranda MacDougall and Markian Tarasiuk in ‘Hunting Matthew Nichols.’ Courtesy of Dropshock Pictures.
A Defining Genre-Bending Approach
‘Hunting Matthew Nichols’ is not a found footage film. If anything, it’s a pseudo-found footage film that takes everything that makes the genre unique and throws it back in it’s face. It presents itself in a way that always keeps the audience offbalance. They’re never quite sure what it is. That dedication to authenticity is why Tarasiuk’s debut feature stands out as something fresh. The film’s approach to keeping the root in reality blurs the lines of actor and victim.
The use of the documentary to tell the story was such a clever decision. While it seems simple, it opens the story up to being so much more. The choice allows the film to turn on a dime and shift in a way that’s both shocking and horrifying. The moment the audience realizes that they are no longer watching a documentary is jarring in a way that snaps the audience back into the reality of “did this actually happen?” This creative decision keeps the audience on its toes and the suspense at the highest level.
Miranda MacDougall in ‘Hunting Matthew Nichols.’ Courtesy of Dropshock Pictures.
Terrifyingly Well Cast
‘Hunting Matthew Nichols’ does not work without an exceptional cast. The cast in this case, though small, has clearly bought in on the film and it shows. Tarasiuk has put together an A team that clearly had the sole mission of putting forth their absolute best effort. For a film like this to work, it needs authenticity and believability and this cast knew that and provided it.
When the film first began, I was confused by Miranda MacDougall’s performance. It felt very hollow and manufactured…and then the audience was allowed behind the camera and her tone and presence changed entirely. It was an act for the camera that set the tone of who Tara Nichols is and what she’s trying to achieve. For me, that choice made the rest of her performance feel real and as if she was ACTUALLY Tara. MacDougall’s protrayal of how the whole experience was affecting Tara and her overall mental state was exceptional. Truly, her entire performance was captivating.
Tarasiuk pulled double duty going both in front of and behind the camera. His role as the director served as a foil to Detective Pam Hamilton, played by Christine Willes. Both do their best to guide Tara, but to no avail. There is a moment between Tara and Detective Hamilton, however, that is some of the best filmwork and acting that I’ve seen in quite some time. Willes comes off as genuine, like she had been working the beat for 20 years and had been around long enough to have seen more than one Tara Nichols. MacDougall presents as broken, wanting only to find her long lost brother. The scene is devastatingly real.
Miranda MacDougall and Markian Tarasiuk in ‘Hunting Matthew Nichols.’ Courtesy of Dropshock Pictures.
Final Thought:
‘Hunting Matthew Nichols’ is shot of adrenaline to a genre that has been circling the drain since 1999. It’s use of personal anguish and actual horror are going to shock audiences in a way that they haven’t been in years.
This Sunday, April 12th a new series kicks off on AMC and AMC+: The Audacity. Already approved for a second season, this new series stars multiple familiar faces including Billy Magnussen, Zach Galifianakis, Lucy Punch, and many more. We got screeners for season 1, and here are my SPOILER FREE thoughts.
The Story for ‘The Audacity’
This 8 episode season is described as a drama, however I would have to say this is a dark comedy. Is there drama? Absolutely! However, I also found myself regularly laughing aloud. The Audacity is about a group of people living in Silicone Valley. We got our tech bros, some therapists, some teens already on their way to a life of douche-baggery, and some real life feelings.
While many characters are relevant to the overall story, we focus around Duncan Park. He made his tech bro fortune with his best friend, who took his own life. Everyone assumes the friend was the brains, and Duncan is destined to now fail. Left with a Silicone Valley wife, a daughter, and a crap ton of money, he’s of course not happy. So off to therapy he goes to feed his ego… I mean soul. However, despite his therapist, Joanne, looking down on all her Silicone Valley clients, as she’s forced to rent, and get a scholarship for her son, she doesn’t seem much better. Desperation and wanting money you don’t need seem to illicit similar responses.
Things always circle back to Duncan, and his therapist, but there are so many other characters at play. Each with their own story of how they got insanely rich, or why they’re trying to get funding from these D-bags. While many of these D-Bags have had to master a level of intelligence to get where they are, they have yet to master any level of emotional intelligence. Their true happiness seems to only stem from when their opponent is miserable. Of course the opponent can change as quick as the stock market.
While there is a major focus on the business aspect of it all and the never ending need for more money that they’ll never even be able to spend, The Audacity is more about the real people. As fake as they may be. You still see real emotions which seem to guide their business decisions in ways that seem genuinely scary. As this first season wraps you start to see the amazing things humans are capable of. The question, however, has never been what we’re capable of, but more so what we’ll actually do with what we can create.
Sarah Goldberg as Joanne, Zach Galifianakis as Bardolph in The Audacity (Season 1). Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC
My Thoughts
The characters in The Audacity are truly awful. I mean that in the best sense possible for story telling. Almost every character made me feel disgusted, and then feel sympathy for them. That’s fantastic storytelling to me. There were times I had no idea where I wanted the story to go, but I couldn’t wait to find out. When Duncan comes home with an assault injury from a utensil, instead of his wife asking what happened, she calmy responds that she’s sure they had their reasons. The dialogue is fantastic, and the delivery in these dark comedic moments is beautifully nailed.
Lucy Punch as Lili in The Audacity (Season 1). Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC
Overall Grade: 8/10
If you’re looking for a hilarious and dark show that terrifies you as to where our world is headed, but also makes you feel better about yourself, then you should definitely watch The Audacity. I already can’t wait for season 2.
Check out a review for another show that dropped this week: THE BOYS Season 5
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR – (Disney/David Bukach)
This review was made possible thanks to screeners from Hulu
Families are complicated and none more so than Malcom’s, which is a family that growing up made a lot of us feel better about our own. It’s been 20 years since we last saw Malcom and his family, and in this mini revival, we are gearing up for Hal and Lois’s big 40th anniversary party! Does this revival hit all of the notes and capture the magic the show once did?
20 years on, and Malcom has moved across the county and become estranged from his family. Kelly, now played by Vaghan Murrae, who we saw in the series finale being born, is navigating her way through life, and Reese (Justin Berfield) is very much still Reese. Jamie is off in the Coast Guard, and Francis (Christopher Masterson) and his wife are back for the big celebration. Of course, Dewey (Caleb Ellsworth-Clark) is the only one missing as they are off on tour and unable to make it back.
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR – “Episode 101” (Disney/David Bukach)EMY COLIGADO, FRANKIE MUNIZ
The series instantly transports us back in time, and the nostalgia is firing on all cylinders. This family is still just as insane as the day we left them in 2006, and honestly, that is a good thing. The standout by far is Bryan Cranston, who we have become accustomed to seeing in more serious roles as of late, still has the comedic timing and lovable humor as Hal. In fact, the entire four episodes largely seem to be a love letter to his character.
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR – “Episode 101” (Disney/David Bukach), FRANKIE MUNIZ
Frankie Muniz Jr. seems not to have aged a day or even stopped playing Malcom at all as he slips right back into the character and even takes this up a notch as he is struggling to reconcile his estrangement from everyone else. We meet him having a teenage daughter, Leah, played by Keeley Karsten, whose mom left when she was young. Malcom has become the overbearing loving parent in an effort to not be anything like his own parents which leads to some awkward and hilarious moments. Keeley fits perfectly into this world, and I would love to revive the series, even following her around as the main character with everyone else.
The four episodes felt far too short for me, as the series picks up without skipping a beat. It is full of fun cameos, chaotic family drama, and so much beautiful heart and humor. In a time when everyone wants to hit on nostalgia, this feels like the perfect one. Make sure to watch this series as you will not be disappointed at all!
Grade: 5/5
‘Malcom in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair’ four-part series premieres on Disney+/Hulu April 10th and let us know how you liked it!
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Cover A By Francesco Francavilla (Credit: BOOM! Studios)
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 is coming soon, and the book’s amazing creative team includes:
Writer: R.L. Stein
Artist/Colorist: Francesco Francavilla
Letterer: Nate Piekos
The book’s full description reads:
“Journey with the Dreamwalker through new realms of terror!
How many times can you be killed in a dream before you die?
Legendary horror author R.L. Stine and award-winning artist Francesco Francavilla explore that very question as the mystery of Lucas’s third death is foretold in this pulpy, noir, somnambulist adventure!
Originally published in the hit horror anthology series Hello Darkness, this dreamy oversized issue collects Parts 1–3 of the nightmarish saga into one thrilling read!”
Now, for those who haven’t read this 3-part story, it spins out of Issues #14-16 of Hello Darkness. We also got a first look at some of Francesco Francavilla’s gorgeous interior art/ coloring work, and Nate Piekos’ lettering as well:
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Art/Colors By Francesco Francavilla & Letterer By Nate Piekos (Credit: BOOM! Studios)The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Art/Colors By Francesco Francavilla & Letterer By Nate Piekos (Credit: BOOM! Studios)The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Art/Colors By Francesco Francavilla & Letterer By Nate Piekos (Credit: BOOM! Studios)
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 releases May 27th.
In 1888, the Whitechapel district of London fell victim to horrible atrocities. On top of the high levels of poverty that led to things like necessitating child labor and forcing young women to turn to sex work as a means to survive, the area was menaced by a serial killer named Jack the Ripper. Primarily targeting a number of these young women, his modus operandi mostly consisted of slitting the throats of his victims and in some cases, the removal of internal organs. This sent the East End of London into a panic.
Though the killer was never caught, the speculation around his identity has fueled more than a century of theories, along with a sprawling cinematic legacy. Like most historical documentation, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Many films have been made with differing narratives in many genres. Join Nerd Initiative as we talk about London’s most infamous serial killer, Jack the Ripper.
The Lodger (1927)
Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lodger is a silent-era thriller and one of the earliest films about Jack the Ripper. Based on the book of the same name by Marie Belloc Lowndes and the play “Who Is He?” that she co-wrote, Hitchcock’s film sees Mr. and Mrs. Bunting, the owners of a London hotel, who suspect their newest guest is the infamous serial killer known as The Avenger. He has shown up after seven young blonde women have been murdered in the surrounding area. More worrisome to The Buntings, is the charm this new stranger has over their daughter, Daisy, and her attraction to him.
The Lodger is considered Hitchcock’s first thriller. While the famous director made a handful of silent movies early in his career, his take on the thriller and suspense genre that he would later master didn’t show up right away. His use of imagery runs rampant in a story that can’t lean on the delivery of his witty dialogue, but rather on the use of graphic cards to convey it. The Lodger also features the first of one of Hitchcock’s trademarks, with a cameo from the director in his own movie.
Ivor Novello plays the quintessential, ambiguous Hitchcock character, paired with the suspicious duo of the Buntings. Novello would play the character again in the talkie remake of The Lodger in 1932. Hitchcock wanted to remake the film himself in 1942 but was unable to get the rights. It would eventually be remade three more times: in 1944 by John Brahm, in 1953 (Man In The Attic) starring Jack Palance, and in 2009, but it’s hard to hold a candle to the “Master of Suspense.”
Murder by Decree (1979)
Mashing up historical figures with fictional characters has always been a staple in storytelling, so it only makes sense that England’s most infamous serial killer would be pitted against English literature’s most famous detective and his assistant in 1979’s Murder by Decree. Christopher Plummer and James Mason portray Holmes and Watson, respectively, in a movie directed by Bob Clark, director of the horror classic Black Christmas and comedies such as Porky’s and A Christmas Story.
When the number of Jack the Ripper’s victims starts growing, Scotland Yard goes to its most dependable source in unsolved crimes: Sherlock Holmes. His meticulous and unusual way of peeling back the layers of a case does clash with the normal conventions in England’s most prestigious institution for solving crimes. Holmes’s investigation has him cross paths with anarchists and Freemasons. While the performances of Christopher Plummer and James Mason are nothing short of fantastic, the script is very much of its time.
Another Holmes versus the Ripper story had previously been released in 1965, featuring a young Judi Dench, but Bob Clark’s mash-up of fact and fiction is superior in direction, script, and acting. It links the mystery of Jack the Ripper to a much more conspiratorial conclusion than Hitchcock’s The Lodger, which was a much smaller story in comparison. Unfortunately for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation, it is one of the few ways to keep him relevant in a world and genre that was evolving.
Hands of The Ripper (1971)
As decades progressed, filmmakers grew bolder, leaning into bloodier, more sensationalized interpretations. Never one to turn away an idea, British exploitative horror studio Hammer Studios did its own take on Jack the Ripper. If you don’t know Hammer films, they operated similarly to how Roger Corman and his studio operated: almost as a low-budget genre factory. Hammer had a distinct style that is respected now, despite being written off by critics during their time. Their take on Jack the Ripper with Hands of the Ripper is definitely on-brand for a studio that took some wild swings on fiction, but also non-fiction.
After running away from his latest victim, Jack the Ripper runs home and murders his wife after she confronts him, revealing his identity as the Whitechapel Fiend. Unfortunately, this act is done in front of his young daughter, Anna, imprinting on her the urge to continue her father’s dastardly deeds when she gets into a trance. After one of these accidental murders, Anna is put under the care of Dr. Dysart, who tries to help her overcome her dark urges.
Hammer Films was founded in 1934. While they are mostly known for their horror and sci-fi catalog from the 1950s to the 1970s, Hammer Films also dabbled in war, noir, and comedies. A studio with that much time and experience under its belt can tell Jack the Ripper’s story that’s as bloody as our minds can imagine without actually having the man commit the murders. One of the first explicitly violent Ripper-related stories, but definitely not the last, movies starring Klaus Kinski (Jack the Ripper, 1976) and horror icon Anthony Perkins (Edge of Sanity, 1989) would delve into the more horrific aspects of Jack the Ripper’s killings.
Time After Time (1979)
The 1970s were ripe with Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper movies. If it was weird that Sherlock Holmes was chasing Jack the Ripper, 1979’s Time After Time doubles down. Malcolm McDowell stars as H.G. Wells, tracking down David Warner’s Jack the Ripper to modern-day San Francisco. Mixing fact and fiction in a completely different way, the movie features Mary Steenburgen as a modern-day woman who helps H.G. Wells and is named after Amy Robbins, Wells’ real-life spouse.
HG Wells shows off his time machine to a group of peers, including Dr. Stephenson. While Stephenson is initially skeptical about this time machine. When it is revealed that Dr. Stephenson is Jack the Ripper, he escapes in the time machine. Later, the time machine appears back in Wells’ basement. It’s up to him to go into the future and stop Jack the Ripper from committing more murders in 1970s San Francisco, a place Wells mistakes for a utopia.
Being one of the less violent Jack the Ripper stories, Time After Time is a great popcorn movie. It’s high concept but low budget has this film drip with cheese. David Warner is an absolutely fantastic Jack the Ripper, even if his scenes as Saucy Jack are sometimes shown from a first-person POV. However, it’s Malcolm McDowell’s performance as a bumbling H.G. Wells that carries this movie and will almost make you forget his turn as Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange.
Jack the Ripper (1988)
Miniseries were all the rage from the mid-1970s to the 1980s. It wasn’t unusual to have a longer story told with closer to movie production values broadcast on multiple nights. In 1988, CBS, in conjunction with Thames Television, released this two-night event as a way to mark one hundred years since the Whitechapel Murders. The story itself comes from Stephen Knight’s book, Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution, which postulates that the identity of the murderer involves a royal cover-up.
Starring Michael Caine as Frederick Abberline of Scotland Yard, who has been put on the case to find out who is committing these heinous crimes as the mutilated bodies of sex workers keep stacking up. Played more like a police procedural than a mystery story, this retelling posits that Jack the Ripper was part of the Royal Family. The investigation and Abberline’s personal relationship to the case are as important as solving the murders. There is no shortage of suspects, but it keeps the victim list down to the five confirmed Jack the Ripper killings.
As with most detective procedurals from the United Kingdom, this one is well done. Seemingly unaffected by his role in the failure that was Jaws: The Revenge, Michael Caine carries this production as Chief Inspector Abberline with great ease. He doesn’t do it alone, though. Acting greats like Jane Seymour, Armand Assante, and Hugh Fraser all lend their talents to this production. Eagle-eyed viewers of British mystery TV shows would recognize Hugh Fraser from the many episodes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot as Captain Hastings.
From Hell (2001)
One of the most popular and recent adaptations of the Jack the Ripper story is From Hell. Released in 2001 and directed by The Hughes Brothers, the film stars Johnny Depp and Heather Graham as Inspector Abberline and Mary Kelly. Two names that come up frequently in these adaptations of Jack the Ripper stories. While the story of Jack the Ripper is clearly dark, the Hughes Brothers’ interpretation of Jack the Ripper’s story is an adaptation of comic writer Alan Moore’s graphic novel of the same name, and is a bit colorful due to its main character’s methods of finding “The Leather Apron.”
Set up more as a horror-thriller type of story, From Hell turns Inspector Abberline into an opium-addicted sleuth on the chase of one of England’s most famous serial killers. He’s put on the case when he starts having visions as to the identity of the killer due to the amount of opium he’s consumed. Abberline becomes friendly with Mary Kelly, a prostitute who’s lost friends to Jack the Ripper. However, the further he digs, the bigger this conspiracy gets.
From Hell almost feels like a darker and amped-up version of the Jack the Ripper mini-series starring Michael Caine. Caine’s Abberline was a recovering alcoholic, Depp’s Abberline spends his days in an opium den. While definitely more graphic in content and violence, The Hughes Brothers’ adaptation does stray from Alan Moore’s source material and uses the same theory of Royal Conspiracy. The movie itself looks great, what shines is the supporting cast of Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, and Jason Flemyng. It’s not the best adaptation on this list, but it was definitely given a boost by the hot streak that Johnny Depp was on in the early 2000s
Jack the Ripper’s Legacy
There is no lack of adaptations of Jack the Ripper in all sorts of different genres. There are plenty that we’ve missed including 1988’s Jack’s Back which puts a Jack the Ripper copycat in modern-day Los Angeles. Sherlock Holmes isn’t the only famous literary detective to chase after Jack the Ripper. Another comic adaptation, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight sees the Caped Crusader chasing after Jack the Ripper in a Victorian Era Gotham was adapted into an animated movie in 2018.
Jack the Ripper’s legacy lives on in film; try searching the killer’s name on any streaming app and you’ll get plenty of results that are about or inspired by the Whitechapel Murders. While these films run a gamut of guesses as to who Jack the Ripper was and what his motive was, one thing remains certain: Jack the Ripper’s story is as fresh now as it was in 1888.
Queen In Black: Venom Unchained #1 Cover A By Juanan Ramírez (Credit: Marvel Comics)
On the heels of this week’s Venom issue, Eddie Brock is in trouble. This week’s issue sees that:
“Carnage discarded Eddie Brock for a better match—TORMENT! The development marks the end of Eddie’s time as host of the murderous symbiote, but he’s only just started paying the consequences! Before joining Marvel’s heroes to save the world from being torn asunder by the forces of Light and Dark, Eddie must first break out of prison and perhaps find a new symbiote to claim…”
Now, Queen In Black: Venom Unchained is going to be written by Charles Soule, with art by Juanan Ramírez, who is right now working on the Knull limited series that is tying into the Queen In Black event. The book’s full description reads:
“EDDIE BROCK: IMPRISONED!
Eddie Brock is in prison after a failed bond with Carnage, and the Queen In Black is coming!!! Eddie wants to get back to Venom. But without a symbiote, how will he escape?!”
The book will also have variant covers by artists like:
Leinil Frances Yu
Peach Mokoko
Skan
Emu Lupacchino
Charles Soule had this to say about the new mini-series:
“When I agreed to write a new chapter in Eddie Brock’s ongoing story a few years back via Eddie Brock: Carnage, I had no idea it would end up continuing through all these dark little paths. From Carnage to Death Spiral and now to VENOM: UNCHAINED, I’ve found there’s a lot to explore with Mr. Brock and his relationships with various symbiotes. Very glad to spend this time with Eddie – he’s a fascinating guy.”
Queen In Black: Venom Unchained #1 releases July 15th.
