Public Domain Super Heroes
Jack the Ripper
JacktheRipper

Real Name

Unknown

Years Active

1888

Historical Background[]

From Chamber of Chills 22

From Chamber of Chills 22.

Jack the Ripper is one of the more notorious killers in history, largely due to the fact that he was never caught or identified, leaving an air of mystery about him. Five murders committed in the Whitechapel area of London in 1888 are generally attributed to him.[1]. His victims were women working as prostitutes.

The first victim was Mary Ann Nichols who was found on August 31st in Buck's Row with her throat cut and abdomen mutilated. The second, Annie Chapman, was found on September 8th at 29 Hanbury Street, with similar injuries and her uterus missing. The third and fourth, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes, were found on the same day, September 30th, and were the victims of the so-called "double event". The fifth and final canonical victim, Mary Jane Kelly, was found in her room at 13 Miller's Court on November 9th. Of all the victims she was the most severely mutilated.

In addition to slashing throats, he also removed organs and mutilated the faces, abdomens and genitalia of his victims. One letter, left for the authorities, marked "From Hell," was accompanied by half a kidney. The author of the letter, claimed the kidney was from one of the Ripper's victims (who was, in fact, missing a kidney), and that he had eaten the other half.

One of the notable suspects thought to possibly be Jack the Ripper was Joseph Barnett, Mary Kelly's former roommate.

Ripper

Fictional Background[]

In public domain detective fiction, Jack the Ripper was depicted being captured by a number of famous detectives including Sherlock Holmes, Ethel King, Sâr Dubnotal, Allan Dickson and Frank Allan. In comics, the Ripper is sometimes depicted as having ended his killing spree after being transported to the future. In these comics, he is usually depicted facing heroes such as the Blue Beetle.

Public Domain Comic Appearances[]

Public Domain Literary Appearances[]

  • The Curse Upon Mitre Square (1888) by John Francis Brewer
  • Uppskäraren (The Ripper, 1892) by Adolf Paul
  • Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora's Box, 1904) by Frank Wedekind
  • The Lodger (1911) by Belloc Lowndes
  • L’Homme au complet gris (The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, 1912) by Arnould Galopin: Sherlock Holmes recruits Australian detective Allan Dickson to travel to London and capture Jack the Ripper, a sailor on the ship Arabella.
  • "Jack l'Éventreur, le tueur de femmes" (Jack the Ripper, Killer of Women) in *Ethel King #3 (1912) by Jean Petithuguenin
  • "Die Blutsbrüder von Whitechapel" (The Blood Brothers of Whitechapel) in Frank Allan, der Rächer der Enterbten #29 (1921)

See Also[]

References[]