‘“Be vewy vewy quiet. We’re hunting Wippers.” A Barthesian analysis of the construction of fact and fiction in Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s From Hell

“I made it up and it all came true anyway” says the pseudo-psychic Mr Lees in the prologue to From Hell. However, it seems that this statement applies equally to the Jack the Ripper saga as a whole, whose contradictory stories and elements have been mythologised by the passage of time. This article considers the factional tale presented by Moore and Campbell in From Hell; a story largely based on Stephen Knight’s The Final Solution, a publication that has been marketed as both a serious exposé and elaborate hoax. Using the narrative models of word and image proposed by Roland Barthes (in ‘The Structural Analysis of Narrative’, ‘The Rhetoric of the Image’, S/Z and The Pleasure of the Text), this article examines the essentiality of the comics medium in successfully conveying the duality of fact and fiction present in the Ripper myth. It initially examines the tropes and ideas used by the creators to illustrate Knight’s theory, specifically with reference to the psychogeographic notion of the city as a divided body (and the potential link to the superhero motif: where one half is the antithesis of the other), and the architecture of history (illustrating time as co-present rather than a linear progression). It identifies a common theme of duality in these symbols and notes the role of this duality in creating a tale that is located on the boundary between fact and fiction. The article proceeds to focus on the role of the comics medium in constructing faction. It will: - analyse From Hell’s model of co-present time in light of the comics medium’s depiction of time-as-space (where all moments are simultaneously present on the page) and relate this to Roland Barthes’s observations on the ‘chronological illusion’ of narrative; - address the notion of fictional seeing: considering the veracity of hand-drawn art (as opposed to photographic replication) with reference to Barthes’s model of the drawn image as a coded message; - discuss how the alternate worlds of comics (whose settings, while they may bear a resemblance to our world, are necessarily removed from the same both visually and by their fantastic nature) illustrate Barthes’s observations on the non-mimetic nature of narrative; - extend this discussion to the fiction of fonts (that may be lettered by hand while giving the appearance of computerisation, or vice versa); and how this further illustrates Barthes’s discussion of the fiction of the narrative voice; - examine the medium’s presentation of a fragmented narrative (in the spatial arrangement of panels that provides for both syntagmatic and paradigmatic reading opportunities and links) with reference to the writerly/readerly text, and Barthes’s identification of coexistent (horizontal and vertical) narrative relations. The article concludes by reviewing these points in light of Moore’s conception of fiction as a modern form of magic. It summarises the ways in which From Hell uses the comics medium to demonstrate the shared qualities of fact/fiction across narrative and image, and the ways in which the boundaries between the two can be blurred. It ultimately concludes that the qualities of the comics medium make it ideally suited to conveying such a blend as is observable in the Ripper mythos

Fantastic alterities and The Sandman

This article explores the ways in which the comics medium enhances our understanding of literary models of the Fantastic. It examines the presence and depiction of multiple worlds in Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, with specific reference to the role of the comics medium and its denial of mimesis when creating such alterities. It initially uses literature review to establish a contemporary working model of the Fantastic, taking as its basis the framework devised by Tzvetan Todorov, and incorporating the later work of Rosemary Jackson, A B Chanady, and Christine Brooke-Rose. It establishes the position of the Fantastic as a literary mode lying between the marvellous (supernatural accepted) and the uncanny (supernatural explained), and clarifies the distinction between the mode of the Fantastic (which encompasses various genres) and the genre itself. The article then considers the ways in which both the form and content of the comics medium sustain the mode of the fantastic. It broadly discusses the ways in which the following factors contribute to this process: • subject matter: fantastic events, super powers, alternate worlds • non-realistic aesthetic: pop art, stylised visuals, fiction of fonts (invoking the tension between hand-drawn and computerised artwork or lettering) • authorial reticence: the possibilities for surpassing or discarding narrative voice • the role of the reader: as both interpreter and co-creator. It then focuses more closely upon the genre of the Fantastic, establishing the ways in which this genre is opposed to both magical realism (outright fantasy) and realism (where such events are explained). It summarises the role of various qualities of the Fantastic in this regard, which include an antinomy between the natural and supernatural, author reticence, over- or under-determined language, and a defiance of absolute meaning in favour of interpretation or hesitation . The article then proceeds to two case studies, taken from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman: A Game of You and The Kindly Ones. The first analyses the construction of two contrasting alterities (‘The Land’ and ‘New York’) and examines the ways in which, despite initial appearances, these two worlds are both equally removed from the referent of ‘reality’. It proceeds to discuss the use made of over- and under-determined signifiers, the transformation motif, intertextuality, and the redefinition of static notions (home, gender) as fluid and undefined. It deconstructs The Kindly Ones in similar terms, considering the ways in which its triple alterities are all simultaneously validated by the text and the role of motifs such as multiple names and duplicated characters. It concludes that, like the Fantastic, the comics medium exposes the notion of ‘reality’ as a constructed referent, which the text’s alterities comment on. The nature of the medium allows for the construction and sustenance of multiple worlds without recourse to a stable notion of reality. As the reader’s hesitation destabilises interpretation of reality versus fantasy, absolute meaning is denied. It therefore seems that comics offer what might be best described as a postmodern vision of the Fantastic

Chapter One: “Is this a book?” DC Vertigo and the redefinition of comics in the 1990s

Not only comics publishing but also perceptions of it have changed radically during this century and the comic book has become a graphic novel; invoking notions of permanence, literariness and artistry. This chapter will examine the changes that brought about this redefinition in the 1990s, specifically with regard to the role of DC Vertigo and the rise of the trade paperback. Building on the popularity of British creators in the 1980s and the success of titles such as Hellblazer and Animal Man, DC launched their Vertigo imprint in 1993, with Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman as their flagship title. Having the somewhat paradoxical aim of uniting unique creative voices under one imprint, the majority of Vertigo titles (which feature original characters) are creator-owned and the Vertigo stable is comprised mainly of British authors, many of whom were recruited while writing for 2000AD in the 1980s. Vertigo puts out more trade paperbacks than any other imprint and their great success in marketing the trade paperback form in many senses paved the way for other publishers to repackage their material in similar form. After summarising the position of comics at the close of the 1980s (British invasion, emergent star writers, direct distribution) this chapter proceeds to discuss the emergence of the trade paperback in the 1990s and its role in redefining comics. Relevant industry factors will include: • technical advances – digitising and reproduction has led to higher production values; but also perhaps a homogeneity of style; • employment changes – everything has been brought in-house; • marketing changes (star writer) – uses romantic ideology to assign an author function; • maxi-series versus ongoing serialisation – new permanence of product; writing for a multi-issue story-arc. Outside factors will also be discussed, including: • emergent IP law – this has given more control to the creator; but freezes shared symbols and limits development; • mechanical reproduction – comic book as product; multiple forms; • fan culture – mid 1990s speculators market crash; neglect of child market; • social context/cultural expectations – celebrity culture responsible for the emergence of star writers; youth culture and resisting definition as children’s literature; • new media – trade paperbacks mirror DVD releases (including extras); • bookstore distribution – challenge to direct marketing of 1980s; brings comics closer to ‘proper’ books; reliant upon author function. These changes in comics’ production and consumption, together with the critical attention now afforded them, have brought the contemporary comic book closer to the notion of the literary text

ICCan I call you Mommy? 1D Myths of the feminine and superheroic in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean 19s Black Orchid

This article uses Claude Lévi-Strauss's linguistic theories to examine the intersection of superheroic and feminine myths in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's Black Orchid. It reveals how this text substitutes traditionally feminine tropes (such as mothering, passivity and purity) and taboos for the more usual elements underlying the superhero myth, and explores the effects of this replacement. It is the contention of this article that, to date, the superheroine myth has followed a similar structure to the superhero myth. Figures such as Wonder Woman fight and lead alongside their male counterparts, using masculine notions of leadership and camaraderie. Elements such as idealised physiques apply equally to both genders and the majority of superpowers seem gender-neutral. Of course the number of male superheroes certainly outweighs the female, and gender stereotypes have been used (the cover of Adventure Comics #401 shows Supergirl 'absolutely terrified of a mouse!'), but overall the same (masculine) notions underpin both male and female superheroes. It often seems that the feminised superheroic has yet to be fully constructed and explored. This article will initially summarise Lévi-Strauss's linguistic model of myth, before applying the same to the traditional superhero myth in order to reveal its underlying binaries and gender bias. It then applies this model to Black Orchid. Areas addressed will include the superhero and violence (via an exploration of feminine passivity and the motif of the climactic battle), the superhero and power (considering myths such as Mother Nature and the motherland), and the superhero and identity (using a case study of the May Queen). It concludes that Black Orchid's subversion of the superhero is achieved by its employment of feminine myths, and that in so doing it is able to resolve the power conundrum and identity fracture that underlie this genre

Can I call you Mommy? Myths of the feminine and superheroic in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's Black Orchid

This article uses Claude Lévi-Strauss's linguistic theories to examine the intersection of superheroic and feminine myths in Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's Black Orchid. It reveals how this text substitutes traditionally feminine tropes (such as mothering, passivity and purity) and taboos for the more usual elements underlying the superhero myth, and explores the effects of this replacement. It is the contention of this article that, to date, the superheroine myth has followed a similar structure to the superhero myth. Figures such as Wonder Woman fight and lead alongside their male counterparts, using masculine notions of leadership and camaraderie. Elements such as idealised physiques apply equally to both genders and the majority of superpowers seem gender-neutral. Of course the number of male superheroes certainly outweighs the female, and gender stereotypes have been used (the cover of Adventure Comics #401 shows Supergirl 'absolutely terrified of a mouse!'), but overall the same (masculine) notions underpin both male and female superheroes. It often seems that the feminised superheroic has yet to be fully constructed and explored. This article will initially summarise Lévi-Strauss's linguistic model of myth, before applying the same to the traditional superhero myth in order to reveal its underlying binaries and gender bias. It then applies this model to Black Orchid. Areas addressed will include the superhero and violence (via an exploration of feminine passivity and the motif of the climactic battle), the superhero and power (considering myths such as Mother Nature and the motherland), and the superhero and identity (using a case study of the May Queen). It concludes that Black Orchid's subversion of the superhero is achieved by its employment of feminine myths, and that in so doing it is able to resolve the power conundrum and identity fracture that underlie this genre

A 2009 survey of the Australasian clinical medical physics and biomedical engineering workforce

A survey of the Australasian clinical medical physics and biomedical engineering workforce was carried out in 2009 following on from a similar survey in 2006. 621 positions (equivalent to 575 equivalent full time (EFT) positions) were captured by the survey. Of these 330 EFT were in radiation oncology physics, 45 EFT were in radiology physics, 42 EFT were in nuclear medicine physics, 159 EFT were in biomedical engineering and 29 EFT were attributed to other activities. The survey reviewed the experience profile, the salary levels and the number of vacant positions in the workforce for the different disciplines in each Australian state and in New Zealand. Analysis of the data shows the changes to the workforce over the preceding 3 years and identifies shortfalls in the workforce

A survey of the Australasian clinical medical physics and biomedical engineering workforce

A survey of the medical physics and biomedical engineering workforce was carried out in 2006. 495 positions(equivalent to 478 equivalent full time (EFT) positions) were captured by the survey. Of these 268 EFT were in radiation oncology physics, 36 EFT were in radiology physics, 44 were in nuclear medicine physics, 101 EFT were in biomedical engineering and 29 EFT were attributed to other activities. The survey reviewed the experience profile, the salary levels and the number of vacant positions in the workforce for the different disciplines in each Australian state and in New Zealand. Analysis of the data identifies staffing shortfalls in the various disciplines and demonstrates the difficulties that will occur in trying to train sufficient physicists to raise staffing to an acceptable level

It’s all relative: breaking barriers and binaries in Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon’s Preacher

This article demonstrates how the comic book Preacher (Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon) breaks genre barriers and narrative binaries to produce a multi-generic work of serial fiction where norms are unfixed and nothing is absolute. It begins by considering Preacher’s use of various genre models (taken from both literary and cinematic sources and including the quest, the road movie, the western, and the romance) and exploring the ways in which this series represents and subverts these in both thematic and aesthetic terms. It notes Northrop Frye’s mode of Romance as an umbrella term for these genres but argues that the subversion and juxtaposition of all these categories prevents Preacher from being wholly resident in this mode. It proceeds to identify further subversions that support such an interpretation, discussing Preacher’s use of textual oxymorons and visual paradoxes to invert binary categories such as male/female and human/monster. It extends this argument to the macrocosm of the series, making reference to the flexible narrative position of characters and the comic’s thematic background of illicit love. The article concludes by summarising the ways in which Preacher unfixes expected narrative binaries by denying notions of Manichaean morality and instead demonstrating that these are relative concepts. It argues that the tension between the visual and verbal and the interpretative power allowed to the reader are essential elements in achieving this. It therefore concludes that Preacher’s particular subversions of formulaic narrative patterns and reader expectations are only made possible by the comics medium

Cryptomimetic tropes in Yoshitomo Nakura’s Batman: Death Mask

This article discusses the gothic and science fiction influences apparent in Yoshinori Natsume’s Batman: Death Mask with reference to the Derridean notion of the crypt and Jodey Castricano’s linguistic/structural model of cryptomimesis. It begins at the widest level, noting the gothic nature of the superhero in general (whose fragmented identity and use of tropes such as the mask reference this mode. It notes a similar presence of science fiction motifs in the industry’s archetypes, making reference to notions such as pseudo-science and alternate worlds. It then relates these observations specifically to Batman, arguing that this character encapsulates many of these tropes. In terms of the gothic, it discusses the psychogeographic setting of Gotham City, the mask motif, and the tropes of night-time and the vampire bat. It proceeds to consider science fiction tropes in similar terms, making reference to elements such as Batman’s lack of powers and extensive use of gadgetry. It introduces the Derridean notion of the crypt (as something both hidden and external to itself) and, more particularly, to Jodey Castricano’s theories of cryptomimesis (as reliant upon notion of absence, reversal and the other within). It relates these observations to the comics medium in terms of its non-linear nature and hierarchical construction of story arcs. It argues that the cryptomimetic model is particularly applicable to the Batman mythos, which revolves around the notion of memories locked inside and the reversals of ‘secret identity’ and ‘alter ego’. It then narrows this argument still further to consider the presence of gothic and science fiction tropes in Natsume’s Batman: Death Mask. It notes the style and structure of this comic and argues that the juxtaposition of manga stylistics with American comics tropes produces an inherently alien and futuristic effect, despite the historical nature of the story in question, which draws on Japanese tradition. It analyses the comic’s content in similar terms, paying particular attention to the addition of an extra identity to the ‘Batman’ and ‘Bruce Wayne’ facets of this character, and the reversal of the mask motif (as a threat rather than a shield). It concludes by demonstrating that the presentation of these elements is cryptomimetic: reliant on absence, reversal and the notion of the other within