In this interview, we chat to writer John Harris Dunning about his new project Ripperland, an utterly unique comic set in the distant future, that sees English culture harken back to Victorian times.
From John Harris Dunning (Summer Shadows) and Steve Orlando (Midnighter, Martian Manhunter) comes ‘Ripperland,’ a unique 4-issue comic series from Dark Horse Comics that blends the Jack the Ripper mythos with Westworld. The comic is drawn by Alessandro Oliveri, coloured by Francesca Vivaldi and lettered by Fabio Amelia.
The story takes place in the year 2188, where post-Brexit England now operates as a theme park run by Americans. What’s more, in this new Victorian era London, infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper has returned. The murder of a U.S. mogul sparks Special Agent Jesse Holden to travel to investigate the mysterious killing. Paired with British Police Detective Edwin Fogg, the unlikely duo must work together to solve the case.
We recently had the opportunity to chat with co-writer John Harris Denning about his work on the comic. Check out our interview below!
Comics Bulletin: Can you introduce Ripperland to our readers? What inspired you to write this story? And what drew you to Victorian England?
John Harris Dunning: Ripperland takes place over a century in the future when England has become a Victorian theme park, mainly for the pleasure of American tourists. This is a bit of a comment on the colonial power of America, and the aggressive use of that power on the international stage.
It’s also a wry take on the (limited) possibilities of a post-Brexit UK. If you look under it all there’s political satire, but we’re also playing it straight as a sci-fi vision of the future. My co-writer Steve Orlando and I wanted to interrogate cultural cliches of American and English identity, and there’s something really crucial about the Victorian period to both how the English see themselves as well as how they’re internationally perceived. So it was fun to take that period and play in it.
Ripperland has a really strong visual and narrative identity. It’s utterly unique. How did you collaborate with co-writer Steve Orlando and the artists to bring this world to life?
How did the idea of turning England into a ‘theme park’ come about? What were your inspirations? I was getting Westworld vibes!
Yeah, that’s something Steve (Orlando) was feeling too. I’ve never seen either of the versions, but I get the idea. Well, in this version, the people of England are actually living their Victorian era lives completely; this means no electricity or technology, and no modern medicine or science. So it’s a theme park for the tourists, but for the residents it’s home.
It’s partly a political comment on how vulnerable to exploitation tourist destinations are; witness the catastrophic destruction of Hawaii.
How did you approach reimagining Jack the Ripper and the mythos surrounding him?
I love the history surrounding the Ripper murders – it’s such a good way into studying the Victorian period. Jack the Ripper is a myth, in that he’s almost certainly a construct of the media of the time in order to drive public interest in the case and sell papers. In our story, the murder(s) are using this myth for a very specific purpose… as will be revealed!
When you began writing Ripperland, did you already have a clear ending in mind, or did the conclusion develop as the series progressed?
We knew how it ended, but as with every creative project, getting there is always full of surprises. It was such a pleasure collaborating with a co-writer. It’s the first time I’ve done that. It was a treat to see how Steve works, and I think our creative chemistry really shows.
Ripperland delves into political and social issues, including references to Brexit. What message or insight do you hope readers take away from the story?
The hubris of England led us into the disaster of Brexit; an ongoing cultural arrogance that’s a legacy of the long-dead British Empire. I hope we’ve learned our lesson, but it will take generations to repair the damage. We’re entering a period of America seeing itself as an aggressively colonial power too. These are ideas we explore in Ripperland.
Do you have any other projects in the works? What can our readers expect to see from you in 2025?
My last Dark Horse series Summer Shadows is collected in trade paperback 22nd April 2025, and I’ll be announcing more projects soon.
We thank John Harris Dunning for his time. Ripperland #1 is available now from Dark Horse Comics.
