Jack the Ripper was a serial killer active in the impoverished districts in and around Whitechapel in the East End of London in 1888. In the DC Universe, several different origins were given to the killer.
In the Earth-One continuity, Jack the Ripper was secretly Jonathan Kelsey, a doctor with a practice near Whitechapel. Eventually, Kelsey accidentally stabs himself to death with the vampire Andrew Bennett. Decades later, his ghost was summoned by his knife to America and tried to kill the reporter Lois Lane, but could not because she wasn't "steeped in evil" like his other victims. Instead, he lost control of his body and ceased to exist.
In the New Earth continuity, the Ripper was said to be possessed by the demon Calibraxis when committing his crimes, or was influenced by Gaius Marcus, another demon. Other characters who have claimed to be Jack the Ripper are Red Jack and Vandal Savage. In another story, the Phantom Stranger reveals to Madame Xanadu why the Ripper is allowed to kill; his last victim, Mary Kelly, would have sired a son by Jason Blood who would have grown into a despot the likes humanity could not imagine. The Ripper eventually ran afoul of the Stranger and fell into an open sewer to be, presumably, eaten alive by rats.
In the Prime Earth continuity, Jack the Ripper was a man possessed by Bertok-Raaf, a demonic serial killer who had been responsible for many murders over the centuries.
Jack the Ripper was adapted by Gill Fox, first appearing in Smash Comics #45 (1943).
Vertigo Universe
Demon possessing Jack
Prime Earth
Demon possessing Jack
Multiverse
New 52 Multiverse
Earth 19
Gotham by Gaslight
Pre-Flashpoint Multiverse
New Earth
May have either been Jack the Ripper or at the very least a close associate
Hypertime
Pre-Crisis Multiverse
Quality Universe
Daffy villain
Elseworlds
American Vampire
Lord of Nightmares
Webtoon
Impostor
Other Media
Arrowverse
Legends of Tomorrow
Comics
See Also