What Keeps Mankind Alive?, also known as Century: 1910 is the first part of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume III: Century. It was published in April 2009.
Plot[]
In 1910, twelve years after the extraterrestrial invasion of England and the disbanding of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Captain Nemo lies on his deathbed in Lincoln Island. He asks his estranged daughter, Janni Dakkar, to resume his name and calling after his death. Janni refuses and leaves her father's side. Spying a passing ship, she swims towards it and stows away upon it. The ship takes her to London where she takes up employment at a wharf side hotel under the name Jenny Diver. Arriving on the same ship as Janni is Jack MacHeath a.k.a. Jack the Ripper, who is a direct descendant of the 18th-century highwayman MacHeath a.k.a. Mack the Knife, and immediately takes to murdering prostitutes again, one of whom looks suspiciously like Louise Brooks.
Meanwhile, the occult detective and second League member Thomas Carnacki has visions of bloodshed on the waterfront and of a secret cabal of magicians convening to plot the creation of a Moonchild destined to bring forth the end of the world. Mina believes these visions may be connected with the upcoming coronation of King George V. Intelligence chief Mycroft Holmes advises them to investigate both, and suggests that the bloodshed on the waterfront is the work of MacHeath, whom he believes to be Jack the Ripper.
While investigating one of the men Carnacki saw in his vision, Orlando, Quatermain and Carnacki stumble upon the circle of magicians, who claim that what Carnacki saw either is wrong, or has not happened yet. Carnacki inadvertently gives the magicians a crucial piece of information that they need to create the Moonchild. At the same time, Mina and Raffles consult Andrew Norton, a time traveler bound by the confines of the city of London, who speaks in riddles that hint at the Harry Potter-series, war in Iraq and the July 7 bombings, but otherwise offers little help. He vanishes to another time, promising that he will meet Mina again in 1969.
Janni is raped by the drunken patrons of her hotel, and is later aided to her room by Suky Tawdry. Janni fires a flare to summon the Nautilus—the "Black Raider"—which is docked nearby.
The following day MacHeath is about to be hanged without trial as Mycroft is worried that a trial might bring to light the involvement of the 14th Earl of Gurney in the original Ripper murders. MacHeath sings his last plea from the gallows while the Nautilus, now painted black as per Nemo's orders, and with his skull nailed to the forecastle, emerges and destroys every building on the waterfront, save for Janni's hotel. The crew of the Nautilus descends upon the waterfront to loot, murder and rape while Janni, now the captain of the Nautilus, orders that the hotel patrons be killed slowly.
At the last moment, a message arrives from the Earl of Gurney confessing to all the Ripper crimes. MacHeath is released and the League head to the waterfront to try and push the pirates back. While the men fight, Mina comes face to face with Janni, who recognises her. Janni says her father had nothing but bad things to say about Mina, which renders her worthy of respect to Janni. She bids Mina farewell, inviting Mina to join her should Mina ever decide to forsake government work. When Mina asks her name, Janni says she is "no one".
The issues ends with Mina expressing frustration with the League, while MacHeath and Suki sing and dance to a modified version of What Keeps Mankind Alive.
Appearances[]
Characters[]
The Black Cat • Colonel Blimp • Campion Bond • Tiger Brown • Andy Capp • Buster Capp • Flo Capp • Thomas Carnacki • Sister Cybele • Janni Dakkar • The Demon • George Dixon • Dyson • Little Lord Fauntleroy • Grimly Feendish • Alf Garnett • Countess Geschwitz • Cyril Grey • Oliver Haddo • Hardy • Mycroft Holmes • Adenoid Hynkel • Simon Iff • Iliel • Ishmael • Broad Arrow Jack • Jonah • Kathulos • Laurel • Vladimir Lenin • Al Lewis • Lulu • Jack MacHeath • Marty • Mina Murray • Nemo I • Nemo's wife • Doctor Nikola • Andrew Norton • Orlando • Poopdeck Pappy • Captain Peacock • Charles Phillips • George M. Plummer • A. J. Raffles • Vanessa Ritchie • Semi-Dual • William Shakespeare • John Silence • Sir Spring-Heeled Jack • J. Stark • Dr. Taverner • Suki Tawdry • Mr. Toad • Edward Trunk • Prince Zaleski • Zanoni Frank Zappa
Mentioned characters[]
Alexander the Great • King Alfred • Jeffrey Archer • Barnes Bridge Martian • Boudica • George Challenger • Crowley • Cuff • Cathy • Johannes Faust • Fortunio • Sigmund Freud • Galley-Wag • George VI • Gloriana I of England • Grace • Hawley Griffin • Lemuel Gulliver • Jack Gurney • Halley • Henry V • Sherlock Holmes • Horus • Isis • Jack the Hat • Henry Jekyll • Patrick Keiller • Mary Jane Kelly • Lady of the Lake • Lam • Quong Lee • David Litvinov • MacHeath • Merlin • Moby Dick • Mona Lisa • James Moriarty • Mary Ann Nichols • Nyarlathotep • Pazuzu • Prospero • Allan Quatermain Jr. • Arthur Rimbaud • Lewis Seymour • The Sicilian • Simbad • Smarra • Elizabeth Stride • Tlazoltéotl • Karswell Trelawney • Abraham Van Helsing • Paul Verlaine • Count von Ost • Robin Yaldwyn
Locations[]
- Argentina (mentioned)
- Buenos Aires (mentioned)
- Arkham (mentioned)
- Lincoln Island
- Peru (mentioned)
- Ruritania (newspaper)
- Troy (mentioned)
- United Kingdom
- Greyfriars School (mentioned)
- London
- Barnes Bridge (mentioned)
- British Museum
- Carfax (mentioned)
- Cheyne Walk Club
- East End
- Cuttlefish Hotel
- Nautilus Model
- Hyde Park (mentioned)
- King's Cross (mentioned)
- Limehouse
- Miller’s Court
- Mitre Square
- Scotland Yard (billboard)
- Thames
- Vahuxall
- Whistling Room (mentioned)
- Whitechaplet (mentioned)
- Whitehall (mentioned)
- Staffordshire (mentioned)
- Stonedene
- Warwickshire (mentioned)
- Lufford (mentioned)
Items[]
- Excalibur
- Tripod (cannon)
- Titan (bell)
- Halley’s Comet
- Moonstone (mentioned)
- Nautilus
- Scrying glass
- Blasting rod
Groups[]
- League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
- Three Musketeers (mentioned)
- Merlin Society
- Great Northern Railway
- Rosicrucians (mentioned)
Species[]
- Demons
- Cyclops
- Homunculi (mentioned)
- Humans
- Xenomorph (statue)
Events[]
- Zanoni's magical war (mentioned)