What do you think?
Rate this book
Marshal Law
Marshal Law The Deluxe Edition
In the spirit of JUDGE DREDD and the current hit series THE BOYS, MARSHAL LAW is a violent, satirical series about a futuristic law official charged with policing super-heroes gone rogue by any means necessary, all while fighting his own self-hatred for being the thing he hates most: a super-hero. Featuring art by Kevin O'Neill, illustrator of THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, the centerpiece of this volume is the original six-part tale in which Marshal Law hunts down the Sleepman, a serial killer who is somehow connected to the popular hero known as The Public Spirit.
468 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2013
43 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Pat Mills
848 books230 followersPat Mills, born in 1949 and nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since.
His comics are notable for their violence and anti-authoritarianism. He is best known for creating 2000 AD and playing a major part in the development of Judge Dredd.
His comics are notable for their violence and anti-authoritarianism. He is best known for creating 2000 AD and playing a major part in the development of Judge Dredd.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 15, 2013
"I'm a hero hunter. I hunt heroes." Cue sound of a skull splitting open violently. "Haven't found any."
A loving fuck you to mainstream superhero comics, the super team of Mills and O'Neil distorts, subverts, then destroys our favorite heroes. They're a bunch of sick bastards and I love them for it.
So Doctor Shocc begins churning out superheroes with his super genetic therapy for a overseas war. When the war's done with, the city of SF is left with insane superpowered freaks. And to boot it's also been reduced to rubble by the Big One, and has been rebuilt as San Futuro.
Marshal Law surfs the fine edge of irony: he himself is a hero, if you really think about it, but he kills heroes. He's Judge Dredd without the conscience, which is pretty bad because you know Dredd didn't have much conscience to begin with when it came to bad guys. In an absolute contrast to his Marshal Law alter-ego, Joe appears as a regular, well, Joe. A straight line dichotomy splitting the two, into foul mouthed smart ass gun-toting hero killer and Joe public with a loving girlfriend.
You'll find malevolent caricatures of popular heroes like Superman or Batman. You'll see mockery being made of boy heroes, superpowered groups, secret identities. No caped stone is left unturned. My favorite is the analogue of The Human Torch. A bunch of cannibals have discovered he is still alive after a fall off a skyscraper and they've placed him under another superhero. His bones are all broken, but he's still burning."You musn't abuse my powers like this!" he cries as he roasts the other man.
As Jonathan Ross writes in the introduction, O'Neill's pencils is gorgeously ugly and is perfectly attuned to Mills' vision of a super fucked world. The costumes are over the top obscene. Catch phrases and slogans relentlessly adorn each and every page. Marshal Law's bazooka might have PEACE PIPE markered on it, and his sledge hammer is carved with THE BUCK STOPS HERE.
Anyways, if you're into superhero comics, it's well worth reading. Probably would appeal more to comic readers of the 80's and early 90's, because it was a simpler world, without the complexity of latter day comics.
Remember Marshal Law. He prays for us. He prays that we all go to hell.
A loving fuck you to mainstream superhero comics, the super team of Mills and O'Neil distorts, subverts, then destroys our favorite heroes. They're a bunch of sick bastards and I love them for it.
So Doctor Shocc begins churning out superheroes with his super genetic therapy for a overseas war. When the war's done with, the city of SF is left with insane superpowered freaks. And to boot it's also been reduced to rubble by the Big One, and has been rebuilt as San Futuro.
Marshal Law surfs the fine edge of irony: he himself is a hero, if you really think about it, but he kills heroes. He's Judge Dredd without the conscience, which is pretty bad because you know Dredd didn't have much conscience to begin with when it came to bad guys. In an absolute contrast to his Marshal Law alter-ego, Joe appears as a regular, well, Joe. A straight line dichotomy splitting the two, into foul mouthed smart ass gun-toting hero killer and Joe public with a loving girlfriend.
You'll find malevolent caricatures of popular heroes like Superman or Batman. You'll see mockery being made of boy heroes, superpowered groups, secret identities. No caped stone is left unturned. My favorite is the analogue of The Human Torch. A bunch of cannibals have discovered he is still alive after a fall off a skyscraper and they've placed him under another superhero. His bones are all broken, but he's still burning."You musn't abuse my powers like this!" he cries as he roasts the other man.
As Jonathan Ross writes in the introduction, O'Neill's pencils is gorgeously ugly and is perfectly attuned to Mills' vision of a super fucked world. The costumes are over the top obscene. Catch phrases and slogans relentlessly adorn each and every page. Marshal Law's bazooka might have PEACE PIPE markered on it, and his sledge hammer is carved with THE BUCK STOPS HERE.
Anyways, if you're into superhero comics, it's well worth reading. Probably would appeal more to comic readers of the 80's and early 90's, because it was a simpler world, without the complexity of latter day comics.
Remember Marshal Law. He prays for us. He prays that we all go to hell.
May 11, 2013
Before reading this I'd never heard of Marshal Law, so I did a little research on the character to see why DC decided to give the series the deluxe treatment. Largely what I found was a lot of stuff about how this series was way ahead of its time (having come out in the late 1980s) and approached satire of superheroes in a way that nobody had ever done before. And, I get that. I haven't read many other books from that era with a tone like this one, but that doesn't mean it's GOOD. It hasn't aged well, and I am not a fan.
First off, the writing comes across like a first draft. Pat Mills seems to have included every stray semi-satirical thought he had while in the process of writing this, and it leaves the style and substance both feeling incredibly bloated. Instead of picking a target and skewering it, he tries to skewer every single thing about superheroes at once. There is absolutely no grounding in reality, so it just feels like reading a bunch of insane ramblings from a very, very angry person.
The set up is this: in the future, San Francisco is a dystopian nightmare of crime perpetrated largely by wacked-out "superheroes" who have returned thoroughly crazy after fighting in a thinly-veiled version of Vietnam. Enter Marshal Law, the only man capable of policing these maniacs. He has superpowers himself, and he uses them to take out this trash. But also there are GOOD superheroes who the public admires. But they are ALSO terrible, and Marshal Law wants to take THEM down as well. But then also the PUBLIC is insane, seemingly just a collection of perverts and murderers without a single redeeming member of society. And then also the law enforcement agency that HIRED Marshal Law is intensely corrupt and self-serving. So, every single thing in the universe is horrible and messed up except for Marshal Law, though even he has some pretty deep psychological flaws.
The effect of Mills piling all of this on top of itself and then shooting it with a shotgun is that, as the reader, you have no one to root for. Everyone and everything is horrible. Great, case closed? I mean, if I know from reading that there are no good people and everything is disgusting and evil, how am I meant to enjoy the narrative? There are no twists. Everything plays out exactly as it should. The jokes are decent sometimes, but usually Mills just resorts to the same 2 or 3 sex jokes over and over again (he particularly loves to make his superheroes pedophiles).
I think the main reason this series feels this way, is Pat Mills is clearly a man who genuinely despises superheroes. He hates them, and this book is written from an angry, ranting perspective that seeks to eviscerate everything you ever loved about superhero comics. However, the book also includes some pretty specific references to Marvel and DC superheroes that no one would get unless they are very familiar with those universes. So, who is this book for? Is it for people who have read superhero comics their entire lives but somehow hated every minute of it? Because I don't think those people exist.
All in all, this book is just too all over the place to make any real points, and in the prevailing years since its release we've gotten things like Transmetropolitan and The Boys that do what this book seeks to do, only much better. Just because something was first does not mean that it was best. I give this book 2 stars instead of 1 for Kevin O'Neill's manic, detailed art, which is the only thing that kept me reading to the end.
First off, the writing comes across like a first draft. Pat Mills seems to have included every stray semi-satirical thought he had while in the process of writing this, and it leaves the style and substance both feeling incredibly bloated. Instead of picking a target and skewering it, he tries to skewer every single thing about superheroes at once. There is absolutely no grounding in reality, so it just feels like reading a bunch of insane ramblings from a very, very angry person.
The set up is this: in the future, San Francisco is a dystopian nightmare of crime perpetrated largely by wacked-out "superheroes" who have returned thoroughly crazy after fighting in a thinly-veiled version of Vietnam. Enter Marshal Law, the only man capable of policing these maniacs. He has superpowers himself, and he uses them to take out this trash. But also there are GOOD superheroes who the public admires. But they are ALSO terrible, and Marshal Law wants to take THEM down as well. But then also the PUBLIC is insane, seemingly just a collection of perverts and murderers without a single redeeming member of society. And then also the law enforcement agency that HIRED Marshal Law is intensely corrupt and self-serving. So, every single thing in the universe is horrible and messed up except for Marshal Law, though even he has some pretty deep psychological flaws.
The effect of Mills piling all of this on top of itself and then shooting it with a shotgun is that, as the reader, you have no one to root for. Everyone and everything is horrible. Great, case closed? I mean, if I know from reading that there are no good people and everything is disgusting and evil, how am I meant to enjoy the narrative? There are no twists. Everything plays out exactly as it should. The jokes are decent sometimes, but usually Mills just resorts to the same 2 or 3 sex jokes over and over again (he particularly loves to make his superheroes pedophiles).
I think the main reason this series feels this way, is Pat Mills is clearly a man who genuinely despises superheroes. He hates them, and this book is written from an angry, ranting perspective that seeks to eviscerate everything you ever loved about superhero comics. However, the book also includes some pretty specific references to Marvel and DC superheroes that no one would get unless they are very familiar with those universes. So, who is this book for? Is it for people who have read superhero comics their entire lives but somehow hated every minute of it? Because I don't think those people exist.
All in all, this book is just too all over the place to make any real points, and in the prevailing years since its release we've gotten things like Transmetropolitan and The Boys that do what this book seeks to do, only much better. Just because something was first does not mean that it was best. I give this book 2 stars instead of 1 for Kevin O'Neill's manic, detailed art, which is the only thing that kept me reading to the end.
September 23, 2015
Wonderful, violent comics that take apart American superheroes and blows them away. Loved the analogues to the most popular heroes. Each was sent in a different demented direction by Mills and O'Neill nails their appearances.
July 31, 2019
The first three arcs--Marshal Law, Marshal Law Takes Manhattan, and Kingdom of the Blind--are brilliant, layered satire: they lampoon (at times barely masked--no pun intended) Big Two superhero tropes and even the heroes themselves while a thread of scathing, biting political and social commentary runs throughout. Mills and O'Neill are so very well in sync, as O'Neill's art not only conveys Mills's ideas perfectly, it enhances them with O'Neill's own satire, most notably in the chatty, irreverent graffiti liberally frosted throughout the stories.
The Hateful Dead and Super Babylon (separated in the table of contents but somewhat related) are messy and unfocused stories, still entertaining but (to be honest) not as sharp satirically. And the extreme violence seems more stark in the absence of a clear message, in my opinion.
The final story, Secret Tribunal, brings more to light my primary issue with the series, and that is the way women are portrayed--as second class sex objects. Granted, it is a product of its time, and that could explain to some degree what goes on in the first three story arcs (or I am not being completely honest with myself because other elements of the writing are SO good), but Secret Tribunal seems to lay bare more of Mills' actual thinking relative to the topic, and not in a positive way.
One must be careful, though, when interpreting a satirist's motives because a good satirist will turn any accusations right back on the accuser. It is possible that by the time he wrote Secret Tribunal, Mills was satirizing himself.
HOWEVER, satire only works when the subject matter needs to be taken down a notch or two. Mills's inclusion of women as objects of satire belies the fact that they are still, thirty years after Marshal Law's debut, being objectified and limited by society. I understand that this can be a controversial topic, but the fact that men (and white men at that) are the overwhelmingly prevalent players in Mills's story and have continued to be in so many others up to the present is indicative that, at the very LEAST, the dominant paradigm in western culture is male-focused.
All that being said, satire pointed at groups that are disadvantaged ceases to be satire and just ends up being mean.
The Hateful Dead and Super Babylon (separated in the table of contents but somewhat related) are messy and unfocused stories, still entertaining but (to be honest) not as sharp satirically. And the extreme violence seems more stark in the absence of a clear message, in my opinion.
The final story, Secret Tribunal, brings more to light my primary issue with the series, and that is the way women are portrayed--as second class sex objects. Granted, it is a product of its time, and that could explain to some degree what goes on in the first three story arcs (or I am not being completely honest with myself because other elements of the writing are SO good), but Secret Tribunal seems to lay bare more of Mills' actual thinking relative to the topic, and not in a positive way.
One must be careful, though, when interpreting a satirist's motives because a good satirist will turn any accusations right back on the accuser. It is possible that by the time he wrote Secret Tribunal, Mills was satirizing himself.
HOWEVER, satire only works when the subject matter needs to be taken down a notch or two. Mills's inclusion of women as objects of satire belies the fact that they are still, thirty years after Marshal Law's debut, being objectified and limited by society. I understand that this can be a controversial topic, but the fact that men (and white men at that) are the overwhelmingly prevalent players in Mills's story and have continued to be in so many others up to the present is indicative that, at the very LEAST, the dominant paradigm in western culture is male-focused.
All that being said, satire pointed at groups that are disadvantaged ceases to be satire and just ends up being mean.
Read
December 6, 2022A look into the workings of an obvious military state with it's propaganda effects on human minds and it's aftermath.
September 21, 2013
Violent and satirical, Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neil's Marshall Law provides lots of over-the-top fun, with weird plot-twists and an insane amount of action. Highly recommended.
June 6, 2020
I’ve been a fan of Pat Mills for a while now, and i would like to think that I was familiar now with his witty, satire and politics laden writing. However, nothing would prepare me for the shock (or should that be Shocc?) I received when I read Marshal Law for the first time. It was like nothing I had read before; sure the deconstruction of the super hero in comics had been tackled before, the most notable example being Alan Moore’s Watchmen, but Marshal Law is a whole different beast altogether. Where Moore showed sympathy for his characters, Mills tears into them with devilish glee.
The story is set in 2020 after a war in The Zone or South America, (an allegory for Vietnam) in which super-humans were created and used. Our protagonist Marshal Law rounds up and brings the super-humans who violate the law in San Futuro (a post big quake San Francisco) to justice. It is a city that worships superheroes. The book is a critical look on the complacency and apathy of society as a whole, demonstrating the idiocy of celebrity worship, and a world in which the corrupt politicians and the rich dictate our lives. And the superheros in particular bear the brunt of Marshal Law, who has a clear disdain for them…
The artwork by Kevin O’Neill is rendered with such wit, style and all round awesomeness that only a handful in the comics industry can match. Yes it’s that good. His panels are saturated with so much richness and detail, full of witty lines whether as graffiti art on the walls or on the superheroes costumes themselves.
This beautiful hardcover deluxe edition collects all the Marshal Law series and one offs except for the crossovers. I have never read said crossovers so cannot comment on them, but this collection is more than enough to keep all Pat Mills & Kevin O’Neill fans happy. First off is an introduction by long time Marshal Law fan Jonathan Ross. It’s a nice piece where Ross shares his first encounter with the comic and its influence and importance. It is followed by a stunning two page colour spread of San Futoro by O’Neill after which we begin on the stories themselves. I’ll go through in order and give my thoughts on each story.
1. Fear And Loathing: this 6 parter is the best story in the collection. It centres around Buck Caine a.k.a ‘Public Spirit’; a superhero modelled on Superman who is not as clean cut and heroic as the public would like to think. First off he’s a murdering, egotistical maniac with an addiction to drugs to maintain his good looks. The story is also a thrilling piece of mystery and intrigue as a super villain wearing a paperbag on his head goes round raping and killing women who are dressed up as a popular heroine; Celeste, who in turn is engaged to Public Spirit. Pat Mills is on top of his game here especially where all the satirical politiking and scathing commentary is concerned. It also serves as a great introduction to Marshal Law and we get to learn more about the man behind the mask (something which is missing in later stories). He operates from a secret police precinct that is located underneath the city, with his two sidekicks, Danny, who is in wheel-chair and Kiloton, the likeable walking man mountain. His civil identity is as a blue collared guy – Joe Gilmore. He’s in a romantic relationship with a woman named Lynn, who also hates superheroes but also Marshal Law too (if only she knew eh?) who she thinks is a fascist pig and probably gay on account of his fetish for leather.
As the web deepens, so the twists and turns start unfurling in this thrilling story. Every chapter ends with Marshal Law’s signature quote; “I’m a hero-hunter. I hunt heroes. Haven’t find any yet”. However the very last page of this 6 part issue ends with Marshal Law claiming “but i know where they are” and the panel is juxtaposed with images of victims of torture and rape by the so called superheroes in ‘The Zone’. It’s not hard to see who the real heroes in this world are. I thought that was a really nice touch by Mills.
2. Marshal Law Takes Manhatten: I must say that i absolutely loved this story! There were moments in it where I was howling with laughter, so much so in fact that the next day my neighbour was intrigued enough to ask what had prompted me to laugh so hilariously! This time the Marvel world is under Pat Mills’/ Marshal Law’s spotlight and boy do they get a right load from our leather clad hero! We have characters who resemble The Fantastic Four, Thor, Spiderman, Captain America, The Silver Surfer (well you get the picture!) who are locked inside a lunatic institute and we soon find out why they’re here. ‘Captain America’ is a paranoid patriot who is seen questioning everything right down to the medication he’s given by the nurse or ‘drug pusher’. And ‘Thor’ believes he is the actual Thunder God talking with a Shakespearian tongue and ‘Mr. Fantastic’ thinks himself the sanest one in the group when in fact, he is probably the most insane! It seems all of the superheroes are deluded. And what better way than Marshal Law to give them the proper treatment?
Pretty soon The Persecutor (or The Punisher) also joins them, but the group spearheaded by ‘Mr. Fantastic’ are unwilling to accept him into their fold because they do not see him as a real superhero (‘Hawkeye’ being an exception!). The Persecutor is desperate to mesh with the other inmates, it seems that he is afraid of something or someone, and rightly so – because that someone is Marshal Law! We soon learn that the two had some prior history going back to their tour in The Zone. The Persecutor it seems is a nasty piece of work, coming up with ingenious methods of torture for his victims. It’s not hard to see the message that Mills was trying to get across with this hugely satirical yet almost topical story (on U.S foreign policy, torture, etc – and even though the comic was written more than 20 years ago its message is still resonant today). Again O’Neill’s artwork is a sheer joy to behold full of style and wit. The climax to the story – with the heroes water sliding down the the building whilst monologuing – was just hilarious and plain awesome.
3. Kingdom Of The Blind: up till now, we had Marshal Law laying into Superman and the whole Marvel world, now ‘Batman’ a.k.a Public Eye is the nemesis! We open with a brilliantly illustrated look into Public Eye’s solitary billionaire existence and his motivations for crime fighting – or more rightly, surgery – on the criminal masses. Marshal Law bumps into him but cannot find it in him to shoot him. We soon learn that he admires the Public Eye, however his colleague Kiloton raises some doubt about Public Eye especially the nature of his Parents death. We also learn more about the childhood of Public Eye and how his scientist parents psychotic experiments (or torture) impacted on him as a youngster. That for me was one of the standout moment of the story (and indeed the whole collection) when we get to psycho-analyse the superheroes – which makes for some very funny findings! In this case, well lets just say poor old Benji the dog! And lets not forget a wonderful twist on Alfred or ‘Albert’, Public Eye’s faithful butler!
Overall it was a really funny, fun and thrilling read. Which is just as well because from here on forth it’s a case of diminishing returns.
4. The Hateful Dead: this story is a bit of a let down when compared to the others, but still it does have its moments. This time the super dead are rising from their graves and Marshal Law has not only to contend with the Zombie-fied hordes (many of them being superheroes he helped put in their graves), but also the slimey ‘Agent’ Everest and on top of all that, someone from his past makes an unexpected appearance. One of the funniest moments in the story was when Marshal Law visits the seedier side of town and the ‘Stress Relief Parlours’, where those suffering from ‘techno-stress’ or feelings of ‘inadequacy’ can get the chance to beat up a hero and feel like a real man! “Twenty dollars for a fist in the face. Sixty for a full work over” cries a Superman lookalike to his weasly customer. It shows the depths the superheroes have plunged to, turning to consensual debasement and prostitution to earn a living.
5. Super Babylon: this is the continuation of the preceding storyline where the walking dead superheroes continue to run rampage. But to spice things up the ‘Golden Age Heroes’ who’ve been embalmed on display in the museum also start coming to life – you’d think this would make Marshal Law’s life doubly hard, but thats only just the start because Suicida the Gangrene gang leader is also on Marshal Law’s back! One of the funniest moments in the comic is when we see the Golden Age Heroes on a McCarthy-esque hearing where all their dastardly deeds are laid bare, literally, including H2O man’s lewd encounter with a dolphin! Regardless of the fact it was probably the weakest (two-part) story nevertheless it was still entertaining.
6. Secret Tribunal: this was more enjoyable in my opinion. A riff on Ridley Scott’s Alien with superheroes thrown in the deep in for good measure! This time Marshal Law has to team up with a bunch of hardcore superheroes called ‘The Secret Tribunal’ to go on a bug hunt in space. Marshal Law does not take to the idea too kindly but he has no choice, but not before having a potshot at his new colleagues’ costumes!
The story is told from the view of a budding young superhero ‘Growing Boy’ who is aboard the Lifelab space station, hoping to be admitted into ‘The League of Heroes’ lead by Public Spirit Jr. He meets ‘Super Sensitive Girl’, a blue skinned hottie with the hots for him and our virgin protagonist starts to fall for her too. But first he has to take a ship from the Lifelab (which is shaped like a giant phallus in space by the way!) to The Cape of Good Hope; the ship which was piloted by the original Public Spirit – and spend a night in the desolate ship. Of course all does not go according to plan and soon an Alien is on the prowl for fresh meat….
This was a really fun read. It was more heavy on the action side of things with some raunchy moments thrown in for good measure. We also got to see a softer side of Marshal Law (well in his case, lets just call it lenient side!), especially where Growing Boy was concerned. But overall I really enjoyed it, and the last page was superb where we see Marshal Law riding off into the sunset or in his case, the hellhole of San Futoro. I felt it was a fitting end and since we’ve come to know the character on his thrilling journey thus far, you could say he wouldn’t want it any other way.
To end proceedings we have an afterword by Pat Mills where he explains his ‘hate’ for superheroes, and some other interesting and insightful thoughts before the book is rounded off with an excellent cover gallery.
By the time I finished reading Marshal Law I was quite saddened because i was enjoying it so much! I had been drawn into Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill’s hugely enjoyable, colourful, satirical and comedic world that I didn’t want to leave it. And that is all thanks to the strength of Mills’ writing complemented by O’Neill’s masterful artwork. I cannot praise it highly enough; it is without doubt the best comic not to mention the most beautifully presented comic collection I have had the pleasure of reading this year, and one I look forward to re-reading again soon.
The story is set in 2020 after a war in The Zone or South America, (an allegory for Vietnam) in which super-humans were created and used. Our protagonist Marshal Law rounds up and brings the super-humans who violate the law in San Futuro (a post big quake San Francisco) to justice. It is a city that worships superheroes. The book is a critical look on the complacency and apathy of society as a whole, demonstrating the idiocy of celebrity worship, and a world in which the corrupt politicians and the rich dictate our lives. And the superheros in particular bear the brunt of Marshal Law, who has a clear disdain for them…
The artwork by Kevin O’Neill is rendered with such wit, style and all round awesomeness that only a handful in the comics industry can match. Yes it’s that good. His panels are saturated with so much richness and detail, full of witty lines whether as graffiti art on the walls or on the superheroes costumes themselves.
This beautiful hardcover deluxe edition collects all the Marshal Law series and one offs except for the crossovers. I have never read said crossovers so cannot comment on them, but this collection is more than enough to keep all Pat Mills & Kevin O’Neill fans happy. First off is an introduction by long time Marshal Law fan Jonathan Ross. It’s a nice piece where Ross shares his first encounter with the comic and its influence and importance. It is followed by a stunning two page colour spread of San Futoro by O’Neill after which we begin on the stories themselves. I’ll go through in order and give my thoughts on each story.
1. Fear And Loathing: this 6 parter is the best story in the collection. It centres around Buck Caine a.k.a ‘Public Spirit’; a superhero modelled on Superman who is not as clean cut and heroic as the public would like to think. First off he’s a murdering, egotistical maniac with an addiction to drugs to maintain his good looks. The story is also a thrilling piece of mystery and intrigue as a super villain wearing a paperbag on his head goes round raping and killing women who are dressed up as a popular heroine; Celeste, who in turn is engaged to Public Spirit. Pat Mills is on top of his game here especially where all the satirical politiking and scathing commentary is concerned. It also serves as a great introduction to Marshal Law and we get to learn more about the man behind the mask (something which is missing in later stories). He operates from a secret police precinct that is located underneath the city, with his two sidekicks, Danny, who is in wheel-chair and Kiloton, the likeable walking man mountain. His civil identity is as a blue collared guy – Joe Gilmore. He’s in a romantic relationship with a woman named Lynn, who also hates superheroes but also Marshal Law too (if only she knew eh?) who she thinks is a fascist pig and probably gay on account of his fetish for leather.
As the web deepens, so the twists and turns start unfurling in this thrilling story. Every chapter ends with Marshal Law’s signature quote; “I’m a hero-hunter. I hunt heroes. Haven’t find any yet”. However the very last page of this 6 part issue ends with Marshal Law claiming “but i know where they are” and the panel is juxtaposed with images of victims of torture and rape by the so called superheroes in ‘The Zone’. It’s not hard to see who the real heroes in this world are. I thought that was a really nice touch by Mills.
2. Marshal Law Takes Manhatten: I must say that i absolutely loved this story! There were moments in it where I was howling with laughter, so much so in fact that the next day my neighbour was intrigued enough to ask what had prompted me to laugh so hilariously! This time the Marvel world is under Pat Mills’/ Marshal Law’s spotlight and boy do they get a right load from our leather clad hero! We have characters who resemble The Fantastic Four, Thor, Spiderman, Captain America, The Silver Surfer (well you get the picture!) who are locked inside a lunatic institute and we soon find out why they’re here. ‘Captain America’ is a paranoid patriot who is seen questioning everything right down to the medication he’s given by the nurse or ‘drug pusher’. And ‘Thor’ believes he is the actual Thunder God talking with a Shakespearian tongue and ‘Mr. Fantastic’ thinks himself the sanest one in the group when in fact, he is probably the most insane! It seems all of the superheroes are deluded. And what better way than Marshal Law to give them the proper treatment?
Pretty soon The Persecutor (or The Punisher) also joins them, but the group spearheaded by ‘Mr. Fantastic’ are unwilling to accept him into their fold because they do not see him as a real superhero (‘Hawkeye’ being an exception!). The Persecutor is desperate to mesh with the other inmates, it seems that he is afraid of something or someone, and rightly so – because that someone is Marshal Law! We soon learn that the two had some prior history going back to their tour in The Zone. The Persecutor it seems is a nasty piece of work, coming up with ingenious methods of torture for his victims. It’s not hard to see the message that Mills was trying to get across with this hugely satirical yet almost topical story (on U.S foreign policy, torture, etc – and even though the comic was written more than 20 years ago its message is still resonant today). Again O’Neill’s artwork is a sheer joy to behold full of style and wit. The climax to the story – with the heroes water sliding down the the building whilst monologuing – was just hilarious and plain awesome.
3. Kingdom Of The Blind: up till now, we had Marshal Law laying into Superman and the whole Marvel world, now ‘Batman’ a.k.a Public Eye is the nemesis! We open with a brilliantly illustrated look into Public Eye’s solitary billionaire existence and his motivations for crime fighting – or more rightly, surgery – on the criminal masses. Marshal Law bumps into him but cannot find it in him to shoot him. We soon learn that he admires the Public Eye, however his colleague Kiloton raises some doubt about Public Eye especially the nature of his Parents death. We also learn more about the childhood of Public Eye and how his scientist parents psychotic experiments (or torture) impacted on him as a youngster. That for me was one of the standout moment of the story (and indeed the whole collection) when we get to psycho-analyse the superheroes – which makes for some very funny findings! In this case, well lets just say poor old Benji the dog! And lets not forget a wonderful twist on Alfred or ‘Albert’, Public Eye’s faithful butler!
Overall it was a really funny, fun and thrilling read. Which is just as well because from here on forth it’s a case of diminishing returns.
4. The Hateful Dead: this story is a bit of a let down when compared to the others, but still it does have its moments. This time the super dead are rising from their graves and Marshal Law has not only to contend with the Zombie-fied hordes (many of them being superheroes he helped put in their graves), but also the slimey ‘Agent’ Everest and on top of all that, someone from his past makes an unexpected appearance. One of the funniest moments in the story was when Marshal Law visits the seedier side of town and the ‘Stress Relief Parlours’, where those suffering from ‘techno-stress’ or feelings of ‘inadequacy’ can get the chance to beat up a hero and feel like a real man! “Twenty dollars for a fist in the face. Sixty for a full work over” cries a Superman lookalike to his weasly customer. It shows the depths the superheroes have plunged to, turning to consensual debasement and prostitution to earn a living.
5. Super Babylon: this is the continuation of the preceding storyline where the walking dead superheroes continue to run rampage. But to spice things up the ‘Golden Age Heroes’ who’ve been embalmed on display in the museum also start coming to life – you’d think this would make Marshal Law’s life doubly hard, but thats only just the start because Suicida the Gangrene gang leader is also on Marshal Law’s back! One of the funniest moments in the comic is when we see the Golden Age Heroes on a McCarthy-esque hearing where all their dastardly deeds are laid bare, literally, including H2O man’s lewd encounter with a dolphin! Regardless of the fact it was probably the weakest (two-part) story nevertheless it was still entertaining.
6. Secret Tribunal: this was more enjoyable in my opinion. A riff on Ridley Scott’s Alien with superheroes thrown in the deep in for good measure! This time Marshal Law has to team up with a bunch of hardcore superheroes called ‘The Secret Tribunal’ to go on a bug hunt in space. Marshal Law does not take to the idea too kindly but he has no choice, but not before having a potshot at his new colleagues’ costumes!
The story is told from the view of a budding young superhero ‘Growing Boy’ who is aboard the Lifelab space station, hoping to be admitted into ‘The League of Heroes’ lead by Public Spirit Jr. He meets ‘Super Sensitive Girl’, a blue skinned hottie with the hots for him and our virgin protagonist starts to fall for her too. But first he has to take a ship from the Lifelab (which is shaped like a giant phallus in space by the way!) to The Cape of Good Hope; the ship which was piloted by the original Public Spirit – and spend a night in the desolate ship. Of course all does not go according to plan and soon an Alien is on the prowl for fresh meat….
This was a really fun read. It was more heavy on the action side of things with some raunchy moments thrown in for good measure. We also got to see a softer side of Marshal Law (well in his case, lets just call it lenient side!), especially where Growing Boy was concerned. But overall I really enjoyed it, and the last page was superb where we see Marshal Law riding off into the sunset or in his case, the hellhole of San Futoro. I felt it was a fitting end and since we’ve come to know the character on his thrilling journey thus far, you could say he wouldn’t want it any other way.
To end proceedings we have an afterword by Pat Mills where he explains his ‘hate’ for superheroes, and some other interesting and insightful thoughts before the book is rounded off with an excellent cover gallery.
By the time I finished reading Marshal Law I was quite saddened because i was enjoying it so much! I had been drawn into Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill’s hugely enjoyable, colourful, satirical and comedic world that I didn’t want to leave it. And that is all thanks to the strength of Mills’ writing complemented by O’Neill’s masterful artwork. I cannot praise it highly enough; it is without doubt the best comic not to mention the most beautifully presented comic collection I have had the pleasure of reading this year, and one I look forward to re-reading again soon.
March 27, 2022
I have been hyped up to read this book for a long while, and god DAMN it doesn't disappoint. Mills gets super nasty, his hate for mythic heroes shines as bright as headlights on every page of this. He doesn't hold back anything, giving us superheroes who are rich asshole celebrities who have no idea what it's like to be human anymore. O'Neill's art is also incredible nasty. He draws all these "heroes" with absolute contempt. Their bodies are weird and misshapen. The only person both Mills and O'Neill leave us rooting for is Marshal Law himself, and even then they give him his hang-ups. The best story from this has to be "Kingdom of the Blind". It's disgusting and repulsive, and that's exactly what I wanted from this book. A-fucking-plus.
January 9, 2015
This DELUXE edition contains the original 6 part series that rocked the 80's with its graphic portrayal of a bleak future and a hero hunter named Marshal Law. I loved it back then and I love it now. It is a series, I think, every comic lover should have in their collection. Kevin O'Neill's visuals are crammed to the gill with detail - but he is enough of a craftsman the story is clear no matter how busy the panels get. And Pat Mills' cynical look at how hypocritical these "heroes" are is still a message that resonates today. It is very graphic and very sexual in nature but that adds to the atmosphere of the story and is not gratuitous. So FIVE stars for that 6 parter.
What follows is a bunch of one or two parters that I had never read before. Personally, I don't think they compare to the complexity, originality and cleverness of the first story (which was a nicely built mystery with a great payoff) and Marshal Law himself devolves into a more cartoonish figure as the stories go on. But other than the zombie story The Hateful Dead/Super Babylon - which is just too outlandish and poorly written for me to even mildly like - they are all interesting. I wish the cleverness in the writing had been maintained and Marshal's character had grown but instead he becomes more two dimensional and the points being made by the writer are a bit too on the nose. Although, the last story, Secret Tribunal, had a hint of the writing a loved so much in the original story, so it ended on a strong note. In retrospect, maybe I should have just stuck with the original 6 parter but I was still entertained by the additional stories.
In the end - 5 stars for the first story and 3 stars for the rest of the stories.
What follows is a bunch of one or two parters that I had never read before. Personally, I don't think they compare to the complexity, originality and cleverness of the first story (which was a nicely built mystery with a great payoff) and Marshal Law himself devolves into a more cartoonish figure as the stories go on. But other than the zombie story The Hateful Dead/Super Babylon - which is just too outlandish and poorly written for me to even mildly like - they are all interesting. I wish the cleverness in the writing had been maintained and Marshal's character had grown but instead he becomes more two dimensional and the points being made by the writer are a bit too on the nose. Although, the last story, Secret Tribunal, had a hint of the writing a loved so much in the original story, so it ended on a strong note. In retrospect, maybe I should have just stuck with the original 6 parter but I was still entertained by the additional stories.
In the end - 5 stars for the first story and 3 stars for the rest of the stories.
May 29, 2019
Definitely five stars.
This is dark and funny and looks at heros in a completely different way. I remember this when it first came out and it was a delight to read then. The irreverence and the adult nature of the humour were and still are a delight.
The art for the comic as well suits it perfectly. Idiosyncratic, chaotic but bright and primary. It looks great and the details are always worth checking out for the touches added by the artist and the graffiti.
This is an excellent edition with all the MArshall Law Stories included and while the first is still the best the specials after where he took the mick of particular heroes are really funny as well. It takes their powers and puts them in a different light.
I enjoy hero comics. They are a guilty pleasure, this may take the mick and show the more ridiculous side of them but it does not diminish them, it is of its own time and shows a .writer with a clear and established vision of them. It's a great use of the medium.
This is dark and funny and looks at heros in a completely different way. I remember this when it first came out and it was a delight to read then. The irreverence and the adult nature of the humour were and still are a delight.
The art for the comic as well suits it perfectly. Idiosyncratic, chaotic but bright and primary. It looks great and the details are always worth checking out for the touches added by the artist and the graffiti.
This is an excellent edition with all the MArshall Law Stories included and while the first is still the best the specials after where he took the mick of particular heroes are really funny as well. It takes their powers and puts them in a different light.
I enjoy hero comics. They are a guilty pleasure, this may take the mick and show the more ridiculous side of them but it does not diminish them, it is of its own time and shows a .writer with a clear and established vision of them. It's a great use of the medium.
December 9, 2020
Originally published in the late eighties through early nineties, the Marshal Law series is a precursor to The Boys with a much darker dystopian backdrop. Titular character Marshal Law hunts superheroes, and he enjoys hating them. The entries in this series include parodies of popular mainstream superheroes including Superman, Batman, Fantastic Four, and so on, and displays a perhaps more realistic view of how wrong things could go if the real world became mired in actual superhero worship. The art is sharp, angular, and brutal, much like Marshal Law, much like the world he occupies. If you have ever read Watchmen, The Boys, or Brat Pack, and you have never read Marshal Law, you are in for a real treat.
This deluxe collection includes the original Marshal Law mini-series as well as Crime and Punishment, Marshal Takes Manhattan, Kingdom of the Blind, The Hateful Dead, Super Babylon, and Secret Tribunal.
This deluxe collection includes the original Marshal Law mini-series as well as Crime and Punishment, Marshal Takes Manhattan, Kingdom of the Blind, The Hateful Dead, Super Babylon, and Secret Tribunal.
December 4, 2013
"They Say I Don't Pray For My Enemy. I Do. I Pray They Go To Hell"
No prefácio Jonathan Ross cedo associa "Marshal Law" ao género Punk. Pego nessa ideia e sublinho-a. Os elementos estão todos lá, começando na agressividade e passando pelo niilismo e independência, "Marshal Law" surge como um grito de revolta, um que à primeira vista poderá parecer voltado apenas para a indústria de BD norte-americana, mas que na realidade vai bem mais fundo, como Pat Mills explica no posfácio. Mais que uma sátira ao universo dos super-heróis "Law" é também uma severa crítica aos falsos heróis do nosso mundo, aqueles que apregoam guiar-nos na escuridão, mas apenas para nos mergulhar mais fundo nela. Sim Marshal Law é definitivamente uma BD Punk e é espectacular!
Muito mais em: http://alternative-prison.blogspot.pt...
No prefácio Jonathan Ross cedo associa "Marshal Law" ao género Punk. Pego nessa ideia e sublinho-a. Os elementos estão todos lá, começando na agressividade e passando pelo niilismo e independência, "Marshal Law" surge como um grito de revolta, um que à primeira vista poderá parecer voltado apenas para a indústria de BD norte-americana, mas que na realidade vai bem mais fundo, como Pat Mills explica no posfácio. Mais que uma sátira ao universo dos super-heróis "Law" é também uma severa crítica aos falsos heróis do nosso mundo, aqueles que apregoam guiar-nos na escuridão, mas apenas para nos mergulhar mais fundo nela. Sim Marshal Law é definitivamente uma BD Punk e é espectacular!
Muito mais em: http://alternative-prison.blogspot.pt...
October 21, 2021
Not a light read, incredibly dense and excessive superhero-satire, in some ways even more so than Rick Veitch's Brat Pack and Maximortal. I appreciated it but it's really hard to recommend it to anyone who doesn't hate superheroes like Pat Mills does or appreciates genre deconstruction to such an extreme degree.
April 10, 2018
Dark. Violent. Relevant. Repetitive. Over-long
December 9, 2021
Precursor de la gran The Boys, de Ennis.
Grupo de superheroes en una distopía post-apocaliptica, muy ochentero todo, un dibujo que... a ver, sí, es feote y tiene más angulos que un libro de mates, pero tiene su encanto. Y luego con un humor pues... eso, ochentero, mucho de este, hoy en día no lo puedes enseñar ni de coña sin que te crucifiquen.
Pero vamos, que si te van los antiheroes y las historias locas pues es tu comic, que además, la edición está bastante guapa y no tiene mal precio.
Grupo de superheroes en una distopía post-apocaliptica, muy ochentero todo, un dibujo que... a ver, sí, es feote y tiene más angulos que un libro de mates, pero tiene su encanto. Y luego con un humor pues... eso, ochentero, mucho de este, hoy en día no lo puedes enseñar ni de coña sin que te crucifiquen.
Pero vamos, que si te van los antiheroes y las historias locas pues es tu comic, que además, la edición está bastante guapa y no tiene mal precio.
July 8, 2019
One of the most hostile comics to take aim at the super-hero genre, sort of a one trick pony, but not without its allure. If Watchmen is the high water mark for capes criticism, then Marshal Law falls somewhere between Brat Pack and The Boys for its hostility beyond any plain deconstruction of the super-hero form. Writer Pat Mills doesn't want the Marshal to break down or analyze the hero, or to place them in some new canon of the gods, no he just wants to see them all dead. There's also a storyline where the Marshal takes on analogs to the prominent characters from the Marvel Universe and the JSA and there was this stunning revelation I had reading it about the militarism tied into the origin of virtually every Silver Age Marvel character, and the nationalism hardwired into the "Golden Age" super-heroes of WW2.
The biggest downside to the collection is the exclusion of the two series of Marshal Law x-overs (w/Pinhead of Hellraiser, and The Mask), and that this fairly comprehensive collection recently went out of print from DC Comics.
The biggest downside to the collection is the exclusion of the two series of Marshal Law x-overs (w/Pinhead of Hellraiser, and The Mask), and that this fairly comprehensive collection recently went out of print from DC Comics.
April 25, 2013
I remember reading part of this collection when it was released in it's various forms over the years as one shots and in Toxic!
I wish they could have included the Hellraiser cross-over, of which i only ever had the first issue. I never saw how that turned out.
I love Kev O'Neill's art, ever since the days of Nemesis the Warlock. There is always so much going on, lots of little details and jokes he includes. The stories are a lot of fun but it's mostly the art i want this for.
I had pre-ordered on Indigo ad got about 35% off, but even at full price this is very much worth the read. Great stuff!
I wish they could have included the Hellraiser cross-over, of which i only ever had the first issue. I never saw how that turned out.
I love Kev O'Neill's art, ever since the days of Nemesis the Warlock. There is always so much going on, lots of little details and jokes he includes. The stories are a lot of fun but it's mostly the art i want this for.
I had pre-ordered on Indigo ad got about 35% off, but even at full price this is very much worth the read. Great stuff!
August 6, 2018
Anti-superhero hero.
Not a comic for kids, those easily offended or live in a fantasy world.
Artwork is exaggerated but full of detail. The story, well, better to read it than have me explain in a very poor way that will in no way do it justice.
I was expecting to get the first graphic novel of the series when I bought this. A bit pricey, but still cheaper than trying to find a copy off the internet for sale. But, I got a HUGE surprise. ALL the graphic novels were in this! So for a bit less than the physical copy of one, I got them all. This is a great value.
Highly recommend this to every lover of Marshall Law.
Not a comic for kids, those easily offended or live in a fantasy world.
Artwork is exaggerated but full of detail. The story, well, better to read it than have me explain in a very poor way that will in no way do it justice.
I was expecting to get the first graphic novel of the series when I bought this. A bit pricey, but still cheaper than trying to find a copy off the internet for sale. But, I got a HUGE surprise. ALL the graphic novels were in this! So for a bit less than the physical copy of one, I got them all. This is a great value.
Highly recommend this to every lover of Marshall Law.
April 29, 2013
What can I say. Its Marshall Law! The most anti-superhero hero ever made. As typical for something that was hatched out of the 80's, it interesting to look back at the cold war politics of the day as compared to our current struggles. However, the ideas and anti-establishment thoughts transcend the time they were made and still make a lot of impact today.
And it's really really violent, which is always fun.
And it's really really violent, which is always fun.
April 4, 2020
Still enjoy re-reading this - the are is packed full of little gems in the images, and the stories and pulling apart of superheroes is a hoot. My only criticism is that the zombie story line seems a little disjointed - its not clear how much time has passed, so it seems like things jump a bit. But still worth reading.
May 10, 2020
Looking For More but Found nothing yet...
Too bad, Epic Comics went out. But still, Marshal Law will always remain with me. Still hates heroes, and heroines, one can expect a lot of chaos from him. Not only satirical, but funny as hell in some scenes. If any reader has outgrown superheroes, Marshal Law is definitely for you, but turned off by violence. Oh well..
Too bad, Epic Comics went out. But still, Marshal Law will always remain with me. Still hates heroes, and heroines, one can expect a lot of chaos from him. Not only satirical, but funny as hell in some scenes. If any reader has outgrown superheroes, Marshal Law is definitely for you, but turned off by violence. Oh well..
July 4, 2013
"I'm a hero hunter. I hunt heroes. I still haven't found any. "
Awesome stuff from the late 80s. Brought back lots of happy comic book memories and Kevin O'Neill is still one of my all time favourite artists.
Awesome stuff from the late 80s. Brought back lots of happy comic book memories and Kevin O'Neill is still one of my all time favourite artists.
November 17, 2017
Just as relevant now as it was in the 1980s, with our heroes being shown to have feet of clay and skeletons in cupboards. As Jonathan Ross warns at the start, this is darkly outrageous. The drawing is shocking yet so detailed and worth taking time over every frame.
June 15, 2020
Punk & violent. A very good moment with a Kevin O'Neill who's in a very good form. I like.
August 5, 2020
Fuck yeah, this book is so corrosively unflinchingly angry in all directions, even the marshal himself doesn't escape criticism, which makes its other hatreds that much more honourable
January 10, 2022
Well 4.5 for how the stuff goes to the wayside after Fear and Loathing.
Which brings me to how authentic the feelings were in that series. Plus from a Pat Mills interview, I got better insight. There's a strong presence of how many superheroes are driven by nostalgia and how it can lead to burnouts. There's a lot of self-loathing from a lot of the characters, Marshal in particular was a superhero fan who was exposed to the appeals and the chance to live up to the aspirations superheroes have. But upon getting a reality check of post-war trauma, that sense of failure is apparent in his costume. That said there's still memories of good times and appreciation for the good that happens. Hence his job as a hero Hunter and the phrase "I'm supposed to hunt heroes... Haven't found any." Because Marshal hunts down supervillains posing as Heroes. Real heroes wouldn't be on his radar. But that also means Marshal views himself as a target. It certainly doesn't help that people think he just makes heroes look good.
Other characters also have that stance like Marshal's assistant who as it turns out was made his current self by his mother identity shaming him against superheroes. But that turns out that's because her own identity and past life didn't turn out right, with a strong emphasis on nostopathy.
As for the central antagonist, the Public Spirit, he's going through his own self loathing. He did a lot of morally wrong things because he was raised to be an aspirational figure but had to pressured to look the part rather than be that figure.
The other parody characters in subsequent stories are more or less just twisted parodies of recognizable superheroes. Most of them don't even have a stake in Story in relation to Marshal.
But then there comes to what it means on a bigger front. There's a genuine sense of British comic's defiance to the status quo. Some events get so surreal it's like intermingling with American and British comics. There's a feeling that the art is trying to reach a bigger and younger audience rather than stick to one core audience. It doesn't even feel like it's exclusive to superhero fans or antifans. It doesn't even pretend to be only for certain age groups just anyone mature enough to take something from it all.
Which brings me to how authentic the feelings were in that series. Plus from a Pat Mills interview, I got better insight. There's a strong presence of how many superheroes are driven by nostalgia and how it can lead to burnouts. There's a lot of self-loathing from a lot of the characters, Marshal in particular was a superhero fan who was exposed to the appeals and the chance to live up to the aspirations superheroes have. But upon getting a reality check of post-war trauma, that sense of failure is apparent in his costume. That said there's still memories of good times and appreciation for the good that happens. Hence his job as a hero Hunter and the phrase "I'm supposed to hunt heroes... Haven't found any." Because Marshal hunts down supervillains posing as Heroes. Real heroes wouldn't be on his radar. But that also means Marshal views himself as a target. It certainly doesn't help that people think he just makes heroes look good.
Other characters also have that stance like Marshal's assistant who as it turns out was made his current self by his mother identity shaming him against superheroes. But that turns out that's because her own identity and past life didn't turn out right, with a strong emphasis on nostopathy.
As for the central antagonist, the Public Spirit, he's going through his own self loathing. He did a lot of morally wrong things because he was raised to be an aspirational figure but had to pressured to look the part rather than be that figure.
The other parody characters in subsequent stories are more or less just twisted parodies of recognizable superheroes. Most of them don't even have a stake in Story in relation to Marshal.
But then there comes to what it means on a bigger front. There's a genuine sense of British comic's defiance to the status quo. Some events get so surreal it's like intermingling with American and British comics. There's a feeling that the art is trying to reach a bigger and younger audience rather than stick to one core audience. It doesn't even feel like it's exclusive to superhero fans or antifans. It doesn't even pretend to be only for certain age groups just anyone mature enough to take something from it all.
Read
July 2, 2025I put off reviewing this book for a long time because I was of two minds about it. Four months later, I still am, but I've also unfortunately (fortunately?) forgotten a lot about it. This collection left a bad taste in my mouth but I was also intrigued by a lot of it's storytelling.
Marshal Law is exploitation fiction with a superhero-bent, a precursor to the kind of shock factor-y, beyond-the-pale caped crusaders such as The Boys (indeed, Homelander and Billy Butcher seem to directly inspired by Public Spirit and Marhal Law). While I often found it's complex mythology, clever parodies, and post-apocalyptic world building tight and compelling, it also consistently went too far in it's misogyny and gross-out antics. The art is equally detailed and masterfully creative yet distasteful.
In the end, I am once again choosing to hold men accountable for the violent and grotesque fantasies they conjure and share amongst themselves. It's not enough to say "look, it's a villain" or "this just illustrates how terrible the world is" when you graphically, joyfully, and exclusively show women as objectified stereotypes. Repeated on-screen rape-murders, tawdry sex references, prostitution gags, giant tits, sexualized superpowers, ridiculous bondage costumes. Mills pretends to be offering commentary on these comic book tropes by forcing them to their dirty extremes, but he's ultimately just wallowing in the mud.
P.S. This collection is also unceasingly dark and violent, which is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but does put a significant damper on the reading experience at 480 pages. TW for rape, murder, mutilation (voluntary and otherwise) and body horror, parricide, uxoricide, organ trafficking, prostitution, slut shaming, torture, cannibalism, Nazis, gratuitous sex scenes and illustrated nudity, reanimated corpses, war crimes, in-world racism and misogyny, suicide, mention of bestiality, demonized mental illness, skin-flaying, death by meatgrinder, etc.
Marshal Law is exploitation fiction with a superhero-bent, a precursor to the kind of shock factor-y, beyond-the-pale caped crusaders such as The Boys (indeed, Homelander and Billy Butcher seem to directly inspired by Public Spirit and Marhal Law). While I often found it's complex mythology, clever parodies, and post-apocalyptic world building tight and compelling, it also consistently went too far in it's misogyny and gross-out antics. The art is equally detailed and masterfully creative yet distasteful.
In the end, I am once again choosing to hold men accountable for the violent and grotesque fantasies they conjure and share amongst themselves. It's not enough to say "look, it's a villain" or "this just illustrates how terrible the world is" when you graphically, joyfully, and exclusively show women as objectified stereotypes. Repeated on-screen rape-murders, tawdry sex references, prostitution gags, giant tits, sexualized superpowers, ridiculous bondage costumes. Mills pretends to be offering commentary on these comic book tropes by forcing them to their dirty extremes, but he's ultimately just wallowing in the mud.
P.S. This collection is also unceasingly dark and violent, which is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but does put a significant damper on the reading experience at 480 pages. TW for rape, murder, mutilation (voluntary and otherwise) and body horror, parricide, uxoricide, organ trafficking, prostitution, slut shaming, torture, cannibalism, Nazis, gratuitous sex scenes and illustrated nudity, reanimated corpses, war crimes, in-world racism and misogyny, suicide, mention of bestiality, demonized mental illness, skin-flaying, death by meatgrinder, etc.
July 1, 2025
My rating : 4.5 of 5 stars
I originally read a lot of the stories in this deluxe edition when they first hit the shelves back in the late 80s and early 90s, and then rediscovered them in the early 2000s, and in both cases I loved the insanely irreverent way Mills and O'Neill turn the superhero genre on its head. Reading these strips now is pure nostalgia for me. I grew up on things like this, and that's probably why I read (and write) a lot of the things I do now.
Contemporary with Alan Moore's The Watchment, Ben Edlund's The Tick, and Grant Morrison's Zenith, these are possibly some of the earliest examples of the superhero counterculture that now includes IPs such as The Boys. It's also one of the many books to come out of the British explosion of the 70s and 80s, alongside Mills' other works like Slaine, Nemesis the Warlock, and ABC Warriors.
I'm not going to say you have to read this one, but if you enjoy your comic books with their tongue firmly in someone else's cheek and like a bit of ultraviolence with your morning cereal, you could do much worse than saying hello to the Marshal.
I originally read a lot of the stories in this deluxe edition when they first hit the shelves back in the late 80s and early 90s, and then rediscovered them in the early 2000s, and in both cases I loved the insanely irreverent way Mills and O'Neill turn the superhero genre on its head. Reading these strips now is pure nostalgia for me. I grew up on things like this, and that's probably why I read (and write) a lot of the things I do now.
Contemporary with Alan Moore's The Watchment, Ben Edlund's The Tick, and Grant Morrison's Zenith, these are possibly some of the earliest examples of the superhero counterculture that now includes IPs such as The Boys. It's also one of the many books to come out of the British explosion of the 70s and 80s, alongside Mills' other works like Slaine, Nemesis the Warlock, and ABC Warriors.
I'm not going to say you have to read this one, but if you enjoy your comic books with their tongue firmly in someone else's cheek and like a bit of ultraviolence with your morning cereal, you could do much worse than saying hello to the Marshal.
March 10, 2021
I remember buying the early Marshall Law comic books in the late 80s and enjoying the vicious humour of the script and art. I still have those comics in a box up in the attic.
These days I read most of my comics on my iPad and when I saw this deluxe version I immediately clicked the ‘Buy’ button.
It was great to re-read the stories I first read over 30 years ago. And as a bonus, this collection included additional stories I hadn’t seen before. TBH I found the later stuff less fun and they are the reason why this review dropped from 4* to 3*.
My favourite story is Marshal Law Takes Manhattan. The deviant deviations of various Marvel superheroes are cruelly hilarious.
These days I read most of my comics on my iPad and when I saw this deluxe version I immediately clicked the ‘Buy’ button.
It was great to re-read the stories I first read over 30 years ago. And as a bonus, this collection included additional stories I hadn’t seen before. TBH I found the later stuff less fun and they are the reason why this review dropped from 4* to 3*.
My favourite story is Marshal Law Takes Manhattan. The deviant deviations of various Marvel superheroes are cruelly hilarious.
July 9, 2018
Blah.
Most of this seems venomous without direction. At the end, the author kind of explains what he's getting at. And it doesn't really work. It's too hard to make fun of the funnybook AND to parody things that are not the funnybook at the same time.
Also, there's this sense that the main character is right because he's the angriest and the strongest. There's a Punisher parody here, but it shows a little blindness to the author's own creation.
Most of this seems venomous without direction. At the end, the author kind of explains what he's getting at. And it doesn't really work. It's too hard to make fun of the funnybook AND to parody things that are not the funnybook at the same time.
Also, there's this sense that the main character is right because he's the angriest and the strongest. There's a Punisher parody here, but it shows a little blindness to the author's own creation.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews