Marshal Law #6 - Epic Comics

MARSHAL LAW No. 6, April 1989

Packed with just the sort of pulse-pounding pugilism this mini-series’ audience probably expected from a comic containing the final confrontation between Marshal Law and Public Spirit, “Nemesis” certainly proved Pat Mills’ was entirely right when he decided to make Joe Gilmore’s alter-ego a government-sanctioned “superhero hunter” rather than “much like Road Warrior/Mad Max” following Kevin O’Neill’s initial concept art and naming of the book’s titular character. In fact, "the godfather of British comics" arguably goes one step further by leaving the law enforcement officer’s story very much open for future escapades by having Doctor Shocc outrageously resuscitate the body of Danny Mallon, despite the formidably-powered serial killer almost being “clinically dead” for twelve hours…

This disconcerting sub-plot, which quite cleverly provides the author with an opportunity to intermix Buck Caine’s final battle with something more than just flashbacks to Lynn Evans’ newspaper article on the secret symbolism of the Public Spirit, demonstrates just how fixated Virago’s son has become with the “cave-cop”, and rather excitingly hints as to the future dangers Law might face when the mass murderer is fully-recovered from his near lethal injuries. Seemingly just as dauntingly deadly as his homicidal father, as well as fully conversant with both Marshal’s methods and resources, the Sleepman’s revenge upon the man who “stood over the spot where he sank” for six hours “to make sure he didn’t come up again” could be truly horrific.

Undeniably this twenty-eight page periodical’s highpoint though is Gilmore’s fight against the deranged colonel in an old airport. Public Spirit’s sheer strength and astounding skills are on full show in this sense-shattering sequence, with Caine not only savagely dispatching a uniformed policeman for having the effrontery to shoot a pistol at him, but later smashing his way through a derelict aeroplane in order to get his hands on the “leather-clad tinker-bell” who has supposedly brought ruination upon his life; “I’ve lost… I’ve lost everything. They expected too much of me.”

O’Neill’s contribution to this comic’s success cannot be overstated either, with the three-time Harvey Award-winner pencilling Buck as just the sort of wildly-exaggerated, grotesque-looking monster a bibliophile might expect from an anabolic steroid-abusing superman. Wide-eyed and snarling like a banshee, the contrast between the colonel’s controlled public image and one depicted when he angrily loses all sense of self-control makes for a mesmerising read, especially when the supposed “brightest, most colourful of all the super heroes” doesn’t hold back with his deadly laser-beams.

Writer/Creator: Pat Mills, Artist/Creator: Kevin O'Neill, and Letterer: Phil Felix

Marshal Law #5 - Epic Comics

MARSHAL LAW No. 5, December 1988

Predominantly providing its audience with a comprehensive pen-picture as to both the life of Danny Mallon and the early development of Doctor Medel’s “super children” programme, Pat Mills’ script for Issue Five of “Marshal Law” must have provided its audience in December 1988 with plenty of reasons as to why the son of Virago became such a twisted serial killer. Indeed, the British author writes such a disturbing tale packed full of physical abuse, emotional blackmail and sexual innuendo that it is quite amazing the Sleepman and his clearly deranged mother didn’t attempt to brutally kill Public Spirit the moment the boy’s formidable super-abilities first manifested themselves; “For the first time, I felt an exciting power whoosh through me. I think I’m old enough to understand now, Mom.”

Enjoyably however, this twenty-eight page periodical doesn’t just rest upon its laurels waxing lyrical about its supporting cast’s depraved past, and before too long returns its focus back upon the present day by depicting the long-awaited confrontation between Buck Caine and the woman he tried to drown over two decades earlier. This heated altercation really helps show just how cold-bloodedly corrupt the Colonel has become, with the white-haired ‘symbol of justice’ immediately resorting to bribery in order to buy his way out of his current predicament, and then hard-hearted murder when that “million dollars” option is readily rejected by Missus Mallon.

By far this comic’s most exciting conflict though has to be the titular character’s battle with the Sleepman, after the homicidal mass murderer has already traded a few blows with his famous father on a deserted beach. Arguably this entire mini-series has been building up to just such a moment, so Mills’ all-too brief conclusion of having Joe Gilmore’s alter-ego simply riddle his opponent with bullets from a distance, probably caught the vast majority of this comic’s bibliophiles completely off-guard.

Adding plenty of ‘bop’ to these super-hero brutalisations is Kevin O’Neill, who somehow manages to imbue even a debatably low-key scrap at Caine’s wedding involving Marshal Law, Assassin Bug, Koma, Maskara, The Spook and The Survivalist, with plenty of eye-wincing punches. The three-time Harvey Award-winner does a particularly stellar job of portraying Virago’s downward descent into madness via her eyes, and provides the woman with a truly savage demise at the hands (or rather fists) of her former lover.

Writer/Creator: Pat Mills, Artist/Creator: Kevin O'Neill, and Letterer: Phil Felix

Marshal Law #4 - Epic Comics

MARSHAL LAW No. 4, August 1988

Surprisingly divulging the true Machiavellian manipulator behind the Sleepman’s serial killings in a sensational last panel revelation, Pat Mills’ narrative for “Conduct Unbecoming” initially starts with a somewhat sedentary, albeit entirely enthralling, insight into just what makes the Public Spirit actually tick, before subjecting his audience to some wonderfully violent carnage as the California B*stards attempt to take over the Gangrene Gang’s territory through sheer force of arms. Gratuitous in its depiction of heroes having their arms pulled off, as well as limbs mutilated by blades, this lengthy, sense-shattering scene brings the true brutality of life in San Futuro to the forefront of the reader’s mind, and seemingly provides a very valid explanation as to just why Missus Mallon doesn’t like heroes when the ensuing fight badly damages her store; “I’d like to take a carving knife to them all!”

However, this marvellously mesmerising action-sequence ultimately proves to be a well thought out red herring on the part of "the godfather of British comics", and simply misleads the audience as to the true motivation behind the near-future metropolis’ mass murders as efficiently as the titular character is subsequently fooled by a wheelchair-bound Danny into believing that Buck Caine’s addiction to anabolic steroids is all the justification he needs to arrest the Colonel at his wedding. Indeed, it is only by the time “the government-sanctioned super hero hunter" witnesses Hydroman, Aquanaut and H2O Lad’s depilatory party that is finally dawns on both him and this twenty-eight page periodical’s patrons, that Public Spirit might not actually be the cold-hearted killer.

Cramming Issue Four of “Marshal Law” with plenty of unforgettable imagery is artist Kevin O’Neill, whose incredible illustrations really go a long way to selling Mills’ ruse that Joe Gilmore’s investigation into the apparent death of Caine’s first fiancée, Virago, is being systematically thwarted by a government-led conspiracy to ensure that Spirit remains the general public’s golden child of the hour. The aforementioned epic struggle by the Gangrene Gang to retain their turf against an invading horde of cybernetically enhanced villains is arguably this book’s highlight, although the Bram Stoker Award-winner’s mesmerising array of colourfully-caped wedding guests is superbly pencilled, especially the extraordinary cluster of male heroes tightly packed within the confines of the Men’s Bathroom.

Writer/Creator: Pat Mills, Artist/Creator: Kevin O'Neill, and Letterer: Phil Felix

Marshal Law #3 - Epic Comics

MARSHAL LAW No. 3, April 1988

Focusing upon the first tussle between this mini-series’ titular character and The Sleepman, Pat Mills’ storyline for Issue Three of “Marshal Law” goes some way to show just how formidably powerful these two budding arch-enemies are in the dystopian future city. For whilst Joe Gilmore’s alter-ego never truly looks to be in trouble whilst battling the villainous “Scapegoat, Slugfest and company”, the cave cop arguably appears somewhat out-matched once his brutal brush with the facially-disfigured serial-killer gets all close and personal.

Indeed, despite “the government-sanctioned super-hero hunter” definitely taking his caped opponent down a peg of two, courtesy of a brick wall, a dustbin lid, and few socks to the face, it is disconcertingly the homicidal mass-murderer who eventually comes out on top after his deadly-looking mechanical claws constrict about Law’s throat and temporarily asphyxiate the law enforcement officer; “Meantime, Marshal… I’m going to let you live… So you can carry on your work… Ridding the world of filth like me.”

Just as enjoyable as Gilmore’s desperate attempt to apprehend the monster responsible for the brutal butchering of his lover Lynn Evans, is Mill’s quite wonderful team-up between the grieving former super-soldier and Public Spirit against Gangrene and his loathsome horde of green-hued desperados. Almost flinching at the mere touch of the population’s favourite hero upon his back as the pair stand shoulder-to-shoulder for a post-punch up publicity opportunity, even the most nonchalant of perusing bibliophiles can clearly tell just how irritated “the ultimate lawman” is with having to battle alongside the man he suspects of being San Futuro’s greatest threat.

Packing all these fights with plenty of bone-crushing impacts and brain-sizzling special effects is co-creator Kevin O’Neill, who genuinely seems to enjoy penciling panel after panel of insanely gratuitous violence as this comic’s combatants slug it out with one another toe-to-toe. Law’s epic clash with The Sleepman is irrefutably this book’s biggest draw, especially once the hooded slaughterer produces some sort of phosphorous hand-weapon with which to frazzle Marshal alive with. But even this publication’s more sedentary moments, such as when Gilmore goes shopping, contain plenty of ‘Easter Eggs’ and ‘in-jokes’ with which to delight those willing to scrutinize the illustrations whilst relishing a second or third reading.

Writer/Creator: Pat Mills, Artist/Creator: Kevin O'Neill, and Letterer: Phil Felix

Marshal Law #2 - Epic Comics

MARSHAL LAW No. 2, February 1988

Providing plenty more reasons as to just why Joe Gilmore’s alter-ego should want to apprehend the mysterious serial-killer, The Sleepman, plus an extremely tense confrontation between the titular character and Public Spirit, Pat Mill’s narrative for Issue Two of “Marshal Law” was surely well worth the four-month long wait when it was finally released in February 1988. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a twenty-eight page periodical cramming in more history, exposition, violence and action, as "the godfather of British comics" does with “Evilution”.

To begin with, the comic contains a tantalisingly brief explanation of the secret policeman’s earlier days as a Screaming Eagle in The Zone, and subsequent time as the super-heroic Vet once “we got home”. Coupled with a rather intimidate interlude predominantly focused upon his physical relationship with his ‘live-in neighbour’ Lynn Evans, these insights rather succinctly show just what makes the “cave-cop” tick, as well as providing a powerfully-projected snapshot as to how the everyday citizen of San Futuro potentially views it’s so-called costumed protectors.

Of course, spending some time fleshing out a book’s leading cast is arguably all well and good, if it is intermixed with plenty of pulse-pounding action, and Mill’s penmanship certainly doesn’t disappoint in that department either. The toxic chemistry between Law and Spirit is truly palpable, so it’s great to see Marshal getting the opportunity to physically unleash some of his pent-up frustration upon Father Hood and his masked cronies afterwards; “Was there a cover-up? Was it all hushed-up? Did it Frag your head? Does that explain the nightmares you had out there in the cold of space and what you did when you got back? No one is above the Law!”

Perhaps this publication’s biggest moment however, besides another notable victim falling foul of The Sleepman’s mechanical claws at the end of a deeply dark, distressing chase, is this comic’s marvellous “mass break-out from Psycho-Silo Seven” by Hitler Hernandez, leader of the Pistoleros. Superbly sketched by Kevin O’Neill, Pat demonstrates an ability to create a veritable army of fresh-looking super-villains which rivals that of Jack “King” Kirby’s fertile imagination, and brings this comic to an end with a jaw-droppingly good cliff-hanger as a distraught Gilmore begins brutally battling the likes of Scapegoat, Slug Fest, Rimfire, Grimgram, Blue Murder, “and other unspeakable creatures who should not have been brought into existence.”

Writer/Creator: Pat Mills, Artist/Creator: Kevin O'Neill, and Letterer: Phil Felix

Marshal Law #1 - Epic Comics

MARSHAL LAW No. 1, October 1987

Introducing the comic book world to a “spoof of the 2000 A.D. strip Judge Dredd”, Pat Mill’s script to Issue One of “Marshal Law” must have proved something of a disconcertingly dark experience to its readers in October 1987, what with the comic’s all-pervading predilection for gratuitous violence and sexual references. However, whilst this twenty-eight page periodical undeniably contains its fair share of bodily mutilation, eye-winching physical injuries and assorted discharging firearms, much of this publication’s perceived ‘vulgarities’ are actually more implied than actually depicted ‘on the big screen’.

Indeed, a good deal of the unhealthy background to this book’s “near-future metropolis built from the ruins of San Francisco” is to be found in the British writer’s tantalising text-boxes, which provide just enough information about “midnight assaults ending in murder” being common place in San Futuro to help make any perusing bibliophile think they see a killer in each and every shadow. This palpable sense of threat adds an enormous amount of atmosphere to the point where you can actually hear the trembling fear in the Sleepman’s latest victim’s voice as she desperately tries to flee through the deserted streets surrounding her; “If I could run faster. If I wasn’t in when the phone rang… If I hadn’t agreed to the job. If I wasn’t wearing this stupid costume…”

Similarly as terrifying is Mill’s depiction of life in the conurbation if you’re a super-hero, with the truly discombobulating Gangreen, complete with a necklace of severed ears, patrolling his fiefdom like some deranged futuristic maniac from a John Carpenter science fiction film. Resplendent in his all-green costume, and accompanied by a motley crew of well-armed “ex-SHOCC Troopers from the Zone”, the former-super-soldier seems destined to hang poor Sorry -- The Nearly Man for a crime he didn’t commit, until the titular character arrives just in the nick of time to rescue the partially-throttled innocent.

Adding enormously to this comic’s story-telling are Kevin O’Neill’s instantly recognisable layouts, which seem to contain a near endless supply of nods and winks to “the superheroes of the Golden Age and Silver Age” in his panels. Featuring a truly staggering front cover illustration of Marshal Law himself, there’s plenty of dynamic drawing to enjoy within this book, especially once the post combat syndrome-suffering Gangrene erroneously decides to make an attempt to infiltrate the cave-cop’s secret police precinct inside the Bart Bay Area Rapid Transport Station “under what used to be Hallidie Plaza.”

Writer/Creator: Pat Mills, Artist/Creator: Kevin O'Neill, and Letterer: Phil Felix