This art is worth getting for the art alone

I actually got to meet Kevin O'Neill at The Big Apple Con in NYC some years ago back in 2008 when he and Alan Moore had started on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: 1910, I was actually expecting someone who would have a punkish Simon Bizley look to him dressed in leather with piercings maybe, and I was surprised to see an older charming looking conservatively dressed proper looking English gentleman who looked like he might could have been a school teacher. He was also nice enough to sign both of my TLOEG Volume 1 & 2 editions, And he was even kind enough to draw a sketch for me of Mina Murray for free in my TLOEG Volume 2 edition, (I offered to pay him for it but he declined.)

I've always been of the opinion that Fear & Loathing deserves to be ranked as highly as Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns when it comes to the best superhero comics ever made. It's a masterpiece.

One of my favourite comics. I've tried to introduce it to friends of mine who also read comics and I seem to be the only one who really enjoys the series.

Absolutely love this comic creation, I think the way Fear and Loathing is written is criminally underrated. Kevin O’Neill for me is pound for pound the best comic book artist to ever do it.

I wonder if Gath Ennis and Pat Mills ever worked on a book together

The look and content reminds me so much of the Underground rpg from back in the 90s. It's a dystopian, kind of cyberpunk setting, but the characters are generally veterans of some horrible war, augmented to be supersoldiers, and trained via superhero-themed simulations. The combined effect of training and trauma leaves them basically feeling like they're supposed to be four-color heroes in a world too messed up and complicated for them. They are described as feeling like if they beat up the president they'd find the real president tied up in a closet and save the country. The game had a system built in for actually enacting social change in more realistic and nuanced ways, but it was temptingly simple to just lash out violently and uselessly.

That first issue of Marshall Law is a beautiful object in terms of paper and printing quality.

Thanks for revisiting this. I’d love to see you do an historical overview of Epic, like the one you’ve done for Vertigo.

Metalzoic is another classic by Mills and O Neill.

Of the stories done, the first 'Marshall Law' was the best. But then I can only compare it to the stories I've read. Which from the looks of things I've missed a bunch. Thank you for another comprehensive review of a character most people either missed or had never heard of during their years as Marvel Zombies. You must have a remarkable comics collection.

I remember reading this back in the day and really liking it. I seem to remember the follow up books to Fear And Loathing a bit better. I like Superheroes and liked the Batman Satire Kingdom Of The Blind. But I never bothered to read a the cross over books

I remember hearing about this back in the day. I need to check it out now

We need a new Marshal law series.

I have it put away over here. I remember Alan Moore and Frank Miller praising it, back then. My favorite was Kingdom Of The Blind, the one shot story where they go after Batman. Also the one issue Marshal Law takes Manhattan , where they lampoon the Marvel heroes.

Strange Brain Parts: Gives a positive review of Marshal Law Linkara: *wElL aChTuAlLy*

Ahhh Marshal Law! The Boys before there was such thing as the Boys. If I'm not mistaken, it started off as a idea for a Judge Dredd story arch about Judge Dredd taking down superheroes but evolved into it's own thing. I used to wanna see an adaptation but then I realized the book would loose some of it's punk-rock edge so I'm glad that never happened. My favorite part of the book though is in all it's hyper violence and mayhem, it does have these weirdly sincere and sympathtic moments. Like when Law quotes a sad, broken, and pitiful Public Spirit, or when he chooses not to be a jerk to Growing Boy appreciating the young heroe's sincerity and ernestness. One thing I think you missed in your review was Law's development in the crossovers. Savage Dragon helps him get over some of his insecurities about being a superheroes, in the Mask crossover, he choose to walk away from being a uber violent enforcer and instead helps Super Vets recover at a hospital (despite his deep seeded hatred of Superheroes never fully going away).

been digging up old copies of the series in back bins recently, really enjoy them. Hope you and your family are doing well in this craziness going on.

As always, with every episode I learn so much. Thanks again!

I find it crazy that people rarely talk about this comic

RIP Kevin O’Neill

Great Video! This series is one I've wanted to get for a while now!

Another great episode. Thanks.

One of the BEST youtube channels right now. Thanks for your videos, I love your content!

I love the subjects that you choose and your analysis

I just picked up the 6 issue run! Waiting for it to arrive. Great video!

Another beautiful and interesting video.

One of my all time fave comics

A bit short but good summarization of Pat Mllls and Kevin O'Neills very underrated work! I really love Marshal Law and would recommend these great comics (if you find them) to anybody who is looking for a bit more thoughtful and reflexive (but still silly) version of Sam Keiths Lobo or Trencher books. Thank you for the video! At last a bit of spotlight for the Marshal!!!

Marshal Law first series was a work of genius

I'll have to head down too a comic book shop someday find this series .

I absolutely love all of Marshall Law, but it is definitely true that Fear and Loathing is the better one of them all, it's absolutely brilliant and every page of it produced an emotional response only Films had achieved on me. (Me being primarily a Movie consumer as entertainment and art)

Very enjoyable.

Sounds like a great comic

Marshal Law was first published in a weekly British comic called Toxic! way back in 1991. It lasted 31 issues. I owned every issue. The comic got cancelled due to numerous problems. The publisher going bankrupt soon after didn't help. It was a shame as it was a great comic featuring work by 2000AD veterans Pat Mills, Kevin O'Neill, Mike McMahon, John Wagner and Alan Grant. It was supposed to be a rival to 2000AD but you can't compete against an established institution like that.

Just finished the original miniseries a Couple weeks back and it was incredible you should cover more Pat Mills content like Nemesis the Warlock.

Judging by your description, this sounds a lot like One Punch Man only for superhero comics rather than shonen manga/anime. I definitely want to pick it now and give it a read. Excellent overview as always, keep it up!

I gotta say, while i love DC Comics, im grateful for 2000 AD Alumnists that motivate to read comics outside of the big two

Have you done a video on The Crow by J. O’Barr? I would also be immensely interested in your commentary on Michael Zulli’s strange but captivating run on TMNT, “Souls Winter.”

It's like The Boys.

Love the crap outta this title! Thanks! Enjoy.

Good story. I like how he knows almost everyone's susceptibilities. And how he goes about exploiting them. Like the green lantern having a weakness for wood. Lol.

I had Kingdom of the Blind. It was epic.

I have all of these, and it was my first exposure to "anti-heroes", so to speak. So twisted...it's great.

I always thought marshal was a joke parody so over the top its gone over the edge

I strongly believe that the series THE BOYS is heavily inspired by Marshall Law's premise.

Interesting 🤔

Had to rewatch this now that we've lost Mr. O'Neill.

Not to add more to the lift of things people ask you to cover, but have you ever read or watched The Maxx? I remember picking up the trade of it at a local comic shop with only a vague knowledge of the character, but I loved it.

Thank you for this. Any other comics that are simillar to this?

I always find it funny how Superhero deconstructions are seemingly born out of writers and artists getting fucked over by the industry, like Kevin O'Neill here and Rick Veitch with Brat Pack because of his unreleased Swamp Thing comic.

You missed out that there is a Marshal Law novel called 'Origins' by Titan Books.

I really enjoyed the Fear and Loathing series, but I was missing one or two issues and so never did read the complete story, so I don't know what the 'poignant ending' is that you mention.

Is this book roughly 200 pages? looking to buy it and just want to be sure i'm getting the right one

Couldn't agree more. The first storyline was brilliant, but the others got progressively worse. I actually hate 90s antiheroes, so I really loved the parody if Marshal Law. I see similarities between Marshall Law and The Boys, with Billy Butler playing the role of the cynical and self loathing antihero, albeit not as dark as Marshal Law's humour and excesses.

Pat Mills is quite good. I've never heard of this series but am familiar with Mills from Sha and Requiem.

The "Deconstructionist" period of comics - of which Batman TDKR and Marshall Law were the definitive, was a necessary reaction to a long "Silver Age" of pure monopoly by a few companies and a crippling "Comics Code". In a way it was like the "New Wave" for science fiction literature. Unfortunately it's like the comic publishers thought it was just the new norm vs an experimental phase - like the publishing industry.

I wish there was more stuff with Marvel’s Florida girl Jennifer Kale. She was a neat character in the Man-Thing stories, a member in the comic series “Witches”. It’s a shame.

My friends , my brother and I all loved this series. The one thing I didn't like was by the later series (3rd or 4th?) they made an origin story that ML's father was some sort of deranged, sicko -scientist making body horror victims. I felt that was too much "stuff" to load up the main character with. I also felt bad that the writer was so in opposition to super heroes since I love them (when done right ;-) ) But it was great (at least when I was younger).

yoooo so basically The Boys but you roll your eyes less?

No Pat Mills, no Garth Ennis. Discuss!😉

I read that this comic does a crossover with Savage Dragon. Why did series written by someone who hates superheroes do a crossover with a superhero comic?

Wonder if Spawn might get an episode...kinda curious about your thoughts on the character.

So at this point you had too have done Nemesis The Warlock?

You gonna cover something like the dark knight returns

Nuke Me...Slowly. Hilarious IP.

Best comic book character in my opinion. Love the whole up yours to the hero genre vibe. Kevin is probably my favourite artist and I’m incredibly proud to own several pieces of original artwork by him. The Marshal Law stuff is incredible to see in the flesh. I actually own the pages whose panels are @1:45 and @8:20 😃

Like #666! Seems oddly appropriate. Love your vids, by the way.

Here's a question, why wasn't this published in 2000AD

Super heros bacteria

The OG series is one of my favourite comic stories, but i feel the stories lose steam as they go on with the lack of greater overarching stories, the nihilism just started to feel pointless by the end in my opinion

It's an interesting book, no doubt, but I still don't find it that easy to read.

Edgy satire books like this always leave a bad taste in my mouth. I feel like its too mean spirited. I mean, what's wrong with a guy with powers using it to help people.

The comic book equivalent of Joy Division? Sign me up!

I see this, Nemesis Warlock, and various works by Garth Ennis as disillusionment created by the Troubles. That it taught these creators that anyone who claims to be a hero or agent for good, is in truth a sociopath, fake, shill, bully and/or rapist. Anyone who believes in such people are idiots incapable of seeing the truth. I also see these works as having contempt for the industries that make heroes, and the fan base who blindly buys and enjoys the material churned out by the industries ignoring the flaws of said material.

By the way I would hardly consider Judge Dread a superhero. He’s more like a sci fi Conan the barbarian.

Honestly, I rather have a parody of Superman who is a womanizer who drinks beer all day long. Or a Wonder Woman who's a little chubby and promiscuous.

This honestly just seems unappealing to me. I find it’s written like one of those edge lord fanfics written by whiny 14 year olds.

Meh, I'll pass. It sounds a bit too cynical for even my tastes.

Another edge lord writer who hates superheroes I'll pass on this one.