New Title: The Law Of Superheroes

Source:  www.marvel.com

“Does Superman violate privacy laws when he uses his X-ray vision?  Does the Second Amendment protect Iron Man’s suit?  Is the Joker really legally insane?”
-James Daily and Ryan Davidson, The Law of Superheroes ix (2012).

These questions and more are answered in The Law of Superheroes, a recently published book by the creators of the popular blog The Law and the Multiverse.  The comic book universes created by Marvel and D.C. intersect with current legal issues in many obvious and intentional ways (see, e.g., the recent same-sex marriage between Northstar, one of the X-Men, and his non-mutant boyfriend; the wedding is pictured to the right).  The real strength of The Law of Superheroes, however, is its willingness to delve into more subtle and implicit legal issues.  For example, is Ghost Rider’s contract with the devil a legally enforceable document, or are such agreements so one-sided as to be unconscionable?   



Courtesy of The Law and the Multiverse Blog

The Law of Superheroes does a good job summarizing the law before it is applied to the world of comics.  This focus on the law can be seen in the structure of the book: The Law of Superheroes is divided into chapters by legal topic (e.g. Contracts, Administrative Law, Immigration, etc.) rather than, say, by comic book series.  This emphasis on the law can also be seen in its adherence to Bluebook format and its extensive citation to primary legal materials. 

Overall, this is a recommended read for any lawyer/law student interested in comic books, or for anyone wishing to see the law applied in a fresh, fantastical context.