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The Law of Superheroes
An intriguing and entertaining look at how America’s legal system would work using the world of comic books.
The dynamic duo behind the popular website LawAndTheMultiverse.com breaks down even the most advanced legal concepts for every self-proclaimed nerd.
James Daily and Ryan Davidson—attorneys by day and comic enthusiasts all of the time—have clearly found their vocatio...more
The dynamic duo behind the popular website LawAndTheMultiverse.com breaks down even the most advanced legal concepts for every self-proclaimed nerd.
James Daily and Ryan Davidson—attorneys by day and comic enthusiasts all of the time—have clearly found their vocatio...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
October 11th 2012
by Gotham
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I really want to give this book five stars as a fan of the blog, but on its own merits, the book fails to reach peak form. It's a great introduction to so many things: comics, law, and the Law and the Multiverse blog (which of course incorporates the previous two concepts). It reads rather like a light-hearted primer, playing with quirky legal hypotheticals that have impacted or could affect superheroes. Characters considered range from Batman and Superman to She-Hulk and Daredevil. Areas of law...more
We are all familiar with comic book superheroes to some degree, as many of the most popular of these characters have become pop culture icons. We enjoy the stories, but have we really thought about the legal implications of what these superheroes do or represent? I must admit that, for the most part, I hadn’t really given such issues much thought, except where they became part of the storyline (such as in the movie “Hancock”, where the superhero’s irresponsible behavior leads to a prison sentenc...more
This is an interesting treatise on how superheroes would fit into/under the legal system that we have today. Not the legal system that might have developed had there been superheroes for a while, but what we have now. It is an interesting, and not always intuitive, look at the law and how it would interact with super powers. For instance, would super powers be covered under the Second Amendment? (For those of you who are not constitutional scholars, that involves the right to bear arms.) I'll le...more
Like the clever professor who used superheroes to teach physics, this is two lawyers using them to review the basics of the legal system through the questions that smartasses inevitably ask--is Batman acting as a State Agent? Is SHIELD? If the Hulk witnesses something, can Banner testify to it? Is evidence gained by X-Ray vision admissible? Is Superman a natural-born US citizen under the Foundling statute? Are sidekicks employees or co-conspirators? If you get mutant powers due to a workplace ac...more
These are real attorneys citing real cases and talking about real law things. So even though we are talking about Spider-Man and Superman and a bunch of other imaginary people you learn a lot about the law. I’m not saying that you can pass the bar exam after reading this but you will definitely know stuff you didn’t know before you read it. (Unless you are an attorney yourself.) There are words like pursuant and other legal words but the book is not hard to understand. Many times the law will be...more
The neat thing about reading a book like this - basically a collection of legal thought experiments for comic book fans - is that you actually end up learning a lot about how the law actually works (and, hey, in a time when every armchair pundit with a Twitter account imagines himself an expert on Constitutional Law, this might not be a bad thing).
The issues involved get complicated early on. It makes a great deal of difference, for example, whether the superhero saving the day is a private indi...more
The issues involved get complicated early on. It makes a great deal of difference, for example, whether the superhero saving the day is a private indi...more
I requested this via ARC due to an interest in both comic books and the law (my interest in comic books became an addiction that I forced myself to give up). I was very pleasantly surprised to see that the subject matter was all advanced in an approachable and amusing way. The book does not presuppose any knowledge of comic books, their characters, or the law on the part of the reader. The reader's view of the work would likely be substantially altered if they possess any prior knowledge, but it...more
I am not a lawyer, but after reading this book... I'm still not a lawyer. But that's okay, I really didn't want to be one anyway. However, what I do like is that I came out of this book with a better understanding of the law, which surprised and delighted me, honestly. They even say that they wanted to make the law a bit more interesting, and they succeeded. I've read their blog before, but maybe because of the way it's presented here I found this book a lot easier to read (it also helps to have...more
This was interesting (and an ARC that I won via LT Early Reviewers). It was nerdy for sure, but it wasn't so nerdy that I got put to sleep.
But, also something to note is the fact that if someone doesn't at least know the majority of characters (the big ones) in both the Marvel and DC Universes then some of the examples may work better than others.
Plus, there was no Vandal Savage in the Immortals chapter. I was bummed about that.
But, also something to note is the fact that if someone doesn't at least know the majority of characters (the big ones) in both the Marvel and DC Universes then some of the examples may work better than others.
Plus, there was no Vandal Savage in the Immortals chapter. I was bummed about that.
What a fun book! The authors explore common legal topics (evidence, immigration, income tax, business organizations, etc.), using comic book superheroes and supervillians. I wish my law school textbooks had been so entertaining! A fun read for the comic book geek who's interested in law, or the lawyer who likes superheroes. If you're a geek with a J.D., then this is pretty much the perfect book for you!
Is Batman a state actor? Is Superman subject to the Federal Aviation Act? Can legal study be fun?
This book is an outgrowth of the "Law and the Multiverse" blog, which covers a broader range of "sources", and where we can continue discussing these and many other questions. (Is Angel liable from crimes committed by Angelus?)
This book is an outgrowth of the "Law and the Multiverse" blog, which covers a broader range of "sources", and where we can continue discussing these and many other questions. (Is Angel liable from crimes committed by Angelus?)
A good analysis of how superheroes and supervillains would play out in the U.S. legal system. The book uses examples from comics and explains how each situation would or would not work. If nothing else, reading this book gives you a better understanding of the U.S. judicial system, which isn't exactly a bad thing.
As a lawyer I thought I would get an interesting book which would fascinate my intellect. And to a certain extent I got that. However the book is written more towards a non-legal audience which, while good for most readers, failed to deliver what I was looking for. In addition, the beginning is very entertaining, going over broad, well known legal themes from a comic book standpoint. But as the book went on, the topics got a little more trying. The final chapter, for example, ends very abruptly,...more
This is a fun book that teaches legal principles through the stories and situations of comic book universes and answers such vital questions as the legality of testifying in masks and the propriety of psychic mind scans. Too many, the most interesting chapters were those on civil laws.
As someone who writes superpowered hero fiction, the book was a helpful resource. Of course, not all stories may line up with legal realism, but it's good to know whether your bending a rule or just being total ab...more
As someone who writes superpowered hero fiction, the book was a helpful resource. Of course, not all stories may line up with legal realism, but it's good to know whether your bending a rule or just being total ab...more
Mostly about superhero comics, which I am not very familiar with, but very tongue-in-cheek and amusing. At times I wished they had gone into a little more depth on some of the thought experiments, but the book itself was just the right length; they didn't wear out their welcome.
Law made entertaining but relating it to super-heroes and comic books. Superman's I migration status, his tax liability, etc. Interesting and a quick read.
Excelente. No sólo por su valor como pieza de cultura pop, sino también como una introducción a normativa de USA y además su potencial para poder hacer los mismos análisis en cada país que tiene legislación distinta a la de Estados Unidos.
An interesting read. Sometimes a bit too technical in terms of the law, but, overall, worth reading if you like comics.
I thoroughly enjoyed this take on "What if" and the law. Not only did it have a lot of entertaining scenarios, but it served as a good introduction to how American legal society actually works. My one complaint is that the authors did not spend enough time on A.I. and the law, but I definitely think they did a great job of showing how a legal world with superheroes and the immortal would actually function! Definitely worth the read!
This book was super informative but still fun to read! Very accessible for people with only basic knowledge of US law. Recommended for comic book enthusiasts, those with an interest in legal theory, and people looking for a few thoughtful laughs!
Dry and interesting if you are in the legal mindset. Couldn't get too into it.
Oct 23, 2012
Pages Of Note
added it
see review here: http://pagesofnote.com/?p=9284
Wow! Funny! Intriguing! And actually made me interested in both comic books and the law!
it was a ok book about law for superheroes.
Rather entertaining book about how the law would treat the use of super powers, if they existed. I enjoyed it.
As a comic nerd I really enjoyed this book. I'd recommend it just for the index alone which is enough to make me chuckle- eg Professor Xavier ... and the Fifth Amendment Hawkman... hearsay testimony
A must for any adult comics fan
A must for any adult comics fan
I am neither a law student, nor a particularly big fan of comic books, but I really enjoyed this book. An easy read that presents broad legal concepts in generally familiar pop-culture constructs.
Interesting take on the legal issues raised in and by comic books. Longer review here:
http://eyesandearsblog.blogspot.com/2...
http://eyesandearsblog.blogspot.com/2...
![Amanda [Novel Addiction]](http://d.gr-assets.com/users/1296175918p2/4886503.jpg)
This was pretty interesting.. at least, it was once I learned to skimmed the parts I didn't care about, and really just read the ones I did. I learned a lot about law, so if that is one of your interests, definitely pick this one up.
Great read, but I kind of ruined it for myself by reading the archive of the website. Not everything in the book is covered on the website (and vice versa), but there were whole chapters in the book I had already read. So take my advice, read the book, then go t the site and catch up!
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Nov 17, 2012 07:33am