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Thursday, March 06, 2003
 

Beware the Creatures of the Night – They Have Lawyers!

 

Did you ever wonder what the legal status of an inherited estate is if the deceased returns as a member of the undead? Are the ghostly inhabitants of a haunted house subject to property taxes? Is a famous horror writer’s muse entitled to royalties on his best-sellers?

 

There’s only one place to turn for the answers to these burning questions: Supernatural Law, the completely unique and twisted product of writer/artist Batton Lash, and one of the best periodically-published graphic stories around.

 

People who know I like comics occasionally ask me to recommend a current-day comic book that has the fun, familiar feel of the comics they grew up with, but is intelligent enough to entertain adults. Without hesitation, I suggest Supernatural Law.  The story centers on the unusual legal firm of Wolff & Byrd, two New York attorneys who specialize in defending various monsters, demons and misunderstood creatures in lawsuits.

 

At base, it’s a one-joke gimmick, but what a joke! Lash not only finds new and funny variations on the theme, but also throws in a bucket of incidental gags, cultural references, hysterically accurate references to legal proceedings, and inside jokes that make every story a dense, unexpected treat. It helps that he has also developed compelling human-scale subplots around his growing cast of characters to create some balance between fantasy and reality.

 

Lash’s art harkens back to the classic styles of the past. His primary artistic concern is telling the story rather than dazzling the reader with illustrative technique (although he is a fine illustrator) and his inspirations are equal parts Archie comics, Will Eisner (the comics pioneer who invented the graphic novel), and Steve Ditko (the co-creator and original artist of Spider-Man). The result is pleasing to the eye as well as the brain.

 

Supernatural Law (and its spinoff, Mavis) are among the best examples of an endangered species: comics that can be enjoyed equally by kids and adults. The subject matter and approach may be a little too quirky for the mass market, but if you have any interest in the artform or just want some good, light entertainment, this is a title worth seeking out at your local comics shop.


8:22:04 AM    Emphasize This! []

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