It takes a certain kind of geekery to enjoy a deep conversation about comic books, and another kind to enjoy a conversation about the niceties of legal doctrine. When these forces combine, the result is bound to be a superpowered geekery of epically entertaining proportions--which is precisely what James Daily and Ryan Davidson's The Law of Superheroes delivers.
The Law of Superheroes, based on Daily and Davidson's blog Law and the Multiverse, explores the law as it might be applied in comic books: Can Batman patent the Batmobile? When Superman nabs the bad guys, is he obligated to read them their Miranda rights? Does the Second Amendment protect weaponized superpowers, like Cyclops's laser vision or Wolverine's claws? And just how many laws has Tony Stark (with or without his Iron Man armor) violated in his career, anyway? (Answer: a lot.)
Law can be the driest of subjects, and comic book debates can bore the non-initiated to tears. In The Law of Superheroes, however, Daily and Davidson manage to make both subjects accessible even to readers with no background or interest in either. The Law of Superheroes provides both a clear introduction to most primary areas of U.S. law and to the major characters, themes and events of many popular comic book universes. A must-read for a dose of good geeky fun. --Dani Alexis Ryskamp, blogger at The Book Cricket