The Law of Superheroes - by James Daily & Ryan Davidson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An intriguing and entertaining look at how America's legal system would work using the world of comic books.

Two brave heroes take on the comic multiverse, wielding the greatest superpower of all: the law.

James Daily and Ryan Davidson--attorneys by day, comic enthusiasts all of the time, and founders of the popular website lawandthemultiverse.com--have clearly found their vocation, exploring the hypothetical legal ramifications of comic book tropes, characters, and powers down to the most deliciously trivial detail.

The Law of Superheroes asks and answers crucial speculative questions about everything from constitutional law and criminal procedure to taxation, intellectual property, and torts, including:

• Could Superman sue if someone exposed his true identity as Clark Kent?
• Are members of the Legion of Doom vulnerable to prosecution under RICO?
• Do the heirs of a superhero who comes back from the dead get to keep their inherited property after their loved one is resurrected?
• Does it constitute "cruel and unusual punishment" to sentence an immortal like Apocalypse to life in prison without the possibility of parole?

Engaging, accessible, and delightfully educational, The Law of Superheroes is a must-have for legal experts, comic nerds, and anyone who will ever be called upon to practice law in the comic multiverse.

Review Quotes

"a highly readable survey of basic legal theory and an entertaining exploration of the comic book canon." -- Wall Street Journal

"insightful and entertaining look at how comic book heroes would be affected by real-life laws"

"Fortunately, Daily and Davidson are neither smart alecks nor ironic, and they take their work as seriously as Batman taking on his arch-villain Bane (although they can be as witty and sly as Catwoman at her best)" -- Publisher's Weekly

"...attorneys James Daily and Ryan Davidson have pulled it off so flawlessly in the educational and fun 'The Law of Superheroes.'"
"...they did it just right. "The Law of Superheroes" is both entertaining and informative. People who aren't lawyers or law-geeks will learn something about the law, and lawyers and law-geeks will be thoroughly entertained at the application of familiar principles to comic extravaganzas." -- Popehat

"creatively conceived issues illuminate the answers to questions few have dared to ask, providing cogent analysis in a way that should be largely understandable to general readers" -- Kirkus Reviews

"A pair of lawyers from the Midwest have decided to ask these questions in this engaging book. Legal tomes are not known for being readable and accessible, but this one manages to be." -- Book Guys

"Their website has spawned a book, THE LAW OF SUPERHEROES, which is one of the most subversive and nefarious books of the year. I came away from it feeling like I'd actually learned something about the history of American jurisprudence and how our laws actually work."

"The Law of Superheroes asks and answers crucial speculative questions about everything"
-- Dail Motion (video)

"The book that we've all been waiting for is finally out"

"Great work by Daily and Davidson! I am already looking for Volume II." -- Patently O

"I cannot recommend this book highly enough." -- Marion Harmon

"superpowered geekery of epically entertaining proportions"

"A must-read for a dose of good geeky fun" -- Shelf-Awareness

"Absolutely charming...intricate, hilarious analysis of the legalities of superheroes and supervillains"
--Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

"Insightful and entertaining look at how comic book heroes would be affected by real-life laws...Fortunately, Daily and Davidson are neither smart alecks nor ironic, and they take their work as seriously as Batman taking on his arch-villain Bane (although they can be as witty and sly as Catwoman at her best)"
--Publishers Weekly

"...attorneys James Daily and Ryan Davidson have pulled it off so flawlessly in the educational and fun The Law of Superheroes...they did it just right. The Law of Superheroes is both entertaining and informative. People who aren't lawyers or law-geeks will learn something about the law, and lawyers and law-geeks will be thoroughly entertained at the application of familiar principles to comic extravaganzas."
--Popehat

"The Law of Superheroes fits two bills nicely; it's both a highly readable survey of basic legal theory and an entertaining exploration of the comic book canon."
--The Wall Street Journal

"One of the most subversive and nefarious books of the year. I came away from it feeling like I'd actually learned something about the history of American jurisprudence and how our laws actually work... The Law of Superheroes asks and answers crucial speculative questions about everything"
--Daily Motion(video)

"creatively conceived issues illuminate the answers to questions few have dared to ask, providing cogent analysis in a way that should be largely understandable to general readers"
--Kirkus Reviews

"A pair of lawyers from the Midwest have decided to ask these questions in this engaging book. Legal tomes are not known for being readable and accessible, but this one manages to be."
--Book Guys

"Superpowered geekery of epically entertaining proportions...A must-read for a dose of good geeky fun"
--Shelf Awareness

"The book that we've all been waiting for is finally out...Great work by Daily and Davidson! I am already looking for Volume II."
--Patently O

"I cannot recommend this book highly enough."
--Marion Harmon

About the Author

James Daily is an attorney with the Stanford University Hoover Institution Project on Commercializing Innovation. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Ryan Davidson is an attorney living in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He obtained his law degree from Notre Dame Law School in 2009.