Joe Gilmore, alias Marshal Law, was a former super-soldier with a deep-seated hatred of superheroes (including himself) who was appointed as the …

🦸‍♂️ Biography of Joe Gilmore (a.k.a. Martial Law)

Name: Joe Gilmore
Alias: Martial Law
Occupation: Police officer, bounty hunter, vigilante
Affiliation: The San Futuro Police Department (“Superhero Law Enforcement Division”)
First Appearance: Marshal Law #1 (1987)
Creators: Pat Mills (writer) and Kevin O’Neill (artist)

Origin

Joe Gilmore was once an idealistic soldier who believed in law, order, and the dream of heroism. He fought in the so-called “Zone Wars” — brutal conflicts that created generations of cybernetic veterans and genetically engineered “heroes.” When he returned home to San Futuro, a dystopian version of San Francisco rebuilt after a devastating earthquake, Gilmore discovered that the superheroes he once admired were corrupt, violent, and psychotic.

Haunted by his experiences, Gilmore became Martial Law, a state-sanctioned superhero hunter. He is authorized to police and, if necessary, kill rogue superhumans. His motto:

“I’m a hero hunter. I hunt heroes. Haven’t found any yet.”

Personality

Joe Gilmore is cynical, bitter, and traumatized by war. Underneath his brutal exterior, he’s a man seeking justice in a society that has lost its moral compass. He despises the narcissistic “heroes” who exploit their fame while committing atrocities. His costume — a black leather outfit with barbed wire, skull motifs, and a police badge — symbolizes both his authority and his self-loathing.

Despite his savagery, Gilmore still clings to a sense of duty. He believes in justice even if it means standing alone against the entire superhero establishment.

Powers and Abilities

Martial Law possesses no superpowers but is a peak-human combatant with enhanced stamina from military augmentation. He’s skilled in:

• Advanced hand-to-hand combat and tactical operations
• Firearms and non-lethal weapons
• Psychological warfare and interrogation

He’s essentially a super-cop in a world of super-criminals, relying on his training, grit, and rage rather than superhuman abilities.

Themes

Joe Gilmore’s story is a satire of American superhero culture. His war trauma and hatred of corrupt icons reflect a critique of militarism, celebrity worship, and the moral bankruptcy of modern heroism. Mills and O’Neill created him as an anti-Superman, embodying the authoritarian and fascistic tendencies that lurk beneath the mask of the traditional superhero myth.

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📚 Summary of Martial Law Comics

Martial Law (originally spelled Marshal Law) is a British-American satirical comic series created by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill in 1987 for Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel. The series ran through several limited runs and crossovers through the 1990s.

Setting

The story takes place in San Futuro, a post-earthquake cyberpunk megacity where superheroes are government-manufactured soldiers and celebrity commodities. The population is numbed by media, drugs, and violence, while “heroes” sell toys, appear on talk shows, and wage petty rivalries. Law enforcement employs a special division to control them — and that’s where Martial Law comes in.

Main Plot Arcs

1. Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing (1987–1988)
   Martial Law investigates a serial killer targeting the wives of superheroes. His investigation leads him to confront The Public Spirit, San Futuro’s most beloved hero — and his own former idol — revealing the dark truth behind the city’s shining symbol.
2. Marshal Law Takes Manhattan (1990)
   A crossover parodying mainstream superhero teams like the Avengers and the Justice League. Martial Law must team up (and clash) with analogs of famous heroes in a blood-soaked satire of American comic tropes.
3. The Hateful Dead (1991)
   Super-soldiers from Law’s wartime past rise from the grave, forcing him to relive the trauma of the Zone Wars and face the ghosts of his sins.
4. Super Babylon (1992)
   Martial Law goes undercover in the celebrity superhero scene, exposing the industry’s depravity and corruption.
5. Kingdom of the Blind (1994)
   Law confronts a religious cult that worships superheroes as gods — a sharp jab at the fanaticism surrounding celebrity and faith.
6. Crossover Specials
   • Marshal Law vs. The Mask
   • Marshal Law vs. Pinhead (Hellraiser universe)
   • Marshal Law: Secret Tribunal

These pushed the character further into horror, parody, and ultra-violent satire.

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🧠 Legacy

Martial Law is one of the most biting deconstructions of the superhero genre ever published. Long before The Boys or Watchmen became cultural phenomena, Joe Gilmore was already tearing down the myth of the noble superhero, exposing the authoritarian and consumerist underpinnings of their world.

The series has since gained cult status for its grotesque artwork, dark humor, and uncompromising social commentary.

Joe Gilmore — Martial Law — stands as a tragic icon:
a man fighting for justice in a world that no longer deserves it.