A Vampire in Hollywood: And Other Tales of Supernatural Law

The last few issues of Supernatural Law are collected in this volume. 

I personally have a connection to this book as I was one of the backers on Kickstarter for the publication of A Vampire in Hollywood. Yes! My name is really inside this book, somewhere in the back. 

When I backed this project, I opted for an autographed copy of a rare collection of Supernatural Law comic strips commonly known as 'The Red Book', due to the blood red cover. That was about 7 years ago. Just recently, I decided to stop sitting on the pot and complete my collection. (Naturally, I've learned that I'm actually farther away from finishing up my run of Supernatural Law books.)

The cover story of this book is about a 5th generation vampire who's being sued for sexual harassment. The reluctant vampire is claiming to have been outed as a bloodsucker, even though he's a vegetarian. But when his newfound popularity opens the doors to Hollywood stardom, all of a sudden, this milksop will embrace his inner Nosferatu!

While in Burbank, Wolff & Byrd will entertain a series of pitches for a Supernatural Law movie. Led by former Mavis boyfriend, Toby, this pitch session will be anything but normal. 

Oh, and remember when I said that the original Supernatural Law graphic novel, The Werewolf in New York was set to be read before this book? Well, Wolff & Byrd are in California as an in-direct follow-up to the events of that story. While Leon, the werewolf from that graphic novel is never shown, scenes from that graphic novel are used in the 'sequel' story. 

Lastly, things come to an end for both Supernatural Law (the comic book, not the series itself) and Mavis, the sister series. With Mavis, she's got a new beau and she's desperate to show off him at a gathering of friends. But he's got a complicated history with one of the other party goers. And the birthday boy guest-of-honor is nowhere to be found!

With Supernatural Law's last issue, Woff & Byrd defend their most famous client aside from Count Dracula. It's Troma's Toxic Avenger! Toxie has become the pariah of hometown Tromaville and needs the counselors of the macabre to come to his defense. Featuring the George Lucas of Troma Entertainment, Lloyd Kaufman as narrator and extra guest star!

I always enjoy reading Batton Lash's Supernatural Law. But I think this volume was the most fun I've had since reading volume 3: The Vampire Brat. It's got great storytelling. Awesome artwork. And with that last story, it also gets downright silly. And I loved every page of it!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Monsters Meet on Court Street and Other Tales of Supernatural Law

Nope. This one's not a re-read. The Monsters Meet on Court Street was one of about 4 volumes I recently purchased in order to fill my run on Supernatural Law. (FYI- turns out there's still some uncollected stuff out there too!)

Wolff & Byrd: The Counselors of the Macabre, have their work cut out for them in this, the 6th volume in the Supernatural Law collected series. In this volume, the lawyers defend a mafioso who turned into a giant gorilla. In Vol. 5, the mobster, stuck in the body of a 600lb gorilla thanks to an experimental surgery, eventually de-evolved and was sent to live out his days in the Bronx Zoo. Now he's back cognitively and he wants his day in court!

Then Wolff & Byrd help an imaginary friend sue his former best friend, now a wealthy and unscrupulous tycoon who has been blaming the plaintiff for all his company's shysty ways.

My favorite story is about a lonely scientist who discovers a way to communicate with another dimension. Via a sort of television link-up of sorts, the scientist meets another inventor and they fall in love. Add amazing artwork from a pair of comic book legends, a wrongful termination, a restraining order and a twist ending that I knew was coming- I just didn't know what the twist would be- and you have what might be my favorite story of the series so far!

Plus, the world's greatest secretary, Mavis, comes to grips with the fact that her ex-boyfriend, Toby, has moved on. But new love may be in the cards for Mavis, if she can survive the rampaging robot runny rampant in Brooklyn!

A fantastically fun volume that I just couldn't put down. I'm a bit mad at myself as I read this way too fast!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Soddyssey, and Other Tales of Supernatural Law (A Madman Re-Read)

The trial of the man turned swamp thing, Sodd, finally begins. And it ends just about as quick as it starts as Sodd, under the influence of environmentalists, and maybe Cupid's arrow, goes rogue. 

As the man-thing hunt for Sodd is underway, Wolff and Byrd must head down to the Big Easy in order to unravel a snafu with one of Count Dracula's many real estate properties. 

Plus the counselors of the macabre investigate a supposed alien abduction of a small child. Their client is accused of kidnapping the girl in opposition to the custody agreement. Bring in a team of FBI agents investigating paranormal happenings and you've got a X-Files level parody.

Throw in a case involving a neglectful guardian angel, an artist who only paints werewolves, and an IRS case involving a literal dead man and you've got a full case docket. 

There's also a case in which a young woman is impregnated by the devil. The woman is against abortion. But she also doesn't want to give birth to the son of Satan either. This story is actually pretty philosophical as both fundamentalists and occultists join forces on both sides of the debate! With what just happened with the Supreme Court leak, this part of my re-read became unexpectedly topical.

I really wish I could rate this book with an 11 or higher. I feel that even though volume 1 of stories was perfect, this book was superior. That's because any growing pains Batton Lash might have faced in starting a regular comic book series was ironed out. There are added layers of inside jokes, even more complex Easter eggs, and dual sides of the aisle debates in this volume.

 It just keeps getting better from the late Batton Lash. Just another reason I wanted to complete my Supernatural Law run and to re-read the ones I have in my collection.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Tales of Supernatural Law (Volume 1)

   All Rise!!! Court is now in session. The cases will be defended by the law firm of Wolff & Byrd, the Counselors of the Macabre.  On the docket today is Tales of Supernatural Law.

Case #001- A twist on the Curse of the Monkey's Paw legend when a beloved family pet is wished back from the dead, things don't turn out as they should.
Case #002- The Curse of the Were-House, a lovely two-story home that turns into a haunted house every full moon.
Case #003- A civil case involving zombie workers who've decided to go on strike.
Case #004- The People Vs. Common Decency... A horror TV host from the 1950s on the verge of a comeback is accused of promoting juvenile delinquency.
Case #005- A super model is accused of violating the contract with her modeling agency. She is counter-suing that the hot shot behind the agency used magic to change her appearance. Can the team of Wolff and Byrd see to it that the evidence WEIGHS in her favor?
Case #006- Dracula, yes THE Dracula, sues the sideshow industry for copyright infringement.

  Lastly before the court adjourns to sunny San Diego for the annual Lawyer Convention, the Counselors of the Macabre will seek to postpone the sad case of Sodd, The Thing That's an It, a young man tragically turned into a walking pile of foliage.
    As you can see from this full case load, there are tons of great law stories with a supernatural edge to them. I had read this book years ago when I first discovered the series at my local library. Now that I am collecting the series, I wanted to re-read this collection. I loved it then and I think after my trip down memory lane, I have fallen that much more in love with Supernatural Law.
    I guess artist/writer/creator Batton Lash has cast a spell on me.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Sonovawitch!: And Other Tales of Supernatural Law

   Wolff and Byrd, the Counselors of the Macabre have their toughest case yet involving a young woman whose been placed under a love spell. She's so head over heels for her boss, the hapless Marty, that he had to let her go and file a restraining order. Now the unwitting Marty is being sued for the first ever case of hexual harassment and it just may be his mama, an honest to gosh witch!

   Along with this monumental case, Wolff and Byrd must juggle a docket full of mobster vampires, Igors accused of preaching the ways of the occult to preschoolers, a Doctor Kevorkian-type who brings people BACK from the dead, and a solo adventure starring the World's Greatest Secretary, Mavis!

   Batton Lash is such a master of spooky satire mixed with elements of Law & Order and soap opera melodrama. On paper, this shouldn't appeal to me as I am not really a fan of sappy fodder. But with the deft homages to classic horror films, pop culture slashers, and retro sci-fi, I am in love with Supernatural Law!

   Another collection of great stuff.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.