We are so used to crossovers in comics, and more and more in movies, that the formula has become a cliché. Two heroes meet, they fight and then they team up against a common enemy. They are usually fun but don’t amount to a great deal as they can be dropped from the continuity of either character, having no lasting impact. During the early stages of the comic boom in the 90s it’s wasn’t surprising to see mash-ups of all kinds of mainstream characters, as well some of the indie ones as well. However, even amongst these there are a couple of oddities. Today I’m going to review and discuss Pinhead vs Marshal Law (1993, Epic Comics).
There is a strong chance that you haven’t heard of one or either of these characters, so let’s have a quick history lesson.
Pinhead was created by Clive Barker in 1986’s Novella ‘The Hellbound Heart’. The character reached the cinema screen the following year in Hellraiser. Pinhead is the leader of a group of demon creatures called Cenobites, that when summoned via the puzzle box, the lament configuration, inflict ultimate pain and pleasure on the summoner. It should be noted that Pinhead is not call Pinhead in either of these, he is referred to as the priest. It was actually the films production crew that gave him the name Pinhead. The name stuck and was used in the press material and simply became the go to name for fans and other creators.
Marshal Law, created by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill, developed as a satire of Superhero comics and an extreme judicial system of policing them, 19 years before the publication of The Boys (2006). The series is set in the future city of San Futuro and Marshal Law is a sanctioned Superhero enforcer. He has Super powers and the authority to take out any wayward Superheroes, with extreme force. He has remained a cult comic figure that has been published by several companies that no longer exist.
The first thing to highlight about the series is that in any inter-company crossover one character has to enter the others world, and as such will have to bend to the rules of that world. In this case, as the book was written and drawn by the creators of Marshal Law, Pinhead is entering Marshal’s world. So the Pinhead we get in the two issue series is not the same as the character that Clive Barker envisioned. More on that later.
The plot is straight forward and is presented in line with previous Marshal Law stories. While attending a Superhero therapy centre Marshal is presented with the Lament Configuration as a way of accessing enlightenment. Once open, Pinhead and the denizens of Leviathan’s (Pinhead’s god figure) hell attempt to break Marshal with torture. Falling back on his skills in extreme violence Marshal breaks free and confronts the human elements of Pinhead. The two reach a truce when they witness the ridiculousness of a superhero rescue.
The first thing I want to praise is Kevin O’Neill’s angular art. It’s a very particular style that once seen is hard to forget. It’s cartoonish and yet detailed. Character designs are stylised with hugely exaggerated musculature and wild costumes. He was satirising the Extreme 90s before they even happened.
The hyper-stylised superheroes are balanced against wonderfully graphic violence, as well as depictions of gore, disfigurement and scenes of hell to rival Dante. The Cenobites we are introduced to are grotesque, with twisted flesh and self-mutilation. In addition to this the book is loaded deliciously gruesome easter-eggs, such as superman being tortured by Louise Lane.
As I mentioned this comic takes place in Marshal’s world, so he appears as Mills intends. Pinhead however is filtered through Mills and O’Neill and so is a few steps away from the character envisioned by Clive Barker. This version swings from the sedate pontificating priest to something akin to Freddy Kruger. It’s not too far from one liners and killing jokes. A nice nod to Hellraiser 2: Hellbound though is dressing Pinhead as a surgeon, from the infamous deleted scene. Despite this tilting of the character, he maintains his essence as a seeker extreme sensation and is clearly identifiable as Pinhead throughout.
Mills writing is sharp and pointed. He pocks fun at a number of things from homeopathic therapies (drinking superhero urine), to cultish ideas of reaching enlightenment. This is all standard for Mills and while solid, is what I expect from him. More effecting is the finale of the book. Many other writers would have the climax be a bevy of violence and gore, resulting in Pinhead being beaten back to his dimension. Not Mills. Don’t worry, there is violence and gore, but Mills taps into one of his other books Charley’s War.
Mills ribs the cliches of the superhero team ups and dialogue. A favourite being Razorhead admitting in thought panels that he wants to kill and maim, while spouting heroic dialogue about saving his fellow superheroes to those around him. This set up runs in parallel to Pinhead being confronted by his human origin in the trenches of World War One. When the Heroes breach the depths of hell, they are confronted with the true horrors of war. Facing the filthy conditions, the endless death and the tortuous hellscape of no mans land they are broken. They are useless against the realities of poison gas, motor fire and men hardened by fear and survival.
As Pinhead observes, “Those idiots! What do they think they can achieve in a real war?”
Pinhead and Marshal then exchange a scene highlighting the fakeness of superheroes. Marshall stating that they are an insult to the true heroes, the men who fought and died in the trenches for something bigger than themselves. The two reach an agreement that Marshal doing his job, keeping them in line and punishing them is a worthy cause and should continue. In the meantime, Pinhead will keep a selection of the Superheroes in hell for his own ends.
Deconstructive Superhero narratives have taken aim at all aspects of Superhero storytelling, but few are so cutting in such a short number of pages. Between Mills and O’Neill the whole concept of super heroics is undermined and shown to be a sham next to the true horrors of the real world. Yes, they can be escapist entertainment but should never be held up as figures of admiration when there are people doing heroic acts daily, that go unrecognised. The fields of death in France littered with nameless bodies being one of the most extreme examples, but we should not forget the everyday heroes.
This should be a throw away two issue story mixed in with the many other crossovers, but it is so much more. The story is swift and punchy and belts along, loaded with sardonic humour and subversive sight gags. It can be enjoyed as a pulpy short comic crossover of two characters that should not work on the same page together. However, I would say that this is a hidden gem and should actually be considered in line with other deconstructive comics. While these two issues alone are not going to compete with Watchmen, as a part of the whole of Marshal Law they are a great example and worthy of further discussion.
Note:
Marshal Law: The deluxe edition is available on Comixology, unfortunately Pin Head vs Marshal Law is not collected.