Commissioner McGland

COMMISSIONER MCGLAND

Real Name: McGland (first name unrevealed)

Class: Human

Occupation: Police commissioner

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives:

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: San Futuro, CA, Earth-Marshal Law

First Appearance: Marshal Law (Epic) #1 (October, 1987)

Powers: McGland was a skilled police commissioner and an expert in office politics. He was amazingly good at lying and manipulating people.

History: (Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing (Epic), Marshal Law (Epic) #1) - McGland served in The Zone during America’s bloody war against South America. He served alongside the Screaming Eagles, recruits who’d been turned into superheroes by Doctor Shocc, and he saw unspeakable acts committed by those heroes. Years later Commissioner McGland was in charge of secret police stations operated by hero hunters that dealt with the unstable and often violent superhero community. He was Marshal Law’s handler, and when the serial killer Sleepman started killing women dressed up as the superhero Celeste he assigned Marshal Law to the case. Blood and semen samples suggested Sleepman was a flyer, and Marshal Law suspected America’s most beloved hero, Public Spirit, but knew he wasn’t objective since he had a pathological hatred of all superheroes, but hated Public Spirit the most. Marshal Law asked McGland for genetic samples from Public Spirit, and McGland flipped his top, saying Law’s duty was to keep the vermin from downtown under control and not to bother real heroes.

(Marshal Law (Epic) #3) - Marshal Law learned of the death of Public Spirit’s first fiancée Virago. He accused Public Spirit of murdering her, since she was suspected to be with child, and a man with a family would not have been selected for the space flight. He also accused Public Spirit of being the Sleepman, and shortly thereafter Sleepman murdered Law’s girlfriend Lynn Evans. Doctor Shocc and Father Hood were livid, blocking any news that mentioned Law’s accusations. Commissioner Gland called Law into his office and after allowing Law to lay out his case against Public Spirit he decided to start spin control. Law had served under him when he was an officer in The zone, and he was confident he knew what made Law tick. He lied, saying that the spirit was being investigated by the SFPD, but they weren’t going to make any moves until after his wedding. He said the investigation had to be hush-hush because if the public knew the truth about their hero it would be heartbreaking for all America. McGland knew that as bitter as Law was he still believed in the American Dream. He finally got Law to agree to back down by revealing that Public Spirit was going to donate one million dollars to The Midnight, refuge for the down-and-out and handicapped surplus heroes. He forced Law to shake hands with Spirit at a press event highlighting Spirit’s generosity. McGland knew Law could be a headache, but the public loved a crazed, dark, violent vigilante at the moment, and he was happy to give the public what they wanted. He knew the budget for keeping Law as an operative was a fraction of what it would actually cost to properly police the no-go zone, and he liked having Rambo on a leash. McGland was pleased with himself, envisioning himself as a superhero with the power of super-lying, which just came naturally to him. Law promised himself that as soon as the check cleared he’d go back to exposing the Public Spirit.

Comments: Created by Pat Mills & Kevin O’Neil.

Commissioner McGland was originally published by Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics. His appearance in Marshal Law (Epic) #1, 3, Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing (Epic) was reprinted in Marshal Law: The Deluxe Edition.