Ms. Tree (comic book)

Ms. Tree was the most well known comic book creation of author Max Allan Collins prior to his graphic novel, Road to Perdition. Terry Beatty was the series' artist.

The title character is Michael Tree, a female private detective who takes over her husband's investigation business when he is murdered on their honeymoon. In her first case, she captures the murderer and discovers his link to the Muerita organized crime family.

Throughout the series, Ms. Tree's vendetta against the Muerita family is a major plot thread. Her methods often include deadly violence which she often uses with little hesitation. In contrast to the genre conventions, she faces serious consequences through the series for these violent actions including arrest, imprisonment, commitment to a mental hospital, and involuntary medication.

In another genre divergence, her son, Mike, inadvertently falls in love with the daughter of the Muerita matron. Michael disapproves of this arrangement, but respects her son's decision. To her shock, when their relationship grew enough to make marriage probable, the Muerita family decided Mike's mother is now family and initiates a reconciliation with her while going legit. In addition, Michael is impregnated by a old flame who is manipulating her to kill his wife. She decides to keep the baby, creating a unique series of adventures of this homicidal PI fighting off criminals even while dealing with a full term pregnancy.

The comic book was published by different companies including Eclipse Comics, Ardvaark-Vanaheim, Renegade Press and finally, DC Comics.