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Animal Man (1988-1995)
Animal Man, Vol. 1
This edition collects the bizarre adventures of Animal Man, a second-rate super hero struggling with real-life issues and moral dilemmas. Buddy Baker is a caring husband, devoted father, animal activist and super-powered being. But as he attempts to live up to all of his roles, he soon finds that there are no black and white situations in life. With a strong focus on storytelling, these thought-provoking and innovative tales make the reader question the actions of Animal Man as well as their own behavior in similar situations.
240 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2001
113 people are currently reading
3795 people want to read
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,786 books4,583 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning their American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then they have written such best-selling series as JLA, BATMAN and New X-Men, as well as such creator-owned works as THE INVISIBLES, SEAGUY, THE FILTH, WE3 and JOE THE BARBARIAN. In addition to expanding the DC Universe through titles ranging from the Eisner Award-winning SEVEN SOLDIERS and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN to the reality-shattering epic of FINAL CRISIS, they have also reinvented the worlds of the Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN, INCORPORATED and the Man of Steel in The New 52 ACTION COMICS.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews
April 3, 2018
Remember those childhood warnings?
Look both ways before crossing the street or you’ll get run over!
Wait an hour after eating before you go swimming; otherwise; you’ll sink like a stone and drown!
Don’t pee on an electric fence!
Well add this one:
Kids, be very careful when reading Grant Morrison!
Why?
A reader is never sure which Morrison they are going to get?
Morrison the guy who loves comic books, pays tribute to comic books and comic characters from the past and at the same time re-invents said characters in unique, humorous and entertaining ways. Morrison, who’s capable of delivering some sort of over-arching message without smacking the reader in the face.
OR
Morrison, the guy who assumes he’s advancing the comic book art form but is actually seeing how far he can stick his head up his butt/Morrison, who writes like he’s just come off a two week bender in the local opium den.
This book is from the late ‘80’s, when DC was trying to breathe new life into obscure characters via guys like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Morrison. Morrison, according to the bio in this volume, hadn’t done too much for mainstream comics aside from his acclaimed Doom Patrol, Vol. 1: Crawling from the Wreckage run and the misbegotten Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth.
Animal Man (aka Buddy Baker) was a fairly obscure character until revived by Morrison. His power – he can absorb the abilities of animals that are in close proximity, but for only a short time. He’s married with kids, which is somewhat unique for a super-hero and his current super hero status is uncertain. He wants to be a full-fledged super-hero, but he also has responsibilities to his family.
So we find him using his power to…rescue a cat from a tree.
The first story arc finds Morrison pretty much at the top his game – mixing a plot involving illegal animal experiments…
We won’t be having monkey for dinner. Or meat.
…B’Wana Beast (DC’s version of Tarzan)…
…a Superman drop-by-for-a-cup-of-coffee-but-really-barely-a-sip moment…
…and Buddy trying to find his place in the super hero echelon.
He’s mistaken for Aquaman which is, quite frankly, as low as one can go.
The next self-contained issue is prime fuel for Morrison haters.
If Rolling Stone magazine lauds this issue (It’s plastered on the back of this volume. In big-assed letters), then its fair warning that Morrison is speedballing it.
In a nutshell: A Wile E. Coyote wannabe is a stand in for Jesus.
The rest of the volume has Animal Man inserted into various DC events.
Including Invasion of the Hawk-Babes
The highlights from the rest of this tome include:
A visit from Mirror Master for, uh, reasons:
Mrs. Animal Man stepping up with a kick to the shiny-mirrored nutsack:
An encounter with a Golden Age villain:
Martian Manhunter pays a visit…
…and helps out Animal Man’s son with a bullying problem.
Martian Manhunter’s elegant shape-shifting solution:
Go run home and change your shorts, you punk-assed ruffians!!
Bottom Line: There’s something here for both Morrison lovers and haters – some deft, witty entertaining super hero adventures and some head scratching big-themed big-boy writing.
You betcha.
Three and a half stars rounded up.
Look both ways before crossing the street or you’ll get run over!
Wait an hour after eating before you go swimming; otherwise; you’ll sink like a stone and drown!
Don’t pee on an electric fence!
Well add this one:
Kids, be very careful when reading Grant Morrison!
Why?
A reader is never sure which Morrison they are going to get?
Morrison the guy who loves comic books, pays tribute to comic books and comic characters from the past and at the same time re-invents said characters in unique, humorous and entertaining ways. Morrison, who’s capable of delivering some sort of over-arching message without smacking the reader in the face.
OR
Morrison, the guy who assumes he’s advancing the comic book art form but is actually seeing how far he can stick his head up his butt/Morrison, who writes like he’s just come off a two week bender in the local opium den.
This book is from the late ‘80’s, when DC was trying to breathe new life into obscure characters via guys like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Morrison. Morrison, according to the bio in this volume, hadn’t done too much for mainstream comics aside from his acclaimed Doom Patrol, Vol. 1: Crawling from the Wreckage run and the misbegotten Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth.
Animal Man (aka Buddy Baker) was a fairly obscure character until revived by Morrison. His power – he can absorb the abilities of animals that are in close proximity, but for only a short time. He’s married with kids, which is somewhat unique for a super-hero and his current super hero status is uncertain. He wants to be a full-fledged super-hero, but he also has responsibilities to his family.
So we find him using his power to…rescue a cat from a tree.
The first story arc finds Morrison pretty much at the top his game – mixing a plot involving illegal animal experiments…
We won’t be having monkey for dinner. Or meat.
…B’Wana Beast (DC’s version of Tarzan)…
…a Superman drop-by-for-a-cup-of-coffee-but-really-barely-a-sip moment…
…and Buddy trying to find his place in the super hero echelon.
He’s mistaken for Aquaman which is, quite frankly, as low as one can go.
The next self-contained issue is prime fuel for Morrison haters.
If Rolling Stone magazine lauds this issue (It’s plastered on the back of this volume. In big-assed letters), then its fair warning that Morrison is speedballing it.
In a nutshell: A Wile E. Coyote wannabe is a stand in for Jesus.
The rest of the volume has Animal Man inserted into various DC events.
Including Invasion of the Hawk-Babes
The highlights from the rest of this tome include:
A visit from Mirror Master for, uh, reasons:
Mrs. Animal Man stepping up with a kick to the shiny-mirrored nutsack:
An encounter with a Golden Age villain:
Martian Manhunter pays a visit…
…and helps out Animal Man’s son with a bullying problem.
Martian Manhunter’s elegant shape-shifting solution:
Go run home and change your shorts, you punk-assed ruffians!!
Bottom Line: There’s something here for both Morrison lovers and haters – some deft, witty entertaining super hero adventures and some head scratching big-themed big-boy writing.
You betcha.
Three and a half stars rounded up.
April 18, 2017
Grant Morrison is one of my favourite comics creators - I definitely think he’s the best comics writer there’s ever been - but I don’t love everything he’s written. Case in point: his late ‘80s Animal Man series which was also his first major US title. Me no likee!
Buddy Baker is Animal Man, a dude who can temporarily adopt the powers of any animals in his vicinity. In this book, we see him get no respect as a superhero from both his family and the general public. Haw, haw…
Most of this volume is made up of stereotypical superhero guff. He fights some malicious animal spirit that bonds with human hosts, he fights a Phantom-esque beefcake called The White God of Kilimanjaro (“The beast who walks”), there’s some Thanagar/Hawkman bullshit, Mirror Master screws around with him, and Martian Manhunter cameos. Meh. Oh yeah and animal testing is wrong and hunters are unequivocally evil. Sigh. Yes, these things are exactly this black and white!
I did like the Wile E. Coyote parody/homage issue which is one of the few times we get to see Morrison be like the Morrison of today, working the meta - worlds within worlds, comics as portals to other dimensions, etc.
Other than that though, Animal Man was as boring as he always is! I feel like if this were written by some no-name author, that if it weren’t by Grant Morrison who went on to become one of the biggest names in the art form, this book would be out of print and/or largely ignored. As a Morrison fan, I’m glad I finally read it but I’d still say it’s one of his minor works and not worth bothering with - it’s dated, it’s dull, it’s lame, it’s Animal Man!
Buddy Baker is Animal Man, a dude who can temporarily adopt the powers of any animals in his vicinity. In this book, we see him get no respect as a superhero from both his family and the general public. Haw, haw…
Most of this volume is made up of stereotypical superhero guff. He fights some malicious animal spirit that bonds with human hosts, he fights a Phantom-esque beefcake called The White God of Kilimanjaro (“The beast who walks”), there’s some Thanagar/Hawkman bullshit, Mirror Master screws around with him, and Martian Manhunter cameos. Meh. Oh yeah and animal testing is wrong and hunters are unequivocally evil. Sigh. Yes, these things are exactly this black and white!
I did like the Wile E. Coyote parody/homage issue which is one of the few times we get to see Morrison be like the Morrison of today, working the meta - worlds within worlds, comics as portals to other dimensions, etc.
Other than that though, Animal Man was as boring as he always is! I feel like if this were written by some no-name author, that if it weren’t by Grant Morrison who went on to become one of the biggest names in the art form, this book would be out of print and/or largely ignored. As a Morrison fan, I’m glad I finally read it but I’d still say it’s one of his minor works and not worth bothering with - it’s dated, it’s dull, it’s lame, it’s Animal Man!
March 23, 2017
Vegetarians assemble!
DC: That Alan Moore guy is doing something improbable, but successfully. He is resuscitating older comics readers by reviving early little known comics superheroes and making them cool, interesting, commentaries on contemporary society at the same time harking back to that old love of comics thing. And with retro fifties art! Look at Watchmen and Swamp Thing! Neil Gaiman’s Sandman? Comics about society, comics about comics? Are there any other crazy Brit comics intellectuals over there?
Morrison: Uh. … hi! I guess I fit the bill. Okay, how about Animal Man, you know, Buddy Baker?
DC: (Stares, uncomprehending).
Morrison: Oh, come on, Dave Wood, 1965, Strange Adventures. . . right?!
DC: Okay, obscure, but did you have to go that obscure? That dude is corny.
Morrison: And Swamp Thing wasn’t corny? With a little bit of work I can try to make Buddy Baker hip enough for the comics aficionados!
So just as Moore’s Swampy became an environmental crusader, Animal Man becomes an animal rights crusader in the late eighties when these comics come out. And to try and match Moore’s levels of reflection on the nature of comics-making, he runs a really smart and memorable issue, “The Coyote Gospel,” which is in part about the making of comics. And then to stay with that theme, Morrison asserts later in the series that Animal Man is indeed just a fictional character! It’s meta-fiction, he’s made up! It’s narrative theory and comics!
Morrison's is inventive and interesting and not as crazy as he can get (The Filth), or as conventional and restrained as his Superman stuff. Somewhere in the middle, but I liked that. Animal Man is a really cool Vertigo pairing with Swamp Thing, finally, kind of wacky and admirable at the same time. A superhero with animal powers! The strength of a T-Rex! The speed of an ant! The agility of a snake. Vegetarians unite! Save the dolphins! I liked it quite a bit.
DC: That Alan Moore guy is doing something improbable, but successfully. He is resuscitating older comics readers by reviving early little known comics superheroes and making them cool, interesting, commentaries on contemporary society at the same time harking back to that old love of comics thing. And with retro fifties art! Look at Watchmen and Swamp Thing! Neil Gaiman’s Sandman? Comics about society, comics about comics? Are there any other crazy Brit comics intellectuals over there?
Morrison: Uh. … hi! I guess I fit the bill. Okay, how about Animal Man, you know, Buddy Baker?
DC: (Stares, uncomprehending).
Morrison: Oh, come on, Dave Wood, 1965, Strange Adventures. . . right?!
DC: Okay, obscure, but did you have to go that obscure? That dude is corny.
Morrison: And Swamp Thing wasn’t corny? With a little bit of work I can try to make Buddy Baker hip enough for the comics aficionados!
So just as Moore’s Swampy became an environmental crusader, Animal Man becomes an animal rights crusader in the late eighties when these comics come out. And to try and match Moore’s levels of reflection on the nature of comics-making, he runs a really smart and memorable issue, “The Coyote Gospel,” which is in part about the making of comics. And then to stay with that theme, Morrison asserts later in the series that Animal Man is indeed just a fictional character! It’s meta-fiction, he’s made up! It’s narrative theory and comics!
Morrison's is inventive and interesting and not as crazy as he can get (The Filth), or as conventional and restrained as his Superman stuff. Somewhere in the middle, but I liked that. Animal Man is a really cool Vertigo pairing with Swamp Thing, finally, kind of wacky and admirable at the same time. A superhero with animal powers! The strength of a T-Rex! The speed of an ant! The agility of a snake. Vegetarians unite! Save the dolphins! I liked it quite a bit.
March 7, 2017
Animal Man is a character that has been around for a long time. Initially called the "Man with Animal Powers", Animal Man was reborn under the artful hand of Grant Morrison. Animal Man is unlike anything I've read. Animal Man is a super-hero that just doesn't seem very super. He's not a millionaire playboy, not super powered like some of the other DC heavyweights, in fact he's a very ordinary guy.
Animal Man works due to the dichotomy in being someone who is eligible to join the Justice League but is not an A-lister. It's funny how sometimes the people who he helps have no idea who he is. It's the story of a hero trying to make his way in a world where the other heroes are far more powerful and famous.
Here we run into the older b and c list villains. Animal man also has a very pro-environment outlook, which was rather ahead of its time when this first came out. This is an interesting and tongue in cheek look at being a superhero when one isn't all that "super" (much like Booster Gold or Blue Beetle).
Grant Morrison's writing is quite good. The scenarios are funny in that they seem so normal compared to what Superman or Wonder Woman might have to deal with. It's also cool to see Animal Man trying so hard to get into the Justice League and his constant struggles with his less than super superhero persona. The artwork? It's representative of its time. I didn't dislike it, but it is dated reminding me of the artwork of the 80's.
But this is a GN to be read for the story and the writing. It is a different take on the superhero genre and deserves a read by anyone who likes "out of the box" heroes and tales. It's the tale of an ordinary guy with extraordinary powers trying to make it as an A-list hero. It's a rather unique and funny take on a common enough tale. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good story, interesting and unique characters and a interesting twist on the standard superhero tale.
Animal Man works due to the dichotomy in being someone who is eligible to join the Justice League but is not an A-lister. It's funny how sometimes the people who he helps have no idea who he is. It's the story of a hero trying to make his way in a world where the other heroes are far more powerful and famous.
Here we run into the older b and c list villains. Animal man also has a very pro-environment outlook, which was rather ahead of its time when this first came out. This is an interesting and tongue in cheek look at being a superhero when one isn't all that "super" (much like Booster Gold or Blue Beetle).
Grant Morrison's writing is quite good. The scenarios are funny in that they seem so normal compared to what Superman or Wonder Woman might have to deal with. It's also cool to see Animal Man trying so hard to get into the Justice League and his constant struggles with his less than super superhero persona. The artwork? It's representative of its time. I didn't dislike it, but it is dated reminding me of the artwork of the 80's.
But this is a GN to be read for the story and the writing. It is a different take on the superhero genre and deserves a read by anyone who likes "out of the box" heroes and tales. It's the tale of an ordinary guy with extraordinary powers trying to make it as an A-list hero. It's a rather unique and funny take on a common enough tale. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good story, interesting and unique characters and a interesting twist on the standard superhero tale.
April 27, 2019
Like a lot of the characters that ultimately started the Vertigo line, Animal Man was a little known DC character from the 60's that was revived by an up and coming British writer. Animal Man could take on the abilities of any animal that happened to be nearby. What makes this book unique to me is that Buddy Baker is a family man with a public identity and a screw up. He's considered a joke by the world at large if they even know who he is in the first place. Of course, this being a Grant Morrison book, he injects plenty of strangeness in the stories as well (see, The Coyote Gospel). I do like that Animal Man is grounded in the larger DC universe, which I always considered a failing of the Vertigo line when they moved away from the rest of the DCU. The Invasion stories can feel a bit dated now that that crossover is 30 years old. I think my favorite issue was Morrison's introduction of the Scottish Mirror Master. He was a lot of fun. Chas Truog's and Tom Grummet's art is very solid and indicative of DC's house style of the time. They stick to a lot of 6 panel layouts with a vibrant color palette.
June 13, 2011
Buddy Baker, aka Animal, is a semi-retired super hero and movie stuntman. One day, he decides to return to super hero-ing full time. How will his wife and kids deal with that?
Animal Man isn't one of Grant Morrison's weirder or well-known runs on a title but it's probably the most enjoyable to read. It's a fun book. Buddy struggles with people mistaking him for other super heroes and laments the quality of the super villains he fights. His son thinks his powers are lame. While Buddy is a super hero, his wife is clearly in charge. She asks him why he didn't ask Superman home for dinner. Funny stuff. I think my favorite part of the book is when The Mirror Master invades the Baker home and Ellen kicks him in the balls.
I recommend Animal Man to fans of fun super hero comics, like Madman and early Spider-Man.
Animal Man isn't one of Grant Morrison's weirder or well-known runs on a title but it's probably the most enjoyable to read. It's a fun book. Buddy struggles with people mistaking him for other super heroes and laments the quality of the super villains he fights. His son thinks his powers are lame. While Buddy is a super hero, his wife is clearly in charge. She asks him why he didn't ask Superman home for dinner. Funny stuff. I think my favorite part of the book is when The Mirror Master invades the Baker home and Ellen kicks him in the balls.
I recommend Animal Man to fans of fun super hero comics, like Madman and early Spider-Man.
December 21, 2021
There it is, the Grant Morrison book I’ve been looking for.
I’ve never been a huge fan of his, but I see the talent and understand other people’s admiration for his work.
I’ve read his work in Action Comics, Detective Comics, Green Lantern, Hellblazer and Swamp Thing. Some books I have liked, others were OK and still other I didn’t like (Green Lantern).
But I’ve been on the outside looking in and wanted to see what everyone else knew he could do.
His run on Animal Man in the late 80s and early 90s (part of the DC Vertigo imprint) is the work from Morrison I’ve been wanting to read. We see not just the super-hero Animal Man but get to know Buddy Baker the husband and father and Morrison provides a depth of character and background usually not seen in this medium.
Outstanding.
The Coyote Gospel has got to be one of my favorite comics of all time, just brilliant, a demonstration of what a comic can be – action packed, thought provoking, fun to look at with great art, and also (and here is where DC leaves Marvel behind) some tongue in cheek humor.
There is a scene in issue #357 of Marvel’s Incredible Hulk from 1989, written by Peter David, where Bruce Banner goes to a purple pants store and the salesman remarks how durable the threads are – and that’s funny, it was just a frame or two, and they go on with the adventure, but you get to see a wink and smile from the creators, a very subtle breaking of the fourth wall. Marvel takes themselves too seriously, but you see these little sidelong glances and smirks in DC comics all the time and Morrison has, in the Animal Man work, found this balance of comic book genius.
Somewhat reminiscent of Mike Baron’s fine work on The Flash and Badger (from about the same period – and I think there is a direct allusion to Badger in a t-shirt that Buddy Baker wears) this is simply comic book production at its best.
Highly recommended.
I’ve never been a huge fan of his, but I see the talent and understand other people’s admiration for his work.
I’ve read his work in Action Comics, Detective Comics, Green Lantern, Hellblazer and Swamp Thing. Some books I have liked, others were OK and still other I didn’t like (Green Lantern).
But I’ve been on the outside looking in and wanted to see what everyone else knew he could do.
His run on Animal Man in the late 80s and early 90s (part of the DC Vertigo imprint) is the work from Morrison I’ve been wanting to read. We see not just the super-hero Animal Man but get to know Buddy Baker the husband and father and Morrison provides a depth of character and background usually not seen in this medium.
Outstanding.
The Coyote Gospel has got to be one of my favorite comics of all time, just brilliant, a demonstration of what a comic can be – action packed, thought provoking, fun to look at with great art, and also (and here is where DC leaves Marvel behind) some tongue in cheek humor.
There is a scene in issue #357 of Marvel’s Incredible Hulk from 1989, written by Peter David, where Bruce Banner goes to a purple pants store and the salesman remarks how durable the threads are – and that’s funny, it was just a frame or two, and they go on with the adventure, but you get to see a wink and smile from the creators, a very subtle breaking of the fourth wall. Marvel takes themselves too seriously, but you see these little sidelong glances and smirks in DC comics all the time and Morrison has, in the Animal Man work, found this balance of comic book genius.
Somewhat reminiscent of Mike Baron’s fine work on The Flash and Badger (from about the same period – and I think there is a direct allusion to Badger in a t-shirt that Buddy Baker wears) this is simply comic book production at its best.
Highly recommended.
February 12, 2019
Whoa, something Morrison wrote that I can follow without wondering what drug he was on.
Animal Man is one of Morrison's oldest work but most beloveded as well. What he did for Buddy, creating him into a interesting character, and giving him real family drama, is all very respectable. However, was it good? We have the main 4 part arc at the start that introduces Buddy as animal man into the world but also getting a villain to go along with it. The next few issues are either a two part series or one shots. Ranging from alien invasion to chilling with Martian Manhunter in the desert. You never know where this series will take you.
Good: The comedy. Morrison nails the humor in this series, with a few chuckles every few pages as well as some laugh out loud moments. I also thought the family drama, though a bit dated in dialogue, works really well here and feels like a actual family. The idea of animal and his powers is always awesome and him trying his best is really respectable and interesting.
Bad: The art is dated, and more so the fight scenes look pretty awful. I also feel the collection is a bit confusing, especially with the invasion storyline there.
Overall, I was super surprised by this. I don't know if I'd say it's one of the best comics ever like some are but I was pretty happy with 80% of it. So for that it gets a 3.5-4 out of 5.
Animal Man is one of Morrison's oldest work but most beloveded as well. What he did for Buddy, creating him into a interesting character, and giving him real family drama, is all very respectable. However, was it good? We have the main 4 part arc at the start that introduces Buddy as animal man into the world but also getting a villain to go along with it. The next few issues are either a two part series or one shots. Ranging from alien invasion to chilling with Martian Manhunter in the desert. You never know where this series will take you.
Good: The comedy. Morrison nails the humor in this series, with a few chuckles every few pages as well as some laugh out loud moments. I also thought the family drama, though a bit dated in dialogue, works really well here and feels like a actual family. The idea of animal and his powers is always awesome and him trying his best is really respectable and interesting.
Bad: The art is dated, and more so the fight scenes look pretty awful. I also feel the collection is a bit confusing, especially with the invasion storyline there.
Overall, I was super surprised by this. I don't know if I'd say it's one of the best comics ever like some are but I was pretty happy with 80% of it. So for that it gets a 3.5-4 out of 5.
December 5, 2020
Now let's be clear here. I'm reading this mostly because of Grant Morrison. I hear a lot of things. Strange things. Like he writes like he's on acid. And since he picked up the B-lister Animal Man back in the eighties to do his own treatment in the way that Alan Moore did Swamp Thing, I just got curious, see?
And it's okay. Most of it is just okay. And then there was a little 4th wall breaking bit with a coyote getting killed over and over that just made me start laughing my ass off. Because it was horrific. And clever. And weird.
So now I'm just praying it gets better. And weirder. And cooler. I have hopes, see? Big hopes. I want to see this go nuts.
And it's okay. Most of it is just okay. And then there was a little 4th wall breaking bit with a coyote getting killed over and over that just made me start laughing my ass off. Because it was horrific. And clever. And weird.
So now I'm just praying it gets better. And weirder. And cooler. I have hopes, see? Big hopes. I want to see this go nuts.
April 19, 2024
[7/10]
Note: this review covers the original Grant Morrison run of 26 issues for Animal Man . I read the 2 volume omnibus edition from DC Black Label and, while the story and Morrison’s writing in particular deserves a more in depth discussion focused on individual arcs and major themes, I prefer to read more and spend less time reviewing after taking almost three years to finish Lone Wolf and Cub
I should start by mentioning that Animal Man is not my usual comics fare: I hesitate to pick up DC or Marvel titles about superheroes in spandex and/or capes flying around and saving the world from unspeakable evils.
Grant Morrison almost succeeds in reconciling me with the genre.
This particular project resurrects one of more obscure superheroes in the DC universe and gives him a more modern spin, aiming to replicate the success of the other Brit who has taken the American scene by storm in the 1990s: Alan Moore.
The first five or six albums went down this path with gusto and with touches of humour, first introducing Buddy Baker to the reader: a regular suburban dad with a hot wife and a couple of unruly children, boy and girl. Buddy has the talent of absorbing specific powers from animals in his vicinity, gaining strength or speed, breathing under water or flight from the animals in his vicinity. He hopes to join the Justice League International, a league of superheroes I am frankly unfamiliar with, but it doesn’t really matter in following the story.
Right from the start, Morrison’s militant position regarding cruelty to animals and vegetarianism play important roles in the plot, with the first Buddy Baker mission involving a laboratory that makes pointless experiments on monkeys.
Later in the series, these issues kind of get out of control and start sounding like preaching, which pulled me out of the story, in particular when the writer misrepresents some traditional fishing practices to morph them into dolphin genocide.
After the first issues that are more or less coherent, another pet peeve of mine reared its ugly head: tie-in issues, where the reader must go to a different series in order to understand the story-arc while in the album are included only the issues pertaining to Animal Man. It is not a major issue here, but it made sometimes the action harder to follow, in particular for someone like me who is lost in the Marvel and DC extended universes.
The second album, issues 13 to 26, are a showcase of Grant Morrison's talent for subverting the reader’s expectations. The story moves away from the classic superhero template and gets a lot darker and weirder, with major post-modernist treatments that break the fourth wall between the writer and his creation, brings in alternate realities, government conspiracies, alien gene splicing and conflicting temporal paradoxes.
I think Grant Morrison prepared the way for the more recent series The Boys by Garth Ennis and asks us here to re-evaluate our fascination for superheroes and start questioning their actions and their rigid morality.
I haven’t said anything about Chas Truog, the main artist of the original run, and I should because he did a very good job on a difficult material, a balancing act between the classic feel of the early albums and the experimental style of the later ones.
Even more impressive are the covers of Brian Bolland, often a lot more impactful and polished than the actual content.
Note: this review covers the original Grant Morrison run of 26 issues for Animal Man . I read the 2 volume omnibus edition from DC Black Label and, while the story and Morrison’s writing in particular deserves a more in depth discussion focused on individual arcs and major themes, I prefer to read more and spend less time reviewing after taking almost three years to finish Lone Wolf and Cub
I should start by mentioning that Animal Man is not my usual comics fare: I hesitate to pick up DC or Marvel titles about superheroes in spandex and/or capes flying around and saving the world from unspeakable evils.
Grant Morrison almost succeeds in reconciling me with the genre.
This particular project resurrects one of more obscure superheroes in the DC universe and gives him a more modern spin, aiming to replicate the success of the other Brit who has taken the American scene by storm in the 1990s: Alan Moore.
The first five or six albums went down this path with gusto and with touches of humour, first introducing Buddy Baker to the reader: a regular suburban dad with a hot wife and a couple of unruly children, boy and girl. Buddy has the talent of absorbing specific powers from animals in his vicinity, gaining strength or speed, breathing under water or flight from the animals in his vicinity. He hopes to join the Justice League International, a league of superheroes I am frankly unfamiliar with, but it doesn’t really matter in following the story.
Right from the start, Morrison’s militant position regarding cruelty to animals and vegetarianism play important roles in the plot, with the first Buddy Baker mission involving a laboratory that makes pointless experiments on monkeys.
Later in the series, these issues kind of get out of control and start sounding like preaching, which pulled me out of the story, in particular when the writer misrepresents some traditional fishing practices to morph them into dolphin genocide.
After the first issues that are more or less coherent, another pet peeve of mine reared its ugly head: tie-in issues, where the reader must go to a different series in order to understand the story-arc while in the album are included only the issues pertaining to Animal Man. It is not a major issue here, but it made sometimes the action harder to follow, in particular for someone like me who is lost in the Marvel and DC extended universes.
The second album, issues 13 to 26, are a showcase of Grant Morrison's talent for subverting the reader’s expectations. The story moves away from the classic superhero template and gets a lot darker and weirder, with major post-modernist treatments that break the fourth wall between the writer and his creation, brings in alternate realities, government conspiracies, alien gene splicing and conflicting temporal paradoxes.
I think Grant Morrison prepared the way for the more recent series The Boys by Garth Ennis and asks us here to re-evaluate our fascination for superheroes and start questioning their actions and their rigid morality.
I haven’t said anything about Chas Truog, the main artist of the original run, and I should because he did a very good job on a difficult material, a balancing act between the classic feel of the early albums and the experimental style of the later ones.
Even more impressive are the covers of Brian Bolland, often a lot more impactful and polished than the actual content.
January 4, 2023
Interesting take on the Silver Age B list superhero. Definitely not your regular superhero story. Recommended
February 13, 2012
The first time I remember ever seeing Animal Man was in the pages of 52. I liked him right away, and I was pleased to see that the parts that I liked best about his character were here during Morrison's run on the title. I like Buddy because he's a family man, a "normal" guy even with the superpowers, and I like him because he has a clear driving motive. Yes, Morrison was pretty much using Buddy as a mouthpiece for his own animal rights agenda, but it suits his character, and his powers, for Buddy to lean that way, too. Yes, some animals are carnivores and hunt and eat each other, but once you've borrowed the strength of a bull, can you really eat a cow again? Once you've borrowed the agility of a monkey, can you really support animal testing? It all makes sense in context.
The first few issues here are very expository, and not quite as weird as Morrison can get. (Coyote Gospel aside, of course.) The point is to get to know who Buddy is, how he works, and what he's fighting for. It works for that, though I'm sure it helps that I already really liked the character. And yes, I will certainly be reading more of Morrison's run on Animal Man.
The first few issues here are very expository, and not quite as weird as Morrison can get. (Coyote Gospel aside, of course.) The point is to get to know who Buddy is, how he works, and what he's fighting for. It works for that, though I'm sure it helps that I already really liked the character. And yes, I will certainly be reading more of Morrison's run on Animal Man.
February 13, 2020
#ThrowbackThursday - Back in the '90s, I used to write comic book reviews for the website of a now-defunct comic book retailer called Rockem Sockem Comics. From November 1996:
Animal Man trade paperback (DC Comics):
With writer Grant Morrison coming back into prominence at DC by taking over the Justice League's future in JLA, I thought it would be a good time to discuss one of his earlier works. Long before he did The Invisibles or his several Batman projects, Morrison revived one of DC's defunct old superheroes in a series called Animal Man (1988). As the series was cancelled a few years ago, we have come full circle, and Animal Man is again a defunct superhero. Regardless, DC has collected the first nine issues of the series in a trade paperback which is offered every month in it's backlist.
Animal Man is Buddy Baker. Buddy has had a sporadic superhero career in the past, but in the first chapter of this book he has resolved to commit himself entirely to superheroics and make it into the big time--the Justice League. The first four chapters of the book deal with his attempt to achieve that goal and defeat his first major villain. That foe is another defunct superhero who has also found a new mission in life. But, whereas Buddy seeks to become a defender of the animal world and aligns himself with animal rights activism, B'wana Beast (No, really, that's his name!) seeks bloody vengeance against animal abusers. Between scenes of the superhero confrontation, Morrison takes the time to introduce and develop Buddy's wife and children. For Buddy and his family, this first story arc is a wonderful tale of growth and self-discovery.
The fifth chapter of the book is truly the high point of the entire series. It is a gruesome tribute to the Roadrunner cartoons, featuring a version of Wile E. Coyote that will haunt you for years to come. This issue alone is worth the price of the book.
And that's a good thing, because while the first five chapters would earn the trade paperback a grade of A-, the closing four chapters are flawed and disappointing.
Chapters six and seven are forced to deal with DC's Invasion! crossover. The stories are okay, but they feel out of place and incomplete. Indeed, huge developments in Buddy's life (e.g., joining the Justice League & having difficulties with his powers) take place in the Invasion! series and the chapters in this book can only deal halfheartedly with the ramifications. Finally, the last chapter is full of sub-plots and hints dealing with the following storyline which has never been collected in trade paperback and is only available through back issues.
So my advice is to buy this book and rip it in half. Or maybe just use it as a starting point to collecting a very good series. But Morrison left the series with #26, and I wouldn't recommend any issues after that.
Grade: B-
Animal Man trade paperback (DC Comics):
With writer Grant Morrison coming back into prominence at DC by taking over the Justice League's future in JLA, I thought it would be a good time to discuss one of his earlier works. Long before he did The Invisibles or his several Batman projects, Morrison revived one of DC's defunct old superheroes in a series called Animal Man (1988). As the series was cancelled a few years ago, we have come full circle, and Animal Man is again a defunct superhero. Regardless, DC has collected the first nine issues of the series in a trade paperback which is offered every month in it's backlist.
Animal Man is Buddy Baker. Buddy has had a sporadic superhero career in the past, but in the first chapter of this book he has resolved to commit himself entirely to superheroics and make it into the big time--the Justice League. The first four chapters of the book deal with his attempt to achieve that goal and defeat his first major villain. That foe is another defunct superhero who has also found a new mission in life. But, whereas Buddy seeks to become a defender of the animal world and aligns himself with animal rights activism, B'wana Beast (No, really, that's his name!) seeks bloody vengeance against animal abusers. Between scenes of the superhero confrontation, Morrison takes the time to introduce and develop Buddy's wife and children. For Buddy and his family, this first story arc is a wonderful tale of growth and self-discovery.
The fifth chapter of the book is truly the high point of the entire series. It is a gruesome tribute to the Roadrunner cartoons, featuring a version of Wile E. Coyote that will haunt you for years to come. This issue alone is worth the price of the book.
And that's a good thing, because while the first five chapters would earn the trade paperback a grade of A-, the closing four chapters are flawed and disappointing.
Chapters six and seven are forced to deal with DC's Invasion! crossover. The stories are okay, but they feel out of place and incomplete. Indeed, huge developments in Buddy's life (e.g., joining the Justice League & having difficulties with his powers) take place in the Invasion! series and the chapters in this book can only deal halfheartedly with the ramifications. Finally, the last chapter is full of sub-plots and hints dealing with the following storyline which has never been collected in trade paperback and is only available through back issues.
So my advice is to buy this book and rip it in half. Or maybe just use it as a starting point to collecting a very good series. But Morrison left the series with #26, and I wouldn't recommend any issues after that.
Grade: B-
December 22, 2024
Grant Morrison is considered as a legend in the world of comics, and his run as a writer in Animal Man is nothing short of a milestone for the character. He not only redefined the character, bringing him to the lighted stage with his true potential unfurled to the readers, but also forced mind-boggling concepts into his storytelling, that never failed to stimulate the readers' minds.
December 22, 2023
Animal Man was this month’s selection from the Goodreads group I Read Comic Books and because of it, I was introduced to the kitschy awesomeness of Grant Morrison’s 1988 take on this B-level superhero. The graphic novel starts with a lengthy introduction by Morrison that explains how he and other Brits were contacted after Alan Moore’s success with Watchman and Swamp Thing, to give life to DC’s back catalog of superheroes. Morrison chooses Animal Man and the rest is history.
The story establishes Buddy Baker as a married “everyman”, who as he nears thirty is having an identity crisis. In this world, heroes are common with Superman and Wonder Woman being the recognized top tier, with the other heroes scrambling to find a niche and a super-group. Buddy struggles to provide for his family, so he wishes to gain recognition, hoping to join a prestigious group and use his powers of temporarily picking up the abilities of animals nearby. Despite the campiness, the stories could be more nuanced than you would think. Animal cruelty, family responsibilities, societal commentary and humanizing villains are all tied into the storylines. However, these themes are inconsistently used, as sometimes they are pulled together in a witty way, but other times they are groan-worthy.
So let’s talk about The Coyote Gospel. OMG- I loved it. The jokes were so sly- starting with the trucker (who looked like Freddie Mercury) and hitchhiker singing the The Modern Lovers song Road Runner right before they accidentally struck the human-like coyote in the desert. Animal Man is actually just a secondary character in this chapter as the coyote man and trucker duke it out. This homage to Will. E. Coyote in Looney Tunes, and comparing him to Jesus, was a trip. By coincidence, I attended a small anime convention last week and as I was looking through the bins of posters of comic covers, I ran across the picture of Animal Man being painted on the road in an obvious crucifix symbolism. One week ago I would not have known who Animal Man was or the significance of the pose, but now I can claim more credibility as a comics fan!
I also picked up the recent Jeff Lemire version and absolutely hated it. The art was grotesque and I quickly put it down. This goes to show that no matter how good the story is, art can torpedo a graphic novel. Luckily this first version has strong art with a Golden Age vibe and it elevates the stories. Artists Chas Truog, Doug Hazlewood and Tom Grummett, with some Brian Bolland covers, bring the Baker family to life along with the animal menagerie that Buddy encounters in every chapter. All in all, I enjoyed this graphic novel especially the deeper themes of animal rights activism that Animal Man advocated for.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2019/04/2...
The story establishes Buddy Baker as a married “everyman”, who as he nears thirty is having an identity crisis. In this world, heroes are common with Superman and Wonder Woman being the recognized top tier, with the other heroes scrambling to find a niche and a super-group. Buddy struggles to provide for his family, so he wishes to gain recognition, hoping to join a prestigious group and use his powers of temporarily picking up the abilities of animals nearby. Despite the campiness, the stories could be more nuanced than you would think. Animal cruelty, family responsibilities, societal commentary and humanizing villains are all tied into the storylines. However, these themes are inconsistently used, as sometimes they are pulled together in a witty way, but other times they are groan-worthy.
So let’s talk about The Coyote Gospel. OMG- I loved it. The jokes were so sly- starting with the trucker (who looked like Freddie Mercury) and hitchhiker singing the The Modern Lovers song Road Runner right before they accidentally struck the human-like coyote in the desert. Animal Man is actually just a secondary character in this chapter as the coyote man and trucker duke it out. This homage to Will. E. Coyote in Looney Tunes, and comparing him to Jesus, was a trip. By coincidence, I attended a small anime convention last week and as I was looking through the bins of posters of comic covers, I ran across the picture of Animal Man being painted on the road in an obvious crucifix symbolism. One week ago I would not have known who Animal Man was or the significance of the pose, but now I can claim more credibility as a comics fan!
I also picked up the recent Jeff Lemire version and absolutely hated it. The art was grotesque and I quickly put it down. This goes to show that no matter how good the story is, art can torpedo a graphic novel. Luckily this first version has strong art with a Golden Age vibe and it elevates the stories. Artists Chas Truog, Doug Hazlewood and Tom Grummett, with some Brian Bolland covers, bring the Baker family to life along with the animal menagerie that Buddy encounters in every chapter. All in all, I enjoyed this graphic novel especially the deeper themes of animal rights activism that Animal Man advocated for.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2019/04/2...
July 11, 2010
1.5 stars. I remember liking this when it first came out in 1988-1989, but it did not hold up well when I just re-read it. There were a couple of very good parts in the first story arc but for the most part I found it poorly written and pretty boring. Very disappointing.
August 27, 2015
Man, I thought this was supposed to be some kind of astute subversion of 80s superhero comics, but it felt pretty much like every other insipidly-dialogued mainstream superhero story, with a bunch of cheesy cameos shoehorned in to sell issues. I could almost hear the live studio audience squealing with glee whenever Hawkman or Martian Manhunter made a fawning full-frame appearance. Disappointing.
April 22, 2019
While the stuff Morrison wrote was interesting and different, the art... the art... the terrible terrible art. So many mullets. So many cut off jeans. so many cut off tee-shirts.
I gotta tell you, it was completely distracting for me. I understand this is a product of it's time, but woof. This was also sort of disjointed and I kept trying to figure out if there were issues that were missing. I dunno. I would love for this to have been better or more impressive considering the source, but meh... I guess?
I gotta tell you, it was completely distracting for me. I understand this is a product of it's time, but woof. This was also sort of disjointed and I kept trying to figure out if there were issues that were missing. I dunno. I would love for this to have been better or more impressive considering the source, but meh... I guess?
March 26, 2018
I love comics that meta explore their characters place in the world and relation to what goes on behind the scenes. I'm easily bored of beating the villain of the week storylines and this Grant Morrison title really saw past that and revived a d list hero who had a brief run in the 60's. It is a time capsule of the early 90's in many ways and I can't wait to read more.
January 17, 2021
No sabía si ponerle las cinco estrellas a este tomo, pero es que pensándolo un poco, ¡es jodidamente bueno! Me ha encantado de principio a fin: dibujo, guion, todo. Sabía del talento de Grant Morrison, pero aquí me lo ha confirmado por completo.
April 7, 2024
În mod evident, orice recenzie citești la volumul acesta, în mai toate vei afla de faptul că e prima bandă la care a lucrat Morrison ptr industria americană, că s-a dorit să fie o replică la Swamp Thing, în intenția ei ecologistă și, mai ales, că toată lumea a rămas marcată de numărul „The Coyote Gospel”, ceea ce probabil era firesc în acel moment. Acum, citindu-l mi se pare mai interesant ca tehnică decât ca mesaj eco, anti-violență și omagiu adus bietului coiot.
Dacă treci însă peste recenziile și plecăciunile fanilor, poți să de te distrezi destul de bine pentru că Grant Morrison ia un personaj obscur din istoria DC și-l aruncă în fața reflectoarelor, pentru că asta își dorea Buddy Baker, erou de ocazie, ajuns în preajma vârstei de 30 de ani. O viață de erou, care să-i aducă faimă și bani, pentru a-și întreține familia și a nu mai trăi doar din salariul soției. Problema e că superputerile lui sunt ocazionale, împrumută din puterile ființelor din jurul său (păsări, insecte, animale diverse), dar fără să fie cu adevărat un super-erou recunoscut de public. De altfel, nici familia lui nu prea are încredere în cariera lui de super-erou. Exceptând primele numere, în care povestea e mai dezvoltată și e gândită ca un soi de biografie a lui Buddy și a familiei sale, restul numerelor sunt fie povești scurte, individuale, fie povești interconectate cu diverse evenimente DC care mai mult te încurcă decât să ajute.
Pentru publicul fidel DC, de-a lungul numerelor, apar diverși eroi din lumea DC ca Superman sau Martian Manhunter, sau răufăcători mai mult sau mai puțin cunoscuți, așa încât să simți că ești pe un teren familiar. Mie mi-au plăcut mai mult poveștile casnice, faptul că fiul rebel e fan Metallica, dar băieții care-i fură bicicleta și se iau de el, cel puțin unul dintre puști are tricou cu Bon Jovi, apoi multele scene amuzante și absurde despre viața de super-erou eșuat etc. Evident că personajul nostru devine un soi de Captain Planet al promovării drepturilor animalelor și al veganismului (deși familia lui nu e de acord). Însă dincolo de mesajul ecologist puternic există suficient umor, ironie și replici și întâmplări inteligente cât să te simți confortabil cu poveștile. Există și multe locuri comune specifice genului, așa că dacă te apuci de citit Animal Man pentru poveștile dubioase ale lui Morrison, nu cred că e chiar story-ul potrivit.
Dacă treci însă peste recenziile și plecăciunile fanilor, poți să de te distrezi destul de bine pentru că Grant Morrison ia un personaj obscur din istoria DC și-l aruncă în fața reflectoarelor, pentru că asta își dorea Buddy Baker, erou de ocazie, ajuns în preajma vârstei de 30 de ani. O viață de erou, care să-i aducă faimă și bani, pentru a-și întreține familia și a nu mai trăi doar din salariul soției. Problema e că superputerile lui sunt ocazionale, împrumută din puterile ființelor din jurul său (păsări, insecte, animale diverse), dar fără să fie cu adevărat un super-erou recunoscut de public. De altfel, nici familia lui nu prea are încredere în cariera lui de super-erou. Exceptând primele numere, în care povestea e mai dezvoltată și e gândită ca un soi de biografie a lui Buddy și a familiei sale, restul numerelor sunt fie povești scurte, individuale, fie povești interconectate cu diverse evenimente DC care mai mult te încurcă decât să ajute.
Pentru publicul fidel DC, de-a lungul numerelor, apar diverși eroi din lumea DC ca Superman sau Martian Manhunter, sau răufăcători mai mult sau mai puțin cunoscuți, așa încât să simți că ești pe un teren familiar. Mie mi-au plăcut mai mult poveștile casnice, faptul că fiul rebel e fan Metallica, dar băieții care-i fură bicicleta și se iau de el, cel puțin unul dintre puști are tricou cu Bon Jovi, apoi multele scene amuzante și absurde despre viața de super-erou eșuat etc. Evident că personajul nostru devine un soi de Captain Planet al promovării drepturilor animalelor și al veganismului (deși familia lui nu e de acord). Însă dincolo de mesajul ecologist puternic există suficient umor, ironie și replici și întâmplări inteligente cât să te simți confortabil cu poveștile. Există și multe locuri comune specifice genului, așa că dacă te apuci de citit Animal Man pentru poveștile dubioase ale lui Morrison, nu cred că e chiar story-ul potrivit.
October 18, 2010
Re-reading this with a lot more background knowledge about some of the other characters was great. I was impressed with this the first time around as well, because of the way the fourth wall is continually challenged (before being scattered at some point in the other volumes, I suppose) and because of, well, the animal rights issues. Besides, Buddy's family life is wonderfully normal and hilarious. It's a fun and intelligent read, and I like that sort of thing.
(And I admit, realizing I am starting to get a proper idea of who everyone is in the DC universe is just great. I still have a long way to go, but finally I feel I am getting somewhere!)
Written after my third reading: this is getting better with each re-read. This time, it's amazing to see how many hints of what's to come are already in the earlier issues. And the things I liked about it the first time are the same: fun, intelligent, a hero with a great family life who also cares about animal rights. If it wasn't for All-Star Superman, this would be my favorite Morrison. Damn the man for writing so much great stuff :p
(And I admit, realizing I am starting to get a proper idea of who everyone is in the DC universe is just great. I still have a long way to go, but finally I feel I am getting somewhere!)
Written after my third reading: this is getting better with each re-read. This time, it's amazing to see how many hints of what's to come are already in the earlier issues. And the things I liked about it the first time are the same: fun, intelligent, a hero with a great family life who also cares about animal rights. If it wasn't for All-Star Superman, this would be my favorite Morrison. Damn the man for writing so much great stuff :p
August 31, 2013
This first volume is an impressive start to Animal Man. It's still pretty standard superhero fare, but Morrison immediately pushes out to the edges of the genre by making it brutally realistic and by really exploiting the possibilities of Buddy's power. The whole B'wana Beast plotline (#1-4) is surprisingly good throughout and the Invasion issues (#6-8) really stand out as well, particularly the Red Mask issue (#7). There's all kinds of great stuff here about heroism and art and life ...
However, it's The Coyote Gospel (#5) that knocks this volume out of the park. It's an amazing story, well-told, totally innovative, and a great roadmap for what's ahead. The moment when Buddy takes the scroll of knowledge and reads it ... that still kills me.
So, even though it's not as great as what follows (with the exception of The Coyote Gospel, which is), this comic was pretty darned good from the beginning, even moreso when you consider the time period.
However, it's The Coyote Gospel (#5) that knocks this volume out of the park. It's an amazing story, well-told, totally innovative, and a great roadmap for what's ahead. The moment when Buddy takes the scroll of knowledge and reads it ... that still kills me.
So, even though it's not as great as what follows (with the exception of The Coyote Gospel, which is), this comic was pretty darned good from the beginning, even moreso when you consider the time period.
December 6, 2019
Leí por primera vez la etapa de Grant Morrison en Animal Man hace ya algunos años, de prestado, y de nuevo, la Biblioteca Grant Morrison me ha dado la oportunidad de tenerlo y releerlo, y volver a disfrutarlo aún más si cabe. Y es que una de las grandes habilidades de Morrison a la hora de escribir cuando cuenta con libertad (como en el caso de Animal Man) es que la lectura mejora con los años y la experiencia, algo de lo que estoy disfrutando mucho últimamente y no sólo en este tipo de cómics.
Hacia 1988, como cuenta el mismo guionista en la introducción, le dieron la oportunidad de trabajar con un personaje secundario a su elección, y decidió hacerlo con Animal Man, un personaje de segunda fila que llevaba años apartados del foco. Buddy Baker, el alter ego de Animal Man, había obtenido sus poderes tras recibir el estallido de una nave extraterrestre, lo que le había hecho capaz de adquirir las habilidades de los animales, pero lo "original" de Buddy es que era un personaje con familia: mujer y dos hijos, lo que lo alejaba del estándar clásico del superhéroe solitario (como Batman) o enlazado en una relación romántica de novia eterna (como Superman en aquellos momentos).
Total, que a Morrison le dieron carta blanca para jugar con Animal Man (como ya habían hecho con Sandman y Neil Gaiman con un notorio éxito), y Morrison transformó su etapa en el personaje en todo un ejercicio de reivindicación de los derechos animales y sobre todo, de metaliteratura. En este primer tomo, El Zoo Humano, la historia no se sale demasiado de una narrativa habitual, aunque uno de sus números, El Evangelio del Coyote, ya avisa de lo que está por venir. Después de decidir volver a ser un superhéroe tras un tiempo apartado y con la formación de la nueva Liga de la Justicia Internacional, piensa que es el momento de conseguir vivir de ser un héroe, y su primer caso consiste en investigar una extraña situación en unos laboratorios que hacen experimentos médicos con simios. El adversario de Buddy, en este caso, sería otro personaje marginal del Universo DC, Bwana Bestia, y si bien el tratamiento que se le da a la trama es bastante clásico, la historia es muy buena, y con mucha carga reivindicativa.
Y a partir de ahí, las cosas se empiezan a poner extrañas. Aparte de un par de números que se integrarían en el crossover anual de DC de aquel año, ¡Invasión!, pero a los que Morrison sabe dar su toque personal, está el ya mencionado anteriormente Evangelio del Coyote, un relato original en planteamiento y desarrollo que abre las puertas a lo que va terminar viniendo...
Y lo que viene es muy grande.
Hacia 1988, como cuenta el mismo guionista en la introducción, le dieron la oportunidad de trabajar con un personaje secundario a su elección, y decidió hacerlo con Animal Man, un personaje de segunda fila que llevaba años apartados del foco. Buddy Baker, el alter ego de Animal Man, había obtenido sus poderes tras recibir el estallido de una nave extraterrestre, lo que le había hecho capaz de adquirir las habilidades de los animales, pero lo "original" de Buddy es que era un personaje con familia: mujer y dos hijos, lo que lo alejaba del estándar clásico del superhéroe solitario (como Batman) o enlazado en una relación romántica de novia eterna (como Superman en aquellos momentos).
Total, que a Morrison le dieron carta blanca para jugar con Animal Man (como ya habían hecho con Sandman y Neil Gaiman con un notorio éxito), y Morrison transformó su etapa en el personaje en todo un ejercicio de reivindicación de los derechos animales y sobre todo, de metaliteratura. En este primer tomo, El Zoo Humano, la historia no se sale demasiado de una narrativa habitual, aunque uno de sus números, El Evangelio del Coyote, ya avisa de lo que está por venir. Después de decidir volver a ser un superhéroe tras un tiempo apartado y con la formación de la nueva Liga de la Justicia Internacional, piensa que es el momento de conseguir vivir de ser un héroe, y su primer caso consiste en investigar una extraña situación en unos laboratorios que hacen experimentos médicos con simios. El adversario de Buddy, en este caso, sería otro personaje marginal del Universo DC, Bwana Bestia, y si bien el tratamiento que se le da a la trama es bastante clásico, la historia es muy buena, y con mucha carga reivindicativa.
Y a partir de ahí, las cosas se empiezan a poner extrañas. Aparte de un par de números que se integrarían en el crossover anual de DC de aquel año, ¡Invasión!, pero a los que Morrison sabe dar su toque personal, está el ya mencionado anteriormente Evangelio del Coyote, un relato original en planteamiento y desarrollo que abre las puertas a lo que va terminar viniendo...
Y lo que viene es muy grande.
September 17, 2023
Los cuatro primeros números del tomo son el arco de presentación del personaje y funciona bien dentro de esa búsqueda del sentido de las historias de un superhéroe sin bagaje. Todo eso salta por los aires en el quinto número, el evangelio del coyote. Lo que hasta ese momento parecía una actualización de los superhéroes de la edad de plata, con su punto pop-rídculo-patético, no sólo dialoga con el lector desde la representación (el ecologismo, la experimentación con animales, la colonización). Los símbolos y el cariz metaficcional se ponen en primerísimo plano y le imprimen a Animal Man una faceta nueva; el desembarco en el universo superheroico de DC de la locura que poco después Morrison llevaría a Doom Patrol. Pretencioso o ambicioso, ágil o torpe, me cuesta decidirlo. Pero con frescura y ese punto punki que cuando se ha mantenido embridado tan buenos resultados le ha dado.
January 29, 2025
I never knew anyone could get me to care so much about Wile E. Coyote.
April 5, 2015
Animal Man is the story of a superhero from a long time ago that Grant Morrison was compelled to bring out of retirement and make him relevant again. Animal Man actually looks himself up in the library superhero encyclopedia and sees the sentence "Presumed retired".
And this means two things - 1. These comics were published before Google (the late 80's) and 2. Grant Morrison's great sense of tongue-in-cheek humor.
I had picked up one of the Animal Man comics while Morrison was writing it but I didn't really understand it or care for it so I never purchased any more of them. It's only been lately that I've thought that I need to re-visit Animal Man and read the entire 26 issue series.
It started off a little rough for me, but by the time I got to the end of this TPB, I was thinking "No, it ends on a cliffhanger ! No, don't do this to me! Aaaah!" Thankfully, it looks like I'll be able to get all of the issues at the library. Whew.
So at first, Animal Man is finding his voice, his mission, his passion. It turns out to be - well - animals. Animals as in animal rights. He rescues lab animals. There isn't much background to him in these stories - apparently, a space ship blew up in his face and he can pick up the special powers of the animals around him, but amplified. And he can fly. And he also puts on a jacket over his spandex suit - after all, he was just a little too spandexy (or something to that effect, when his wife mentions it.)
He's married. Two kids. He really wants in to the Justice League. Finally, his membership card appears in the mail. We also learn that if his house undergoes damage from aliens or super villains, the Justice League will take care of repairs within 48 hours. Good deal. (Here we see Grant Morrison's sense of humor which permeates this comic.)
Except - there's a problem that might prevent him from becoming a Justice League member. And that's where issue #9 ends. Sigh.
It's not all fun and games - there's some serious issues going on here. I'm glad it got better for me, glad I read it.
And this means two things - 1. These comics were published before Google (the late 80's) and 2. Grant Morrison's great sense of tongue-in-cheek humor.
I had picked up one of the Animal Man comics while Morrison was writing it but I didn't really understand it or care for it so I never purchased any more of them. It's only been lately that I've thought that I need to re-visit Animal Man and read the entire 26 issue series.
It started off a little rough for me, but by the time I got to the end of this TPB, I was thinking "No, it ends on a cliffhanger ! No, don't do this to me! Aaaah!" Thankfully, it looks like I'll be able to get all of the issues at the library. Whew.
So at first, Animal Man is finding his voice, his mission, his passion. It turns out to be - well - animals. Animals as in animal rights. He rescues lab animals. There isn't much background to him in these stories - apparently, a space ship blew up in his face and he can pick up the special powers of the animals around him, but amplified. And he can fly. And he also puts on a jacket over his spandex suit - after all, he was just a little too spandexy (or something to that effect, when his wife mentions it.)
He's married. Two kids. He really wants in to the Justice League. Finally, his membership card appears in the mail. We also learn that if his house undergoes damage from aliens or super villains, the Justice League will take care of repairs within 48 hours. Good deal. (Here we see Grant Morrison's sense of humor which permeates this comic.)
Except - there's a problem that might prevent him from becoming a Justice League member. And that's where issue #9 ends. Sigh.
It's not all fun and games - there's some serious issues going on here. I'm glad it got better for me, glad I read it.
Read
November 18, 2010Buddy Baker seems like a nice enough guy: he's kind of a loafer and a dreamer roughly my age (WTF?), he looks sort of gay in the cutoff jeans and muscle shirt he's always wearing (hey, it's 80's L.A., I understand), and he has a pretty hot wife who looks like Bobby's mom from Bobby's World. When he decides to become Animal Man again his first case takes him into a moral quagmire concerning animal rights and other leftist causes. This storyline, spanning 4 issues and including a bestiality-loving Phantom ripoff with some interesting powers of his own, was my favorite story in this collection. I didn't particularly like the Wile E. Coyote on Acid story that followed because I know it's a mere nod as to where this comic will eventually meta-turn into, but I thought Morrison handled the Hawkworld Invasion story, an annoying geeky marketing comic book crossover event he probably had to take part in, very well. The Red Death issue was another favorite of mine ("I got a death touch, an army of killer robots and a skull drawn on my chest and I don't look like a bad guy to you?") but the Mirror Master story was mostly filler, although I love to see a Flash Rogue pop up in another comic book every now and then. The last story again just felt like filler or a prologue to some longer, expansive work to come.
I will refrain from judging this series until I've read more (someday, alack this is the only volume they have at the library), but over all it seems like it's off to a good start.
I will refrain from judging this series until I've read more (someday, alack this is the only volume they have at the library), but over all it seems like it's off to a good start.
December 15, 2012
I enjoyed reading this, and it gave me a bit of a surprise, when I opened it and looked at the first cover, it took me back to being 8yrs old at the corner store, and seeing it on the stands...I definitely remember all the animals, but I didn't buy it, I have no idea what I did buy instead. Buddy Baker is one of the more interesting stories, because he's got powers, but not sure if they're much good, and ends up overmatched every so often. This makes him more appealing to me, as well as the fact that he's a normal guy with wife and kids and normal problems. I remember seeing him in JL books I read and not being sure of him all that much, so this is a nice source and good read.
December 8, 2020
One of the weirdest comics I have read...
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