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adrianasturalvarez's review against another edition
3.0
Really fun early series by Grant Morrison. Some of the episodes were more interesting than others (The Death of the Red Mask, and of course The Coyote Gospel). What I like most about this comic is Morrison's playful use of self-reflexivity, which I have read gets more and more theoretical (and supposedly abstruse) in later work.
theartolater's review against another edition
2.0
Let me put it to you this way - if I had read this before the New 52 Animal Man, I very likely would have skipped the reboot. Morrison's Animal Man doesn't hold up exceptionally well - it is a little unnecessarily campy, especially in the later issues of this volume, it has that late 1980s/early 1990s sensibility that doesn't match up with modern comics, and even if you're able to put all that aside...it just isn't that great. It has its moments, but it was largely a swing and a miss for me.
If you're not a fan, and were on the fence about the reboot, don't be - the reboot is nothing like this, to its credit.
If you're not a fan, and were on the fence about the reboot, don't be - the reboot is nothing like this, to its credit.
superunison's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 actually. It's dated, and heavy-handed both in its metaphor and its politics. Apparently the divergent storylines come together in later issues, but it's VERY scattered as a piece in and of itself. Some gestational interesting ideas though, and probably very, very weird for the late 80s, and thus commendable.
bookmonkey98's review against another edition
4.0
Haven't read this in about a decade. Many of the issues are just good, however I know that the run as a whole is something great, so I am leaving the rating 5 stars.
pdz's review against another edition
One of my favorite comic runs of all time. Grant Morrison's spin on a b-level super hero. Really great art and writing.
clayton_moser's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ladydewinter's review against another edition
5.0
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
birdmanseven's review against another edition
2.0
This just wasn't for me, odd characters and goofy tone. It felt very dated.
loryndalar's review against another edition
4.0
Ok! So I'm a Morrison fanboi! But this early stuff was genuinely exciting compared to other comics. Not sure how I managed reading this without becoming vegetarian at the time (oh yeah, my Mum wouldn't allow it... :/ ).
Oddly having flashforwards to the Psycho Pirate bits though (probably the current nDCU soft reboot.)
Oddly having flashforwards to the Psycho Pirate bits though (probably the current nDCU soft reboot.)
the_graylien's review against another edition
4.0
Here I've encountered, for the first time, a Grant Morrison written title that really, in most parts, didn't really read like a Grant Morrison written title.
Buddy Baker is Animal Man. This being a superhero book (definitely the most traditional superhero book that Morrison has written that I've read), his power is that he acquires the power of any animal near to him. He doesn't get the majestic appearance of the lion, the hulking form of the gorilla, just the abilities that they would add to a human's natural strength, speed, regeneration... You get the idea.
That being said (and I think Morrison definitely meant for this to happen), Buddy/Animal Man is sort of an ineffectual superhero. It's the next door neighbor that saves Buddy's wife and child from brutality at one turn, his wife kicking Mirror Master in the balls at another, saving Buddy's hide. This was an interesting thing to read.
But much like Buddy is learning to be a hero, it feels like Grant Morrison was learning how to write this particular hero at this point in time. We already know that Morrison is a master story-teller at this point, having churned out "Batman: Arkham Asylum" (a masterwork) at around the same time.
One might attribute this to the fact that Grant had only pitched Animal Man to be a four-issue limited series and instead was brought on and asked to make it into an ongoing title. That coupled with the fact that he had to write around a major DC universe crossover in "Invasion" for a couple of issues in the midst of this run, made the first nine issues feel just a bit disjointed.
BUT, one can definitely see the seeds (most markedly in issue #5; "The Coyote Gospel") of what is said to turn into a metafictional, mind-bending, more Morrisonian run in later volumes. And reading this one wasn't painful, just not what you might expect after reading Morrison's other stellar works.
I'd recommend this to fans of the traditional superhero type story, hardcore fans of Morrison, and those interested in getting ALL the pieces of what promises to turn into a great run.
***Thoughts after rereading in November 2015***
I'm going to correct my past self here and say that this definitely feels like Grant Morrison's writing.
The issues may be several one off stories, but (again differing from my former opinion) I no longer think the work is disjointed.
I've this time realized the deftness of Morrison's prose in the narration and his common themes peeking through from between the lines.
I've also got great admiration for the artists who worked on this book. Chas Truog, Doug Hazlewood, and Tatjana Wood nail the perfect feel for the interior art. And covers by Brian Bolland are always a treat.
Great book.
Buddy Baker is Animal Man. This being a superhero book (definitely the most traditional superhero book that Morrison has written that I've read), his power is that he acquires the power of any animal near to him. He doesn't get the majestic appearance of the lion, the hulking form of the gorilla, just the abilities that they would add to a human's natural strength, speed, regeneration... You get the idea.
That being said (and I think Morrison definitely meant for this to happen), Buddy/Animal Man is sort of an ineffectual superhero. It's the next door neighbor that saves Buddy's wife and child from brutality at one turn, his wife kicking Mirror Master in the balls at another, saving Buddy's hide. This was an interesting thing to read.
But much like Buddy is learning to be a hero, it feels like Grant Morrison was learning how to write this particular hero at this point in time. We already know that Morrison is a master story-teller at this point, having churned out "Batman: Arkham Asylum" (a masterwork) at around the same time.
One might attribute this to the fact that Grant had only pitched Animal Man to be a four-issue limited series and instead was brought on and asked to make it into an ongoing title. That coupled with the fact that he had to write around a major DC universe crossover in "Invasion" for a couple of issues in the midst of this run, made the first nine issues feel just a bit disjointed.
BUT, one can definitely see the seeds (most markedly in issue #5; "The Coyote Gospel") of what is said to turn into a metafictional, mind-bending, more Morrisonian run in later volumes. And reading this one wasn't painful, just not what you might expect after reading Morrison's other stellar works.
I'd recommend this to fans of the traditional superhero type story, hardcore fans of Morrison, and those interested in getting ALL the pieces of what promises to turn into a great run.
***Thoughts after rereading in November 2015***
I'm going to correct my past self here and say that this definitely feels like Grant Morrison's writing.
The issues may be several one off stories, but (again differing from my former opinion) I no longer think the work is disjointed.
I've this time realized the deftness of Morrison's prose in the narration and his common themes peeking through from between the lines.
I've also got great admiration for the artists who worked on this book. Chas Truog, Doug Hazlewood, and Tatjana Wood nail the perfect feel for the interior art. And covers by Brian Bolland are always a treat.
Great book.