Scan barcode
arthur_dragon's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Very strong start to the series, hooks you in with a mystery afflicting this family man superhero. Unfortunately, the rest of the series struggles to keep up. For what it is, fairly good but not really worth diving into the run.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Animal death and Blood
unladylike's review against another edition
4.0
I flew through this trade faster than a speeding cheetah. There are still some years of Animal Man I haven't read, after Grant Morrison and Peter Milligan's runs (I left off somewhere during Veitch's run), but with my existing knowledge of those previous Animal Man stories, this current mythos makes perfect sense. Can't wait for the library to send me the next two trades, along with the first three Swamp Thing trades from the New 52, which crossover to my delight.
mazer_nickham's review against another edition
4.0
Partially rated on the perceived potential, Animal Man is unfortunately the last of my recent Jeff Lemire kick. Much like Sweet Tooth, Lemire balances humor, heart, and horror ridiculously well. The way that this title will potentially tie into the DC universe has me excited. I also loved the inclusion and importance of Animal Man's family in this trade. Good show.
karliclover's review against another edition
5.0
I had never been a fan of Animal Man. I had nothing against him, but there was nothing drawing me toward him. His part in "52" with Starfire and Adam Strange was, I thought, the least interesting part in the story. That might be why he didn't appeal to me.
Then I read the first issue of his New 52 title. I was blown away.
The art is very different and unconventional, but it's perfect for the story and sets the tone beautifully.
The story is creepy and horrifying. It made my skin crawl at times. I love it.
Then I read the first issue of his New 52 title. I was blown away.
The art is very different and unconventional, but it's perfect for the story and sets the tone beautifully.
The story is creepy and horrifying. It made my skin crawl at times. I love it.
rbreade's review against another edition
I actually enjoyed the Animal Man character for the first time. Jeff Lemire's story and Travel Foreman's art better suited the weirdness of this character, as opposed to Grant Morrison's earlier interpretation. Lemire only uses dialogue and thought to convey the story--there are no descriptive captions. There's even a story that's presented as one of Buddy Baker's (a.k.a., Animal Man) films, as watched on a smartphone by Baker's son.
ericbuscemi's review against another edition
2.0
Despite hearing a lot of things over the year about how good this comic was, it did not resonate with me at all. The artwork was great, but I wasn't particularly invested in Buddy Baker/Animal Man, and then the story got really weird.
imjustadow's review against another edition
3.0
definitely some of DC's stranger work. still well-written and visually stunning
jasmiinaf's review against another edition
2.0
The story was way too weird for me which is a shame because I did like the characters and saw lots of potential in this. But yeah, the story just wasn't for me.
moberle's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
This is a very solid blending of superhero media and horror. Animal Man's position in the story is interesting as a sort of mix between a superhero, a family man, and Sarah Connors. There is also lots of effective, unsettling imagery at play in these pages. It offers a very compelling setup for a larger story. I don't really have much to say other than I really enjoyed this and I am definitely going to seek out the next volume. I want to see where this goes.
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad. Not bad at all.
It gets a lower rating for me because it's just not my kind of story. Things are a little more...cosmic that I prefer. However, fans of stuff like Sandman or Hellblazer will get into this big time. In a lot of ways, this books feels very much like the successor to the better of the 90's Vertigo stuff and really carries on that spirit, which deserves praise.
It's also a great matching of story and art. Sometimes I feel pangs when I see a story that's got a less mainstream feel to it, so it's decided that a really strange art style is appropriate. This book doesn't have mainstream art, but it's off just enough that it really compliments the story. And though the art has an unusual feel to it, it doesn't fall into that trap you sometimes see where you're looking at the panels, reading the words, and still unsure what exactly is going on.
Also, of the new 52 I've read so far, this one did a better job of making me feel like it's going somewhere with payoff in the longterm. That's always a nice feeling to walk away with.
It gets a lower rating for me because it's just not my kind of story. Things are a little more...cosmic that I prefer. However, fans of stuff like Sandman or Hellblazer will get into this big time. In a lot of ways, this books feels very much like the successor to the better of the 90's Vertigo stuff and really carries on that spirit, which deserves praise.
It's also a great matching of story and art. Sometimes I feel pangs when I see a story that's got a less mainstream feel to it, so it's decided that a really strange art style is appropriate. This book doesn't have mainstream art, but it's off just enough that it really compliments the story. And though the art has an unusual feel to it, it doesn't fall into that trap you sometimes see where you're looking at the panels, reading the words, and still unsure what exactly is going on.
Also, of the new 52 I've read so far, this one did a better job of making me feel like it's going somewhere with payoff in the longterm. That's always a nice feeling to walk away with.