Scan barcode
jcovey's review against another edition
4.0
It doesn't have the weight, the pathos of his magnum opus Doom Patrol run, in comparison this is somewhat slight, somewhat silly, even as the characters are desperately searching for the answers behind everything, but this is without a doubt some primo Grant Morrion shit.
michaelkurt's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
thedictator26's review against another edition
5.0
Great book with an excellent character. Brings out some wonderful ideas on reality
chuckycheezus's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Quite possibly the greatest work by Grant Morrison I have ever read. The theme of animal rights is unfortunately still as prevalent as in the 80s, and handled in a very deft manner so it doesn’t feel preachy. Buddy Baker is such a great protagonist and his relationship with his family is so wholesome it was always heartwarming to read. Coyote Gospel is one of the greatest single issues I have ever read and serves as a brilliant microcosm of the entire series. The later issues become an absolutely fascinating takedown of the nature of the Modern Age of comics itself, coming off the heels of works like Watchmen from that time it feels like biting commentary that’s, again, still as relevant as ever. This was Grant Morrison’s thesis statement and the distilled nature of their complex ideas alongside the brisk pace and clean artwork makes this a timeless masterpiece that deserves to be read by all comic readers.
gregbrown's review against another edition
4.0
Rad! Morrison takes an on-face goofy superhero and vests him with some real ethical force and struggles, in a way that feels deeply personal to Morrison and the character. Animal Man is a guy who can take on the abstracted abilities of nearby animals—such as flight from birds, disproportionate strength from ants, etc—but without their physical characteristics. Morrison asks how that would change your outlook, and arrives at a hero who becomes deeply involved in animal activism, even in ways outside the bounds of the law.
But outside of a few fights with agents of a shadowy Establishment conspiracy (and one deep loss), Morrison becomes more interested in turning the series into a piece of meta-fiction, asking what is the nature of the comics. Typically we see this done as comedy, lampshading tropes to take their edge off—but to Animal Man, learning the nature of his reality is a deeply-agonizing twist of the knife. That last portion loses some of its specificity and could play out similarly with any number of superheroes or even regular characters, but it's still gripping, great stuff.
As a whole it's kinda discursive and necessarily episodic, as required by an ongoing series, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good and final-feeling the ending was. Sure, the series continued on afterwards, but it felt like Morrison meaningfully resolved his concerns in a way that was very rad. After reading All-Star Superman and The Filth, I'm continuing to dig Morrison's work, to the point where my next comics read might be tackling the Invisibles Omnibus once I can afford it. Animal Man isn't quite as strong or unified as limited-run series or wholly-original characters, but really great given the limitations.
But outside of a few fights with agents of a shadowy Establishment conspiracy (and one deep loss), Morrison becomes more interested in turning the series into a piece of meta-fiction, asking what is the nature of the comics. Typically we see this done as comedy, lampshading tropes to take their edge off—but to Animal Man, learning the nature of his reality is a deeply-agonizing twist of the knife. That last portion loses some of its specificity and could play out similarly with any number of superheroes or even regular characters, but it's still gripping, great stuff.
As a whole it's kinda discursive and necessarily episodic, as required by an ongoing series, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good and final-feeling the ending was. Sure, the series continued on afterwards, but it felt like Morrison meaningfully resolved his concerns in a way that was very rad. After reading All-Star Superman and The Filth, I'm continuing to dig Morrison's work, to the point where my next comics read might be tackling the Invisibles Omnibus once I can afford it. Animal Man isn't quite as strong or unified as limited-run series or wholly-original characters, but really great given the limitations.
liannaedgelord's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
rustyblue's review against another edition
5.0
4.5
Favorite Grant Morrison comic.
Groundbreaking the themes of animal cruelty and violence for entertainment purposes are still so relevant today. Unbelievable meta. Probably can't get any meta then this.
Gets slightly lost in some of the science and philosophies (me dumb) but still does a great Job of the main character would love to read a statight forward Anmial man in the future.
Favorite Grant Morrison comic.
Groundbreaking the themes of animal cruelty and violence for entertainment purposes are still so relevant today. Unbelievable meta. Probably can't get any meta then this.
Gets slightly lost in some of the science and philosophies (me dumb) but still does a great Job of the main character would love to read a statight forward Anmial man in the future.
mrpink44's review against another edition
5.0
What can I say, it was a 4 or 4.5 star book until the final 3 issues and finished with a bang that moved it to 5 stars and something I want to read again....like right now! I enjoyed the whole arc, but now I know re-reading will reveal a lot of subtleties. This was just fantastic and will be a contender for one of my favorite reads of the year.
sardonic_writer's review against another edition
4.0
Morrison slowly dives deeper and deeper into the weirdness that he's become synonymous with. I found it to be a lot more approachable than his Doom Patrol run, and the art is consistently good. You don't have to know anything about Animal Man going in, though it does help if you're at least a bit familiar with Crisis on Infinite Earths. Recommended.