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Animal Man, Book 1 - Animal Man
Grant Morrison can be a bit, well, dense and confusing at times. His earlier work, like Animal Manfor one example, is a nice blend of straight-forward super-hero stories and the narrative-bending weirdness to come. The first volume of three collecting his 26-issue run contains a good selection of stories re-introducing Buddy Baker to the DC Universe. There's a solid, multi-issue arc dealing with the whereabouts of B'wana Beast, another animal-themed super hero from the late 60's. Then there are several one-and-done issues showcasing both Buddy and his family, neither of which shy away from some rather serious subjects (animal cruelty, rape, death and resurrection, considering one's life in old age). The next issue introduces a new incarnation of Mirror Master, one of the Flash Rogue's, and a sinister plot against Buddy apparently by the US government. Finally, the last issue of the book is a more light-hearted adventure featuring the Martian Manhunter and demonstrating just how the Justice League International takes care of its own. Its good to be in the JLI! Morrison's obviously having a lot of fun with these issues, both re-establishing a superhero following the time-honored tropes and experimenting with the different satirical and reality-transcending that he's most known for these days. He's also setting an example for exploring a D-list superhero, something that more and more writers have done since (eg. Kirkman with Ant-man, Ellis with Nextwave). While other writers had previously re-introduced obscure characters back into their respective universes, Morrison is having fun with the fact that Buddy is basically an obscure everyman with a family and powers. He even brings in Superman at one point to really sell the point, a moment that is humorous but a somewhat lacking portrayal of a character Morrison would go on to write beautifully in books like JLA, All-Star Superman, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond. While Morrison's work here is really solid, the pencils by Truog and Grummett seem to be average late-80's/early-90's work. The hair and clothes are a particularly awful reminder of that time period, with Buddy sporting a rocking mullet for most of the book (thankfully hidden when he's in costume). The covers, however, are by Brian Bolland, which does some fantastic work (as always), and the inking by Hazlewood is refreshing in contrast to the modern-day use of computers to make everything far too smooth or murky. If you want a gentle introduction to Grant Morrison, you can't really find a better place to start. With two more volumes of Morrison, Buddy's adventures in the pages of Justice League International, his outer-space travels in 52, and the ongoing Death of Animal Man mini-series, there's plenty to read next! |
