My first Animal Man comic was in August 1994 with issue #74, which may have also been my first Vertigo comic. The first of MANY. And I was hooked on Animal Man from that moment on. Unfortunately, the book was cancelled 15 issues later. But in September 2011, when I saw the first batch of DC’s New 52 books hit the shelves, and saw that Animal Man was one of the new titles, I grabbed it immediately. I grabbed a lot of the New 52 titles that first month, nearly all of them. But a handful of those titles , for me, didn’t make it past the first issue, some I stopped reading with issue 2, but Animal Man was a definite Hell Yes every month, one of the few I didn’t even consider not reading.From the first issue of this new series, I knew this was a keeper. If the panel of Buddy (Animal Man) Baker bleeding from the eyes didn’t do it, the last panel of the book, depicting Buddy and his wife Ellen and their son Cliff in the backyard in the middle of the night, stunned at the sight of their 4-year-old daughter Maxine surrounded by nearly a dozen reanimated animal corpses, with Maxine’s quote, “I’m sorry, Daddy. I just wanted a pet of my own,” sealed the deal for me.How can you pass that up?The first story arc, “The Hunt” spanned the first 6 issues of the series, and it introduces a new wrinkle, not only to the Animal Myth mythology, but to the DC Universe in general. The Hunters Three are a trio of former Avatars of the Red (the Red is the “life web” that connects all living beings, similar to The Green in the Swamp Thing stories, the “life web” connecting all plant life) who somehow turned evil. The Hunters Three left the Red and found a place called The Rot, which “some call it the antidote to life, others the darkness under all.”It turns out Maxine is the new Avatar of the Red, and her powers are much greater than Buddy’s (Buddy is able to call upon the abilities of any animal in the world, so, for instance, he can fly like an eagle, has a rhino’s ability to stop bullets and--I had to shake my head in shame at this one--the napping ability of cat, which comes in handy when he gets into bed but can’t sleep). The Hunters Three want Maxine for their own, so the Red calls Maxine to it, then it sends Buddy and Maxine in search of Alec Holland (the former Swamp Thing), who will be able to help them.Meanwhile, the Hunters Three have Buddy’s wife and son.The Hunters Three are the work of artist Travel Foreman, whom I’ve never heard of before this book (I’d been out of the mainstream comic book loop for 15 years), and whoever this guy is, he’s got the ability to draw perfect representations of whatever nightmare has haunted you your entire life. These creatures are the most grotesque monstrosities I’ve ever seen, outdoing even Clive Barker’s work. This guy should be designing creatures for the Hellraiser world, that’s what I think. His attention to detail is incredible and his action sequences have an amazing sense of motion and speed.Jeff Lemire is the writer this time around (Jamie Delano wrote the Vertigo issues I have), and he is creating a hero unlike any other in the DC universe. Buddy is a family man. His identity is no secret. He does interviews. He has recently starred in an independent movie about an ex-super hero. He’s literally the guy next door. Except he can also call on the speed of a cheetah or the strength of a gorilla if need be.I really connected with this story when Buddy and Maxine set off on their journey into the Red. My daughter is 13, not 4, but to me she’ll always be that tiny little girl who sat on my lap and wanted me to read to her at bedtime. I loved seeing that bond between father and daughter, and seeing Buddy’s determination to go to any length to protect his family, even if it meant sacrificing himself to the Hunters Three if they would leave his wife and kids alone.They refused, but he offered.Animal Man: The Hunt is not a book for everyone. It’s a superhero book that is anything but a superhero story. The Hunt is, at its core, the story of a husband and father trying to protect his family. It just so happens he has animal powers, and it just so happens the threat isn’t having no food in the pantry or the water’s shut off til he can pay the bill. The Rot will sweep the world like an infection. All it needs is one tiny host. A fly can infect any living creature it comes into contact with. These are the comics I most like to read. I love a good classic superhero story, too, but you give me a story like Animal Man: The Hunt, and I’m in reading heaven. The characterization, the dialogue, the pacing, everything Jeff Lemire did in this story resonated with me in some way. And those visuals by Foreman, they’re the icing on this very very incredibly tainted cake.Excellent stuff, this. Jeff LeMire - writerTravel Foreman - artistJohn Paul Leon - artist Buddy Baker wears many hats. He is a writer, an activist, an actor, a stuntman, a father and a husband. He is also a superhero with the ability to tap into the "web of life" that connects all living things and mimic the abilities possessed by any animal. Recently Buddy has been having strange, prophetic dreams hinting at some great conflict centered around his daughter Maxine. Maxine has exhibited strange powers over animals, both alive and dead, and now evil agents of an unknown power are after her. Buddy must use all the powers at his disposal to protect his daughter from the seemingly unkillable agents of the rot, or all life on Earth will suffer a fate worse than death!Great stuff from writer LeMire with strange, haunting art by Foreman and Leon. Recommended.5/5
What do You think about Animal Man, Vol. 1: The Hunt (2012)?
Intense. Travel Foreman's artwork is spot on and supports the intense storyline.
—tyler
great new take on the traditional superhero
—Jonathan
