Editing Animal Man (section)

==Publication history==
===Beginnings===
[[File:Strange Adventures 190.jpg|thumb|left|''Strange Adventures'' #190 (July 1966). First appearance of costumed Animal Man, originally A-Man. Cover art by [[Carmine Infantino]] and [[Murphy Anderson]].]]
Film stunt man Buddy Baker, to whom aliens gave animal-themed powers, debuted in ''[[Strange Adventures]]'' #180 ([[cover-date]]d September 1965), in the story "I Was the Man with Animal Powers" by writer Dave Wood and penciler [[Carmine Infantino]].<ref name=SA180>[http://www.comics.org/issue/19440/ ''Strange Adventures'' #180] at the [[Grand Comics Database]].</ref><ref name=toon>[http://toonopedia.com/animlman.htm Animal Man] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20240527120040/https://www.webcitation.org/6bCMHpSxk?url=http://toonopedia.com/animlman.htm Archived] from the original on August 31, 2015.</ref> Baker gained a costume and a name, initially A-Man, in ''Strange Adventures'' #190 (July 1966).<ref name=toon /><ref name=SA190>[http://www.comics.org/issue/20172/ ''Strange Adventures'' #190] at the Grand Comics Database.</ref> He continued as a semi-regular feature in the book, making occasional cover appearances, through #201 (June 1967).

His subsequent appearances were sporadic. In 1980, he had a guest appearance in ''[[Wonder Woman]]'' #267–268. His main appearances in the remainder of the decade were as a member of the "[[Forgotten Heroes]]", a team of minor DC heroes.<ref name=Guide>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=15}}</ref> It was in that capacity that he appeared in the company-wide crossover storyline ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]''.

===Grant Morrison revival===
In the late 1980s, following the slate-cleaning ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' event, DC began employing innovative writers, many of them young and from the [[U.K.]], to revamp some of their old characters. In the period that saw [[Alan Moore]] reinvent the [[Swamp Thing]], Animal Man was reimagined by Scottish writer [[Grant Morrison]]. Morrison wrote the first 26 issues of the ''Animal Man'' comic book, published between [[1988 in comics|1988]] and [[1990 in comics|1990]], with art by [[Chas Truog]] and [[Doug Hazlewood]]; [[Brian Bolland]] provided the covers.

Although the series was initially conceived as a four-issue [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]], it was upgraded into an ongoing series following strong sales. Consequently, Morrison developed several long-running plots, introducing mysteries, some of which were not explained until a year or two later. The title featured the protagonist both in and—increasingly—out of costume. Morrison made the title character an [[everyman]] figure living in a universe populated by superheroes, aliens, and fantastic technology. Buddy's wife Ellen, his son Cliff (9 years old at the beginning of the series), and his daughter Maxine (5 years old) featured prominently in most storylines, and his relationship with them, as husband, father, and provider, was an ongoing theme.

The series championed [[vegetarianism]] and [[animal rights]], causes Morrison supported. In one issue, Buddy helps a band of self-described eco-terrorists save a pod of [[dolphin]]s. Enraged at a [[Fishing|fisherman's]] brutality, Buddy drops him into the ocean, intending for him to drown. Ironically, the man is saved by a dolphin.

Buddy fought several menaces, such as an ancient, murderous spirit that was hunting him; brutal, murderous Thanagarian warriors; and even the easily defeated red robots of an elderly villain who was tired of life. The series made deep, sometimes esoteric references to the entire DC canon, including [[B'wana Beast]], the [[Mirror Master]], and [[Arkham Asylum]].

Soon after the launch of his series, Animal Man briefly became a member of [[Justice League Europe]], appearing in several early issues of their series.

Following Morrison's run, [[Peter Milligan]] wrote a six-issue story featuring several surreal villains and heroes, exploring questions about identity and [[quantum physics]] and utilizing the textual [[cut-up technique]] popularized by [[William Burroughs]]. [[Tom Veitch]] and [[Steve Dillon]] then took over for 18 issues, in which Buddy returned to his work as a movie [[stunt performer|stuntman]] and explored mystical [[totem]]ic aspects of his powers. [[Jamie Delano]] wrote 29 issues with [[Steve Pugh]] as artist (with occasional issues by other artists, like [[Will Simpson (comics)|Will Simpson]]), giving the series a more [[horror fiction|horror]]-influenced feel with a "[[adult comics|suggested for mature readers]]" label on the cover, beginning with issue #51.

====Vertigo====
After [[Jamie Delano]]'s first six issues, wherein, among other things, he killed off the central character of Buddy Baker, created the "Red" (analogous to the "Green" of [[Swamp Thing]]) and resurrected Buddy as an "animal avatar", the series became one of the charter titles of DC's new mature readers [[Vertigo Comics|Vertigo]] imprint with #57, and its ties to the DC Universe became more tenuous. Vertigo was establishing itself as a distinct "mini-universe" with its own continuity, only occasionally interacting with the continuity of the regular DC Universe. The title evolved into a more horror-themed book, with Buddy eventually becoming a non-human animal god. The superhero elements of the book were largely removed—since Buddy was reborn as a kind of animal elemental, and legally deceased, he discarded his costume, stopped associating with other heroes, and generally abandoned his crimefighting role. He co-founded the Life Power Church of Maxine to further an environmentalist message, drifting along [[U.S. Route 66]] to settle in Montana. Delano's final issue was #79, culminating in Buddy dying several more times.

Between issues #66 and #67, Delano also penned ''Animal Man'' Annual #1, focusing on Buddy's daughter Maxine. It was the third part of Vertigo's crossover event "[[The Children's Crusade (comics)|The Children's Crusade]]". This event ran across the Annuals of the five then-Vertigo titles --- ''Animal Man'', ''[[Swamp Thing]]'', ''[[Black Orchid (comics)|Black Orchid]]'', ''[[The Books of Magic]]'', and ''[[Doom Patrol]]''—book-ended by two ''Children's Crusade'' issues co-written by [[Neil Gaiman]], and starring his [[Dead Boy Detectives]].

A brief run by [[Jerry Prosser]] and Fred Harper featured a re-reborn Buddy as a white-haired [[Shamanism|shamanistic]] figure before the series was canceled after the 89th issue due to declining sales.

===Back in the DCU===
After the cancellation of his own series, Animal Man made cameos in several other titles, returning to his standard costumed form.

He has been utilized in most of the recent DC company-wide crossovers fighting alongside other less-mainstream heroes, including ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' and ''[[52 (comics)|52]]'', the latter of which was co-written by Grant Morrison, as well as ''Justice League of America'' #25.

===''The Last Days of Animal Man'' miniseries===
In 2009 [[Gerry Conway]] and artist [[Chris Batista]] produced ''The Last Days of Animal Man'', a six-issue limited series telling the tale of Animal Man in the future.<ref>[https://www.cbr.com/animal-man-r-i-p-gerry-conway-talks/ Animal Man R.I.P.? Gerry Conway Talks], [[Comic Book Resources]], February 27, 2009</ref><ref>[https://www.spreaker.com/episode/reprint-gerry-conway-on-his-return-to-comic-book-writing--52227063 Gerry Conway on his return to comic book writing], [[Word Balloon Podcast]], 2009</ref> The series portrays a middle-aged Animal Man in the year 2024 on his final adventure.

===Relaunch===
As part of ''[[The New 52]]'', DC Comics relaunched ''Animal Man'' with issue #1 in September 2011 with writer [[Jeff Lemire]] and artist [[Travel Foreman]].<ref>[http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/06/07/dc-comics-dark-swamp-thing-animal-man DC Comics Announces "Justice League Dark", "Swamp Thing", "Animal Man" and More] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107032458/http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/06/07/dc-comics-dark-swamp-thing-animal-man |date=2013-01-07 }}, ''Comics Alliance'', June 7, 2011</ref><ref name="lemire">{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=Vaneta|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/animal-man-jeff-lemire-110608.html|title=Lemire Aims for Less Meta, More Family in DCnU ANIMAL MAN|work=[[Newsarama]]|date=June 8, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2011}}</ref>

The relaunched ''Animal Man'' has been met with a great deal of critical acclaim. [[MTV]] Geek said: "I don't want to oversell this, but if there is a better book put out by DC during the month of September, I will eat the other 51 comics. It's just that good".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/09/08/new-52-review-animal-man-1-is-the-pick-of-the-litter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606014247/http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/09/08/new-52-review-animal-man-1-is-the-pick-of-the-litter/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 6, 2012|title=MTV Geek&nbsp;– New 52 Review: ''Animal Man'' #1 Is The Pick Of The Litter|work=Geek News|date=September 8, 2011|access-date=May 7, 2012}}</ref> [[The A.V. Club]] writer Oliver Sava wrote that the "first issue of Animal Man combines family drama, superhero action, and macabre horror into a cohesive story that is unique, yet still true to the history of Buddy Baker".<ref>{{cite web|last=Phipps|first=Keith|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-new-dc-52-week-2-action-comics-detective-comics-1798228378|title=The New DC 52, Week 2 (''Action Comics'', ''Detective Comics'', ''Swamp Thing'' and more) &#124; Books|work=The A.V. Club|date=September 9, 2010|access-date=May 7, 2012}}</ref> Read/RANT said: "Along with ''[[Action Comics]]'', ''Animal Man'' is among the best the line has to offer", and gave the book an A+ overall, calling it the Must Read Book of the Week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://readrant.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/review-animal-man-1 |title=Review: Animal Man #1 « read/RANT! |work=Readrant |date=September 8, 2011 |access-date=May 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425153329/https://readrant.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/review-animal-man-1/ |archive-date=April 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://readrant.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/newu-reviews-week-one-of-the-dc-relaunch|title=NewU Reviews: Week One of the DC Relaunch « read/RANT!|work=Readrant|date=September 8, 2011|access-date=May 7, 2012}}</ref> Greg McElhatton at [[Comic Book Resources]] was less complimentary, giving the book 3.5 stars (out of 5): "The art might be uneven in ''Animal Man'' #1, but the script is dynamite".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=3878|title=Review: Animal Man #1|work=Comic Book Resources|date=September 7, 2011|access-date=May 7, 2012}}</ref>

According to ICv2.com, the relaunched ''Animal Man'' #1 sold over 55,000 copies, while ''Animal Man'' #2 was one of the 50 best-selling comics in October 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/21453.html|title=Top 300 Comics Actual-October 2011|work=ICv2|access-date=May 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/21220.html|title=Top 300 Comics Actual-September 2011|publisher=ICv2|access-date=May 7, 2012}}</ref>

The storyline of the relaunched version essentially builds on previous Animal Man continuity with Buddy as a happily married family man and superhero. Buddy is forced to take his family on the run after he discovers that his daughter Maxine is the avatar of The Red (the force which sustains all animal life) and that agents of The Rot (the elemental force of decay that are also called The Black) are seeking to kill her.