You know what I’m excited to read this week? Many of the DC #0 issues (not all of the DC zeroes I’m getting are listed here, however):
- ACTION COMICS #0
- ANIMAL MAN #0
- DETECTIVE COMICS #0: I was surprised I wanted it.
- EARTH 2 #0: The E-2 trinity? Umm, yes.
- GREEN ARROW #0: Yes, even this one.
- GREEN LANTERN #0
- PHANTOM STRANGER #0: Despite the fact that Dan Didio’s name is on this, I still am looking forward to it. I wonder if this will be a love it or hate it book?
- SWAMP THING #0
- WORLDS FINEST #0: Oh, god, yes! Supergirl and Robin? What can be better?
Plus, there’s PETER CANNON THUNDERBOLT #1 and THANOS QUEST #1. The former because I’ve never read a Peter Cannon comic (I don’t think anyway), and it was only $.99 when I preordered it–why not try it? The latter because I just love Thanos.
Longbox Review 
Animal Man is my favourite New 52 series (along with Blue Beetle).
What makes Animal Man so special is the way Lemire deconstructs the superhero mythology. For example:
1) Superheroes tend to monopolize the attention of the reader, while Animal Man is constantly upstaged by the supporting characters of the series.
2) Superhero comics usually don’t give much importance to the private life of their main character (they tend to focus only on the “costume on” part); in Animal Man, on the contrary, the private life of Buddy is the main theme of the series. In fact, it is rather infrequent to see Buddy with his costume on.
3) Buddy is not perfect, and is not perceived as perfect by other people: in fact, in the 11th issue, when he tells his wife “It’s going to be okay”, she replies “Don’t give me anything of that superhero crap, Buddy.” That cut and thrust perfectly enlightens the philosophy of the series.
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I, too, like those same aspects of Animal Man, but those are not Lemire’s ideas alone. Much of the same things you point out were explored during Morrison’s run of the comic back in the late 80s/early 90s. But I do like that Lemire has kept some of the really good aspects of Morrison’s take on the character and expanded upon them. However, I’ve only read half Lemire’s run on the title–I dropped it after issue 6 and only picked it back up as it has to do with the Rotworld storyline.
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Thank you for your reply! : )
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