Apr 27, 2022
For my money, this is by far and away the best of the three volumes Morrison worked on and it's brimming with some of the best fourth wall breaking that's ever been done in comics. The volume examines the comic book medium itself as well as the nature of fiction in a larger sense. It's a celebration of the odd, idiosyncratic history of DC Comics that doesn't simply wallow in nostalgia, but finds something genuinely new and different to say.
Morrison starts us off with a full-blown peyote trip in the desert that is among the best work the underrated Chaz Truog and Doug Hazelwood put in on the series. Between the psychedelic imagery and some really clever-for-it's-era paneling, these are the best looking issues of the run. I think these i
ssues are also the first time anyone at DC acknowledged anything pre-Crisis, and Morrison does it in the most unique possible way that perfectly leads us toward the end.
On our way there, Morrison also takes a moment to dispense one their favorite lessons regarding fiction: that these characters and stories will outlive all of us. Comic stories live their lives in the mind of the reader. And while the continuity may change, the old stories are still real and can be read over and over again. They haven’t disappeared after a continuity reboot and as long as someone picks up the book they will always be alive. It's honestly a message I wish more comic readers would take to heart.
The finale is also among the finest "creation-meets-creator" stories ever told and a true masterclass of the medium. As Buddy finally meets his tormentor, you begin to realize that Morrison is actually berating himself for thinking that they could make a difference by writing about a super hero with a social conscience. It's completely unexpected and Morrison adds a personal touch here, relating a story about one of their cats that's crushing in it's honesty, which is a true rarity in comics. This is truly a must read book for all DC fans. more
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/vol-3-deus-ex-machina-TP.jpg "Animal Man Vol. 3: Deus Ex Machina")
