Comic Books

ANIMAL MAN #4

After coming face to face with the mysterious Totems, Buddy learns the truth about Maxine’s destiny – but it may be too late, as The Red is infiltrated by agents of The Other, and Buddy struggles to control his new, unfiltered powers with deadly results!

Meanwhile, Ellen and Cliff must face the last Hunters alone!

0Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art and cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN

Price: $2.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 45.3%

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Mr.J12/11/11NoRead Review
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Avg Rating: 4.6
 
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Comments

  1. That cover is me before coffee in the morning.

  2. Definitely my most anticipated book this week!

  3. Ever since Buddy has gone Hollywood, he’s become such a two-face.

  4. I Love how the stories in Animal Man and Swamp Thing organically (pun intended) tie in together. Both are awesome books.

  5. This is my favourite book at the mo. I like Buddy, but I love his wife and son’s story. Can’t wait to see where that goes.

    I’m not reading Swamp thing is it good. I read the first one, and I like Snyder but the characters did nothing for me

    • I’ve been reading Swamp Thing just for the tie-in to Animal Man. A lot of folks have a boner for Snyder but I think his scripts are way too dialog heavy. His mythos building is well done though.

  6. I’m not reading Swamp Thing either, but this is great. I’m sure the art turns some folks off, but I love it. Perfect fit for this story.

  7. This is such a suprise series for me but I need to start reading Swamp Thing.

  8. I love the first Wednesday of every month. If you had told me 6 months ago that I’d be this excited for Animal Man and Swamp Thing, I’d have laughed in your face. But I seriously get a little giddy when I go to pick these up.

    • I hear ya, I’ve never read Animal Man in the past, but I just read the complete Swamp Thing. I’m on board for both these titles now. The synergy between Snyder and Lemire is paying off for me. I love their respective Vertigo titles.

  9. Is it just me, or is the art getting looser and looser with each issue? I still really like it, but it is starting to venture into dangerous waters. When Foreman is good, he is really good. And if we are going to spend a lot of time floating in nebulous RED space fighting and talking with animal(man) spirits, the art will need to carry it.

  10. Who knew this book, with that fugly art, would be so popular (and so bad ass!)

  11. Best of the new 52 by a wide margin and the only one I’m def sticking with thus far…although Swamp Thing is one more good issue away from reaching that level.

  12. @BCDX97 I agree completely the artwork is just awful however; imagine if there was a better artist?!
    A.) Would it be better for the book and make it that more popular.
    B.) It would ruin the book because the art the way it is just freaky enough that it just fits.
    C.) The art is really bad and the story is so good no one really cares so a new artist would make this the greatest comic ever.
    D.) None of the Above because; _________________________________________________________.

    I have become attached to this book and it has me gripped every month so far no matter the artist. I think I am on the fence with that issue considering its all around freaky! Ok, ok I think I am going with A just because I would love to try it and see what happens. This is the top ten of the 52 for me easily!!

    K

  13. @edward whats up man? What exactly am I wrong about? I see we are on the oppisite sides of the fence on this one.

    K

    • @Flash923: the art my not be your cup of tea but not, come on, it’s not awful

    • @edward-Old freind the art is not my cup of tea really however; for me it kinda of fits with this crazy/insane/spooky book. If not for the artwork I was saying this may or may not be as popular. I was just wondering if a more detailed artist would bring it more attention or would it just set it off in the wrong direction. The artwork personally is pretty bad if you put it with any other book, just would not fit. See what I mean?

      K

    • Yeah, i fundamentally disagree with your argument. Travel Foreman has worked on other comics, even standard superhero stuff, and it has been just as effective. It’s not bad art

    • The art in this book is awesome. I love everything about it. The linework, the flat, graphic art painted coloring style. I’m already bored of the “House Style” that is the majority of the new 52 art. This (and a few others) is a breath of fresh air…to see something we’d expect in some obscure indy book that no one’s ever hear of make it to a highly reviewed, highly selling title is just a great thing. As a comics fan it gives me hope and its a ton of fun.

    • Maybe my favorite artwork ever

    • guys, no, it’s awful

  14. I loved Foreman’s run on Iron Fist but the coloring in this book really does his line work a disservice.

  15. Just re-read the last issue last night. The member of the Hunter’s Three that took up the black guys body – his look at the beginning, when they are outside the house is so utterly creepy and goofy looking at the same time. I love it.

    This art seems to suit this story so perfectly. I am enjoying it a lot.

  16. Still not entirely sold on Lemire as most folk, but I’m willing and ready for another installment nonetheless.

  17. Dropped this book after the second issue. That cover does nothing to win me back. LOL

  18. A year ago, if you told me that Animal Man and Swamp Thing would be two of the most popular titles at DC, practically outselling Detective Comics, I would have laughed and thought you were delusional.

    • Are they the most popular everywhere or just here on this site? I think this place is a pretty good gauge of popularity, but I do think this place seems to lean a little towards smartly written books which might not be the trend everywhere. There are certainly Internet favorites, but they might just be the favorites period.

    • Sales indicate otherwise. I do believe Animal Man, Swamp Thing and Batman are selling quite well. Animal Man #1 just went into 4th printing.

  19. Still loving the story, still hating the art

  20. Wow, that was an intense issue. Lemire is doing a killer job. Opinions will always differ when it comes to art; and even if you don’t like Foreman’s style, which I do, you gotta admit the man draws some of the creepiest looking creatures ever put to paper. After I read this, I went right back into it and just looked at the pictures. I’m glad to see a title like this do so well, Bravo! and congrats to Lemire and Foreman.

  21. Soooo good. I always read this first when it comes out, and it is one of the few comics that always keeps me guessing and that I genuinely look forward to each month. I get the complaints about art, as my main problem with this book is that the art styles seem to change frequently-( shadow heavy and smooth in one panel and suddenly switching to a cross hatched look for example) but I feel that overall the visual style adds SO much to how great this title is. So glad that DC is putting this out and that it continues to do so well.

  22. Amazing stuff here- the parliament of limbs was some of coolest shit I seen in a comic for a long time. Foreman is my new favorite artest and Lemire is crafting a unforgetable tale 5/5 potw

  23. I’m really shocked about the views on the art. I love it, and think it suits the story perfectly. I can’t imagine anyone else on it. The world of the red and the hunters look so creepy.

    I know art that doesn’t jive with you can put you off a story, but I’d encourage anyone to give his a chance, I have love the story in all 4 issues so far. It’s real edge of your seat stuff and I know I’ll be back next issue.

  24. Animal Man and Swamp Thing together (cause I can’t imagine not reading them both back to back) have turned into two of my favorite titles of the relaunch. Definitely my favorite books of the week and I’d put them both in my Top 5 for the entire month. That’s quite an achievement, considering I’m one of those people who hated anything but clean looking artwork for the most of my comics reading life. I don’t know if I could go for Foreman’s art on a regular superhero title, but its the perfect fit for a horror approach.

    The one caveat I have to this, is it seems like at least once an issue there’s a misplaced blotch of red , in this case its over Cliff as one of the Hunters is dragging him off. It really looks like a printing error but I seem to see it once a month. It occurred to me there might be some artistic or symbolic (since its Red) meaning behind it…but mostly its just blotchy.

  25. The one page I thought was under-effective was when Maxine banished the Hunters. I knew it was going to happen, but I felt that the texture of the art kind of diffused its power. Other than that, I think the art is on point for such a creepy title.

    Also, I LOVE that Animal Man is dominating the community PotW.

  26. I am definitely on the “like” side of the opinions about the art. Its brutally effective. That last page, man. Even I had to look away.

  27. Between this and Swamp Thing these have been the two best things to come out of The New 52. There are a lot of solid monthly books coming out of DC (a lot more than Marvel), but these are the two brightest stars and the first things I read every week they come out.

  28. “…it was…it was Socks”

  29. Imagine this story with a different artist, such as the panel of the week… It wouldn’t be nearly as effective. Foreman is awesome (and so is Lemire)! My favorite DC book by far, the only thing I like more in comics is Uncanny X-Force.

    Also, Socks.

  30. POTW for me.

    The biggest thrill of this title for me is the sheer unpredictability. Somehow, moreso than any other comic on the stands, I never know what kinda beautiful wackiness will be waiting for me on the next page. And that’s a wonderful thing.

  31. Travel Foreman, you are a wonder. The images of the Hunters Three – when they consume/distort a human host – are truly frightening. The distended bodies, the bulgy faces… eep!

    Also, I cannot wait for next summer’s DC crossover event: Socks vs. Dex-Starr!

    Also, I would like to see Buddy, Alec and Ben Grimm play a rousing game of Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral.

    Okay that is all.

  32. I think I am growing tired of the red and the green and the rot and so and so forth already. I know it just started however; it has been dragging out and than the fight scene was just like done in a blink of the eye. I hope when Buddy catches up with the other Other it will be a better fight. I do like this title do not get me wrong I am just hoping to get pasted this story arc now and get on to something completely different. Maybe I am just not very patient?? I still gave this issue overall a 4, and the ending was so creepy; which end was he eating??

    K

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