Review: Animal Man #8

The Rot has come knocking at the door for Buddy Baker and his family — literally! They are drawn to the pure power of Buddy’s daughter Maxine, and will not surrender until she has become one with them. Even though Buddy will do everything in his power to stop their evil, will it be enough to keep everyone safe? Unfortunately — no.

Jeff Lemire has become one of my favorite writers since he began his quest to re-envision Animal Man, and take a great character back its roots. His ideas are disturbing and seep into your consciousness as you read along his winding tale of destruction. It is not the shock value that hits you the hardest, it is the knowledge that when you close your eyes — his horrific creations will be there smiling at you from the depths of the dark! There is a richness to his tales, one that will have you believe the bond between the Baker family will inevitably keep them safe, but in actuality, the only inevitable thing is complete chaos! 

This issue is a complete game changer for Buddy and Maxine, which in turn, makes it one for the entire DCU as well! Two shocking things happen in this issue, one held solely for Buddy while the other will have dire consequences for Maxine. Though I will not spoil Lemire’s tale by divulging more than necessary, I will say that I am extremely pleased Travel Foreman had the chance to draw the most gut-wrenching one before he left the book. You will be missed, sir!

Part two of “Animal vs. Man” will leave you gasping for air and beaming with pride that you had the foresight to pick up one of the best books on the shelves every month! Can Maxine still use her power to talk to animals when they are corrupted by the Rot? Is Buddy truly more than just a pawn in the eyes of the Red? You will find out both answers here — and you won’t believe how bad it can get!