One thing about the latest volume of “Animal Man”…

If you’ll recall, I was quite bitter about where writer Jeff Lemire left Buddy Baker in the wake of the “Rotworld” crossover.  I felt that the climax of the story had broken the fundamental appeal of the character as the “family man” superhero and that any kind of “journey back to the status quo” was going to have to have some real imagination to it in order to work.  One thing I touched on briefly was how Grant Morrison did the same thing in his run, only he killed off Buddy’s wife AND kids instead of just Cliff (it’s been months now, I figure this isn’t a spoiler anymore).  What separates these two takes on destroying Buddy’s life is that Morrison had a more subtle buildup to his act and really sold you on the desperation of the character to get his family back in subsequent issues which reinforced the fact that his family wasn’t coming back.

The other thing is that as it took place years ago, I was able to take in Morrison’s run in the course of a few days at the Eaton Collection.  There was no “living with the fact that Cliff was dead and Buddy’s life was ruined” that I’ve had ever since reading vol. 3.  It read a whole lot better that way too.  With the events of vol. 4, it appears that we are getting a “journey back to the status quo” story, which is good.  I guess.  Much as I’d like to see Buddy’s status quo restored, it does make me wonder what the whole point of killing Cliff in “Rotworld” was if the plan is now to bring him back.  I’ll have to wait to find that out (if there is one) when the final volume of “Animal Man” ships much later this year.  In the meantime, expect my full thoughts on Buddy’s life after the “death” of his son and as an Academy Award nominee when the post-”Rotworld” volume of “Swamp Thing” ships so I can do my “morbid curiosity” podcast.