It's always refreshing that I can be pleasantly surprised.Gerry Conway is a classic author, and that's probably why this mini-series reads so much like the old stories I loved growing up. By setting this tale years in the future, Conway has created a world that I'm anxious to learn more about. The DCU actually feels... unexplored in this story. There are plenty of familiar things like Superman, Starfire, and Animal Man, but there are a lot neat new developments to. How did the League of Titans form? What happened to Red Tornado to make him more robotic? Who is the new Flash? We never get the answer to these questions, but changes like this make this feel like a living extension of the current DCU.
I'm not sure if Bloodrage and Prismatik are supposed to be direct commentaries on the extreme villains of modern comics, but they work well as allegories AND as antagonists for Animal Man.
As for the star of the book, Animal Man comes off like a normal guy who's been playing super-hero for years. Buddy Baker is the star, and his running narrative makes him extremely relatable. I've always liked the idea of Animal Man, but after reading this, I want to see more of him. (Preferably set in this future timeline.)
Chris Batista's art is wonderful. I love his clean, classic style, and it fits perfectly in this tale. Animal Man, Superman, and Power Woman all look aged, but still handsome and impressive. It's tough to show those added years while keeping the characters looking heroic, but Batista nails it. I like the repeated punches Animal Man takes too, the guy must get punched through the air four or five times in these issues.
Oh, and a Blue Whale Green Lantern? Genius.
Good
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