Having already read the issues leading up to this, but this serving as a more permanent, dependable addition to my library as a volume to be read time and time again, I was eagerly anticipating this volume. A big fan of Lemire's, as well as Snyder's run on Swamp Thing, I have been faithfully reading the A-Man series and Swamp Thing issue-to-issue and could not be happier than to see this collection of 10 issues (8 A-Man! Usually there's an average of 6 or seven overall!), stringing together the epic Rotworld storyline in Buddy's perspective with touches of what Swamp Thing's story is going through at the same time.
As such I'm praising not simply the superb writing of two of my already-admitted favourite writers in the current DC lineup, but the size of this book, the relevance of all the issues to A-Man's life, and the addition of #18 and 19 is a welcome one, not only simply because I only have the digital issue of #18, but also because it serves as a *SPOILER ALERT*grim epilogue to his story containing immense emotional tragedy*END SPOILER ALERT*. While I dearly miss the artwork of Travel Foreman, as it is quite literally gone for a while (but for those who remember, he at least comes back for Annual #2 later on, so yay!) but Steve Pugh pulls out all the stops in this particular storyline, an apocalyptic vision of a world doomed to fall to the Rot.
Now, seeing as there have been recent discussions about DiDio's...errm, controversial (to say the least) decision to wipe his ass with any notion of characters being able to balance in a happy life, it was also important to note that the conclusion of this story *SPOILER*does make it tricky to see how Buddy's life be happy again*END SPOILER*, and yet despite that, there does appear to be an effort to maintain what makes A-Man the unique character he is, a character who attempts to have it all, and in the grand scheme of his narrative, perhaps this is the ultimate test as to whether he can do that. This is welcome, as opposed to other, more concrete adherence to DiDio's "grimdark" policy of comic characters like Batman, the dour man in the cape who has lost a lot of his literary significance as a character but remains engaging to a good number of people for that exact reason - DiDio assumes all characters should be like this and this is the problem, the assumption that comic characters can't live happy, or normal, lives outside their extraordinary escapades. Take what I say here with a grain of salt though, as again, this is not a permanent development in A-Man's life, especially if they keep Lemire on the helm, and if the #1 New York Times Bestseller caption at the top or the critical praise is any indication, they'll be prying the writing privileges for this one out of his cold, dead hands in all likelihood, and I couldn't be happier.
A horrifying, yet light take on the DC Universe, Animal Man makes yet another massive mark on the continuity of the New 52, co-starring with Swamp Thing in what so far has been my favourite crossover event. Batfans can eat it, although I will say, Death of the Family is something else I'm looking into, but to be fair, that's a much larger-scale event in terms of how many principal characters are among the main cast, as opposed to supporting characters like in Rotworld. Back to my point though, this is what I've been strongly anticipating after the events of Vol 2, for those reading book-by-book, and I was thoroughly not disappointed.
Cheers, and best of luck to Lemire in the future, and YEAAAAAAH, there's even work by Rafael Albuquerque to come in the future! So...is there any more reason to read A-Man aside from what I've already said? Why are you still reading this and not A-Man?
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Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2013
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Top reviews from other countries
Lasse Kuvaas
Dark, beautyfull, and well written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2014
Chuck stuff
Ties so well with rest of series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2020