ANIMALS. MEN. ANIMAL MEN. Comics reviews.

Animal Man–the three volumes of the Grant Morrison run.

There’s very little I can say about this series that wasn’t said earlier and better by Comics 101. Here’s the column that persuaded me that I had to have this series. It’s very “meta”–but not in an annoying way–more in a chilling and thought-provoking way.

I guess the thing you should do, if the C101 column (which does have spoilers, sorry) doesn’t do it for you, is stand in your local comics shop and read “The Coyote Gospel” in the first volume. I knew the twist (again, b/c of C101, so maybe you should avoid clicking that link?) and I was still blown away. Just creeptastic, provocative stuff. This is the kind of thing you rave and rant to your non-comics-reading friends for days afterwards about.

My only disappointment is that Morrison’s ending is way too long and way too lame. And he knows it! He’s written himself into a corner, and he just kind of says, “Hi, I’ve written myself into a corner, how ‘meta.'” Growl! I loathed the last chapter–until the final page redeemed it.

Also, anyone who can’t tell the difference between a lab rat and a human child has pretty much forfeited my sympathy. Then again, I do think Morrison realizes that that’s kind of the point. He’s a craptaculous moral philosopher, but he’s a fine writer and he can exploit a good unreliable narrator when he finds one (or realizes that he is one).

Absolutely worth your dollar.

Ultimate Spider-Man 1 through 3: The Good: The dialogue is snappy. These comics are fun. Just really, really funny–I think I started noticing in volume 2. (Kingpin: “Who sent you?” Spidey: “…Do you mean who sent me in the larger cosmic sense of the word or…?” Kingpin: “Who sent you?” Spidey: “Uh… uh… Carson Daly.” KP: “I don’t know who that is.”)

I loved Aunt May as a neurotic liberal. I loved the Evil Grief Counselor.

The Bad: Could those eyes get bigger? I deeply dislike that scrawny bug-eyed sharp-chinned manga-haired style, and Spider-Man in costume looks way more insect than teenager. (Yeah yeah, I know, they’re arachnids not insects. Hush, you.)

The Ugly: In general, Hannibal Tabu and I have very different comics tastes, but I can get behind every word of his USM review: “On my comic pusher’s recommendation, I read this … and Bendis has Spidey down cold. The banter, the decision making process — flawless. Kingpin is very solid, but it’s really the charisma of his Spider-Man that made this issue a real winner. If I didn’t find Spider-Man insanely boring, I’d have bought this. The hype is well-deserved here.”

See, I don’t care about Spider-Man. I don’t know why. I just don’t.

Part of it is that, while I love the superhero comics that I love a lot, I don’t love very many of them. More on that above….