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WARNING! Spoilers for DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6The Justice League is full of compelling characters who deserve the spotlight, and none have more untapped potential than Animal Man. This underrated hero hasn’t been the subject of many stories in recent memory, but DC is finally giving Animal Man a new story that redefines his lore and primes him for horror movie adaptation.
Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt’s DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6 features a back-up story entitled “The Hunger”, written by Joey Esposito with art by Pasquale Qualano, Pierluigi Casolino, and Tom Napolitano. Animal Man makes his debut in DC’s vampire-ridden universe in this tale, and his world takes a dark turn that befits the gritty setting.
Animal Man is out hunting animals in the wilderness, dismally navigating a world that’s succumbed to a vampire plague, only to return home to an utterly haunting sight. This Justice League hero’s story is deliciously twisted, transforming Animal Man into a horror icon.
Animal Man Receives a Gut-Wrenching Debut in DC’s Bloodiest Universe
Justice League’s Overlooked Hero Returns in the Most Haunting Way Possible
Animal Man returns home to a pool of blood at his feet, and the tragic nature of his status quo in this dark continuity becomes apparent. Buddy Baker is typically a family man who cherishes his wife and children. However, in this re-imagined universe, his beloved family has been turned into vampires. To prevent them from killing innocents to quench their thirst for blood, Buddy locks them in a cellar and brings them animal blood. Animal Man imprisoning his loved ones is haunting enough, but the situation grows even more frightening as he discovers they’ve escaped.
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During Buddy’s hunt for animal blood, his wife Ellen and his two kids lure a boy into their home and trick him into freeing them. Upon being let out, they kill him to consume his blood, hence the puddle Buddy finds. He tries to insist that they only drink the inhuman blood he provides, but Ellen refuses to stay in hiding any longer. In a devastating twist, she traps Buddy in the cellar so she and the children can roam free with him as their prisoner instead. Animal Man has endured dark events, but this might be his darkest story to date.
Animal Man’s Horror Background Makes a Long-Awaited Comeback
The Best Animal Man Stories Lean Into Terrifying Subject Matter
Animal Man’s foray into horror isn’t an unfounded development. In fact, this hero’s best stories explore horror in a variety of ways. His most popular series is 1988’s Animal Man by Grant Morrison and Chas Truog, and to this day it attracts widespread acclaim due to its psychological horror elements. Buddy Baker questions his reality throughout this story as he comes to the realization that he’s a character in a comic book. The sequences where Buddy breaks the fourth wall are truly haunting, taking this Justice League member in an uncanny direction that would make Batman shudder.
To dive into Morrison’s mind-bending take on Animal Man, check out the recently released Animal Man by Grant Morrison and Chas Truog Compendium, available now from DC Comics!
The horror at the core of Animal Man’s character can be attributed to his powers, which allow him to assume the abilities of any animal. As unassuming as this skill may seem on a surface level, when in the right creatives’ hands, it can be depicted as pure nightmare-fuel. For the DC’s New 52 reboot, Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman explore the titular superhero through a body horror lens in 2011’s Animal Man, having Buddy undergo gruesome transformations that still keep readers up at night. Animal Man is most effective when pushed to horrific extremes, so this latest portrayal marks a pitch-perfect return to form.
Animal Man Deserves to Go All In With His Own New Horror Story
DC Must Explore This Justice League Icon’s Fearsome Potential
With the return of Animal Man’s long-forgotten status as one of DC’s scariest superheroes, it’s time for him to lead a new solo series that delves deeper into this side of his lore. After all, he hasn’t been the star of a solo comic series since Lemire’s run concluded in 2014, so his comeback is long overdue. Moreover, the DCU should be taking notes from this monstrous tale on how to adapt Buddy Baker to the screen and honor his past adventures. Animal Man has gone back to his horror roots, giving DC the ideal blueprint for future stories featuring this Justice League hero.
DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6 is available now from DC Comics!
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