Animal Man Annual #2 is my favorite comic of the week. Animal Man is a series that doesn't get enough love. While it's not in danger of being cancelled, it's just that it doesn't receive as much praise as it deserves. Animal Man Annual #2 is the kind of issue that makes you see the potential of comics. This is an issue I'm going to be keeping on my shelf for a long time. Read Full Review

It's funny how a book called Animal Man can be the best depiction of what it is to be human I've read in a long time.  Being the Father of Five Boys, I can only begin to imagine Buddy's loss.  I am  glad to be there with him as he slowly pulls himself up from rock bottom and begins the healing.  Whether or not you are a fan of Animal Man, buy this book.  If you don't know the difference between the Red and the Green, buy this book.  Trust me, it's worth every penny. Read Full Review

The art itself is terrific and it's great to see Foreman's work again. While I'm not a fan of how he draws faces and how most of the world seems devoid life except when required, he knows how to draw creepy stuff extremely well. All of the scenes around Anansa are extremely creepy and unnerving, causing me to actually shiver in my seat. Also, the guy does some great, eye-catching layouts. Read Full Review

And while this issue is heavy in a lot of ways, you still have to hand it to Lemire for coming up with the best super villain name I have heard in years: Biowulf. Read Full Review

A perfectly wonderful interlude to a sadly troubling time in the life of Buddy Baker, Animal Man Annual #2 mirrors the best of what this title has done to date upend expectations and really encapsulate what it means to be human. We are no more immune to the disaster nature can bring than the animal kingdom is, but we certainly can delight in the beauty of its design amid the chaos. This issue illustrates that bittersweet dichotomy in spades. Read Full Review

It's tough to regain faith in a book that goes off the rails as hard asAnimal Man did, but if there's anything that can draw its faltering fanbase back into the fold, it's an issue like this. Simple, powerful, and beautiful to look at,Animal Man Annual #2 returns to the themes and visual language that helped make the book's opening issues so memorable. Family has always been vital to Animal Man's adventures, and while I disagree with some of Lemire's decisions during his run, I cannot fault the way he's handling the fallout of Cliff's death. Lemire, Foreman and Kindzierski do a fantastic job at bringing Buddy's very human grief into the larger-than-life realm of super heroics and spider-women, grounding the fantastic in the everyday. Moreso than almost any other superhero, Buddy Baker is an everyman, a common guy. That just makes it hurt all the more. Read Full Review

This annual is not something to miss. This series has been on a definite upswing as of late, and this issue more than adds to that quality. Read Full Review

This installment is almost completely carried by the stunning artwork, it is also a testament to the writing that Lemire pulled back. This bittersweet tale that should really strike the heart of those invested by the Animal Man. The highest praise I could probably give this title is to mention that it could only be written by a father. Read Full Review

Lemire and Foreman tell an emotional story about a father struggling with the loss of his son. Fans of the series up to this point will find plenty to love in Lemire's great character work on both Buddy and Cliff and the return of Foreman's art. Newcomers can still find plenty to enjoy; they just might not feel the same emotional weight as long time readers. Read Full Review

Overall, Jeff Lemire has done a fantastic job with this character. Animal Man may seem like a D List character but the story has been so emotional and exciting. The art has vastly improved since rot world and added more to the overall story. The ending of this issue could have any reader in tears. A beautiful ending to the book. Read Full Review

Still, there's a lot to like about Animal Man Annual #2, which effective has its cake and eats it, too - not only do we get to watch Buddy act more like a human given the loss of his son, but we also get to experience the kinds of fun adventures that made Cliff such a touchstone in his life to begin with. By the end of this issue, you're feeling the heartache just as much as Buddy, and that's a victory for Lemire and Foreman. If you've been wondering what all the hubbub is about, Animal Man Annual #2 is definitely a book to check out. Read Full Review

I've read a few of the Annual issues that were launched this week, and this was my favorite one. Just like with most annual issues, this really caters to people who have been reading the book the entire year, and while I feel like a new reader could pick this issue up and really enjoy it, those who have gone through Cliff's death, with Buddy will appreciate this on a whole other level. It was great to see Travel Foreman back on the book as well. I love how creepy and unsettling his art can be. Overall, I really loved this issue and so will you. Read Full Review

A decent story that works better as a study into our hero's competing interests as superhero and father, strengthened by Foreman's perfectly attuned artistic efforts. Read Full Review

"Animal Man Annual" #2 works as a stand-alone, longer-than-normal issue of the series; it's something that feeds into the main run but at the same time could be easily understood if you'd never experienced it before. It's nice to see Lemire and Foreman back together once more, and readers get their money's worth. Read Full Review