15 DC Comics Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die
11. Animal Man Omnibus
Very few writers are as distinctive as Grant Morrison, whose work manages to combine continuity rich superheroics with debates on spirituality and meta commentary on the nature of comic books themselves. To this day, one of the finest examples of those themes is Animal Man.
Now a book about a z-list hero who can harness the powers of animals might not sound like a must-read, but Morrison uses Animal Man's low status to craft a character who is a relatable everyman. Buddy Baker doesn't have an Animalcave, he operates out of his home in the suburbs and has to balance acts of heroism with being home in time for dinner with the wife and kids.
The book also contains strong themes of animal rights activism and, unlike some comics (*cough* Champions *cough*), handles them with enough nuance to avoid coming off as preachy. The main way Morrison does this is by showcasing the sheer brutality of how mankind treats nature, including the graphic slaughter of a pod of dolphins.
The real things that makes Animal Man worth reading though are the moments of surrealism and self awareness, most famously shown in the final issue in which Buddy must confront the ultimate being that has been controlling his life in order to save the lives of his family.
That being is, of course, Grant Morrison himself.