Animal Man #20
“The Last Enemy”, February 1990
Credits:
Grant Morrison [writer]
Chas Truog [artist]
Doug Hazlewood [artist]
John Costanza [letterer]
Tatjana Wood [colorist]
Art Young [associate editor]
Karen Berger [editor]
Brian Bolland [cover (uncredited)]
Front Matter:
Cover:
Buddy is shown on the floor of his bathroom, lying next to his costume, a smashed family portrait, and a spilled bottle of pills
Inside Cover:
The ‘DC Checklist This Week’ section includes the following description of Animal Man #20: “Overwhelmed by recent events, Animal Man must take on Lennox. But what role will the Mirror Master play?”
Story:
Page 1
This scene is similar to the beginning of Animal Man #8, with panel 3 here closely matching page 2:2 of issue #8.
As in page 1 of issue #18, Buddy is telling himself that there is something that he mustn’t forget, despite the recent shock. Presumably he needs to recall what he learned about himself and his world when he was with Highwater.
Page 2
This page continues on from the events of Animal Man #18, page 1. The last two issues have largely been a flashback, but we are now back in the present day.
Page 3
This is the title page. The meaning of the title will be explained later in the issue.
Job Number: G-5336
Page 6
Buddy is remembering the last moments he had with his family, from issue #18, pages 7-8.
Page 7, panel 1
This panel seems to have inspired the cover.
Page 8
“Lennox” is used in inverted commas, suggesting this might not be his real name, but an alternative name is never given. This is also the first time we’ve heard him referred to as “The Owl”.
Page 9, panel 3
The notes on the desk possibly read “Lennox ‘The Owl’ – For[…] CIA, Cover[…]”. It could be that Lennox was a former CIA agent, and works or worked in covert operations.
Page 10
“Bug-Man” is a pretty silly name, but so is “Animal Man”. Morrison might be suggesting that these government agents are unimaginative.
Page 11
The Psycho-Pirate’s words refer to a story about the Mesopotamian goddess Inanna who traveled to and returned from the underworld. The story dates from the time of the Sumerians (circa 2100-2000 BCE), though the quote relates to a later Akkadian version of the story where the goddess (named Ishtar in this version) demands that she be let into the underworld. The translation used here seems to have been taken from the New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology – possibly from the easily accessible 1987 printing.
Page 12
Morris Weidemeir’s quote comes from I Corinthians 15:26, which is also from where the issue’s title derives. I Corinthians (the First Epistle to the Corinthians) forms part of the Pauline epistles (the letters of Paul the Apostle), which is part of the New Testament of the Bible. In this section, Paul is suggesting that Christ will eventually defeat death itself after resurrecting those who believed in him.
Page 14, panel 1
The celebrant is reciting the Lord’s Prayer, a central prayer of the Christian religion.
Page 14, panel 2
This couple on the left may be Ellen’s parents. The man looks similar to Ellen’s father as we saw him in issues #12 and #17, and the woman has red hair like Ellen. However, Ellen’s mother is later depicted in Animal Man #41 (Nov. 1991) as having grey hair and being a widow.
Martian Manhunter is seen on the right.
Page 14, panel 3
Attending the funeral are several characters who have appeared in previous issues of Animal Man. From the left –
- an unidentified man wearing sunglasses;
- Buddy’s neighbours, the Weidemeirs;
- behind them may be Dane Dorrance who was in the Forgotten Heroes with Buddy and last appeared in Animal Man #15;
- The bearded man is Dmitri Pushkin (Red Rocket #4) of Justice League Europe;
- Roger and Tricia;
- the couple from panel 2 who may be Ellen’s parents;
- another woman comforting Buddy could be his own mother, judging from the matching hair colour;
- Martian Manhunter;
- Vixen;
- then a few unidentified faces, including a red-headed man who looks a bit like Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, but without the pointy nose;
- at the front of this group is Mike Maxwell (the former B’wana Beast), and possibly Dominic Mndawe (Freedom Beast) next to him.
Page 15, panel 2
In this panel we can see (clockwise from top): Martian Manhunter, Booster Gold, someone’s arm, Vixen, and Metamorpho.
Booster Gold hasn’t appeared in the series so far (except on the cover of Rolling Stone in issue #1) but he met Buddy in Invasion #3 (Jan. 1989) [pictured]. Booster first appeared as the main character in his own series (Booster Gold #1, Feb. 1986) [pictured] just after the Crisis. He is a disgraced former football star from the 25th Century where he worked as a museum security guard. He became interested in 20th Century superheroes so steals Rip Hunter’s Time Sphere and other artifacts and travels to the past in the hope of becoming a famous superhero. He joined the Justice League soon after arriving in the 20th Century.
Page 15, panel 3
Buddy expressed his need to leave the JLE at the end of Justice League Europe #12, which may take place at the same time as Animal Man #20.
Page 15, panel 4
Buddy admits that he doesn’t understand anything. He’s expressing his incomprehension at the murder of his family, and also the nature of his reality.
Page 16, panels 1-2
The detective is drinking something out of a cup with the McDonalds logo, which usually wouldn’t be seen in the Baker house given that they are vegetarians and ecologically conscious.
The detective mentions a suspicious moving van, but we haven’t seen this vehicle in any of Lennox’s previous appearances. Lennox appears to drive a dark sedan as seen in Animal Man #14 and #16. A similar car is parked outside of the Bakers’ home in #18.
Page 18
Apparently the “Bug-Man” is a suit with someone inside it.
Page 19, panel 5
The quote is from the song ‘Jeepers Creepers’, first performed by Louis Armstrong in the 1938 film Going Places. “Peepers” refer to eyes.
Page 21
It’s not specified what the red pills are but they may be sleeping pills.
Page 23, panel 4
The greeting of ‘Howzitgaun’ identifies the caller as being Mirror Master.
Back Matter:
Letters:
The letters are mostly in response to Animal Man #16. A few writers comment on the reasonable motivations of the Time Commander and note Buddy’s non-violent approach to the situation. Some also praise the characterisation of Ellen and the rest of Buddy’s family.
The writer of the 4th letter notes that Buddy (as well as Morrison’s Doom Patrol characters) are often trying to protect reality from villains who are trying to subvert or destroy it.
The writer of the 5th letter mentions that, like Dmitri, Calvin from the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip is often is depicted wearing underpants with rockets printed on them.
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