Animal Man #14 Review

ANIMAL MAN #14

by Jeff Lemire, Steve Pugh, and Timothy Green

In this issue, epicness occurs. And Steve Pugh and Timothy kind of get over the art issue, so there's that.

Animal Man continues it's ferocious Rotworld tie-in, with monstrous force. Lemire starts this issue, diving into the Rot war headfirst, with an epic battle that involves mutilating, decapitating, dismembering,  blowing up, cutting, dicing, and skewering the many different DC character Rob Liefeld has written during the New 52. That alone warrants a 5 star score. Then, Lemire continues to surprise us. He shows us that he understands what else is happening in the DCnU by somehow integrating the current Flash story arc into the story. Meanwhile in the past, Lemire is writing a harrowing horror movie that is essentially a cat and mouse game between Maxine and the Rot. It's intense and terrifying. In fact, I think Maxine's survival by the end of this arc is in question. 

Steve Pugh brings his A-game to this issue of Animal Man, with the disgusting creatures he's drawing. He somehow even makes his distinct style feel crucial to the main story. Timothy Green does NOT bring his A-game to the flashback sequences of the story. He fails to terrify as much as last month, as his interpretation of the beasts of the Rot all feel the same. 

Animal Man #14 is my pick of the week. The story is perfect, and the art slip ups somehow feel more forgivable.

STORY: 5/5

ART: 4/5

VERDICT: 4.5/5