Comic Title: Animal Man #3
Publisher: DC
Imprint: Vertigo
Cover Date: November 1988
On Sale Date: July 26, 1988 Shipping Date July 26, 1988
Source: Direct Currents, #6

Shipping Date July 28, 1988
Source: Amazing Heroes, #146

Copyright Date July 26, 1988
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1988

Shipping Date July 26, 1988
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #760

Newsstand Date August 9, 1988
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #760

Cover Price: $1.25
Page Count: 32
Editor: Karen Berger

Title: "The Nature of the Beast"
Pages: 24

Feature(s):
Animal Man (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Chas Truog
Inker: Doug Hazlewood
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Tatjana Wood

Reprinted In:
Animal Man TPB (1991)
Animal Man Omnibus HC (2013)
Animal Man by Grant Morrison 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 HC (2019)
Animal Man by Grant Morrison Vol. 1 TPB (2020)

Feature Character(s)

• Animal Man (last appearance in Animal Man #2; next appearance in Animal Man #4)

Guest Star(s)

• B'Wana Beast (last appearance in Animal Man #2; next appearance in Animal Man #4)

Supporting Character(s)

• Ellen Baker (last appearance in Animal Man #2; next appearance in Animal Man #4)
• Maxine Baker (last appearance in Animal Man #2; next appearance in Animal Man #4)

Villain(s)

• A group of hunters (Ray and Lew named; Ray dies in this story; last appearance in Animal Man #2; no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Djuba (dies in this story; last appearance in Animal Man #3; next appearance in Animal Man #4)

Other Character(s)

• Morris Weidemeir (last appearance in Animal Man #2; next appearance in Animal Man #20)
• A homeless man (last appearance in Animal Man #2; no further appearances)
• Myers (last appearance in Animal Man #2; next appearance in Animal Man #4)
• Rupert Kenboya (dies in flashback; no further appearances)
• Several unnamed scientists (no further appearances)
• Roon (a chimpanzee; dies in this story; no further appearances)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• B'Wana Beast (last appearance in Swamp Thing Annual #3; next appearance in Animal Man #1)
• Djuba (last appearance in Swamp Thing Annual #3; next appearance in Animal Man #3)

Comments:
This story is continued from Animal Man #2 and continues in Animal Man #4.

Synopsis:
After his arm is ripped off from the shoulder, Animal Man instinctively uses his powers to gain the regenerative abilities of an earthworm. In minutes he completely regrows the missing limb. He then finds the homeless man who had been merged with a rat. He calls S.T.A.R. Labs. They send a decontamination unit to bring him back to their lab.

Just after Animal Man arrives at the lab, the B'Wana Beast breaks into the lab and rescues Djuba. Doctor Myers explains that the lab is conducting anthrax experiments. Djuba, a giant ape, was captured in Africa and brought to the lab for experimentation. The ape was exposed to the virus which could now infect the entire population of California.

B'Wana Beast has taken Djuba to the San Diego Zoo, where the ape dies in his arms. The White God of Kilimanjaro issues an angry cry of vengeance.