Comic Title: Animal Man:Origin of the Species TPB
Publisher: DC
Imprint: Vertigo
Cover Date: 2002
On Sale Date: July 24, 2002 Direct Market Date July 24, 2002
Source: Previews, Vol. 12 #5 (#161)

Direct Market Date July 24, 2002
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, July 24, 2002

Cover Price: $19.95
Page Count: 224
Editor: Scott Nybakken

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "Secret Origins"
Pages: 24

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

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

Reprinted From:
Animal Man #12 (1989)

Feature Character(s)

• Animal Man (last appearance in Animal Man #11; next appearance in Animal Man #13)

Guest Star(s)

• Vixen (last appearance in Animal Man #11; next appearance in Animal Man #13)

Villain(s)

• Hamed Ali (last appearance in Animal Man #11; no further appearances)
• Tabu (last appearance in Animal Man #11; no further appearances)
• Ali's men (last appearance in Animal Man #11; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Two aliens (last appearance in Animal Man #11; next appearance in Animal Man #22)
• A shaman (last appearance in Animal Man #11; no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Ellen Baker (in flashback to Buddy's origin)
• Roger Denning (in flashback to Buddy's origin)

Comments:
This story is continued from Animal Man #11 and continues in part in Animal Man #13.

This story is related to Crisis on Infinite Earths. The term "Post-Crisis Continuum" is used to describe the current reality.

Synopsis:
Animal Man and Vixen escape from Hamed Ali when Buddy uses his powers to replicate himself like bacteria. During their escape, the heroes pass an excavation site with weird energy coming out of it. Animal Man enters the hole in the ground. Vixen is forced to follow when Ali's forces surround her.

Animal Man meets the two aliens responsible for his powers. One explains that Buddy's body had been completely destroyed in an explosion. He was rebuilt cell by cell and his powers were grafted into him. Now due to the recent Crisis, Animal Man is a paradox which threatens reality. The aliens use Animal Man to restore the continuum, then they depart. Before leaving, one of the aliens unmakes Hamed Ali.