History YMMV / AnimalMan

** The yellow aliens warn Animal Man, "Terrible times are coming. Be strong. Be careful." Are they referring to the trauma he'll experience in Morrison's run, or events like ''ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime'', ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', and ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''?

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: Some of the things Morrison writes, you'll swear ''they'' were on peyote. Ironically, they were allegedly straight-edge at the time, and only started taking mind-expanding substances later.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Pretty much everyone in Limbo eventually returned in some form or another, including [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Mr. Freeze]], [[WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog the Space Canine Patrol Agents]], ComicBook/TheGreenTeam, [[Franchise/TheFlash Quicksilver/Max Mercury]], and [[ComicBook/TheMultiversity the Love Syndicate]]. Heck, even Merryman and the Inferior Five returned briefly as part of ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.

* TearJerker: There are a lot, including the tragedy of B'Wana Beast in the first arc, The Coyote Gospel, the life story and death of Red Mask, [[spoiler:Buddy's family being murdered]], and the final issues Creator/GrantMorrison wrote where [[spoiler:they and Buddy met.]]

** The yellow aliens warn Animal Man, "Terrible times are coming. Be strong. Be careful." Are they referring to the trauma he'll experience in Morrison's run, or events like ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime, ComicBook/IdentityCrisis, ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis, and ComicBook/FinalCrisis?

* GrowingTheBeard: Morrison considers "The Coyote Gospel" to be the point where the series actually started coming into its own, delving into the themes of metafiction, higher powers, and idealism-versus-realism that would go on to define the rest of their run.

* CompleteMonster: [[PresidentEvil President Eagleton]] is the leader of the United States in Earth-Twenty-Seven, the AlternateUniverse Buddy Baker is marooned in during issues #27-32 of Creator/PeterMilligan's run. A chameleonic sociopath who outright brags at how good at faking honesty he is, Eagleton enlists Buddy to help apprehend the Angel siblings, three child telepaths who are interfering with his re-election campaign. Once the Angels are tracked down, [[WouldHurtAChild Eagleton]] breaks his promise not to harm them and reveals he intends to [[AndIMustScream dissect them alive]] to learn how to implant their abilities in US soldiers. Though Buddy kills Eagleton, he is too late to save the children, only being able to help them die in peace.

* HilariousInHindsight: In the second issue, Buddy runs into a teenager named "Jaime" who carries around an autograph book filled with the signatures of every superhero he's ever gotten a chance to meet. When he tries to get Buddy's autograph, he opens the book, exposing a page that reads "''To my good friend Jaime'' - The ComicBook/BlueBeetle". That issue came out about 18 years before a teenager named Jaime Reyes officially became the third ComicBook/BlueBeetle.

* NightmareFuel: "[[ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths worldswilldieworldswillliveworldswilldieworldswillliveworldswilldie]]"
** The "New 52" reboot has plenty. Considering that the main antagonists are beings known as the "Rotten" that take the appearance of [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]] that can inflict '''a lot''' of BodyHorror on people. Even the main characters are not immune to these effects.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: When reading the endorsement of PETA in the final issue, one must remember that back in the '80s they weren't quite the [[AnimalWrongsGroup organization]] they are now. Especially since organizations like PETA as it is today are exactly the kind of group the comic would've vilified or mocked.
* HarsherInHindsight: The yellow aliens warn Animal Man, "Terrible times are coming. Be strong. Be careful." Are they referring to the trauma he'll experience in Morrison's run, or events like ComicBook/ZeroHourCrisisInTime, ComicBook/IdentityCrisis, ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis, and ComicBook/FinalCrisis?

* CompleteMonster: [[PresidentEvil President Eagleton]] is the leader of the United States in Earth-Twenty-Seven, the AlternateUniverse Buddy Baker is marooned in during Creator/PeterMilligan's run. A chameleonic sociopath who outright brags at how good at faking honesty he is, Eagleton enlists Buddy to help apprehend the Angel siblings, three child telepaths who are interfering with his re-election campaign. Once the Angels are tracked down, [[WouldHurtAChild Eagleton]] breaks his promise not to harm them and reveals he intends to [[AndIMustScream dissect them alive]] to learn how to implant their abilities in US soldiers. Though Buddy kills Eagleton, he is too late to save the children, only being able to help them die in peace.

* CompleteMonster: [[PresidentEvil President Eagleton]] is the leader of the United States in the AlternateUniverse Buddy Baker is marooned in during Creator/PeterMilligan's run. A chameleonic sociopath who outright brags at how good at faking honesty he is, Eagleton enlists Buddy to help apprehend the Angel siblings, three child telepaths who are interfering with his re-election campaign. Once the Angels are tracked down, Eagleton [[ILied breaks his promise]] not to [[WouldHurtAChild harm them]] and reveals he intends to [[AndIMustScream dissect them alive]] to learn how to implant their abilities in US soldiers. Though Buddy kills Eagleton, he is too late to save the children, only being able to help them die in peace.

* CompleteMonster (Vol. 1 [[Creator/PeterMilligan issues #27-32]] (Earth-Twenty-Seven)): [[PresidentEvil President Eagleton]] is the leader of the United States in this AlternateUniverse Buddy Baker is marooned in. A chameleonic sociopath who outright brags at how good at faking honesty he is, Eagleton enlists Buddy to help apprehend the Angel siblings, three child telepaths who are interfering with his re-election campaign. Once the Angels are tracked down, Eagleton [[ILied breaks his promise]] not to [[WouldHurtAChild harm them]] and reveals he intends to [[AndIMustScream dissect them alive]] to learn how to implant their abilities in US soldiers. Though Buddy kills Eagleton, he is too late to save the children, only being able to help them die in peace.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Pretty much everyone in Limbo eventually returned in some form or another, including [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Mr. Freeze]], [[WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog the Space Canine Patrol Agents]], [[ComicBook/TheGreenTeam]], [[Franchise/TheFlash Quicksilver/Max Mercury]], and [[ComicBook/TheMultiversity the Love Syndicate]]. Heck, even Merryman and the Inferior Five returned briefly as part of ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Pretty much everyone in Limbo eventually returned in some form or another, including [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries Mr. Freeze]], [[WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog the Space Canine Patrol Agents]], [[ComicBook/New52 the Green Team]], [[Franchise/TheFlash Quicksilver/Max Mercury]], and [[ComicBook/TheMultiversity the Love Syndicate]]. Heck, even Merryman and the Inferior Five returned briefly as part of ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.

** In The New 52 [[spoiler: Cliff's death, which also leads to the disintegration of Buddy's marriage]].

** The New 52 Animal Man series [[http://inveteratemediajunkies.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/dc-new-52-animal-man-2.jpg?w=600 plays this completely straight]].

** Hasn't changed with The New 52 [[spoiler: his daughter, Maxine, becomes the new Avatar of the Red; his son, Cliff, dies; his marriage disintegrates; and he temporarily loses his connection with the Red after demanding that the Totems leave his family alone. In the end, he manages to reconcile with the rest of his family, but he is still doomed to leave them eventually to take over for an overseer of a planet directly connected to the Red, Green and Rot, which could happen sooner or later]].

* HarsherInHindsight: The yellow aliens warn Animal Man, "Terrible times are coming. Be strong. Be careful." Are they referring to the trauma he'll experience in Morrison's run, or events like ComicBook/ZeroHour, ComicBook/IdentityCrisis, ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis, and ComicBook/FinalCrisis?

-->"Let's face it, who cares about the ''Space Canine Patrol Agents'' in this day and age?"

* HarsherInHindsight: The yellow aliens warn Animal Man "Terrible times are coming. Be strong. Be careful." Are they referring to the trauma he'll experience in Morrison's run, or events like ComicBook/ZeroHour, ComicBook/IdentityCrisis, ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis, and ComicBook/FinalCrisis?
* HeartwarmingInHindsight: [[spoiler:Mr. Freeze]] WOULD [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries get out of limbo after all]].
** The Space Canine Patrol Agents were said to never get out of limbo, but they did, as the Dog Star Patrol in ''WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog''.
** The Green Team, seen offering Buddy as much cash as they could so he could help them get out, finally did manage [[Comicbook/{{New 52}} to get out as well]], after '''decades'''.
** One of the characters locked in limbo is a man with a white shirt, blue pants, and a red/blue mask formerly known as Quicksilver during the Silver Age. He'd eventually exit with a new name, Max Mercury, Zen Master of the Speed Force and close friend and mentor to Wally West, ComicBook/TheFlash.

* TearJerker: There are a lot, including the tragedy of B'Wana Beast in the first arc, The Coyote Gospel, the life story and death of Red Mask, [[spoiler:Buddy's family being murdered]], and the final issues Creator/GrantMorrison wrote where [[spoiler:he and Buddy met.]]
** The very last couple of pages during Morrison's run. It's already a tearjerker in of it's self, but what makes it moreso sad is what happens at the end. [[spoiler:After Grant shines his light to try to signal Foxy, he gets no response and leaves. A light then shines back from the hill. Grant doesn't see it.]]

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: Some of the things Morrison writes, you'll swear ''he'' was on peyote. Ironically, he was allegedly straight-edge at the time, and only started taking mind-expanding substances later.

*** FridgeBrilliance hit me after reading that scene. [[spoiler: After Grant makes all these arguments that comics matter and that we should treat fictional characters with some respect, he makes his most convincing argument in those last panels. Because Foxy represents childhood and more importantly, innocence, and the only place Grant can still find it. . . is in a comic-book world. I'm not sure if any of that made sense, but it was a Tearjerker to me.]]

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: When reading the endorsement of PETA in the final issue, one must remember that back in the '80s they weren't quite the [[AnimalWrongsGroup organization]] they are now. Especially since organizations like PETA as it is today are exactly the kind of group the comic would've villified or mocked.

** The Injustice version of the character sees entire species of animals being hunted to extinction by poachers.

** The Injustice version of the character sees animals being hunted to extinction by poachers.

** One of the characters locked in limbo is a man with a white shirt, blue pants,and a red/blue mask formerly known as Quicksilver during the Silver Age. He'd eventually exit with a new name, Max Mercury, Zen Master of the Speed Force and close friend and mentor to Wally West, ComicBook/TheFlash.

** The very last couple of pages during Morrison's run, where the quote comes from. That's already a tearjerker in of it's self, but what makes it moreso sad is what happens at the end. [[spoiler:After Grant shines his light to try to signal Foxy, he gets no response and leaves. A light then shines back from the hill. Grant doesn't see it.]]