| "The Human Zoo" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Animal Man | |
| Title: | "The Human Zoo" |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Number: | 1 |
| Cover price: | $1.25 |
| Cover date: | September, 1988 |
| Publisher: | DC Comics |
| Credits | |
| Ex. Ed: | Dick Giordano |
| Writers: | Grant Morrison |
| Pencilers: | Chas Truog |
| Inkers: | Doug Hazlewood |
| Cover artists: | Brian Bolland |
| Cover inker: | Brian Bolland |
| Colorists: | Tatjana Wood |
| Letterers: | John Costanza |
| Editors: | Karen Berger |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | — |
| Next: | Animal Man #2 |
"The Human Zoo" is the first issue of the Animal Man ongoing adventure series published by DC Comics. The story was written by Grant Morrison with artwork by Chas Truog and inks by Doug Hazlewood. It was colored by Tatjana Wood with lettering by John Costanza. The cover art illustration was rendered by Brian Bolland. The story was edited by Karen Berger. This issue shipped with a September, 1988 cover date and carries a cover price of $1.25 per copy (US).
Synopsis[]
Somewhere in San Diego, a mysterious figure calling himself the Beast seems to be in some kind of pain, and is searching for the source of the sound of screaming monkeys that he hears in his head.
Meanwhile, Buddy Baker, no longer content with operating as a "small-time" hero, strives to make his way into the big leagues. He begins practicing his powers by tapping into the physical characteristics of cats, birds, fish and spiders. To further promote himself, he makes an ill-advised guest appearance on the Dick Griffith Show. Griffith humiliates him on national television and Buddy decides to beef up his look by adding a leather jacket to his costume.
Elsewhere, in an alleyway, the Beast is attacked by a mugger, who he kills without hesitation, before finding his way to a S.T.A.R. Labs facility, the apparent source of the sound he had been tormented by.
Later, Buddy responds to an emergency at S.T.A.R. Labs. There, Doctor Myers - who had been working on a cure for the AIDS virus - tells him that he was actually hoping for Superman, but will settle for Animal Man regardless. He shows him one of the lab's animal testing facilities, which has been ransacked with broken cages and emptied medical containers all over the floor. All of the test monkeys have somehow been fused together into a gelatinous ball.
Appearances[]
Featured characters
Supporting characters
Villains
Minor characters
- B'wana Beast, Mike Maxwell
- Dick Griffith
- Doctor Myers
- Lew
- Morris Weidemeir
- Ray
- Rufus the cat
- Skip the dog
- Tricia Denning
- Violet Weidemeier
Organizations
Races
Animals
Locations
Items
Vehicles
Notes & Trivia[]
- This issue is reprinted in the Animal Man: Book One trade paperback collection, which was released in September, 1991.
- The events of this issue take place in the month of May.
- Buddy Baker is twenty-nine years old at the time of publication.
- Stevie Wonder and the members of Justice League International appear as photographs in a copy of Rolling Stone magazine only.
- Roger Denning appears next in Animal Man #6.