Animal Man: Origin of the Species #[nn]

In "Fox on the Run," Animal Man finds himself caught in a surreal clash when a fox hunt takes a dangerous turn, while Jo, a mysterious figure with ties to the past, seeks answers from the Psycho Pirate and the Mad Hatter—whose memories hold fragments of the forgotten pre-Crisis multiverse. As Vixen arrives at the Baker house, desperate for help against unseen enemies, Animal Man begins to unravel, both physically and mentally, as alien forces connected to his origins make their long-awaited return.

In "Out of Africa," Animal Man awakens in the wilds of Africa, reunited with Vixen after being reassembled by the alien forces that once dismantled him. Trapped and outnumbered, the two are captured by Hamed Ali and Tabu, while back home, Ellen Baker begins to fade from existence—her fate now entwined with the mystery unfolding across continents.

In "Secret Origins," Animal Man and Vixen flee their captors to confront a strange temporal rift tied to the alien presence. As Vixen battles the enigmatic Tabu, the aliens guide Animal Man in reclaiming his fractured reality. When Hamed Ali steps into the conflict, the aliens make a startling choice that alters the story’s course.

In "Hour of the Beast," Animal Man crosses paths with B'Wana Beast during a tense moment in apartheid-era South Africa, where the weight of legacy and identity collides with the urgent need for change. As Mike Maxwell prepares to pass on the mantle of B'Wana Beast, the two heroes find themselves entangled in a struggle that tests their beliefs and forces them to confront the cost of power.

In "Spooks," Jo and her family are unsettled by strange occurrences: Maxine believes she’s seen her long-lost father, and Ellen senses an unexplained presence in the house. When Buddy investigates, he’s stunned to see the same figure—and recalls a fleeting memory from when he was ten. Meanwhile, Cliff and his friends, playing a Ouija board, receive the numbers 9 and 27, which eerily match markings on the door of the Baker house.

In "Consequences," Animal Man finds himself at the center of a growing animal rights movement, using his powers to amplify the cause—yet as he stands on the front lines, he begins to wonder if his unwavering stance is truly justice, or just another kind of control. Meanwhile, Mirror Master’s fragile alliance with Mr. Lennox unravels in quiet, unsettling fashion, and at the Baker household, James Highwater arrives with secrets of his own, his presence stirring tensions no one sees coming.