The Last Days of Animal Man #2

The second chapter of Gerry Conway's six-part miniseries finds Buddy Baker in a precarious moment — the Brian Bolland cover captures Animal Man reeling high above a city skyline, surrounded by a glowing green aura while a massive whale and a shark materialize dramatically around him, hinting at powers that may be slipping beyond his control. Green Lantern guest-stars this issue, and that unmistakable emerald ring symbol emblazoned on the whale makes the crossover feel both playful and genuinely charged. With interior art by Chris Batista and inks by Dave Meikis, this 2009 series was clearly aiming to do something thoughtful with one of DC's most underappreciated heroes.