Animal Man Annual # 1 2012 NM-

Animal Man Annual # 1, released on May 30, 2012, is a 48-page oversized one-shot that explores the ancient history of the primal forces in the DC Universe. Written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Timothy Green II, the issue serves as a prequel and a "palate cleanser" for the Rotworld crossover event involving Animal Man and Swamp Thing. 

"Endless Rot" 

The story is framed as a bedtime tale told by the talking cat Socks (a former avatar of the Red) to Maxine Baker, Buddy's daughter, while the family is on the run from the Rot. 

• The Protagonist: The main narrative is set in 1894 in Stone Lake, Manitoba. It follows Jacob Mullin, a farmer and family man who is revealed to be the 19th-century avatar of the Red (Animal Man).
• The Conflict: A mysterious pestilence is killing livestock and threatening the human population. Jacob joins a group of citizens and Royal Canadian Mounted Police to investigate the woods, where they encounter the horrific, mangled monstrosities of the Rot.
• The Alliance: Jacob teams up with Jack Crow, his former neighbor who has become that era's Swamp Thing (avatar of the Green). Together, they fight back the forces of the Rot that have devastated their community.
• A Haunting Vision: During the battle, Jack Crow uses a hallucinogenic tuber to open Jacob’s mind. Jacob sees a bleak vision of the future—a ruined Metropolis where the Justice League has been defeated and he meets a future avatar, Buddy Baker.
• The Hollow Victory: Although they defeat the Rot-creatures, the victory is tragic; Jacob discovers that his wife and daughter were among those claimed and transformed by the Rot. 
• Jacob Mullin: The 19th-century Animal Man and a sympathetic farmer.
• Jack Crow: The 19th-century Swamp Thing.
• Maxine Baker & Socks: The framing characters who connect the past to the present.
• Creative Team: Written by Jeff Lemire; art by Timothy Green II; colors by Lovern Kindzierski.