Morrison's last volume of Animal Man is also the best. He very carefully built on themes and plots over two years, and they all finally come together here. The highlight of the volume is the play with ideas of creators and created that he both leads and ends the volume with, but in the middle you get dark-and-gritty Buddy. Morrison has fun: he both does an amazing idea of telling the dark-and-gritty story, and then derides it at the end. 
 Overall, an amazing end to a great run.