Graphic Novel Review: ‘Animan’ by Anouk Ricard from Drawn+Quarterly

Animan

Animan by Anouk Ricard, published by Drawn and Quarterly, tells the quirky story of a man with an incredible quirk: He can transform into any animal. Ricard’s work, such as Anna & Froga, has long shown how strong anthropomorphized animals can be as characters. In Animan she takes things in a very different direction with Francis, a human who takes on the forms of animals to do good in the world. At least, that is his intention. Sometimes things go hysterically awry.

Characters transforming into animals is a well-established trope in literature, from Merlin’s magic to comic-book heroes like Beast Boy to the popular young adult Animorphs. Much of the delight in Animan is seeing Francis’s powers in action. He can turn into an octopus to paint on numerous canvases at once; find snacks as a seagull; or dig through the earth as a worm.

Ricard found inspiration from the 1980s TV show Manimal, also about a crime-solver who can turn into animals. But she gives a much more fun tone to her story than the melodrama that has often been ranked among the worst science fiction shows of all time. Francis shakes violently during his transformations, making them seem very uncomfortable. But they are always useful in finding clever ways to meet his goals.

Carrying on the tradition of secret identities, Animan makes Francis a pet therapist by day, a job made easier since he can simply turn into a dog to speak directly with a dog having problems. By night, or any time really, Francis uses his powers to unravel mysteries, such as the dog who claims his previous owner was murdered.

Sometimes Francis gets a bit too enthusiastic in his heroism, as when he takes a suspicious meeting at a cabin to be a drug deal when it’s something else entirely. Taking on his greatest challenge yet, Francis tracks down a serial animal-kidnapper who has nabbed pets ranging from dogs and cats to a horse.

Animan is packed with a memorable cast beyond Francis. There is Dicky, the suspicious dog, who actually prefers to be called “Super Hot Prince of Dogs,” though “Prince” will do. Francis’s talking-frog wife, Fabienne, steals much of the show with dreams of floating in a stream conjured by over-filling the bathtub or sassily mentioning that Francis’s kitchen is “over-sized” rather than she being too small herself.

There is also a mysterious figure from Francis’s past, Objecto, who can change into objects much like Francis can animals. Objecto torments Francis with mild pranks and insults while stating his ultimate goal is to kill him. Tensions rise in the game of cat-and-mouse with lives on the line as Francis seeks to right wrongs while making a few pretty paintings along the way.