Comic Title: Animal Man by Grant Morrison 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 HC
Publisher: DC
Imprint: Vertigo
Cover Date: 2020
On Sale Date: September 8, 2020 Direct Market Date September 9, 2020
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Cover Price: $39.99
Page Count: 360
Editor: Scott Nybakken

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "Time in a Bottle"
Pages: 24

Feature(s):
Animal Man (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Paris Cullins
Inker: Steve Montano
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Tatjana Wood

Reprinted From:
Animal Man #22 (1990)

Feature Character(s)

• Animal Man (last appearance in Animal Man #21; next appearance in Animal Man #23)

Supporting Character(s)

• Ellen Baker (in flashback; shortly after battle with Mirror Master; last appearance in Animal Man #8; next appearance in Animal Man #9)
• Cliff Baker (in flashback; last appearance in Animal Man #9; next appearance in Animal Man #9)
• Maxine Baker (in flashback; last appearance in Animal Man #14; next appearance in Animal Man #14)

Villain(s)

• John Starr (last appearance in Animal Man #16; no further appearances)
• Psycho Pirate (last appearance in Animal Man #20; next appearance in Animal Man #23)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Rip Hunter (see Comment; last appearance in Time Masters #4; next appearance in Time Masters #4)
• Booster Gold (see Comment; last appearance in Justice League America #37; next appearance in Justice League America #38)
• Bonnie Baxter (see Comment; last appearance in Time Masters #4; next appearance in Time Masters #4)
• Jeff Smith (see Comment; last appearance in Time Masters #4; next appearance in Time Masters #4)
• Phantom Stranger (during the 1960s; last appearance in Secret Origins #10; next appearance in Animal Man #23)

Other Character(s)

• Buddy's father (in flashback; no further appearances)
• James Highwater (last appearance in Animal Man #19; next appearance in Animal Man #23)
• Two aliens (last appearance in Animal Man #12; next appearance in Animal Man #23)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Animal Man (shortly after battle with Mirror Master; last appearance in Animal Man #8; next appearance in Animal Man #9)
• Ellen Baker (last appearance in Animal Man #14; next appearance in Animal Man #14)
• Cliff Baker (last appearance in Animal Man #14; next appearance in Animal Man #14)
• Buddy Baker (as a ten year old boy; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Secret Origins #39)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Swamp Thing (an image in the time stream)
• Lord of Time (an image in the time stream)
• Flash (Jay Garrick; an image in the time stream)
• Flash (Barry Allen; an image in the time stream)
• Mordru (an image in the time stream)
• Flash (Barry Allen; an image in the time stream)
• Mordru (an image in the time stream)
• Kid Eternity (an image in the time stream)

Comments:
Pages 4-5 of this story occur simultaneously with pages 24-25 of Time Masters #4.

Animal Man travels through time in this story.
He appears outside the Baker house in Animal Man #8.
He sees Cliff on the sidewalk in Animal Man #9.
He sees Maxine in the yard and makes items move in Animal Man #14.
He then goes further back in time and meets his ten year old self.

This story continues in Animal Man #23.

Synopsis:
Animal Man seeks out the Time Commander to help with his plan to go back in time to save his family. John Starr is insane and cannot help, so he gets help from Booster Gold and is introduced to Rip Hunter. Rip lends Buddy a slightly damaged time machine.

Animal Man then goes into the past. He is able to observe his family, but he is unable to communicate with them or change their fate. Distraught, Buddy tries to return to the present, but instead he goes farther back in time where he meets himself as a 10 year old boy. After the encounter, he is stuck. Then along comes the Phantom Stranger.