"Animal Man" #9 cover by Travel Foreman

Today, DC Comics released new details on New 52 creative shifts with the announcement of several artist changes in May. Via its blog, The Source, the publisher revealed the new artists for four New 52 books including "Resurrection Man," "Suicide Squad," "Birds of Prey" and "Animal Man."

1990s "Animal Man" artist Steve Pugh will return to the book this May, joining writer Jeff Lemire as ongoing artist as of issue #9. "For me, it's awesome to be returning to a book that was such a milestone in my creative life and with Jeff, a killer writer who's been punching 'Animal Man' through the ceiling!" Pugh told The Source. "Yeah, I was buying the book already but now I don't have to wait so long to find out what happens next!"

Pugh's addition to "Animal Man" is just one of a cascade of artist changes, including current "Animal Man" artist Travel Foreman heading to "Birds of Prey" as ongoing artist for May's "Night of the Owls" Bat-family crossover. "Birds of Prey" editor Bobbie Chase teased what fans could expect from Foreman's involvement on the book.

"'Animal Man' is one of my favorite books of The New 52, in no small part because of Travel's awesome art," Chase said via The Source. "We're really challenging him to go against his animal instincts in his first issue; from the woods to the city streets, from a single super character (OK, with family) to a team book, from one small corner of the DC universe right into the big Bat landscape. It's going to be exciting!"

Meanwhile, current "Birds of Prey" artist Jesus Saiz will move to 'Resurrection Man' in May, pitting Mitch Shelley against the Suicide Squad in a crossover between the two books. "I'm going to miss 'Birds of Prey' immensely, although it's also true that I was dying to work on the Dark line of books," Saiz explained on The Source. "There's some very interesting stuff happening in these books, and I've always considered horror / creating dark settings are some of my stronger areas as an artist, and I really haven't had many chances to flex those muscles working in this genre during my career. So...I think I'm really going to enjoy working on 'Resurrection Man!' Crrrrazy fun!"

Finishing out the changes, Fernando Dagnino moves from his position as "Resurrection Man" artist to "Suicide Squad" for the crossover in May, remaining with Amanda Waller's team of hardened criminals as ongoing artist. "Call me insensitive but I must admit I've really enjoyed killing Mitch twice or thrice per issue," Dagnino told The Source. "Nevertheless, it all falls into place knowing that he will be in Jesus' hands now. This run on 'Resurrection Man' has really been loads of fun but now I must confess I am even more excited to take over the responsibility of dealing with such a thrilling cast of characters as the 'Suicide Squad.' Harley...I'm coming!"

The series of reveals is the latest in line of creative shifts occurring in May, including Rob Liefeld taking over "Deathstroke," "The Savage Hawkman" and "Grifter;" Peter Milligan assuming writing duties for "Stormwatch," Jeff Lemire scribing "Justice League Dark" and writer Matt Kindt taking on "Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E." The new creative teams begin in conjunction with the launch of New 52's "Second Wave" this May, which signals the launch of six new titles and the cancellation of "Static Shock," "Mister Terrific," "Hawk and Dove," "Blackhawks," "Men of War" and "O.M.A.C."

Stay tuned to CBR for more on DC's shifting creative teams and the New 52's "Second Wave."