the Last Days of Animal Man #3 - DC

Ok, we find out this issue that this story is actually taking place about 15 years in the future. On the cover we see that Buddy is being helped by the League of Titans. I thought that maybe it was an alternate universe. But Buddy is talking to Kory and it's been 15 years since they got stuck in space together. Last issue he beat up Prismatik pretty bad. He'd just had it confirmed that he's actually losing his powers . . it's not in his head, and he took out his anger and frustration on Primatik. He beats her up so bad she's sent straight to the prison hospital. It's a special prison, Highpoint Federal Maximum Security Facility, that was built in 2018 especially for super powered people. Anyways, Red Tornado and Superman figure out that he's loosing his powers on a cellular level. His DNA is actually degrading to what it was before he was experimented on by the aliens. It's not going to affect his health. He'll still be a normal human. He just won't have any powers. But that's still more than he can bear. Then he remembers that the kids were born after his DNA was changed, so maybe there's a way he can use theirs to repair his own. In the process of asking for their help, he figures out that during his life as a super-hero, he neglected his life as a father and a husband. He feels that Ellen doesn't understand his frustration and loss. Maxine gave up on him a long time ago. And Cliff wants to be just like him. He's sunk himself so deep into his job as a lawyer that he works 80 hour weeks and doesn't have time for a social life. "What I do is more important than my personal life. It's the only way to live, dad! Out in the world. Fighting the good fight, being a man! The world needs it's heroes." During all of this, Prismatik breaks out of prison, and helps Bloodrage get out also. Anyways, in the end, Buddy finds out from Red Tornado that there's nothing he can do to reverse the process. But, he will be a normal, functioning human. This doesn't ease Buddy's anguish much. He turns to Kory. They've known each other for 20 years now, and this is the first time he kisses her. "She knows me. She understands me. She can make this right. She can make everything all right." I think Gerry Conway is doing a great job with this story. Also Chris Batista is turning in some great art. Now I'm wondering if this is maybe a dream sequence? DC doesn't do to many of these alternate future stories, so . . I'm thinking there's got to be more to it. We just don't have the full story of what's going on yet. Hmmm! I'm wondering . . .