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Published by: Image Comics/Skybound
Released on: Dec. 11, 2013
Writer: Chris Dingess
Artist: Matthew Roberts
Cover: Matthew Roberts
Purchase at Amazon
Surveying the land obtained by the United States from the French with The Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark are up against more the Native Americans who don't want them around and the brutal elements Mother Nature has in store for them. They also have supernatural obstacles to hurdle. Last issue they shot and killed a creature with a human torso and the legs and head of a buffalo, and in this issue they learn an unsettling fact about the beast once Lewis gives it a meatball autopsy. On top of dealing with the mystery of the beast they cut up, some random blonde woman with glowing eyes and no clothes shows up and jumps off a cliff to her death. After a search of the area of impact, the only trace of a body the men on Lewis and Clark's crew find is a shape in the ground that resembles a human. But it is nothing more to them than a mound roots and dirt.
The fact that they killed the buffalo-beast does not go un-noticed by a particular group who plans on holding the exploring party accountable. After escaping an attack by said group, the men seek safety in what turns out to be an empty colony once they board themselves in. But it isn't empty. Not by a long shot.
Manifest Destiny is chock-full of blood and guts, monsters, and action, and at a fast pace too. The only characters focused on at this point are Lewis and Clark, and the dynamic between the two gives the story a buddy movie feel. The non-speaking text is in the form of journal entries by Lewis, the more sensitive and scientific of the duo. Clark is the militant one, tough and a bit of a dick. That sort of relationship is nothing new, but writer Chris Dingess manages to keep the relationship interesting.
Art duties are handled by Matthew Roberts, with coloring assistance from Owen Gieni. The very detailed style of Roberts never gets too busy, and he draws blood and guts with gusto. The buffalo-beast autopsy is particularly nasty (and satisfying) as are portions of the attack that follows, with plenty of the red stuff splattered around. His monsters are intricate and full of textures and his facial expressions help capture Dingess' dialogue very effectively.
Any book that boasts a human skull with an axe buried in it is a book this reader wants to take a look at. Looking forward to the next issue, as this is a pretty fun read with a great cliff-hanger.
