Manifest Destiny vol. 2: Amphibia & Insecta

The first volume of this series had the verve of real adventure and discovery to it and wound up being very entertaining as a result.  I come bearing good news regarding the second as those traits are maintained quite well here.  After surviving the plant zombie outbreak, Lewis and Clark’s crew continue their journey westward down the river only to be interrupted when their boat runs aground in the middle of the river.  A closer inspection reveals that an arch similar to the one they previously encountered is the culprit.  Of course, this means that unnatural and dangerous kinds of wildlife are nearby and here they take the form of a giant frog-monster with multiple tongues and huge mosquitoes who leave a nasty surprise behind after they’ve tried to drink your blood.  They represent some pretty significant threats for our crew to overcome, and seeing them work towards that is quite satisfying.  The danger inherent in their struggle is well conveyed, yet the mood never becomes oppressively grim as the humor which lightens it is well-used without interfering with the tone.

Writer Chris Dingess also uses this volume to flesh out his cast some more.  Lewis was presented as the more sensible and intelligent member of the crew last time, yet here we see a side of recklessness that shows him to not be quite the straight arrow he initially appeared.  The conversation he has with President Jefferson is particularly illuminating regarding Lewis’ character and motivations for undertaking this journey.  Showing Clark to be the “good” kind of slaveowner doesn’t really make him more sympathetic, though revealing his self-destructive and righteous sides helps counterbalance that.  We also get to know their crew in better detail, and while Sacagawea’s purpose makes for the most interesting in terms of potential story material, the rest can’t be written off as disposable redshirts anymore.  They’re also made distinct through Matthew Roberts’ wonderful art, as he’s great about giving each character a distinguishing look and in designing the creatures that they fight against here.  Its narrative may not have a lot of momentum to it, but “Manifest Destiny” remains an engrossing adventure story that stands apart from most other titles on the stands today.