By Garrett Hanneken

If you’ve been following Manifest Destiny since the beginning, then you may have noticed that the current arc has changed gears. Instead of focusing on imaginary creatures the series sheds light on the monstrous side of humanity. With one more issue left in the arc, we can assess if this change was beneficial or not.

Following the events of last issue’s mutiny, issue #35 centers its attention on Pryor and his followers. As a matter of fact, Lewis and Clark are rarely seen, and we get to learn more about how Pryor’s men are soaking in the recent mutiny.

Since this issue puts Lewis and Clark on the back burner, it was refreshing to see the other men interact with one another. Which brings me to something that I believe this series struggles with: giving attention to other characters. Therefore this issue proved to be substantial even if it felt a little slow, it was needed in order to refamiliarize the reader with the other players. However, I can see some readers feeling a bit bored with this issue, but I believe it was absolutely necessary to slow down the pace. Another thing, Manifest Destiny is known for is its last splash page, and although it wasn’t anything too crazy since it felt a tad predictable, it still felt excitable.

Taking that excitement into account, it is rendered by the artwork. I can’t remember ever feeling that the artwork for Manifest Destiny felt flawed in any way. From the creature designs to its close-ups, even for a slow issue, the art was compelling. Focusing on York’s struggle and having a POV through the lens of a retractable telescope proved to put an emphasis on detail where it was needed.

Manifest Destiny may have put the brakes on the creatures for now, but that hasn’t stopped the series from telling an exciting story. In light of this, the series needed attention on other characters other than Lewis and Clark and this issue proved to satisfy this need.

Score: 4/5

Manifest Destiny #35
Image Comics