Image Comics are renowned for producing first rate creator owned comic books with extravagant storylines and even more extravagant artwork. Everyone loves an Image #1 (especially those pesky eBay speculators) and with good reason. More often than not they provide an insight into expansive and creative worlds that draw in the readers and ensure they return to the title month after month.

Manifest Destiny is no different.

Released on the 13^th of November, Manifest Destiny #1 is a fantastic starting point to a comic that looks certain to take us on an epic journey of adventure, murder, betrayal, monsters and probably a bit more murder.

Featuring the pioneering, historical characters of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, Manifest Destiny invites us to follow in the footsteps of (or is that “in the wake of”?) the “Corps of Discovery Expedition”, the legendary trail blazed by Lewis & Clark, sanctioned by President Thomas Jefferson under the guise of exploration and, well, discovery.

However, much like in other comics featuring real life historical characters (such as The Manhattan Projects) the writer of Manifest Destiny, Chris Dingess, takes a little artistic license with the tale and adds in a few monsters to spice up the action.

After banding together a crew of already serving members of the armed forces with a bunch of murderous, thieving, lying, cheating scallywags, Lewis & Clark set sail to discover America, slaughter a few natives and do a spot of bird watching.

Or so the government would have you believe.

They have in fact been tasked with ridding the lands of huge scary monsters with a view to ensuring safe passage across the country for travel and trade. However weeks into their journey they’re yet to see anything that even remotely resembles the big hairy dude from Fraggle Rock.

Despite being left in the dark over their actual mission, the crew, or more accurately a slightly unsavoury portion of the crew, start to become restless and eventually come to the realisation that they are expendable in spite of the fact they have been promised pardons should their task be accomplished.

It’s not long, however, before Lewis, Clark and their posse of soldiers & thugs encounter the first of the weird and wonderful creatures we are seemingly promised in this title, ensuring chaos ensues in this beautifully created world of treachery, deceit, violence …. and of course, monsters.

The pencils and colouring (courtesy of Matthew Roberts and Owen Gieni, respectively) fit perfectly into this tale, offering clear and concise lines alongside a gorgeous and breathtaking pallet to ensure Image Comics has another instant hit on their hands.

Manifest Destiny is a comic book for fans of adventure, mythology, history …. and of course, monsters.

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