Manifest Destiny #3 Review

The counter attack has begun.

Dingess has told the story of a human crew at the mercy of unknown supernatural forces on all sides. Until now.

He introduces a few new players into the battle while keeping the main characters in the limelight. Through too many cooks can spoil the broth (and leave the story divided), Dingess manages to balance them while slowly revealing the mysteries underneath.

The art continues to be excellent and the flashback moments are properly distinguished.

SPOILERS FOLLOW........................

As the group barricade themselves in the fort, Clark and the others discuss the creatures (bull minotaurs? bull centaurs?) outside. Fires have been lit and the creatures are keeping vigil. Clark waits for Lewis to come back, hopefully with rations.

Well, Lewis does come back running. Their journey to the church has yielded plant zombies, who attack them. Clark still keeps his head and tries to start a dialogue, but the zombies only moan.

They start shooting but in classic horror troupe, the zombies keep regenerating. Bringing out their knives and axes, they try to chop the zombies down. Noticeably, the green blood that falls on the ground gives rise to plant life. (like in Planet Hulk. Hulk's green blood? OK done)

One of them is covered with plant zombie bile but Clark manages to save him. Finding that the cut-up parts are still animated, Clark decides to fight flora with fire. With the first burning, it is noticed that they all feel the same pain (ala GL:Rise of the Third Army) but before Clark and his group can proceed, they are stopped by a group of masked women.

One of them introduces herself as Magdalence Boniface, a resident of the La Charette village. She recounts how the plague first came and slowly infected everyone who came in contact with the plant zombie blood. Everyone except the few women had been turned.

Clark tells them that he needs to go back outside, as their guide, an Indian girl, is out there. As he muses about whether the girl is still alive, a little away, the girl is apparently attacking a group of bull centaurs all alone.

There is humour, mostly from Clark but the book has slowly become a horror story from a travel story. While that isn't necessarily bad, the focus seems to be a little off. And for people who have watched a lot of horror movies, it may not frighten much given the use of some cliched horror troupes here.

The addition of the La Charette women feels like a plot device for now, but the reveal of a badass girl guide is much more welcome.

SPOILERS END............................

While this book fully cements the story as a horror mystery instead of staying as a travel mystery, I hope Dingess keeps on revealing the secrets of these lands. It feels like we came to a full stop this issue just for some explanations that were less than satisfactory.

Still, even through the horror troupes he uses are a little cliched, the sense of mystery and adventure keeps permeating through the pages. Especially when you have such a good art team at your side.

So, I give it 7.5 out of 10.

+Some good horror elements
+Great reveal of a new character
+Art keeps on being excellent
+A proper balance of horror, adventure and humour

-Cliched horror troupe
-Some new characters feel and act like a plot device