Two sides of a coin.
You know, what I like most about Manifest Destiny? The fact
that Dingess has managed to make a routine history lesson into a fantastical
journey without putting the human element out of the spotlight.
Infact we can say that the human element is the main focus
of this series, despite the abundance of giant frogs and enormous mosquitoes
(not to mention plant zombies!).
Dingess has given most of the cast a voice that makes you
either love or hate them, and sometimes love and then hate them.
Roberts is off his game a little here, but still a below par
excellent is atleast above good. And the final page splashes keep the gruesome
level on the notch.
SPOILERS FOLLOW…………….
The land crew is in panic over the mosquito erupting from Hardy,
and we get a rare moment when Sacagawea gives way to Clark’s
decision, capturing the mosquito instead of killing it.
Another one erupts from Irene’s chest and although both are
alive, Sacagawea takes care of her. The other mosquito falls under Jensen’s
eyes but Sacagawea’s brutal attack casts him aside.
With two subjects now in custody, Clark
experiments by putting one of the strange blue flowers in one of the mosquito
containing jars. After some struggling, the mosquito draws its last breath.
The other mosquito and a bunch of those blue flowers are
sent over, along with the disturbing news that one of their crew, that too a
corporal, had attempted to rape an underage teenager.
Mrs. Boniface and Lewis get into a heated argument regarding
the safety of woman in such a group, but they put these differences aside as
they crush the flowers and manufacture a spraying mechanism, which they use to
great effect on the remaining mosquito.
While Lewis sends the sprayers over, he decides to finish
the Ranidea once and for all, setting a shooting gallery for whenever the frog
arises from the water.
Clark and the crew, excepting Hardy, Jensen, Sacagawea and Irene,
go in to confront and kill the remaining mosquitoes. Jensen’s attempts to get
more familiar with Sacagawea ends in him suffering a ‘fall’
On the ship, Hardy’s conduct is again brought up and that
gives Lewis the idea to use the Ranidea to get them out of the current
predicament by pulling the ship loose.
Clark’s group reaches the
mosquito haven and disperse the suckers with the sprayers, but they’re too late
to save the ones left behind, as can be graphically seen.
SPOILERS END……………
While the pace continues to be a little slow, Dingess makes
up for it by exploring the characters to greater detail, especially the
Sacagawea-Clark power play.
Roberts is off his A-game but his B-game would rival most
others at their peak, so not a problem.
So, I give it 8.0 out of 10.
+Some great character interactions
+Characters continue to grow
+The artwork continues to be excellent
+Excellent pacing
-Through the plot may be moving at a crawl
No comments:
Post a Comment