Manifest Destiny, Vol. 4: Sasquatch

Manifest Destiny #19-24

by Chris Dingess, Matthew Roberts (Artist), Owen Gieni (Artist)

Lewis & Clark didn't lead the first expedition west... nor were they the first to encounter the BIGGEST mammal in all the land: SASQUATCH! Many have claimed to have seen this legendary creature ... now join the men who made first contact!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

128 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2016

About the author

Chris Dingess is the writer and creator of Manifest Destiny published by the Skybound imprint of Image Comics. He also served as Executive Producer and writer for ABC's Agent Carter.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

It happens to every ongoing title sooner or later: the first crap book, and Sasquatch is Manifest Destiny’s first stinker!

The volume alternates between Lewis and Clark’s expedition in the present, 1804, and the past, 1801, where we see what happened to the previous expedition out west which left only one survivor, Captain Helm. We spend most of the book with Helm, watching his descent into madness and his group slowly dying… and that’s it.

Sasquatch is in dire need of a story! I feel like Helm’s narrative could’ve been done in a single issue, particularly as most of it is largely irrelevant and not in the least bit compelling. There’s some possible foreshadowing for what awaits Lewis and Clark when they reach the Pacific but this book basically boils down to how the President got the skull of a cyclops that we saw in an earlier book - six overwritten issues for that! It’s not worth the slog.

Matthew Roberts’ art and Owen Gieni’s colours though are as beautiful as always - the rural vistas are stunning and the Sasquatch designs are interesting. Like every volume in the series, this book is full of absolutely wonderful visuals throughout.

Unfortunately Manifest Destiny, Volume 4: Sasquatch is one helluva tedious read that does a lot of mundane world-building at the expense of any semblance of an entertaining story. A disappointing entry in the series - here’s hoping Chris Dingess picks up the pace in the next book!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the previous volumes. I've been waiting for Sasquatches to show up in this book since it first began. It's just a natural fit with Lewis and Clark headed to the Pacific Northwest. Turns out they are kind of boring but taste great. Most of the book is set in the past showing what occurred in the previous mission. The story isn't nearly as compelling and kind of stupid. Our crew is basically dealing with the mistakes of the previous crew throughout this volume. The best page was the teaser on the last page. It took me a bit to figure out what I was seeing but the invisible arch with snow on it was a cool reveal.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues to be a wild and weird ride . . . and, it's getting even weirder (if that is even possible)



This issue deals not only with Lewis and Clark's continuing bizarre adventures, but also has flashbacks to the story immediately preceding adventures. The flashback segment is super trippy and kind of hard to follow, but a decent addition to the story all the same.



And, probably sounding like a broken record from my previous reviews in this series, but the art work is very good and fun to look at. The switch from straightforward human interactions to gargantuan beasts and demons is well done. Overall, a visually pleasing series so far.



A good issue and I still feel a series worth checking out - especially if you like your historical fiction combined with a bit of supernatural.

[Danger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four volumes in and I'm still digging this series. Interested to see where they go next.

[Kenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and engrossing. Their incredible travails get more incredible. This journey rocks. Did I mention sasquatch?

[Valéria. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manifest Destiny still goes strong with its story, although I liked it a bit less than previous books.

[Richard Dominguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

A kind of chronology of Sasquatch's encounters with early pioneers. With some minor changes to the appearance of the beast Sasquatch, the encounters tend to just repeat themselves.
For me the overall sense is that I was going over the same thing in different times. The art and color work is really good and is much of my rating.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series, but this wasn't the greatest collection. It was rather confusingly plotted, jumping back and forth in time between the Lewis and Clark expedition and a previous, doomed expedition three years previously. Both encounter the one-eyed sasquatch, a skull of which was featured on President Thomas Jefferson's desk in a previous issue, and which seems to be one of the primary instigators for the new expedition. The sasquatch seem to be a largely peaceful race, though their size is quite fearsome, and once the white men begin to hunt them for food, they become much more dangerous. Captain Helm, the sole survivor of the previous expedition, has returned with a wild story that makes people doubt his sanity, especially his meeting with Navath, a firebird/god creature found near an arch on the Pacific Ocean. The artwork continues to be a delight and is pretty gruesome at times. Following the story is a bit of a challenge, since there is little keeping the two stories/time periods separate. And, ultimately, I'm not sure that this awkward flashback really adds much to the ongoing story of the Lewis and Clark expedition. I guess only time will tell. Though I was a bit disappointed by this volume, I'll still be waiting impatiently for the next one.

[Jonathan Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another impactful tale in this juggernaut of a series. 5 stars, would give give more if I could.

[Alex Sarll]

Following on from the sickening conclusion of the third volume, the fourth confirms it: this is not the weird adventure yarn for which it could initially be mistaken. It's a horror story about America's original sin.

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️ Fangirl Faction · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first three volumes of Manifest Destiny back in 2017. While I remembered that the series was creative and interesting, the characters had gotten lost in the madness of my brain. This volume seemed to jump all over the place, and I don't remember the other volumes doing that. I could be wrong, but I think that I followed them easily enough. This volume was a different story. It kept jumping from the past to the present and I wasn't sure what the hell was going on. Some weird stuff happened and I was scratching my head through most of it. I am going to continue to the next book because I remember really liking the first three volumes. This one was kind of meh to me. Perhaps the fifth volume will pick up and actually make some sense.

[Zedsdead · Rating 3 out of 5]

First disappointing volume of the series. Sasquatch departs from the pioneers-vs-monsters formula that has worked so well and takes a hard turn toward the-horrors-of-colonization. It's a depressing and un-fun departure. And the choice to use a thick-lined pseudo-handwritten script for the extensive flashbacks was a hard-to-read fail.

The sasquatches themselves, despite being the title of the volume, are largely incidental. Just peaceful, friendly creatures who get murdered and eaten by the explorers. The only monsters in this volume are the humans. (This may actually be an interesting direction to take, if it's written well.)

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the previous trades, but I feel this is building somewhere and where this goes may make this trade better seeing the payoff.

Second reading: liked it better this time around

[Rodolfo Santullo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retomo esta serie de Image que había dejado colgada desde los primeros meses del 2017 (me leí todo lo que había de un tirón hasta ese momento y luego hube de esperar, que se le va a hacer). Para aquellos que no recuerden de qué estamos hablando, Manifest Destiny reinventa el viaje que hicieran los exploradores Lewis y Clark allá por inicios del siglo XIX en una cacería interminable de monstruos, un survival de horror que no desdeña tampoco la mejor aventura (y tiene, en su desarrollo de personajes, una buena cuota de existencialismo). Este tomo, el cuarto de la serie, no se aleja demasiado de los lineamientos que la serie ya ha hecho su estilo en los guiones de Dingess: nuestros protagonistas viajan a otro punto, se encuentran con otro tipo de ser, muere alguno de su elenco convenientemente interminable, logran eliminar al enemigo y siguen adelante. Pero esta vez el argumento -que ya podría empezar a resultar cansino- se ve innovado con flashbacks a la expedición anterior, a los predecesores de Lewis y Clark (que apenas habían sido sugeridos hasta el momento) y con esta historia se da un marco, un contexto, que la trama no había tenido hasta entonces. Sin embargo, no es Sasquatch el mejor tomo de la serie. Hay poco de interés en este nuevo monstruo, como nos dedicamos al flashback no aportamos nada nuevo en nuestros protagonistas "presentes" y termina en definitiva siendo otro encuentro más -muy entretenido, sí, y de nuevo estupendamente dibujado por Roberts y coloreado por Gieni- que no especialmente relevante en el contexto mayor. Hay puntas de interés en lo que pasó con la expedición anterior -cuyo mayor avance como expedición fue, justamente, hasta aquí- que sirve de ominosa prolepsis para nuestros protagonistas. Obviamente, veremos como sigue la cosa.

[Luke Sims-Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Chris Dingess isn't a big name in comics right now I'll never know. Manifest Destiny is amazing and no he doesn't do it alone. The art by Matthew Roberts is breathtaking and sometimes disturbing. The inking, the colouring, the lettering.... this is a complete package.

I didn't think Dingess and company could top volume three, but they did. This time around the explorers Lewis and Clark come across one eyed cyclops monsters and as their story unfolds another does too. This story a few years in the past about another group of explorers and the fate that befalls them.

No spoilers, read it, devour it and love it like I did.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flashbacks reveal the truth behind Lewis & Clark's expedition, as Sasquatch roam both past and present. We get some context for a lot that's going on, as well as confirmation that the good guys definitely aren't who we think they are.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The deeper we travel with this band of dishonesty the more disturbing the looming shit storm becomes...onward to destiny...Manifest Destiny...

[Devon Munn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Štěpán · Rating 3 out of 5]

So demons and magic. And I do not know if I love it or hate it.

[Tom Ewing · Rating 4 out of 5]

With hindsight, a story about the exploration of the American West was always likely to leave some readers complaining - as one does in the letters page - "I don't know who to root for". Not, in general, the survivors who get to write the stories, as this latest instalment underlines. This is the most nightmarish volume of Manifest Destiny yet, after the ghastly end of volume 3 made it clear that there are no heroes in this comic, just protagonists. It's the first that reads like a horror comic, with Matthew Roberts' visceral side given plenty of sway, and it's also the most structurally ambitious, as the main storyline intersects with the saga of a previous mission. As is so often the way, it's the nice guys who won't turn to cannibalism that you have to watch out for. A strong entry in an increasingly dark, compelling series.

[Chris Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easily the worst book of the series so far. The story alternates between the Lewis and Clark expedition and an expedition led by a Captain Helm only three years earlier. The connection between the two is that they each encounter large one-eyed creatures called a Sasquatch.

But this Sasquatch, apart from being impressive looking, is not all that interesting. Neither, for that matter, is the very strange story of Captain Helm, which includes supernatural elements. Most of the conflict in the Lewis and Clark expedition involves making peace with a couple of native tribes, and there’s also a pregnant and ill Sacajawea, who wants to do more than the men will allow. All told, this volume is just plain boring.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lewis and Clark and their crew continue moving up the Missouri River, following where Captain Helm had gone. Their major encounter was with the Sasquatches which forced them to avoid land for a long time. This volume ends with the expedition setting up winter camp near the Mandan Indians after coming to a truce with the Teton Indians. Much of the volume covers Helm's ramblings about his trip west and back, laying the groundwork for what is to come.

[Lisa Macklem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably closer to 3.5 than 4. Art is still mostly gorgeous and was perhaps intentionally confusing in this issue. The story is told non-linearly and starts to fill in some of the backstory. It didn't hold together as well for me, however, as the earlier volumes. I will have to read this one again to really decide on the ultimate take on the subtext. Ends on a nice and somewhat unexpected cliffhanger, so definitely looking forward to the next volume.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my least favorite volume to date. The time jumping wasn't always clear and at times confusing. I'm still not sure what some things were. Some answers did come to life but there was so much unexplained weirdness. Overall, a confusing but solid read.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

With my review of the last volume, I asked for some world-building. Welp, Sasquatch delivered. Maybe too much.

Half of this volume follows the Lewis and Clark expedition as they settle down for the long winter ahead. They battle a sasquatch clan and meet nearby Indian tribes. There's not a whole lot of fallout from last volume's genocide, which surprises somewhat. I'd expect a little more PTSD among the crew.

The other half of the volume follows the previous expedition west, which encounters many of the same monsters as Lewis and Clark, but with much less success. However, a pair of the expedition's members do make it all the way west and encounter a giant bird god/demon who sends Helm right back east with a message (or something?) for President jefferson. This portion of the book is a real head-spinner, often featuring extended out-of-body experiences.

I think I was expecting a more grounded explanation for all that the expedition has encountered? This turn of events reminds me much more of Undiscovered Country and, considering how that series has gone off the rails, I'm not imbued with faith that Manifest Destiny will bring this all to a tidy conclusion.

[47Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winter brings a scarcity of food. Captain Helm led an expedition a few years prior to Lewis and Clark's. The suicide of one of his followers made Helm offer the option of cannibalism. Some of the men reluctantly accepted, though all feared for their humanity. He started seeing the ghost of a Spanish soldier from many years ago who guided him into killing a cyclops Yeti. Or Yeti cyclops... a Yeti with one eye. He brought it back to his men who agreed that it was delicious. Cannibalism averted. The Yetis were fairly passive with Helm's group, but their aggression quickly grew. The part with Navath was pretty senseless. Helm was tasked with delivering some message or other.

Lewis and Clark are attacked by the Yetis, but are more than ready for the assault. With the coming winter they intend to set up a settlement. First, they must negotiate with the Teton, a native tribe that is highly protective of their hunting grounds. They find that an American has passed through their lands before - it was Helm. After being healed by Teton, his visions took hold of him again and he turned on his healers. He fled to the safety of the colonies and shared his message. For the new country to survive, it must sacrifice the warchild. Meaning Sacagawea's baby.

[Kyle Berk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manifest Destiny is a fantastic title that I can whole heartedly recommend. This chapter has some of my favorite elements of the title in it and things are progressing nicely and I already can’t wait to get my hands on the next volume.

Lewis, Clark, and the gang have come upon the trail of the last man to crew to explore America and we see what happened to that crew which leads into the beginnings of Lewis and Clark’s journey.

They encounter another monster but this time they have more stuff going on besides the monster though I do really like the monster plot.

I think the title is very well written in that it’s kept interesting and doesn’t dispel entire backstories unless necessary. And it’s really good at foreshadowing and I’m eager to see where it goes.

I don’t have much bad to say about this title other than the first three issues are slow because they feel as through they are holding back a little so that it can be stretched into more issues. To summarize it feels like everything could have been done in one less issue.

Though I still had one hell of a time and the title stands out amongst what I’ve read this year.

4 stars

[Nate Reitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally some new material that I haven't read before for this series. There is a shift in focus to an earlier expedition which I wasn't really a fan of. It does explain some stuff and is linked to the Corps of Discovery but overall I found the story to be really dull because it crams a lot story in such a short number of pages in really should have been longer to flesh out this different cast of characters. There is a brutality to this one as we come to winter. Like all of the previous volumes we have new creatures in the Cyclops and man-eating grass among other unnamed creatures. I did like the moments where the story switches back to 1804 because those are the characters that I have a connection to. The Corps of Discovery is looking to hunker down for the winter. This book also shifts into the mystical with ghost, nightmares and a creature called Navath. There is a nice connection to the Narvaez Expedition under Cabeza de Yaca. Overall I didn't like this volume as much as the previous ones.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manifest Destiny Vol.4 – Sasquatch
Threaded amongst the Lewis and Clark expedition narrative are these flashback journal entries of a previous expedition. ****

#19 – “.. I intended this book to read as a grand adventure. Instead, it reads like a grim, horrific obituary.”

#20 – “I have never been alone with a monster staring into its gaze as it looked into mine.” - Helm’s journal

#21 – “1804 – Don’t bother shooting. Just run!” “1801 – We can’t fight! Just run!”

#22 – “And now you are here. Ready to grasp your destiny!” – French ghost

#23 – “I will rob a bird of flight to survive. I will destroy beauty to survive.” – Helm. “God bless America!” – Colonel Hewelling’s head (I know, it’s weird). I assume the eagle is here meant to symbolise the USA.

#24 – “For once, I can say with something resembling confidence that the Corps of Discovery is safe.” Well, we will find out in the next issue / volume.

The progressive covers with the footprint contours are very cool.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up until this point, the series has played with the idea that Lewis and Clark were new to the lands they were exploring. Yes, there was talk of a "war child" and that Sacajawea is apparently that person, but mostly the group keeps running into different monsters that kill some members of the expedition before they figure out how to wipe out whatever threat it is. This volume gives the reader a better idea of what the war child is while also introducing a new concept: that Lewis and Clark were not the first people to lead such an expedition. Three years earlier, a different expedition went through, and some of those actions are still causing problems for the current one. More answers are given, and more creative creatures popping up here and there which leads to more fun for the reader.