Manifest Destiny, Vol. 6: Fortis and Invisibilia

Manifest Destiny #31-36

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

Meriwether Lewis has slayed monsters in the pursuit of taming the wilds of America. Now, if he ever hopes to reach the Pacific coast, he must learn an important lesson: Don't listen to the voices in your head.

Collects MANIFEST DESTINY #31-36.

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

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2018

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

[Trike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final issue/chapter was a definite 4-star resolution to this storyline, but it was shaky getting up to it. Half of one issue is in French (possibly Canadian French, I don’t know), which left me at a loss because for once the art did not convey the story. Turns out there’s a translation in the back, but I didn’t know that at the time, so I was frustrated that I was missing something potentially important.

I suspect Dingess watched some thrillers which played with time, because he departs from his usual style to tell the story Tarantino-style, with flashbacks to the same moments except giving us more information in order to recontextualize the story. Unfortunately it doesn’t work quite as well in practice. There were also a couple times where I was confused by the art, which has never happened in this series before. One of Matthew Roberts’ strengths is his ability to make people who are dressed alike seem like distinct individuals, but a few times here I was lost. Once even mixing up Clark and Lewis!

The idea for this collection is excellent: mutiny by the Corps using a twisted form of religion as an excuse, which sounds all too familiar in real-world 2018, combined with the brutal abuse of York the slave, again with infuriating parallels to modern America. It’s just the construction of the tale which holds it back.

A couple of the twists were not surprises at all, which also dampened my enjoyment (Sacagawea as the killer was telegraphed; more surprising if it had been the blonde girl) but this is still Manifest Destiny, so the characters are perfect and the dialogue is razor sharp. I’m still in to buy the next collection on day one.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mutiny! A few weeks after the dangerous fog, nerves are frayed and Lewis is obsessively monitoring the arch discovered nearby. Sargeant Pryor preaches to the soldiers and develops a following, creating a rift between those who align with him, and those that stay true to Lewis and Clark. Eventually, Pryor plans a coup and the leaders are ejected from the fort along with others. The ghostly conquistador from Volume Four is moving between soldiers hoping to find the strongest leader to fulfill his diabolical plan for conquest. This volume was a bit of a convoluted mess, and I was having trouble keeping straight who was who among the soldiers.

This story dragged for me, as two volumes have been set in the fort, and the dead of winter hadn’t even begun. They need to pick up the pace of the storytelling for there is still much to tell of the journey, and they are nowhere near the Pacific Northwest yet. I checked when the next issue is out, and I don’t see a date yet, so I am worried that this series will ignobly end before the journey can be properly told. Despite my rough start with this series and these shaky middle volumes, I hope the entire scope of this re-imagined journey can be properly told.

This review (plus volume 5) can be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2018/10/1...

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Up to now, I've really been enjoying this title. But this volume offers very little in the way of moving the story forward. It's kind of a mess, really, what with the continued resetting of events to one character saying, "I have a plan," which doesn't really show us much of anything, to a long section that is narrated only in French, without any translation (it doesn't help to have the translated pages in the back of the book, either, because the artwork really doesn't move the story along or make a lot of sense in and of itself). This whole story is also starting to remind me a bit too much of Dan Simmons' The Terror, especially with the mutiny that this arc revolves around. I hope the story gets back on track in the next volume and doesn't continue to deteriorate.

[Valéria. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though we don’t get scary monsters, these six issues again felt really interesting.
Mutiny is always fun, until it isn’t. Everybody got what they deserved. Onto the next one.

[Zedsdead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now we're getting somewhere. The plot kicks back into gear and I could barely put the volume down. The varying journal styles--a feature I disliked in Sasquatch--are well done here and add life to the narration. Clark, Lewis, Irene, and Pryor each get a turn.

One issue is almost entirely in French. Personally I loved the opportunity to break out my college French, but I can see it being annoying for some readers. Note that there is an easy-to-follow but easy-to-miss translation at the end of the issue.

Plot points:
--Irene follows the soldier who tried to rape her into the woods and straight murders him, using Sacagawea's monster trophies to deflect suspicion.
--Sergeant Pryor leads a holy, God-endorsed mutiny, chasing Lewis and Clark and a few loyalists into the woods.
--Jensen, who embodies every form of assholery known to man, torments Clark's slave York for his abject failure to be Caucasian.
--The conquistador ghost visits both Lewis and Clark on the reg, but both possess the will to stand up to him.
--Mme. Boniface finally learns the secret purpose of the expedition. She is not pleased.

[Jakub Kvíz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tak tohle me hodne potesilo!

Manifest Destiny je serie, ktera mezi ctenari proplouva tak trochu “under-the-radar” a je to celkem skoda, protoze si i pres 35+ drzi solidni kvalitu. Sice sem ji s 30. cislem prestal brat v sesitech, ale paperback sem si ujit nenechal.

Kazdopadne pokracovani expedice kapitanu Lewise a Clarka na zapad Ameriky pokracuje a v tomhle pripade jsme usetreni (skoro) vsech monster a nadprirozena. Tentokrat se resi konflikt ve vlastni radach, vedlejsi postavy dostavej vic prostoru se projevit a celkove sem si to uzival a sem zvedav, co se na nas chysta dal.

[Lukas Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get it. The real monsters are 'the people!' but I would like some more actual monsters too again if possible.

[Chris Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

With volume 5 I worried this was running out of ideas, and this volume confirms that worry. Just like the last issue, this one focuses on internal conflict within the group, this time not caused by a hallucinogenic fog, however. The mutiny leader is the group’s most religious man, Pryor, who converts others into religious fanatics. Nothing terribly original or well-executed.

In fact, a lot happens, but none of it seems central to the story. There’s the French girl writing in her diary in French so we have no idea what she’s writing (until you get to the translation at the end of the book, which isn’t much of an upgrade from the French, to be honest). When her part is done, it is pretty much forgotten immediately afterward.

To add to the problems of a lackluster story, the art adds to the confusion. We are expected to keep track of too many inconsequential characters, and even though they are dying off at a quick rate, sometimes it is tough to tell them apart. Ever since the travesty that was volume 4, I’ve been hoping for this to get back on track. I’m starting to lose that hope.

[Licha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I was a little disappointed because I thought this was the final volume and we were finally going to come to a conclusion. But no, this is to be continued, which is only going to have to make me be on the lookout for the next volume.

All that aside, I am still curious to see where all this will go. I do think this has to tie up soon, or else it's going to become tedious, unimaginative, and unoriginal. I'm also not quite feeling the conquistador ghost. It has always felt a bit out of place in the story for me.

[Alex Sarll]

A second volume with Lewis and Clark's expedition holed up in the fort for winter, and this time the supernatural elements are even more marginal, unless you count the garbled religiosity which inspires a mutiny that, like most revolutions, soon leaves the situation much the same, but worse. The first time I've really felt I was missing out by not knowing the official history on which this riffs.

[Bill Coffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The expedition kind of missteps here, as Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea and the others must contend with under and mutiny amongst themselves. One issue is large;y narrated in French, and the resolution to the mutiny feels a little contrived in what makes a less-than-stellar volume in an otherwise strong and compelling series.

[Imogene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeepers guys, I said light at the end of the tunnel!

Alright, Irene? Hells yeah. Ghostly possibly demonic conquistador dude? Hmmmmm

[Nate Reitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first volume I believe that doesn't show the group advancing on their journey. The Corps of Discovery remains in the same location really in throughout this volume and the previous volume. Another thing that are different than previous books in the series is that there is no creature for the Corps to confront instead we have man vs. man. The baby is finally named Jean Baptiste. Hardy's story is added to after the heinous thing he did earlier on in the series. Alonso de Castillo Maldonado continues to try in influence Lewis and Clark in this but their willpower seems to be stronger than that of the previous expedition Irene Lebrun also gets a small arch in this book which is mostly in French. While I can't condone what she does in her arc I have to admit it was satisfying to see her take charge of her fate. Pryor's religious awakening that happened several books back takes center stage in this book and I don't really agree with being religious as divisive but the it seems that many things books, movies and the news all paint religion as a divisive thing that sows discontent among the people and creates problems. All of the monsters in this book are man made. There is a great scene with York and Jensen in this book which just makes me like York more, I really hope he makes it out of this alive. Lewis and Clark finally take Magdalene Boniface into their confidence as to what the mission really is. While this book is different I still enjoyed it quite a bit.

[47Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some light racism was hinted at before, but now the black character is treated like a literal slave by a former convict. A white man, supposedly God-fearing, no less. He gets his lesson in the end. One might argue he deserved a whole lot worse.

The hallucinations of the fog have cleared, but both Lewis and Clark are being visited by the ghost that manipulated captain Helm. Events reach a head with Lewis and Clark revealing their secret mission to Boniface. It's to sacrifice a baby created from two warring factions - Sacagawea's baby, Jean Baptiste. Meanwhile the men are slowly, but surely losing faith in their leaders. Pryor the priest, with the ghost's input, leads the men to rebel and to cast out Lewis, Clark and a handful of men still loyal to them.

Pryor gets a taste of the responsibilities of leadership when he gets an axe to the head from a once-peaceful native tribe. Their chief demands to speak to Lewis and Clark, so the men in the fort must find them, lest the fort be destroyed. Lewis and Clark were waiting for just this opportunity to show their strength and leadership. They negotiate with the natives and then choose Pryor's second, Jensen the convict, to be punished for their men's mutinee. They even have York the black man do the whipping. He administers exactly one lash and stops, arguing that the rasist Jensen deserves far worse, but he won't stoop to his level.

[Doug Goodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to receive my order of Manifest Destiny Volume 6 because I spent time this past summer traveling through parts of Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. Most of the towns I visited had some connection to the Lewis and Clark expedition. That experience, coupled with this being a historical horror reading in the middle of October, had me waiting expectantly.
It was really interesting to contrast some of the places I had visited with the art in the book. Although I'm not sure exactly where they are located, I felt connected to the story.
This book does not have any of the monsters that have highlighted earlier books. As others have stated, it doesn't have enough of Sacagawea. (To be fair, I think Chris Dingess could write an entire book on Sacagawea and her French husband, and I'd buy it. They are probably my two favorite characters in the books.)
This volume centers around a mutiny and a religious leader who emerges from the midst of the Corps of Discovery. I liked the spin on how Lewis and Clark finally solved their problem. But the story for me felt a little less pointed. I kind of could see the ending coming, and I didn't like that. I also really hate the conquistador ghost. The series is lesser because of him.
That being said, I'm still really enthralled with these people and these books, and I am looking forward to the Corps. of Discovery finally reaching their destination.
Also, what is up with those arches? That mystery has been slowly strung along for six volumes. I feel like Lewis and Clark are no closer to solving that mystery, but it seems to be the central mystery that keeps me coming back to buy more books

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume is fairly sedentary, as the expedition tries to weather the winter. But as temperatures cool, tempers rise, and a mutiny takes place, under the auspices of religion. External factors don't really come into play here, as all the protagonists and antagonists are human. But we do get some interesting focuses, as one issue is presented almost entirely in French (I appreciated the inclusion of a translation at the end of the collection), and we see exactly what humans can drive themselves to. There is one pivotal moment, made all the more powerful when its setup is explained (although it was somewhat predictable, the actual machinations behind it were surprising). While the characters are sedentary physically in this volume, the characters do move in their relationships with each other (York especially gets some growth and is central to another pivotal scene that shows that he may be the smartest person in the expedition, at least when it comes to dealing with the people around him). The distrust between Madame Boniface and Lewis & Clark comes to a bit of a head, and other relationships fill out in interesting ways. All told, it's not quite as exciting on its face as the last volume, but it does do a lot of work. And the art is still strong, capturing the chill of winter. Not the best volume, but still good enough to keep me invested in the series.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the latest volume of Chris Dingess' alt-horror series, the Lewis and Clark expedition faces mutiny in the ranks as they try to over-winter in the Pacific Northwest. While the previous volume saw them attacking one another under the influence of a mist that induced horrific visions, this time the conflict is cold and calculated as a "revival" in the ranks inspires the expedition's battered group of soldiers to rebel to try to save themselves.

In Dingess' alternate history, the trek west has been marked by demonic arches, monstrous centaurs and fungal plagues. It's understandable that the common soldiers have grown wary of the effort, but their mutiny here--and the leaders' response--feels a bit undercooked. The last arc already saw the group fighting among themselves, and the mutinous ringleaders never feel like much of a threat.

The story is well crafted and evocatively drawn, but it feels like a repeat rather than a step forward, especially when the story's conclusion seems so close.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instead of man against demon (or fog), we get man against man in this sixth volume of Manifest Destiny. I get that Midwestern winters are long and hard, but did we need two volumes holed up in a fort? That said, another slower-paced volume (and one without an external villain) allows some of the characters to finally come alive. Here, finally, six volumes in, I'm beginning to recognize and care about some of the ancillary meatbags who I previously consigned to cannon fodder.

The format of the sixth volume is a tad complex, but I appreciated the insight into other's minds. Each issue seems to follow journal entries of a new character (including one entirely in French), giving multiple viewpoints of the insurrection, not to mention Maldonado's insidious whisperings. I look forward to getting back to the monsters, but it's also clear that Manifest Destiny was always intended to be about more than just monster-hunting - and that's very evident in this volume.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manifest Destiny, initially recasting the Lewis and Clark expedition as a monster-hunting mission , takes a different tone for the sixth volume. As Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea all finally reveal to Madame Boniface (and the reader) what exactly the expedition has been up to, something else arises: mutiny. Lewis, Clark, Boniface, Sacajawea, and a handful of loyalists do manage to get away, but they can't complete the mission without the other men. What can they do?

This volume did something the series hadn't seen yet. First, it allowed characters other than Lewis to narrate the story. And second, it actually made Sacajawea's generally incompetent French trapper husband out to be useful. I'd like to see those trends continue.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh man this one was really bad. WTH. No one seems to be talking about how they are all ok with sacrificing the baby. Clark is a POS but Lewis being allowed to even slightly entertain this is so off character. Rapidly losing hope with the series. Also it seems like they just read(were told about more likely) York's incredible story because suddenly they are talking about his role and his whole odd fit, being told he'll be let go after the journey, and being able to help with the Native Americans(which has never been shown so far). Better late than never but yeah that's looooooong overdue.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manifest Destiny Vol.6 – Fortis & Invisibilia
This arc has less supernatural-horror elements but fixated heightened religious zeal. ****

#31 – “I traded a sack of yellow beads for two fine horses. Almost feel guilt.” – Lewis

#32 – “No. there isn’t a soul around.” – Irene

#33 – SACRIFICE!!

#34 – “Is everyone really going to follow this madman?” – Lewis

#35 – “Hey! You’re gonna answer me when I talk to you!” – Jensen striking York

#36 – “Just set me free, Master Clark, when we get home .. if we get home. Like you promised. That’s all I need.” - York

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still enduring the bitter winter, the Discovery Corps splinters as mutiny rips the company in two.

This arc feels a lot different to the others. Each issue is told from a different characters' perspective, and we get the culmination of a lot of long-time plots, like the potential mutiny, the aftermath of Irene's encounter with Hardy, and how Sacagawea feels about the sacrifice that's been forced upon her. I don't think there are any monsters at all in these issues, except the ones we've been following the entire time.

[Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finalmente quella specie di predicatore che abbiamo conosciuto nei numeri precedenti organizza il suo ammutinamento. Farà la fine che merita, dopo una serie di traversie dei protagonisti.
Meno ficcante del volume precedente, resta una bella lettura, e la ricomparsa del fantasma di un certo conquistador al servizio del demone nel numero 4 mi fa presagire che da ora in poi si farà sul serio.
Darei 4 stelle, ma scarse, a questo albo.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Power struggles and endless journal writing center around this volume. Although a lot of notes were written by the characters, they were not particularly insightful. The biggest challenge is Lewis and Clark deal with a mutiny. Hopefully this volume is building towards bigger things but since it's the last one I've found, this is ending on a weak note. As usual, York stands out for his ability to do the right thing. My rating is 3 stars.

[Václav · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4,3 of 5 for better drama but way fewer monsters)
And yes, technically, it was poor with the monsters even in the previous volume. This volume is more focused on discourse within the "corps of discovery". And it's nice, except the Spaniard Deus ex machina starts to be a bit of an annoying element. But I enjoyed this volume more than the previous one, and I'm looking forward to the second-to-last one ahead.

[Paul Allard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good volume advancing the story.

The Lewis-Clark expedition encounter new difficulties from within their ranks and have to work to survive. This plot is developed nicely and the artwork continues to be clear, detailed and well-balanced. I’d like to think that this series will not go on indefinitely and, although enjoyable, let’s see some end soon.

[Nick Katenkamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good not great volume, here we see some action (though surprisingly not in the form of any monsters) though similar to Vol 5 there is little in the way of plot development. I really liked where the series was going, but it seems to have somewhat stalled as the characters hunker down in the fort for the winter.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sixth volume of Manifest Destiny becomes more human as we get less supernatural. A mutiny makes perfect sense and how this plays out is very good. I still would like if the book did a better job of differentiating the characters. Overall, a better outing as we near the end of our journey.

[Ljubomir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my favourite volume of the series so far, after the first one. I even considered giving it a 5, partly because it doesn't seem to be getting the love it deserves, but I'll save it for that perfect volume which I'm sure is bound to arrive sooner or later.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to agree with other reviews here--this one suffers from a distinct lack of direction. The mutiny plot line is nice...but I'm here for the creatures. Definitely a set up story that I hope pays off in a future volume.