Lewis and Clark didn't just find mountains. They found monsters. Or at least, that’s what Chris Dingess and Matthew Roberts want you to believe in their sprawling, blood-soaked epic. If you grew up reading dry textbooks about the Corps of Discovery, the Manifest Destiny graphic novel is basically the fever dream you never knew you needed. It takes the standard 1804 expedition and turns it into a secret mission to "cleanse" the American frontier of supernatural horrors before the settlers arrive.
Honestly, it’s a brilliant pivot. We all know the story of the Louisiana Purchase. Thomas Jefferson buys a massive chunk of land, and he sends two guys to go see what's out there. In reality, they found flora, fauna, and indigenous nations. In this comic, they find minotaurs made of plants and giant, murderous frogs. It’s gritty. It’s gross. And it’s surprisingly smart about how it handles the actual historical figures involved.
What Most People Get Wrong About Manifest Destiny
People usually stumble onto this series expecting a straightforward historical fiction or maybe a light fantasy adventure. That is not what this is. This is a horror book. It’s published by Image Comics under Robert Kirkman’s Skybound imprint, so if you’ve read The Walking Dead or Invincible, you know the vibe. There is no plot armor. Characters you like will die in ways that are frankly upsetting.
The Manifest Destiny graphic novel leans hard into the idea that the "wild" in the American West was literal. Meriwether Lewis is portrayed as a rigid, duty-bound intellectual, while William Clark is the more grounded man of action. But they aren't heroes in the shining, patriotic sense. They are desperate men doing a dirty job for a government that doesn't fully understand the scope of the nightmare.
One of the most fascinating choices Dingess made was the inclusion of Sacagawea. In most pop-culture portrayals, she's a quiet guide. Here? She’s a hardened survivor who is arguably more capable than the entire military unit combined. She knows the land, she knows the threats, and she has zero patience for the colonizers' arrogance. It’s a refreshing take that acknowledges her importance without making her a cardboard cutout.
The Monsters Are the Message
Let’s talk about the "Flora Fauna." That’s the first major threat the expedition faces. Imagine a buffalo, but it’s been hollowed out and replaced with parasitic plant life that turns it into a charging, leafy zombie. It’s terrifying imagery. Matthew Roberts’ art is incredibly detailed—you can almost smell the rot and the damp earth through the pages. Owen Gieni’s colors add this earthy, oppressive atmosphere that makes the frontier feel massive and claustrophobic all at once.
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But these monsters aren't just there for jump scares. They represent the unknown. For a 19th-century mind, the interior of the continent was a blank space on a map where anything could exist. By making those fears literal, the comic taps into the psychological weight of the era. The "destiny" part of the title isn't a divine right; it’s a grim necessity.
Why the Manifest Destiny Graphic Novel Still Matters Today
The series wrapped up its 48-issue run not too long ago, and looking back, it’s one of the most consistent creator-owned books of the last decade. It didn’t fizzle out. It kept upping the stakes.
You’ve got to appreciate the research that went into the boring parts, too. The journals Lewis keeps in the comic are modeled after the real-life journals of the expedition. The gear, the boats, the uniforms—it all looks authentic. That grounded reality makes it much scarier when a giant bird-monster starts snatching soldiers off the deck of a keelboat. It creates a sense of "historical vertigo" where you start to forget what’s real and what’s fiction.
The Problem of Colonialism
You can't write a story called Manifest Destiny without addressing the elephant in the room. The actual historical concept of Manifest Destiny was used to justify the displacement and genocide of Indigenous peoples. The comic doesn't shy away from this. It portrays the American expansionist mindset as a hungry, relentless force.
Lewis and Clark aren't just explorers; they are the vanguard of an empire. The monsters they fight are often tied to the land itself, suggesting that the continent is actively trying to repel the invaders. It adds a layer of cosmic horror to the history. It asks the question: what if the land was literally cursed to prevent what was coming?
It’s a dark theme. It makes the reading experience uncomfortable at times, which is exactly the point. Good historical horror shouldn't make you feel safe.
A Breakdown of the Major Arcs
If you’re looking to jump in, the series is usually collected in trade paperbacks. Each volume generally covers a specific "encounter" with a new species or a new challenge.
- Flora & Fauna: The introduction to the plant-zombie hybrids. This sets the tone perfectly. You realize very quickly that the expedition is woefully underprepared.
- Sacagawea's Role: Her introduction isn't just a cameo. She becomes the tactical core of the group. Her backstory is explored with a grim realism that balances the supernatural elements.
- The Tensions in the Ranks: It’s not just monsters. The crew is made up of convicts and soldiers who don't always get along. Mutiny is a constant threat. This human drama is what keeps the story grounded when the monsters get too weird.
- The Final Stretch: Without spoiling the ending, the series concludes by tying the supernatural threats back to the "great mission" of the United States. It’s a cynical, haunting finale that sticks with you.
Honestly, the pacing is one of the book's strongest suits. Some long-running comics tend to drag in the middle, but Manifest Destiny keeps the momentum by treating the river as a conveyor belt of horror. They are always moving. There’s always something new around the next bend.
Comparing the Comic to Real History
While the monsters are fake (obviously), the timeline of the expedition remains relatively intact. They reach the Pacific. They deal with the harsh winters. They interact with various tribes like the Teton Sioux and the Mandan.
The cleverness lies in the gaps of history. Lewis and Clark’s real journals have some gaps and odd entries. The comic fills those gaps with terrors. It’s a "secret history" trope done right. Instead of replacing history, it builds a shadow world underneath it.
Is It Worth the Read?
Yes. Especially if you’re tired of the same old superhero tropes.
The Manifest Destiny graphic novel is a masterclass in world-building. It takes a period of history that is often romanticized and turns it into a survival horror story. It’s also a complete story. You can buy the whole thing from start to finish and get a satisfying, planned conclusion. That’s rare in the world of monthly comics.
The art stays consistent throughout. Matthew Roberts has a way of drawing nature that feels both beautiful and threatening. The way he draws the "arch" structures that appear throughout the continent is iconic. They look like natural rock formations, but they feel alien and ancient.
Practical Steps for New Readers
If you're ready to dive into the journals of the Corps of Discovery, here is the best way to consume the Manifest Destiny graphic novel:
- Start with Volume 1: Flora & Fauna. Don't skip ahead. The world-building is incremental, and you need to see the initial shock of the crew to understand their later desperation.
- Read the real journals alongside it. If you're a history nerd, check out the Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Comparing the real entries to the comic's twisted versions adds a whole new level of enjoyment.
- Look for the "Big Hardcover" editions. Skybound released oversized "The Chronicles of Manifest Destiny" hardcovers. These are the best way to see Roberts' detailed linework and the incredible coloring.
- Pay attention to the background characters. Dingess is great at giving small arcs to the "redshirt" soldiers. When they die, it actually matters because you've seen them struggling in the background for three volumes.
- Check out the "Letters" columns in the single issues. If you can find the original floppies, the backmatter often contains interesting historical tidbits or insights into the creative process that didn't make it into the trade paperbacks.
This series remains a high-water mark for Image Comics in the 2010s. It’s a brutal, cynical, and wildly imaginative look at the birth of a nation. Just don't expect a happy ending. History, especially this version of it, is rarely that kind.
Explore the first six issues to see if the body horror and historical reimagining suit your taste. If you enjoy the blend of survivalism and the supernatural found in shows like The Terror, this will likely become a favorite on your shelf.