REVIEW: ‘Undiscovered Country,’ Issue #18

Undiscovered Country #18 is an adventure comic published by Image. Written by Charles Soule and Scott Snyder. The artists are Giuseppe Camuncoli and Leonardo Marcelo Grassi. The colours are by Matt Wilson and Crank! is the letterer. In the last issue of the ongoing arc, our heroes are trapped between a demanding machine and a battalion of soldiers. Ace used the Anything Engine to create older, powerful versions of the team to fight on their behalf, but it won’t be enough. In order to escape, Ace must make a meaningful sacrifice and create a masterpiece of his own. But the Devil is getting ever closer, and they still have no idea how to leave Unity.

The plot of this final issue is nothing short of insane. Containing enormous amounts of both important exposition and heart-pumping action, the comic is pure chaos from start to finish. Soule and Snyder beautifully investigate different themes within their overall analysis of America. Undiscovered Country #18 is an in-depth discussion on American creativity and the stories of the past. The structure of the fast-paced comic is brilliant, existing in two parts. Just when both the heroes and the audience believe they are on their way out and into the next zone, there is a whirlwind of twists. Each one is like taking a gut punch from a boxer, leaving us out of breath by the final page. 

This arc has been fantastic for character development, especially Ace. He has stepped up as the hero of the last several issues—his knowledge of America invaluable in this region. The dimension that the writers have given these characters is mind-blowing. Ace’s backstory becomes crucial for their escape, and it’s a gorgeous, heartwrenching moment. For the first time, love begins to brew within the team, and the dialogue is an outstanding monologue. But it isn’t just Ace, as juggling this many main characters means others are given time to shine. Valentina’s time on the island of superheroes from the start of this arc resurfaces. Chang is beginning to lose any patience or willingness to follow, which could lead to some dangerous situations. And a revelation in the final pages changes everything.

The art remains one of the most stunning displays in current comics. Camuncoli and Grassi take the chaos of the script and bring it to life. There is a lot happening at the start of the comic with dozens of details and references to watch out for. The designs of the characters are incredible, often telling stories purely by visual means. One of the important aspects of Undiscovered Country is that it documents the passage of time. People look vastly different from how they did at the beginning of this quest. Ace is shaggier, his hair aging him. And if a figure reappears after time away, they have changed. Additionally, the Crossroads Devil is another beautifully designed villain, featureless and frightening.

The colours are also magnificent. There’s a beautiful aura that exists within Undiscovered Country #18, and part of that is how Wilson colours the sky. The day is coming to an end, so there is a blue and pink glow constantly in the background that’s soft, contradicting a lot of the events occurring in the panel. Wilson adds just as much detail in the colours as Camuncoli and Grassi do with their line art.

The lettering has been superb as it has for the entirety of the run. Crank! has continually made every single word balloon, and there are a lot, effortless to read.

Undiscovered Country #18 brings incredible arc to a close, ending it the only way these creators know-how. Through an epic battle and awesome confrontations. Through characters that we adore and are terrified of. Through unbelievable world-building. Through art that encapsulates both the majesty and ridiculous nature of this book. This is a creative team that has stuck together since the first issue. They know how the other works and they bring the best out of each other. 

Undiscovered Country #18 is available where comics are sold.