Undiscovered Country: Destiny Man #1 is a spinoff issue published by Image Comics. Written by Scott Snyder and Charles Soule, art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Leonardo Marcelo Grassi. Colors by Matt Wilson and letters by Clayton Cowles. Aside from the main series of Undiscovered County, Destiny Man has taken Marcus Graves away from the rest of the group and details his origin story to his older brother.
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This is the first addition to this series that is a separation from the forward-moving story. It should be noted that this comic does not only take place in the past, as a present-day confrontation tethers it to the current tale. The flashback is really interesting, revealing more of the incredible history that Soule and Snyder have created for this world. It has not been all at once but gentle, in-depth revelations. This one feels like a secret origin to an already secretive story. But it answers some pertinent questions from a unique perspective. There are some heartbreaking answers that were definitely not foreseen. The history of the Destiny region is also explained, depicting the war that left Destiny Man at the top.
It is fascinating to see this world and this comic from the perspective of someone who was born in it. Even Marcus and Charlotte left America before the Sealing happened, so their experience has been unfolding at the same time as those reading it. But the Destiny Man, or Alexander if he goes by his birth name, faced the worst that this country had to offer. It is also amazing to note the tone of Undiscovered Country: Destiny Man #1. This is not sympathetic towards the man. It is simply explaining how he became what he is. There is no apology or begging for forgiveness,
The art in this comic is tremendous. The design for Alexander out of his armor is terrifying yet truly investing. Camuncoli and Grassi make the human side of his face look similar to Marcus’, denoting their familial likeness to each other. But there are heavy shadows around his eyes, making them haunting and disturbing. On the other side of his face is a monstrous visage that pays tribute to the creatures that reside in Destiny. This is also the first time in Undiscovered Country that we have gone backward and returned to the point of the Spiral. The desolation and utter carnage of Destiny was great to see again. Camuncoli seems to have a particularly brilliant skill of drawing mad scientists, capable of highlighting the manic look in their eyes.
The colors are sensational inside both the present-day and flashback parts of the story. Wilson resists the urge to put a filter on the past, instead filling it with color. These shades are relatively muted inside the home of the Graves, which is normal compared to what happens when Destiny is revealed. Many distinct tones help to denote the alien landscape that now exists on Earth. The lettering continues to be dynamic yet easy to read.
Undiscovered Man: Destiny Man #1 is simply brilliant. The character of Destiny Man has been this constant menace attacking the team and never truly leaving them alone. His dedication to hunting down the Graves is explained much better because he is family to them. It could be argued that knowing so much about him lessens his mystery and therefore makes him less scary. But the character has not made any development in his personality, remaining just as vicious and unpredictable as he was before. This is a brilliant recap and reminder of this world before the main story returns.
Undiscovered Country: Destiny Man #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.
Undiscovered Country: Destiny Man #1
TL;DR
Undiscovered Man: Destiny Man #1 is simply brilliant. The character of Destiny Man has been this constant menace attacking the team and never truly leaving them alone. His dedication to hunting down the Graves is explained much better because he is family to them.
