Scott Snyder and Charles Soule have returned with their vision of an alternate America with the release of Undiscovered Country: Volume 2. After a trek through the first zone of the United States, a version of the global powerhouse that has walled itself off from the rest of the world (in the most literal of senses), the first people to visit the country have found themselves somewhere unlike any other. Unlike their harrowing adventure within the wastes of the Destiny Zone, where marauders and killers reigned supreme under the leadership of the psychotic Destiny Man, the expedition team now explores the lands of Unity, a technological haven of artificial intelligence and cooperation for the greater good. As the team continues to walk the Spiral (a trek through all thirteen zones) in search of the cure to a deadly virus that is ravaging the world outside the United States, they hope to find their answers within the walls of Unity City.
This series is wild. With a fractured America divided in all new ways, Undiscovered Country is simultaneously incredibly prescient while also being imaginative and unpredictable. One part creative masterwork and one part commentary, this series has delivered on being a wholly remarkable project that has barely scratched the surface of what it is likely to become. This volume delves deeper into the history of the Sealing, the reasoning behind it, and what the United States has become after its mysterious isolation. As each question about this world is answered, it feels like several more are posed.
Synder and Soule are an incredible team, building a world that is unlike anything I’ve seen in this medium. With their skills combined, the two comics powerhouses have built an innovative world, brought to life by collaborator and co-creator Giuseppe Camuncoli. While Snyder and Soule are responsible for the initial creative force, Undiscovered Country would be nothing without Camuncoli. His designs are wonderful, imaginative, and, honestly, a little terrifying. Mutated creatures, barren wastelands, technological marvels, and so much more have been crafted by the hands of these three talents, with Camuncoli’s ideas bringing them into the world. Joining Camuncoli are Leonardo Marcello Grassi and colorist Matt Wilson, with all three artists creating a visual landscape that begs to be seen.
I love this series for many reasons, but what interests me most is what it has to say. A divided America is a concept everyone should be familiar with, as it has become the calling card for modern society in this country. This book makes that concept literal, while still eliciting the same feelings of living in a fractured world. Adding on to that is living in a global pandemic, which wasn’t a reality when this concept was conceived. Isolationism, patriotism, and the pursuit of liberty and an individual life are front and center with this book, making it the most relevant and relatable dystopian nightmare that could possibly exist right now. I can’t wait to see what the next zones have in store.
Creative Team: Scott Snyder (writer), Charles Soule (writer), Guiseppe Camuncoli (artist), Leonardo Marcello Grassi (artist), Matt Wilson (artist)
Publisher: Image Comics
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