Friday, June 21, 2013

Laid Back Comics: X-Files Season 10 #1

I got blood on my poster
Do you hear that, just in the behind you always seem to be moving when you try to look? A hint of a whisper in your ear or perhaps a whistle of a familiar tune floating in the air?  That was the feeling I got when I first heard the X-Files was coming back, well not to TV or movies this time we are heading back to comics with IDW’s X-Files Season 10. One has to wonder if this new series was something that would be like the other ‘season’ books like Buffy and Smallville where it just continues the story. From the looks like with some of some big plot points mentioned it looks like we are going that way.

Now some time has passed since we last saw our two heroes of Mulder and Scully who have now gone into protection with name and career changes, one of which might get a chuckle from Mulder fans alike. But, a lot of this issue is here to here for the fans to reconnect to these characters and world while giving a new threat to them as well. The way the threat is introduced is through the age old method of hacking into the FBI files and those possible that of the X-Files as well. Of course this leads to some strange group now targeting the former FBI agents and they are offering up a very creep mind controlling powers while they are at it.

The concept of TV shows turned to comics is not a new one, but the idea to continue the show after it has gone off the air is still a little new. And for such one can easily look to the ones currently offered to come to a quick idea on whether it is good or bad depending on the series, in the case of the X-Files here, it is a good one. Joe Harris and Chris Carter have in one issue put together the start of a story that already feels like early X-Flies, while keeping the shows later season stories in place. It is tense, suspenseful, and has a good mystery that I loved the X-Files for. Though at the same time going with something in this story so soon from the start does forget that many of the X-Files cases often ended with logical explanations to them, here it looks like it might be leaning towards the outer worldly. But, just like a good X-Files episode things may not be what they appear which will get me ready to come back next issue.

Issue #17 Topps Comics
Next point though is why you read through the book and begin to smile that this is the X-Files, that can also be a bit of a draw back as well. This is a book made for fans, anyone who may not be familiar with the series or maybe the few who fell out before the last few seasons will be lost when trying to read the book. 

The art work and color done was something I was pleasantly surprised with, other comics of this nature tend
to be more photo-realistic, they try very hard to make sure they look as close to the actors as possible, but often come off stiff and awkward. Here Michael Walsh sets up something that is more organic feeling, yes you can easily recognize the characters still, but there is more freedom of the world and how each one moves and acts. If there is any fault it is when the color turns to day time when everything is bright, it just seems overly so, but when the scenes go to night, it were a lot of the feeling of the show returns and helps in the drama of the scene and cliffhanger.




The return of the X-Files is something I welcome and IDW has put together a solid book that is made for fans of the show missing it and wanting to return to it. I missed the X-Files, glad it is back.

OVERALL 7.5 out of 10

Bryan "BAC" Clendening writes for The Broken Infinite and comic book corrspondent on Nerd to the Third Power Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BAClend

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