Review: The X-Files #1
7 Comments | Posted: November 19th, 2008 | Filed under: Reviews | Tags: the x-files
The X-Files #1
Wildstorm • $3.50
A little under a decade ago, I was an avid fan of The X-Files. Despite stiff acting, a too-complex subplot that lost its way too early on, and questionable quality control, I enjoyed its neopulp and monster stories enough to keep watching on through the first movie and subsequent season, in which they began filming in California and the show became much glossier. After that, I lost interest, discovering other ways to spend Sunday night, and left the show and its diminishing returns behind.
The first issue of Wildstorm’s comic miniseries based on the property, penned by series writer, story editor, and executive producer Frank Spotnitz with art by Brian Denham, isn’t going to bring me back into the fold. The script lacks any of the humor or humanity of the show, even making the Lone Gunmen into hollow recitation machines and instead feelis like a series of plot beats and little more. Even there it falls down: Mulder’s paranoia in the final third of this first chapter seems to come from nowhere, and his relationship with Scully seems colder than it ever did on-screen. Artist Brian Denham photo-references heavily and comes across as a less-talented Tony Harris. Some of the sketchiness that Charlie Adlard brought to the Topps X-Files comics would have brought some welcome humanity to the whole affair.
Oh, and for those counting, this is the sixth non-comics-property tie-in that I’ve been sent to review from Wildstorm in a row. What happened to the imprint that gave us The Authority, Sleeper, and America’s Best Comics?
That imprint died when it handed the reins over to Gage and he decided to A) reverse every single thing Ellis ever did and B) Blow the place to hell. Scott Dunbier’s departure was the last nail in the coffin.
Hey, Michael! Sorry you got caught in the spam trap. Now that the @hotmail bombardment seems to have slowed down, I may turn it off.
ok. Well, sorry that I did it three times. Was curious what the heck was going on. Actually, come to think of it, I did a longer version of why Wildstorm is going into the crapper when I restarted the blog.
http://pacioccosmind.blogspot.com/2008/02/wildstorm-comics-1992-2008.html
(just testing to see if I can put html up)
I think we’re all the beneficiaries of some desk-cleaning initiatives by the staffers at Wildstorm.
I’m also convinced that DC sending these types of comics out is equivalent to motion picture studios refusing to screen certain films for critics.
Does the story take place during the series or after the series finale…because I could have swore the Lone Gunmen were killed off in the final season. Granted, my memory of the X-File from about season 7 on is a bit hazy…
Anyone who wants an X-Files comic (if any exist) would be better served looking for the first year or so of the Topps series that came out while the series was still on the air. It has some quality stories that really hit the tone of the TV show and made good but not gratuitous use of the larger SFX budget of the comics page.
Just wait ’till the Marv Wolfman issues! (Umm…That’s a selling point, right???)