Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Shadowy forces make their move to take over the government of the United States along with the rest of the world.
Writer: Joe Harris
Artist: Matthew Dow Smith
Publisher: IDW Publishing
First Read Reactions
- Aliens with flaming eyes are still arguably a better option than Trump.
- Either Firas is trying to destroy the world because of daddy issues or he just REALLY enjoys corn.
- This can’t be the first time Mulder has heard random voices.
- The bonus points I just gave for an ‘Old Ones’ reference are immediately negated by how telegraphed this “twist” is.
- Huh?
The Verdict
Ugh.
Okay, positives first: The art looks great (especially with regards to the lighting). And we get some Lovecraft references. Other than that, however, this issue is a severe disappointment.
I won’t spoil the massive betrayal we see, but I think it’s something we’ve all been expecting for a very long time now. It felt like more of a relief than a twist to finally have it out in the open.
Also, the one thing this book does consistently well—Mulder and Scully’s interactions—are some of the weakest I’ve ever seen. I get that their relationship is strained, but I highly doubt that Scully would be so dismissive of Mulder for what are completely founded and obvious reservations.
Add in yet another nonsensical cliffhanger, and IDW’s latest X-Files arc isn’t giving me much hope that it’s going to ever reach the heights it did a few years ago.
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