Joe Harris’ ongoing “X-Files” title wrapped in 2017 because of low sales, but IDW took a few more cracks with the license before giving up. They close the 2013-18 revival era with a second go-around with “Deviations” in 2017, plus three two-issue series, all of which are quite good.
“JFK Disclosure” is the latest example of “The X-Files” dipping its toes into the waters of real-life figures. IDW’s reign wraps with the most fun the title has had in quite some time: two monster-of-the-week yarns under the “Case Files” banner in 2018.
“JFK Disclosure”
Especially in the hardcover collected edition, this might be a treasure for “X-Files” fans who are also conspiracy theorists on the level of Fox Mulder. Writer Denton J. Tipton – adding John F. Kennedy to a trio of presidents appearing in IDW’s “X-Files” lore (along with Reagan and Trump) — basically adds “aliens” into the established information about the 1963 Kennedy assassination.
“JFK Disclosure” (2017), “Deviations” (2017) and “Case Files” (2018)
Series: “The X-Files” (IDW)
Writers: Denton J. Tipton, Delilah S. Dawson, Joe and Keith Lansdale
Artists: Menton3, Elena Casagrande, Silvia Califano, Arianna Florean, Valentina Pinto
But I learned a lot about the popular theories already in play, and I almost want to do a deeper dive, perhaps checking out Oliver Stone’s “JFK.”
Menton3’s art, making use of open spaces, is unorthodox and fascinating. The downside – and it’s a pretty big one – is that I couldn’t easily tell who the characters are. The upside of the hardcover edition is that Tipton gives a page-by-page commentary, so from that I could pick out Bill Mulder and the Cigarette Smoking Man, while also gaining an appreciation for Menton3’s artistic choices.
3.5 stars
“Deviations” (2017)
This is more of the same, continuing from the 2016 installment of “Deviations.” Samantha Mulder is in place of Fox Mulder from the original narrative, but the story itself is unchanged. It’s just another go-around of the partners encountering the outskirts of the alien war and the Syndicate’s cover-up.
The Lone Gunmen join the story here, allowing for the amusing idea that Byers has the hots for Mulder the same way Frohike has the hots for Scully. The art is quite good, but “Deviations” once again fails to make a case for its existence.
2.5 stars
“Case Files: Florida Man …” (collected in “Case Files” TPB)
I love the fact that “Case Files” exists; with the ongoing title being almost entirely mythology/conspiracy based, it’s been too long since we’ve gotten monster of the week yarns. Delilah S. Dawson starts the series with a decent one.
The tone is a little off, as her attempts at humor keep me from taking “Florida Man …” too seriously (although I did smile at Mulder’s constant sweating), even though it ends up being a creepy one about a gator-worshiping religious cult in the swamps of Florida.
The title, of course, comes from Florida Man headlines, wherein a Florida man (and sometimes woman) does something that would be crazy in the other 49 states, but is par for the course in Florida.
The story of the man on bath salts who ate another person’s face is of particular interest here, as Mulder and Scully encounter a man perhaps under the influence of bath salts on the main street of Halpadalgi. Scully shoots the man dead and doesn’t seem bothered by it, one of the story’s odd tonal choices.
Elena Casagrande (pencils), whose work I enjoyed on IDW’s “Angel” comics, and Silvia Califano (inks) provide excellent likenesses and expressions for M&S, and colorist Arianna Florean brings Florida alive with vibrant greens. The TV show used Vancouver as a poor Florida stand-in on rare occasions, but I can’t recall that the state has ever before looked this good in an “X-Files” story.
4 stars
“Case Files: Hoot Goes There?” (collected in “Case Files” TPB)
Writers Joe and Keith Lansdale do the previous story one better, nailing the lighter (but not full-on comedic) tone of episodes such as “War of the Coprophages” (3.12), “Syzygy” (3.13) and “Quagmire” (3.22). A trailer-park-dominated east Texas town is filled with local color, starting with a sheriff’s station that’s also a donut shop.
Mulder becomes buddies with a beer-can collector who might be the key to solving the mystery of a giant owl that plucks people from the ground and flies them to their doom. Scully is less enamored by the man, but she’s seen enough weirdness by this point that she humors Mulder.
Califano has both penciling and inking duties this time, and she’s nearly as good as when teaming with Casagrande. Colorist Valentina Pinto darkens the vibe, as the owl creature mostly attacks at night. The art team nicely peppers into the background various people eating Doglet’s donuts, which might explain the weird sights and happenings.
“Hoot Goes There?,” which includes a legit talking dog, goes right up to the edge of plausibility without crossing the line, and — unlike too many of the ongoing title’s stories – treats readers to a resolution and explanation. And so IDW closes its 2013-18 “X-Files” run with one of its most satisfying stories.
5 stars