Graphic Novel Review: X-Files Classics Vol. 1

X-Files Classics Vol. 1 by Stefan Petrucha
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I did my usual 30 minutes of internet research and learned that this volume of X-Files comics were written back in the early days of the series. They are not book adaptions, nor were they ever tv episodes. This volume contains issues #1 – 9. I couldn’t wait to dig in to this because, well, original X-Files material (!) and the return of Mulder.

But, most tragically, the magic was not quite here. It showed up in glimpses but mostly I found myself a little bored and daydreaming for something just a wee bit more exciting.

So anyway, on to the issues.

Do Not Open Until Christmas starts off with a dead body and a stolen religious prophecy. Though the body is dead, it smells of roses. People think it’s been touched by the hand of God hisownself. Scully thinks otherwise. And Mulder? Well, he’s Mulder and thinks conspiracy! Cover up! Angels are aliens!

There was some fun dialogue here.

“You’re off the case! Go chase big foot!”

“I’d love to, Sir, but with all due respect, the season is wrong. Big foot sightings taper off in the winter.”

This one was probably my favorite for capturing both Scully and Mulder so well.

A Dismembrance of Things Past (Parts 1 & 2)
Mulder and Scully are ripped from slumber by nefarious government types in trench coats and shades who give them a file containing documents about a possible past alien visit in 1948 and the recent slaying of witnesses to the event. There are false memories, a mysterious gas, and possible alien experiments. It’s a lot to take in over a few pages and left me mostly confused until Part 2 which cleared most of it up. Well, as clear as an X-Files episode ever gets.

Firebird (Parts 1-3)
A shaman has come to a sacred site to die but before he can get close he finds a bunch of daft scientists come to disturb “The Firebird”. The panel then goes Kaboom!

Meanwhile, in New Mexico a man is run off the road and tumbles to a fiery death while trying to avoid a fox. The fox eerily watches this series of events with far too much interest for a fox.

The next panel features someone who is supposed to be Scully holding an ancient skull and bantering with Mulder.

Who is this imposter and WTF has she done with Scully? That’s all I really want to know.

Soooo, the skull leads them to New Mexico to investigate odd goings-on and just as I’m about to start daydreaming again . . .

 

Tentacles enter the scene! Yes, you read that right and though this may be a minor spoiler YOU NEED TO KNOW. There are tentacles herein! I don't think there is anything left to say here. Unexpected Tentacles = win

Trepanning Opera
Strange deaths are occurring. Smiling bodies are found with holes drilled in their skulls. When one of the bodies contains an envelope marked “Mulder” and another marked “Scully”, the duo rush to the scene to find the killer.

This is a wonderfully weird story with some reality bending ideas.

Silent Cities of the Mind (Parts 1 & 2)
This wasn’t the best note to end the collection on, if you’re asking me. It’s a little vignette involving ritual cannibalism and explains why some weirdo is doing it. There is much ado made about the absorption of knowledge and talents after eating the dead. No thanks, I think I’ll remain painfully average then. Mulder and Scully are on a plane that just so happens to get struck by lightning and Mulder is taken captive by this hungry madman whose lap he nearly lands in! Imagine the odds of that for a moment, if you will.

This one’s kind of crazy. In addition to the weird coincidence, the eating of the human flesh, there’s a hidden city and a sacred artifact that Mulder thinks unsurprisingly believes may be linked to aliens. It’s all wrapped up in typical X-Files fashion but it wasn’t my favorite episode.

But it @ Amazon.


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