Review by Frank Plowright
Fans of The X-Files can be safely guided to any comics written by Stefan Petrucha, who achieves an excellent approximation of the TV show. He either brings substantial knowledge of the inexplicable to the table before starting a story, or researches considerably, and over the six stories here (a combined nine chapters) as he drops a wealth of fascinating titbits to accompany the supernatural investigations of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.
In addition to intriguing plots, Petrucha captures the essential tension between the cast members in the dialogue. Mulder has to believe for there to be any chance of retrieving the sister he knows was abducted by aliens, while Scully is the logical scientific mind unwilling to accept the unknown. The way the plots play out, there’s never any messing with the TV continuity status quo. Proof is absent from whatever Mulder witnesses, while Scully can distil anomalies, but views them only as such.
One small problem with the writing is that in being faithful to the TV show means Petrucha has to pack in long conversations, which Charlie Adlard then has to draw. Despite being relatively early in his career he ensures a variety of viewpoints meaning readers can maintain an interest in the talking heads, although there are still places where those heads are in danger of being squashed by large word balloons. Adlard’s a good storyteller providing interesting looking locations, even if the 1990s colouring of them is now primitive. His likeness of David Duchovny improves the more he’s drawn, but in this material Adlard never manages to capture Gillian Anderson. However, it’s enough that the characters can be distinguished.
There’s considerable variety to what’s on offer. The longest tale, over three parts, is ‘Firebird’, also providing the title for the first UK reprint volume, issued in the USA as The X-Files Collection Volume 1. It reveals all is not copacetic between various US government agencies as rum happenings in a secret New Mexico base threaten to spill out into the wider USA. Mulder actually meets the secret cabal controlling the world from behind the scenes, but as ever, deniability is pre-ordained.
In order, the other stories involve a sealed prophecy stolen from the Vatican; surviving witnesses to a 1948 UFO incident being murdered; Mulder breaking into the Pentagon; a police detective hunting a form of driller killer, and a deranged research scientist believing knowledge and skills can be transferred via cannibalism. Unless supplying a deliberate reveal to promote tension, Petrucha’s plots keep readers in suspense throughout. The earlier paperback collection was Project Aquarius in the UK and X-Files Collection Volume 2 elsewhere.
A quality hardback presentation isn’t cheap, but you are getting original material matching good episodes of the TV show, while the paperbacks reprinting this material can sell for higher prices. Volume Two sees Petrucha and Adlard raise their game still further.
