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The X-Files Classics #1
The X-Files Classics, Volume 1
THE TRUTH IS… in here! Team up with Mulder and Scully as they unravel all-knew mysteries only seen in comic books! This first collection includes Topps Comics issues #1–9, featuring stories like "Not to be Opened Until X-mas," "Firebird," "Trepanning Opera," "Silent Cities of the Mind," and more.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published July 2, 2013
12 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Stefan Petrucha
341 books274 followersStefan Petrucha (born January 27, 1959) is an American writer for adults and young adults. He has written graphic novels in the The X-Files and Nancy Drew series, as well as science fiction and horror.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 10, 2017
This review and the rest of the crap I write can be seen @ my blog Bark's Book Nonsense . Stop by and say hey.
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.
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 = winTrepanning 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.
December 23, 2020
#1: Not to be Opened Until X-Mas · ★★
A man dies in a Brooklyn church, claiming to have helped steal the final prophecy of Fatima from the Vatican. Their investigation leads Mulder and Scully to a collector of sacred artifacts. An unidentified branch of the military wants to locate and examine the final prophecy too.
#2-#3: A Dismemberance of Things Past / A Little Dream of Me (2 Parts) · ★★½
Witnesses of an alleged alien craft are being murdered and the next victim may be a respected military officer. Mulder and Scully are asked to investigate. The remaining witnesses are beginning to remember details that someone wants kept hidden. A rogue military officer, a player in the “inner government”, ties up loose ends. With help from the Lone Gunman gang, Scully and Mulder identify the officer. He offers Mulder the opportunity to recover his sister, Samantha. Scully discovers facts indicating that the offer may be a hoax.
#4-#6: Firebird: Khobka’s Lament / Crescit Eundo / A Brief Authority (3 Parts) · ★★★
At Tunguska, Siberia, a shaman watches faceless men disturb the Firebird. In New Mexico, skeletal remains of a Russian scientist, carbon-dated at 15,000 years old, are found in an overturned, unmarked truck. Scully and Mulder investigate, finding evidence of materials used to achieve a fusion reaction. At White Sands Missle Range, the shaman survives to greet Firebird. Scully and Mulder flee from Firebird with Khobka, only to encounter more faceless men in black. While Scully tries to keep Khobka alive, Mulder is taken before the “inner government” and Firebird grows as it goes, threatening to consume Las Cruces, New Mexico. Mulder refuses to cooperate with the leaders of the “inner government”, who are covering up Firebird’s destructive activities. The faceless men kidnap Khobka with Scully in pursuit. Together, Scully and Mulder help Khobka free Firebird from earth before destroying New Mexico, but the faceless men remain faceless.
#7: Trepanning Opera · ★★★★
Agent Drake has been hunting a serial killer for five years. The killer trepans his victims and they die with a smile. The most recent victims carry messages for Mulder and Scully.
#8-#9: Silent Cities of the Mind (2 Parts) · ★★★
Scully and Mulder investigate a hollow earth cult in Alaska, whose leader is searching for a lost city in the ice. When their plane crashes Mulder is captured by Dr. Enoch and taken to the long lost city of Azatlan. Scully follows and watches as Mulder and Enoch open an ancient tomb. Trapped in an ancient Aztec city in Alaska, Scully and Mulder are caught in the crossfire between military forces and Enoch, each fighting for possession of the Ilbal, an incredible Aztec artifact found by the FBI agents.
A man dies in a Brooklyn church, claiming to have helped steal the final prophecy of Fatima from the Vatican. Their investigation leads Mulder and Scully to a collector of sacred artifacts. An unidentified branch of the military wants to locate and examine the final prophecy too.
#2-#3: A Dismemberance of Things Past / A Little Dream of Me (2 Parts) · ★★½
Witnesses of an alleged alien craft are being murdered and the next victim may be a respected military officer. Mulder and Scully are asked to investigate. The remaining witnesses are beginning to remember details that someone wants kept hidden. A rogue military officer, a player in the “inner government”, ties up loose ends. With help from the Lone Gunman gang, Scully and Mulder identify the officer. He offers Mulder the opportunity to recover his sister, Samantha. Scully discovers facts indicating that the offer may be a hoax.
#4-#6: Firebird: Khobka’s Lament / Crescit Eundo / A Brief Authority (3 Parts) · ★★★
At Tunguska, Siberia, a shaman watches faceless men disturb the Firebird. In New Mexico, skeletal remains of a Russian scientist, carbon-dated at 15,000 years old, are found in an overturned, unmarked truck. Scully and Mulder investigate, finding evidence of materials used to achieve a fusion reaction. At White Sands Missle Range, the shaman survives to greet Firebird. Scully and Mulder flee from Firebird with Khobka, only to encounter more faceless men in black. While Scully tries to keep Khobka alive, Mulder is taken before the “inner government” and Firebird grows as it goes, threatening to consume Las Cruces, New Mexico. Mulder refuses to cooperate with the leaders of the “inner government”, who are covering up Firebird’s destructive activities. The faceless men kidnap Khobka with Scully in pursuit. Together, Scully and Mulder help Khobka free Firebird from earth before destroying New Mexico, but the faceless men remain faceless.
#7: Trepanning Opera · ★★★★
Agent Drake has been hunting a serial killer for five years. The killer trepans his victims and they die with a smile. The most recent victims carry messages for Mulder and Scully.
#8-#9: Silent Cities of the Mind (2 Parts) · ★★★
Scully and Mulder investigate a hollow earth cult in Alaska, whose leader is searching for a lost city in the ice. When their plane crashes Mulder is captured by Dr. Enoch and taken to the long lost city of Azatlan. Scully follows and watches as Mulder and Enoch open an ancient tomb. Trapped in an ancient Aztec city in Alaska, Scully and Mulder are caught in the crossfire between military forces and Enoch, each fighting for possession of the Ilbal, an incredible Aztec artifact found by the FBI agents.
June 23, 2022
(Zero spoiler review)
If there is one thing, and one thing only that I would ever even consider classifying myself a super fan of (obsessive more like), it would be the X-Files. I fell in love with this show in its early seasons in the mid nineties when it was originally coming out. What self respecting 12 year old isn't going to be sucked into a world of monsters, maniacs, conspiracies and cover ups... and Gillian Anderson. God help me, did I have a thing for Gillian Anderson. I stayed with the show as long as I could. The cult like fervour with which I worshipped it faded with the years. It lost its way about half way through its run, and the final few seasons were terrible and shouldn't have been made. Yet despite its sketchy quality from season 5 onwards, I still have a massive soft spot for this show. X Files nostalgia bit pretty hard a few months ago, so when I became aware of the comics, I just knew I had to check them out. But if Volume one is anything to go by, I wish I hadn't. Hell, the Doggett and Reis final few years are better than this unpleasantness.
First of all, the art is terrible. Terrible! I'm sure most every comics reader knows who Charlie Adlard is, yet whether this was his very novice first foray into professional comics work, or whether the pay was that bad he just didn't give a shit, I don't know. What I do know is, this is amateurish and unacceptably bad. Hell, I stared at one panel for ages wondering where this Asian man had come from, only to realise it was actually Scully. Making that gorgeous woman look this bad should be a crime, punishable by public flogging. Mulder doesn't fare much better either. His layouts are poor, the colouring is flat and lacklustre. The book, simply put, looks like ass.
Sadly, the writing isn't any better. I don't know how Stefan Petrucha got this gig. I can only assume he won a competition off the back of a cereal box, because the guy misses the mark on pretty much everything that made the X-files so great. Scully and Mulder rarely feel like themselves. The scripts are awful. The pacing is horrendous. The dialogue is frequently flat and occasionally cringey beyond belief. There were some fleeting moments when it seemed to be coming together, but they were too few and far between. I just wanted it to be over as quickly as possible.
There really was nothing of interest whatsoever going on here. Quite how storytelling and art this bad made it out when the show was at the zenith of its power is beyond me. The truth may be out there... but the shit writing and artwork is in here. 2/5
OmniBen.
If there is one thing, and one thing only that I would ever even consider classifying myself a super fan of (obsessive more like), it would be the X-Files. I fell in love with this show in its early seasons in the mid nineties when it was originally coming out. What self respecting 12 year old isn't going to be sucked into a world of monsters, maniacs, conspiracies and cover ups... and Gillian Anderson. God help me, did I have a thing for Gillian Anderson. I stayed with the show as long as I could. The cult like fervour with which I worshipped it faded with the years. It lost its way about half way through its run, and the final few seasons were terrible and shouldn't have been made. Yet despite its sketchy quality from season 5 onwards, I still have a massive soft spot for this show. X Files nostalgia bit pretty hard a few months ago, so when I became aware of the comics, I just knew I had to check them out. But if Volume one is anything to go by, I wish I hadn't. Hell, the Doggett and Reis final few years are better than this unpleasantness.
First of all, the art is terrible. Terrible! I'm sure most every comics reader knows who Charlie Adlard is, yet whether this was his very novice first foray into professional comics work, or whether the pay was that bad he just didn't give a shit, I don't know. What I do know is, this is amateurish and unacceptably bad. Hell, I stared at one panel for ages wondering where this Asian man had come from, only to realise it was actually Scully. Making that gorgeous woman look this bad should be a crime, punishable by public flogging. Mulder doesn't fare much better either. His layouts are poor, the colouring is flat and lacklustre. The book, simply put, looks like ass.
Sadly, the writing isn't any better. I don't know how Stefan Petrucha got this gig. I can only assume he won a competition off the back of a cereal box, because the guy misses the mark on pretty much everything that made the X-files so great. Scully and Mulder rarely feel like themselves. The scripts are awful. The pacing is horrendous. The dialogue is frequently flat and occasionally cringey beyond belief. There were some fleeting moments when it seemed to be coming together, but they were too few and far between. I just wanted it to be over as quickly as possible.
There really was nothing of interest whatsoever going on here. Quite how storytelling and art this bad made it out when the show was at the zenith of its power is beyond me. The truth may be out there... but the shit writing and artwork is in here. 2/5
OmniBen.
May 9, 2016
I have a soft spot in my heart for these old 90s xfiles comic books from topps comics. This features pre-walking dead Charlie adlard on art duty. Nicely written and effective art makes these stories written the golden age of xfiles mania a great read for fans and people who never read the comic
December 13, 2021
This book is about two FBI special agents investigating on paranormal unsolved cases called the X-files. Agent Scully and Agent Mulder are sent all over the world to debunk these cases while Agent Scully watch’s over him. At first Mulder didn’t trust Scully because he thought she was sent over to watch over him,as I kept reading into the book Agent Mulder started trusting Scully more even though she was always skeptic about the whole thing and always took the side of science while Agent Mulder was a true believer on the whole thing. I really enjoyed this book overall the plot twist and weird endings really had in a chock-hold on me that I even decided to watch the show and order more books.
November 18, 2018
X-Files stories that ring true to the series!
This first collection includes Topps Comics issues #1–9.
I always liked the X-files more during its “Monster of the week” format. These graphic novels follow that formula. The stories also end on a cliffhanger that might lead to further stories!
In this volume, Mulder and Scully are sent to find the Fatima Prophecy. Some want to know what it says, some want to prevent it from being read!
Kidnapped, the agents are sent after an army general hiding the secrets of a UFO crash.
A Colonel tells Mulder that he can return his sister Samantha…
A mysterious ancient fortress may hold the secret to The Tunguska event…
What if the “third eye” phenomenon was shown to exist? What if you could not be certain you are dead or alive?
A cannibal on a mountaintop gains new abilities every time he eats someone…
I liked the way the standalone stories still blend into each other. I have a feeling that they will all turn out to affect each other.
I give this graphic novel five stars!
Quoth the Raven…
This first collection includes Topps Comics issues #1–9.
I always liked the X-files more during its “Monster of the week” format. These graphic novels follow that formula. The stories also end on a cliffhanger that might lead to further stories!
In this volume, Mulder and Scully are sent to find the Fatima Prophecy. Some want to know what it says, some want to prevent it from being read!
Kidnapped, the agents are sent after an army general hiding the secrets of a UFO crash.
A Colonel tells Mulder that he can return his sister Samantha…
A mysterious ancient fortress may hold the secret to The Tunguska event…
What if the “third eye” phenomenon was shown to exist? What if you could not be certain you are dead or alive?
A cannibal on a mountaintop gains new abilities every time he eats someone…
I liked the way the standalone stories still blend into each other. I have a feeling that they will all turn out to affect each other.
I give this graphic novel five stars!
Quoth the Raven…
July 5, 2017
Compared to the current X-files series I wasn't too impressed with this collection though I do recall winning a copy of the actual comic book #1 at my current comic shop way back in the early 90's in a raffle.
You get some early artwork from The Walking Dead's Charlie Adlard, but I thought his depictions of Mulder and Scully were a bit off at times and not consistent enough throughout the 9 stories in the book.
Story-wise I wasn't much impressed either. I felt it lagged at times and perhaps I was just comparing it too much to the current ( and excellent ) X-files series by IDW written by Joe Harris, which to me REALLY is like watching the show itself.
You get some early artwork from The Walking Dead's Charlie Adlard, but I thought his depictions of Mulder and Scully were a bit off at times and not consistent enough throughout the 9 stories in the book.
Story-wise I wasn't much impressed either. I felt it lagged at times and perhaps I was just comparing it too much to the current ( and excellent ) X-files series by IDW written by Joe Harris, which to me REALLY is like watching the show itself.
June 19, 2017
Purely reading these old 'Topps' comics for sentimental value. The artwork is horrendous, but the stories remind me of the many dark evenings I stayed glued to the TV for another dose of conspiracy and intrigue. Overall, worth the effort, but nothing outstanding.
August 5, 2017
The artwork is a bit dated, but it still has a really great X-Files feel. You are introduced to crazy human conditions you've never heard of and all sorts of government/alien conspiracies. Any X-Files fan will feel right at home.
November 19, 2023
As with most story collections, I really enjoyed some of the sections, and enjoyed less others. Fun to read overall, but most were wrapped up too vaguely (never happens in the X-Files!) or didn't have the voice of the series I'd hoped for. Still enjoyable.
March 3, 2024
C'était une très bonne lecture, j'avais l'impression de regarder un épisode de la série ! Je vais me replonger dans ma lecture sur Buffy à présent, j'essaie de ne pas dévorer le livre tellement il est bien !
December 31, 2021
The artwork is fugly, but this satisfied my need for more X-Files in a way the reboot seasons did not.
August 9, 2024
Not quite as thrilling as what the better stories of the TV show have to offer.
Read
April 11, 2015I picked up this volume of 90s X-Files comics both because I was inspired by Kumail Nanjiani's X-Files Files podcast (which revisits the episodes but also revisits the 90s-era commentary on those episodes) and because I just happened to see this volume at the library.
To get this out of the way, I've never been a huge consumer of tie-in properties and I was a huge consumer of the X-Files. (As you can probably tell by the fact that I'm putting it in italics--out of respect.) So it's a little weird to approach these comics. It's doubly weird because these comics were put out around the same time as the show. So I can look back and say, "that doesn't make sense" because I've already seen all nine seasons; but Stefan Petrucha had only seen 2-3 seasons when he was writing these scripts.
Or, to be catty, maybe he'd seen even less.
I just read that Chris Carter's production company was very controlling with this property and not very happy with Petrucha's handling. And I can't entirely blame them. The very first episode opens with a Papal conspiracy around a secret prophecy that just doesn't feel very much in keeping with the tone. (But then again, maybe I should rewatch season 1, episode 18, "Miracle Man," about murders around a faith healer before I judge.) Petrucha also adds his own cabal of secret masters, tweaks the relationship between Mulder and the military-intelligence institution, and tends to a quick pace that sucks some of the mystery out of the mysteries.
(And again, to be fair, he's only got 20-something pages to tell a story.)
There are things to enjoy here, like some longer-running secondary stories about government experimentation on memories. But it tends to reduce the X-Files in a way that may be almost inevitable in comics--more explosions, less fun relationship banter.
Still, it seems to me that this property would've been better served by keeping the writing in-house; and that Stefan Petrucha would've been better served by being given free rein over his own world.
To get this out of the way, I've never been a huge consumer of tie-in properties and I was a huge consumer of the X-Files. (As you can probably tell by the fact that I'm putting it in italics--out of respect.) So it's a little weird to approach these comics. It's doubly weird because these comics were put out around the same time as the show. So I can look back and say, "that doesn't make sense" because I've already seen all nine seasons; but Stefan Petrucha had only seen 2-3 seasons when he was writing these scripts.
Or, to be catty, maybe he'd seen even less.
I just read that Chris Carter's production company was very controlling with this property and not very happy with Petrucha's handling. And I can't entirely blame them. The very first episode opens with a Papal conspiracy around a secret prophecy that just doesn't feel very much in keeping with the tone. (But then again, maybe I should rewatch season 1, episode 18, "Miracle Man," about murders around a faith healer before I judge.) Petrucha also adds his own cabal of secret masters, tweaks the relationship between Mulder and the military-intelligence institution, and tends to a quick pace that sucks some of the mystery out of the mysteries.
(And again, to be fair, he's only got 20-something pages to tell a story.)
There are things to enjoy here, like some longer-running secondary stories about government experimentation on memories. But it tends to reduce the X-Files in a way that may be almost inevitable in comics--more explosions, less fun relationship banter.
Still, it seems to me that this property would've been better served by keeping the writing in-house; and that Stefan Petrucha would've been better served by being given free rein over his own world.
February 29, 2016
The paranormal investigations of Agents Mulder and Scully continue on in the graphic novel The X-Files Classics: Volume 1. This collection includes the first 9 issues of the Topps Comics series, which feature the stories “Do Not Opened Until X-mas,” “Firebird,” “Trepanning Opera,” and “Silent Cities of the Mind.” The plots are fairly self-contained, told in 2-3 issue arcs, and involve psychic powers, government conspiracies, aliens, and native mysticisms. The writing is pretty good about following the structure of the show, and stays true to the characters. The artwork however, isn’t very consistent and Mulder and Scully are often unrecognizable (particularly Scully). But overall, The X-Files Classics: Volume 1 is an entertaining anthology book that fan of the series are sure to enjoy.
December 1, 2015
The combination of the stories and the graphics gave me the feel I used to get while watching the original television series. Mulder still wants to believe and Scully is ever the sceptic. Author Stefan Petrucha has the story twists the viewers came to expect with the show including characters who carry forward from earlier episodes even when you thought their story was finished.
Illustrator Charlie Adlard brought Mulder and Scully back to life. I almost expected them to start moving. The excellent graphics provide the visual clues that further build the stories. I love the use of such vivid colours.
The story panes are easy to follow and make for an enjoyable reading experience.
Illustrator Charlie Adlard brought Mulder and Scully back to life. I almost expected them to start moving. The excellent graphics provide the visual clues that further build the stories. I love the use of such vivid colours.
The story panes are easy to follow and make for an enjoyable reading experience.
July 4, 2016
Bit of a weird one this. Once you get used to the quite basic artwork and the overly wordy text, there’s some decent stories here which have a suitably faithful tone to the TV show and the plots. Unfortunately, some of the earlier comics can often be quite confusing, and the writing and artwork often don’t help clarify things as they should. That said, towards issues #5-#9 there's some fairly adult themes and entertaining tales as a result.
December 15, 2013
This graphic novel comprises of loosly realted stories based on the science fiction TV show The X Files. A major trope in these stories is memory, such as its loss, and its possible implantation. Like the TV show, this graphic novel uses notions from paranormal/Fortean literature, such as conspiracies, UFOs, etc.
August 4, 2013
some of the adventures were pretty much predictable. It was an overall pleasure to enter the "trust no one" universe again.
February 8, 2014
I enjoyed my return to the X-Files universe. I felt that some stories tried to cover too much in a short space of time, making the reader work too hard to make the links.
December 23, 2013
Reminds me of how much I miss original episodes. *sigh*
September 2, 2016
Enjoyable enough.
February 26, 2016
Why does Scully occasionally have blonde hair???
February 25, 2016
Most of the stories were of the quality they could have been adapted for the television series.
September 29, 2016
Has some great storylines, some are somewhat complicated or even unfinished... but that's typically X-Files, of course! All in all a good collection.
March 28, 2017
This story fits into the X-files timeline somewhere after the first season. It's not bad.
December 15, 2024
I've quite liked it, I never thought I would like to read comics, but I'm afraid I like everything that has to do with The X-Files haha
April 9, 2017
“I was hoping the phrase ‘silvery disc’ might give it away, Scully.”
If there was a silver lining to the Delta airline meltdown of last week, it was that it gave me a lot of time to read. Sandwiched in a middle seat on a flight from San Jose to Atlanta, I was looking for something light (and digital) to pass the time so I dug into Volume 1 of IDW’s X-Files Classics, a reprinting of the first nine issues of the Topps Comics original series. The Topps series came out in the heyday of the show’s popularity and, since I’m still a fan, I picked this up along with a whole bunch more X-Files digital collections – including Joe Harris’s very good Season 10 -- as part of a Humble Bundle.
And while the book does helps scratch that itch for show nostalgia, this volume (at least) is of just passing quality. There’s the obvious handicap that with the show still running on television, writer Stefan Petrucha only has so much room to maneuver. Consequently, the stakes for Mulder and Scully never seem all that nail-biting, and Petrucha can only tangentially touch on the more popular elements of X-Files lore. There’s still an opportunity to tell good stories here – creepy supernatural one-shots might have been a good idea – but Petrucha tries to tap the conspiracy vein that provided the spine for the television series and what results is kind of a pale echo … with a poor man’s version of The Syndicate as villains.
What is nice to see is the art of a budding Charlie Adlard, who now pencils the runaway hit The Walking Dead. Adlard is simply amazing and even reading this early work reminds me of how good he is … especially at drawing people. In most comics, you take the super-heroes out of their spandex and you can’t tell the characters apart. Adlard can draw a crowd of normal people in normal clothes standing around a water cooler and still make it easy for the reader to tell who from whom. What is unfortunate is the coloring. There’s a few gaffs – most notably Scully turning blonde, then brunette – and it’s a shame that the exposition boxes, which are essentially Mulder or Scully’s narration, weren’t colored consistently (i.e. all of Mulder’s boxes being all blue), making the story a lot easier follow. By comparison, the old Topps comic covers, which now serve as chapter dividers, I found quite charming despite the photo-referencing.
Petrucha does plant some nice seeds in many of these stories – the Neola, Kansas, cover-up and the value of cannibalism both being good ones – but there’s also places where things get too boldly sci-fi (as in the giant starfish from outer space). Also missing is much of the witty dynamic between Mulder and Scully; too often they feel like bystanders watching the stories go by rather than acting as the center of the drama. Still, for X-Files fans, these classic stories are probably worth a look if only to visit old friends.
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