| Title | : | The X-Files: Season 10, Volume 4 |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1631402862 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781631402869 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 124 |
| Publication | : | First published May 5, 2015 |
The X-Files: Season 10, Volume 4 Reviews
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I liked this installment. Some resolution on the fate of Doggett and Reyes from the first volume. But comes across as more of a Monster of the Week story since the extension of the show now exists. This storyline somehow doesn’t seem relevant now. But any X-Files is generally good X-Files.
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Man, remember when reading books was a fun hobby and sometimes a magical journey to another world instead of something that I only do out of desperation when there are no customers at work? I do...sort of.
A few weeks ago after spending almost a whole hour standing in an empty room doing nothing, I was like well, The X-Files is pretty much the one remaining thing in life that can occasionally bring me joy, so I'm going to try reading these books. I really don't like comic books/graphic novels - I get kind of overwhelmed or distracted by trying to read the words and follow the pictures at the same time, and I've never really liked the traditional comic style art. But I have been in enough of an X-Files frenzy lately that I decided to put all that aside. I will say that the format was not my favorite, maybe I have a brain glitch or something but sometimes I couldn't even tell who the characters were based on the pictures. I don't hold that against the books though, that's my own problem.
What I DO hold against the books is the total garbage disposal, train wreck, cluster fuck, crotch punch of the storyline. I mean sure, by the end of season 9 the X-Files plot was pretty much a rotting mangled corpse of what it had started out as, but I feel like after 10+ years away maybe someone could have taken a step back and made even the tiniest effort to get something coherent out of what was left of the mythology. Instead they introduced about a thousand more nonsensical storylines without resolving any of the shit that had happened on the show. I guess ultimately the problem is that the original storylines are unresolvable, because they are stupid and don't make any sense, so the only option is to just throw a bunch more shit on the fire and hope that something catches. The transition to print really doesn't work for me; without the personality and performances of the actors there is little left to mask the fact that this has just become a ridiculous jumble of sci-fi conspiracy nonsense. I know that these were originally released as separate comics and then put together in larger volumes, but the lack of continuity is also super jarring. Near the beginning of the first book, William goes missing and his adoptive parents are killed, but nobody really mentions it or seems to be looking for him (much like Doggett and Reyes who go missing and seem to be completely forgotten about, although maybe that's for the best).
Seeing what a mess this story was pretty much destroyed the tiny glimmer of hope I had that the revival episodes would be any good. I think the mythology is just too far gone and the characters have been shit on too many times to have any hope left. The only reason I'm giving this more than 1 star is because I did read all 4 books like the helpless junkie I am, coming back for more each time even though I know how horrible it is for me. And book 5 comes out in a couple of weeks. Somebody help me. -
Definitely the weirdest so far, but this gets 5 stars alone because of DOGGET AND REYES AND I AM JUST SO HAPPY THEY ARE ALIVEEEEEE.
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Unfortunately, the weakest of volume IDW’s relaunched X-Files series.
Volume 4 of IDW’s X-Files: Season 10 is unfortunately the weakest book in this series and makes me worry that things are starting to stumble. Like Volume 2 (which I really liked), Volume 4 eschews a single, multi-part story for three separate tales, harkening back to the original show’s habit of interspersing self-contained ‘monster-of-the-week’ episodes in between stories that tied more conspicuously into the broader X-Files mythology. Unfortunately, the stories in this volume aren’t terribly strong and lack the ‘one-and-done’ appeal of the old shows.
So … here’s what we get …
On the plus side, Colin Lorimer delivers what could be the series’ best art in ‘Immaculate,’ but a promising story gets hopelessly side-ways as Frank Black (from Chris Carter’s other old Fox television property Millenium) gets shoe-horned into the plot. Once again, Black’s splash page appearance falls flat because it’s unclear who the heck he is and, even after Mulder drops his name, Black doesn’t exactly do enough to make me care about him or the show he came from. A demerit to Frank Black for needlessly distracting from what could have been a decent enough monster story.
‘Monica and John,’ on the other hand, offers (in a refreshingly bit of clarity) an answer to one of the series’ most pivotal mysteries … ”What exactly happened to John Doggett and Monica Reyes?” Harris deserves a hefty amount of credit for bringing back all the X-Files best characters, continuing Doggett and Reyes’ story alongside Mulder and Scully’s. Best moment … when Reyes gets to break the ‘third wall’ a bit as she summarizes the collective opinion of the X-Files fan base after the franchise’s last theatrical outing, “They forgot about us, John. They forgot about all of us.” Of all the stories in this volume, this is the only one that is required reading.
The last arc, ‘G-23,’ crosses aliens with LSD and, while the Smoking Man offers some inspired dialogue, the overall story – which relies heavily on the old trope of hallucinogenic, dream sequences – just felt tired. Shame because the idea of having Mulder team-up with Lone Gunman Langly to attend an extraterrestrial ‘Burning Man’ festival had potential, but Langly ends up being oddly superfluous to the storyline. Tom Mandrake’s art is also a pretty wide departure from the other series contributors and I’m not sure it’s at all a good fit. (And I don’t care how good the drugs are … hallucinating the Smoking Man as fish-net stockinged Dana Scully seems a bit beyond the powers of even the best California Sunshine).
I already have the fifth and final volume of this series purchased. Hoping for a rebound … -
The X-Files: Season 10 is a series of graphic novels that takes place after the events of the ninth season of the television series The X-Files. (Some of the details and events are, however, contradictory to the details and events of the tenth and eleventh seasons of the television series, since these stories were written and published before the television series was revived in 2016, and Chris Carter and everyone else involved decided to ignore these graphic novels. I therefore regard this series of graphic novels as an alternate reality, a different way that events could have progressed.) The fourth and penultimate volume in the series collects issues #16-20 and features three different stories - "Immaculate" (art by Colin Lerimer), "Monica & John" (art by Matthew Dow Smith), and "G-23" (art by Tom Mandrake). I, for the most part, really enjoyed reading this graphic novel. Writer Joe Harris seems to have finally had a much easier time capturing Dana Scully's character this time around. Up until this point in the series, I have often found Scully to be out of character, but her representation throughout this graphic novel seems, to me, to be a lot more accurate. The stories are also pretty interesting, with "Immaculate" reminding me a lot of the eleventh season episode "Nothing Lasts Forever" because both stories heavily feature religion as a theme and also because both stories feature a female cult leader. (Frank Black from the Millennium television series and from the seventh season episode of The X-Files titled "Millennium" also returns in this story.) "Monica & John" is, as I had surmised from the title, about the characters John Doggett and Monica Reyes, and it solves a mystery left unanswered from Believers, the first story in this series. "G-23" is a bit confusing because as is the case with "Immaculate" and with The X-Files in general for that matter, the story leaves quite a bit mysterious and unresolved. (I have, in fact, gotten to a point at which that no longer bothers me when it comes to The X-Files because it's simply its nature.) Even though many of this graphic novel's storylines are a bit confusing and left unresolved, however, I really enjoyed this fourth entry into the series because with the exception of "Immaculate" (which is still an interesting story), most of the stories are focused on the mythology of The X-Files, and I look forward to reading the fifth and final installment of this series to see how this timeline comes to a conclusion.
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Right when you think that this comic can't be any worse, Joe Harris does the impossible and actually makes it worse. This one comes with the most unsatisfying development for Reyes and Doggett. It also includes two of the very worst cases so far. Also, this volume marks a huge change in artwork. The previous volumes had awful artwork too, but at least it was easy to recognize the characters. In the second half of this volume? It became pretty much impossible to tell who's who. Honestly, The X-Files fans didn't deserve all this...
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The middle story line in this volume is so darn good. I felt like a classic X-Files tale. Even the first story was decent. But man the two part finale of the volume was just down right awful on every way.
I have a love hate with the season and this volume was no different. -
This was the weakest of the volumes so far. Still good, but a little confusing and the art lost quality to the point I couldn't recognize some of the key characters. Hope the next one redeems this one!
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This volume was a roller coaster of ups & downs, kicked of by the story Immaculate 1 & 2, a new story that seems familiar, recalling some of Mulder and Scully's best encounters with southern & middle-USA small-town, small-minded religious mysteries. It's more dramatic with higher stakes, but not a very tight story. It also features a cameo from MILLENIUM's Frank Black (who had a pretty great season 6 cameo in the show). Unfortunately it feels like they didn't have enough room for Frank in the story.
There's a one-off showing the fates of Agents Doggett and Reyes that somehow makes you care less about Doggett and Reyes, truly an achievement. Still, I'm happy they're back. Those characters were under-served by the last 2 seasons of the show.
And we get a 2 part psychedelic road trip with 60s era Government-bred weed dosed with Alien hallucinogens that might have been charming if the art hadn't gotten so bad. Mulder was seriously unrecognizable, and the Lone Gunman looked awful. A murderous hallucination of Scully in a cleavage-baring little black dress was better executed...
I'm going to give it 3 stars on the strength of Immaculate, and hope the season 10 finale doesn't disappoint me as the FOX revival of The X-Files premieres tomorrow as a mini-series. -
This is my favorite volume of the X-Files Season 10 so far due to the first story. We get to see Frank Black from Millennium show up in a story featuring angels and demons, which I really enjoyed then. Then we find out Agents Dogget and Reyes have been kidnapped by an alien who's been impersonating Doggett for over a year. The reason is never fully explained. Finally we end up with a story about marijuana genetically engineered by the government. They basically infused it with Alien DNA in an effort to subdue the populace. This story was as trippy as it sounds.
To break it down, I would give the first story 5 stars, the second story 4 stars, and the final story 3 stars. But honestly, the first story was so cool it made the volume for me.
X-Files fans read this one, but Millennium fans should check it out as well! -
Here we have the return of Frank Black (!!!), a way too short story about John and Monica that doesn't really tell us anything (but it's nice to see them again!), and finally a story with Mulder on drugs that may or may not tell us more about aliens and past conspiracies. Still, it's always nice to have some new X-Files to read!
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This is probably one of the stronger volumes of the series story-wise. But, man how I long for a regular artist. The opening story has really superb art and is a pleasure to read. But the final story left me struggling to figure out who was who in a number of panels, and featured somewhat amateur art.
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I was so happy that this one was miles better than vol 3. It completely sucked me in; I read it all in one go. The first part is a super creepy one-off (or is it? maybe it will come back around mythology-wise later), and the second part ties in with events from vol 1. The last little part is really weird and fun. The overall vibe of the book fits in well with the vibe of the show.
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This excellent continuation of the series should appeal to anyone who was not only a fan of the original but, who, like me, were disappointed by the way the tv show spiraled out of control and into mediocrity.
Atmosphere much like the early show; intrigue; even some answers. Don't miss it. -
I loved the x files season 10! It brought in the old and added a mix of new in almost the only way an x files story could. I would easy read this lot again, it added mystery, questions, answers, shocks, action, geekness, humour, science, adventure and above all else a great read.
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The two big sections of missing pages (thanks, Amazon) didn't help, but again, wtf did I just read. But hey, Doggett and Reyes were back for a minute.
And then the art changed and Mulder looked like Travolta in Get Shorty. -
This was the volume I liked least so far. The first two stories were pretty good. I liked how they at least resolved the part of Doggett and Reyes from the first volume. I didn't care much for the last story though.
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Still excited about the return of Krycek from the last volume, and now they hit me with the return of DOGGETT AND REYES IN THIS ONE. Wish there was more of their return, and less of the trippy adventure I was lead on for 3/4 of this volume.
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Absolutely loving the return of "The X-Files", in particular, the cameo from "Millennium's" Frank Black.
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Best part of this volumer Langley!
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Thank god the new season is about to render this whole series non-canon. What a trainwreck.
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It seems to me that the artistic team in control of this series are having a lot of fun, and I'm enjoying that. Nothing amazing, but good fun.
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I wonder how these will sit with new TV series
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the weakest of the season 10 collections so far. it's already beginning to feel like they've run out of ideas and are making the mythology make even less sense.
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Though not as compelling as the first three volumes, the stories are very atmospherically strong and true to the mythology.
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I dunno, just referencing past characters with no real purpose.
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Reread April 2017. Reduced from 3 to 2 stars.
