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Review: “X-Files Season 10” # 7

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10 years ago

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Joe Harris concludes “Hosts” by taking a sidestep to the larger story. The result is an adventure that provides a thrilling tease, but fails to ultimately deliver a compelling adventure as a whole. Pacing issues plod the entire thing down to a series of dialogue scenes meant to deconstruct seemingly related events in Ukraine. The “X-Files Season 10” # 7 still has great art by Casagrande, but the story fails to deliver any sort of satisfying conclusion.


WRITTEN BY: Joe Harris
ART BY: Elena Casagrande
PUBLISHER: IDW
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: December 11, 2013

X-Files is close to me. I love it with strange ambition. I was excited to see the beginning of shorter arcs like “Hosts.” Ideally giving the comic a faster pacing, with two issues feeling like one episode of the series, which is true of this arc. Albeit a episode of the series with terrible pacing.

The climax of the story rests with the end of the last issue. Upon returning this month, Harris takes a sidestep to Ukraine. Here the history of the flukemen is touched upon as we’re giving a highly entertaining look at soldiers encountering the beast.

Inexplicably these two threads come together inside the sewer to free Mulder from the plight that seemed so hopeless two weeks ago. It serves as a far too convenient mechanism to save him. Which would be all well and good, but any source of antagonism dies in that sewer. The rest of the issue stays with Mulder and Scully as they try to make sense of what happened.

The dialogue is still sharp, and the characterization on point, but the entire issue felt wasted with exposition that ultimately goes nowhere. It’s a shame because Casagrande’s art still remains beautiful.

Mulder’s body after he is retrieved from the sewer is covered in vicious sores. Casagrande makes sure to translate this pain to the reader. The bright red sores are difficult to look at. Everything in the Ukraine stood out: the harrowing angles, the depiction of the soldiers, and the uncertainty of their plight. The art twists and turns to put you in the position of the lowly soldier ordered to clean out the tank. Casagrande plays with perspective to ensure that you never feel safe as the solider makes his descent. Its clear that something horrible lies in wait for him, but the art keeps you guessing the entire way.

Ultimately, this issue was disappointing. Season 10 has been off to such a great start that it was hard to poke holes in any of the fun. The issues that raised their heads last issue are sadly amplified here to a point of no return.

The adventure is still fun in areas, but really feels like wasted potential. This series isn’t about answers, but when it goes so far out of its way not to give them to you it can become distracting. Here’s hoping that next month can bring back a renewed focus and sense of danger.

Rating: 2.5/5 Skulls.

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‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics

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1 day ago

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April 18, 2024

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Witchblade cover

Witchblade, the popular comic series that initially ran from 1995 to 2015 and launched a TV series, is getting resurrected in a new comic series from Top Cow and Image Comics. It’s set to unleash heavy metal, black magic and blood this summer.

Look for the new Witchblade series to launch on July 17, 2024.

In Witchblade #1, “New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it?”

The series is penned by NYT Best-Selling writer Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. They are set to reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s enduring fans with “a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.”

Bennett said in a statement, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”

“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac,” Cafaro stated.

Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”

Witchblade#1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. And it’ll come with multiple cover variants.

  • Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover

  • Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)

  • Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)

  • Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)

  • Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)

  • Cover H (1/250): Line art by Marc. Virgin Cover, Inks (B/W)

Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Witchblade comic panel Witchblade #1 cover image

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