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Review: “X-Files: Conspiracy” # 1

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10 years ago

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The “X-Files: Conspiracy” # 1 sees the Lone Gunmen discover internet files from the future that threaten to destroy humanity as we know it. To uncover the truth they must touch base with all of IDW’s hottest properties. The Ghostbusters, The Ninja Turtles, The Transformers, and The Crow all fit into this huge crossover event. Paul Crilley lays down a decent foundation for the series while Stanisci’s art adds a moody layer to this issue that ultimately fails to deliver on the promise of its premise.


WRITTEN BY: Paul Crilley
ART BY: John Stanisci
PUBLISHER: IDW
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: January 15, 2014

This should be the X-Files story everyone has been waiting for. Upon first hearing about “X-Files: Conspiracy” I thought “why hasn’t this happened before!?” The concept is almost too perfect to be executed poorly, but this issue borders on it.

The groan worthy dialogue here is overwhelmingly ham fisted in its execution. The Gunmen are pleasant when engaged in banter, but the exchanges between Mulder and Scully feel so forced that it pulls me out of the issue. The sheer fact that Scully repeats herself takes away from her succinct intelligence. Instead, she is stumped and at a loss because the story needs her to be, which just isn’t the character at all.

The scenes with Mulder and Scully only serve to derail the story from an otherwise good time. The Lone Gunmen are the perfect protagonists for such a crossover farce. Their motivations are much more clear and their bewilderment is a common theme throughout their time within the series.

The story does a somewhat decent job at cobbling together a reason for all these different crossovers but fails to really make a case for an overarching plot. There doesn’t seem to be any connection to each property outside of a collection of photos. It’ll be interesting to see where the plot takes each successive issue. As an introduction, the issue is heavy with exposition, and offers little mystery. Enough to get readers to come back for the second installment, but almost zero delivery on the other properties crossing over is disappointing.

John Stanisci’s art is dark and moody when it needs to be. Yet, I found a certain sense of fluidity to his character designs that wasn’t for me. He understands the Gunmen. I love the way he draws Frohike, with element of Twitch from Spawn coming to mind. Yet, his Mulder and Scully don’t quite do it for me. In the actions scenes Stanisci is able to handle himself quite well. The paneling is clean and dangerous.

This first issue of “X-Files: Conspiracy” fails to deliver on the promise of it’s premise. A conspiracy is completely lacking from the pages of this book. Instead we’re treated to hints at a viral outbreak that is somehow linked to several other properties in some completely unmentioned fashion. I would have loved to see some of these properties garner more than a mention, but I will stick around to see how they are handled in future issues.

Rating: 2/5 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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5 hours ago

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April 17, 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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