Comics
Review: “X-Files: Conspiracy” # 1
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.
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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