• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Comic Book Review – The X-Files #14

May 31, 2017 by Tony Black

Tony Black reviews The X-Files #14…

“Resistance,” Part 1 (of 4): Scully receives an invitation from Firas Ben-Brahim after months of silence, and she soon discovers the dark secrets he’s been keeping from her… and the rest of the world.

SEE ALSO: Check out a preview of The X-Files #14 here

The final curtain prepares to drop in this latest issue of The X-Files ongoing comic series, not just for this continuation run as it stands from IDW, but also writer Joe Harris’ almost five year tenure as the keeper of the conspiratorial comic flame. Joe and artist Matthew Dow Smith both discuss this on recent episodes of my podcast The X-Cast in more detail, but ‘Resistance’ begins a four part arc which connects back to the mid-season four part story ‘Came Back Haunted’ and the premiere ‘Active Shooter’, continuing the story of a mysterious, seemingly alien presence capable of possessing human beings, and the connection to it of Firas Ben-Mikklesen–uh Brahim, an enigmatic industrialist and philanthropist who here slips neatly into the role of slick informant of the like Agents Mulder & Scully have encountered over the years in their search for ‘the truth’.

Even though part one of ‘Resistance’ is very much an exposition-heavy, scene-setting piece, it nonetheless immediately rewards long time readers by getting straight into the guts of the story; Scully looking into Ben-Brahim, a man there have been past hints she may well be attracted to (hints Harris lightly plays on here, mainly through Mulder’s reactions) and through her interactions, we begin to glimpse connections between what Firas describes as the ‘Old Ones’ and much more familiar elements of the classic X-Files alien mytharc, which should put a smile on the face of any X-Phile purist.

Harris places Scully in the role of deliverer while Mulder remains laconic and distrusting, which fits the older portrayal of Mulder we saw in the recent tenth series; these days he is far less given to lapping up ‘truth’ with a wooden spoon, no matter who may be providing it, while Scully has more of a balanced determination to cautiously head down the rabbit hole and see what they find. Along the way, Harris nicely shows us new sinister governmental forces looking to keep the truth at bay, and once again continues his mission statement of reminding us we live in a murky world where our administration cannot be trusted, and one senses the parallels to our current, real world political landscape may grow less and less opaque the deeper his final arc goes.

As always backed up by Dow Smith with panels filled with shadow and edgy texture, Harris’ first goodbye salvo with ‘Resistance’ is a solid beginning, filled with continuing character and mythology pieces, some dark and nefarious scenes, and a brooding, ominous final moment which suggests some serious stakes are in play. Oh, and, final fanboy geek moment: that mention of Tunisia in Scully’s files connected to Firas – ten to one his father is Conrad Strughold from Fight the Future. Calling it now!

Rating: 7/10

Tony Black

Originally published May 31, 2017. Updated November 21, 2019.

Filed Under: Comic Books, Reviews, Tony Black Tagged With: IDW, Joe Harris, Matthew Dow Smith, The X-Files

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

8 Essential Feel-Good British Underdog Movies

Robin of Sherwood: Still the quintessential take on the Robin Hood legend

Back to the Future at 40: The Story Behind the Pop Culture Touchstone

10 Great Movies You Can Only Watch Once

The Rocky Horror Picture Show at 50: How A Musical Awoke A Generation

Peeping Tom: A Voyeuristic Masterpiece of the Slasher Subgenre

Lock, Stock and The Essential Guy Ritchie Movies

Ranking Bad E.T. Rip-Offs From Worst to Watchable

Ten Controversial Movies and the Drama Around Them

Forgotten 90s Action Movies That Deserve a Second Chance

Top Stories:

Movie Review – Honey Don’t! (2025)

Movie Review – Eden (2025)

Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool reportedly confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday

10 Great Twilight Zone-Style Movies For Your Watch List

Naughty Video Games of Yesteryear

4K Ultra HD Review – Bad Lieutenant (1992)

Quentin Tarantino explains why he dumped The Movie Critic as his final film

4K Ultra HD Review – Trouble Every Day (2001)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

Ten Essential Films of the 1950s

What Will Amazon Do with James Bond?

10 Essential Frankenstein-Inspired Films

The Goonies at 40: The Story Behind the Iconic 80s Adventure

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket