Tony Black reviews The X-Files #2…
THE X-FILES is back and bigger than ever! Now, with the participation of Chris Carter, IDW Publishing is proud to present the continuing adventures of iconic FBI Agents FOX MULDER and DANA SCULLY!
SEE ALSO: Check out a preview of The X-Files #2
The second issue of IDW’s brand new run of The X-Files comics launches us into our first two-part story from the combined forces of Joe Harris & Matthew Dow Smith, and ‘Dia de Muertos’ Part One once again successfully manages to fuse together a creepy investigation for Mulder & Scully with a modern day societal problem, in this case the plight of illegal immigration across the Mexican border and the desperate treatment of people looking for a better life in the land of opportunity. It’s an issue all about establishment but it allows Harris to take his time more with the storytelling than the fast one-shot of his last story.
The mystery revolves around two Mexican children – Rosa, who survived the horrific death of a lorry load of immigrants, and her presumably missing brother Enrico, both of whom appear to be under the thrall of a mysterious figure named ‘Justiniano’, and have some kind of connection to occult Day of the Dead rituals, with an unnerving creature with red eyes stalking proceedings. Harris has the characters down now, so while Scully adopts a caring & maternal approach with the troubled young girl, Mulder is flippant & dry (with only a comment about ISIS just feeling a bit too nakedly political) & focused on the occult legend he’s already finding clues about dotted around the massacre and through the young girl. It’s an intriguing mystery we only get pieces of by the cliffhanger, one which nicely puts one of our dynamic duo in potentially serious danger.
Yet again, a good, solid issue from Harris–with more stark, evocative artwork from Dow Smith–which tees up a creepy tale of Mexican myth and very much feels like a modern X-File with traces of the show of old. Looking forward to see how the follow up plays out…
Tony Black is a freelance film/TV writer & podcaster & would love you to follow him on Twitter.
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Originally published June 20, 2016. Updated November 10, 2019.
