Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Denton J. Tipton
Artist: Vic Malhotra
Release Date: 12th March 2014

So far IDW’s X-Files crossover series has been a real pleasure, but unfortunately they’ve finally dropped the ball here.

The Lone Gunmen’s investigation into the coming apocalyptic virus has resulted in them being pursued by shadowy agents across the country, bringing them across the path of two police officers, who’s high-speed pursuit has lethal consequences and leads to the birth of a new incarnation of The Crow.

What follows is a bog-standard tale of revenge from beyond the grave, the kind that cropped up with predictable frequency in the early years of The X-Files.

There’s nothing essentially wrong with the story as is, but after several issues where concepts like Ghostbusters, Transformers and the TMNT were cleverly folded into the X-Files universe, this feels like a wasted opportunity to do something interesting.

Denton J. Tipton’s script is by the numbers as it gets, but is helped enormously by Vic Malhotra’s scratchy, Michael Lark-style art, which at least makes the comic a worthwhile read.

It’s all been building up to the big finale and so far, this is the only mid-step IDW have taken along the way. Fingers crossed they pull it off, because with the exception of The Crow, this series has been a joy to read.

This one, though?

Disappointing.

Rating: 2/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Jules Boyle