Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Paul Crilley
Artist: John Stanisci
Release Date: 26th March 2014

With the crossover issues all done, X-Files: Conspiracy reaches its conclusion, but is it a satisfying one?

Well… sort of.

With no Transformers, Ghostbusters or Ninja Turtles to steal the limelight, this is very much a Lone Gunmen story once again, with the hapless geniuses racing to stop the virus that they know is destined to wipe out the human race. For such a big storyline it’s a fairly low-key finale, with only Mulder (playing second fiddle for once) getting in on any action, but it works perfectly.

Paul Crilley’s script gets what the Gunmen are about and why we love them, perfectly capturing the individual voices of Byers, Langely and Frohike, while bringing the story to a more than satisfying conclusion.

Sadly, the same cant be said about John Stanisci’s art. It looks amateurish, frankly. Stumpy, inconsistent anatomy and strange perspectives abound, while characters look radically different from one page to the next.

I wouldn’t have been impressed at any point, but in giving the conclusion to what has been, for the most part, a fantastic mini-series to such an inappropriate artist is a real disappointment.

With better art, X-Files: Conspiracy 2 could have shone, but as it is, it’s a case of wondering what might have been.

I’ve loved this series, it’s just a shame it fell at the final hurdle.

Rating: 2/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Jules Boyle