IDW rolled out a real Christmas beauty for Agents Scully and Mulder. Mulder finds himself visited by three seasonal spirits, but the rules of A Christmas Carol have undergone some modifications, and they don’t always jive too well with Fox. He’s always been a haunted man, and he’s been fueled by the mysterious disappearance for decades. It’s what pushes him forward. And while he won’t receive the answers he so desperately seeks, he will pick up on a few things that slipped from Mulder’s memory banks.

The book is beautiful, Sebastian Cheng giving us warm hues on high notes and grim color schemes as the narrative takes a darker turn. And Cheng isn’t the only one shining here. Joe Harris’ narrative is excellent, and he throws in just enough curveballs to guarantee we can’t get too comfortable with predictable outcomes. And finally, Wayne Nichols swings heavy with the artwork. It just looks every bit as amazing as one could hope for from an X-Files book.

I’ve never been addicted to science fiction, and while I tuned in for a few seasons of The X-Files, it never really ranked as a personal favorite for me. But as time passes, as 40 races after me relentlessly, I’m finding something of a second wind with regards to interest in not just this book, but the series as well. It might be time to declare myself a really, really late bloomer. Better The X-Files today than no Scully or Mulder in the future. That just doesn’t sound too cool.

Order it here.

Rating: 4/5