Continuing the trend of bringing back fan favorites for this latest launch of X-Files, issue #8  reprises one of the most beloved informants of all time: Mr. X. But wait … isn’t he supposed to be dead?

Here’s the official word from IDW:

With hints of a new conspiracy bubbling to the surface, and whispers of a new ‘Syndicate’ organization in the wings, a secret from the past poses a threat that only Agents Mulder and Scully can tackle. But what does the former fixit man-and long-deceased informant-named ‘X’ have to do with it?

Writer Joe Harris continues to write kick-ass openings — like several of his earlier scripts, issue #8 opens with an attention grabbing sequence; this one takes us back to 1987 and a school shooting that’s about as creepy as anything he’s ever written. Now imagine flashing forward to Mulder’s office in current day D.C. and you’ll have a taste for the narrative structure of Harris’ newest arc. In short, “Syndicate” is part flash-back, part present-day mystery, and 100% reminiscent of the paranoid conspiracy tales of the old X-Files series. While the much beloved Mr. X is featured most prominently in the flashbacks, someone with his M.O is leaving clues for Mulder in the present. So yes, it’s fun, freaky, and worth picking up.

Michael Walsh provides the art here, and while his rendering of classic characters is spot-on his overall style is a bit too washed out for my taste. Dense lines and sparse details certainly fit the mood of the book, so I’m willing to admit it just might be me.

Overall, issue #8 offers a strong start to a this season’s newest arc. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.

4/5