Millennium: Review: Issue 1

Writer: Joe Harris

Artist: Colin Lorimer

IDW, out now

Frank Black knows that Monte Propps is far more than just a “simple” serial killer…

Millennium is one of those series that deserved to get far more attention than it received at the time of its broadcast at the end of the 20th century. I’ll declare a small interest now, in that I went on set during each of the three years it was in production, and it was like going to three completely different series, linked by Lance Henriksen – I won’t say linked by Frank Black, because the characterisation changed dependent on the outlook of the executive producers. At times horrifying, at times baffling, it certainly – even at its worst (and there were some poor segments) – was always intriguing. The “wrap-up” episode for Millennium on The X-Files wasn’t either series at its best, but kudos to Chris Carter and co. for providing at least some closure.

And now IDW have revived it. Readers of the X-Files Season 10 series may have been more than a little surprised to see Henriksen’s features in issue 17, as Frank Black made a (moderately) unheralded return to advise Mulder, and the X-File agent is the guest star in this first issue of the new comicbook. There’s an interesting prologue to the story, set at the turn of the millennium (with a final panel that hints at the Millennium Group’s involvement in some very serious events), before we get into the meat of the issue as what seems like a standard parole hearing descends into something far worse.

Joe Harris’ dialogue is spot-on for both Mulder and Black – you can almost hear Duchovny and Henriksen saying the lines – and Colin Lorimer’s art captures the palate of the show, which was often muted compared with The X-Files. If you’ve enjoyed the X-Files comic, you’re likely to find this worth a read, and fans of the series, even if not regular readers, may get a pleasant surprise at how well it’s translated.

Verdict: A strong start, and a case that’s definitely worth pursuing. 8/10

Paul Simpson