The X-Files: Funko Universe
Writers: Derek Fridolfs, Mike Raicht, Matthew Dow Smith, Denton J. Tipton
Artists: Pamela Lovas, Charles Paul Wilson III, Chris Fenoglio, Troy Little
Letterers: Neil Uyetake, Ryan Hill, Troy Little
Publisher: IDW
A review by Anelise Farris
I never thought I’d be reading or watching something related to The X-Files and find myself exclaiming how cute Mulder and Scully are, but that’s exactly what happened when I opened up The X-Files: Funko Universe. This comic is a one-shot, part of this month’s larger Funko Universe event, and it is absolutely delightful. The X-Files: Funko Universe contains four mini-narratives, each one created by a different team of individuals. Usually with an anthology-style comic there are certain stories that stand out more than others, but that’s not the case here. Each of the four stories had me compelled by the writing, fascinated by the art, and smiling like a giant dork over Mulder and Scully in Funko form.
The first story “To Believe, or Not to Believe” involves a series of happenings in which Mulder repeatedly tries to convince Scully that supernatural beings are real. My favorite scene is Mulder telling Scully that she is holding a tube of alien virus oil; to which Scully replies that it is just her mascara running. The art in this first story is clean and sophisticated, with simple, solid backgrounds. The second story takes a much different approach, as “You Are What You Eat” is bright, with neon psychedelic colors and patterns. The lines are softer, and the word balloons do not contain letters—just pictures and icons. And it’s so cool! The last two stories are equally diverse in terms of their composition and narrative: “Escape from Space Mountain” features muted colors and a lot of panel diversity, and “Sasquatch on the Set” contains bold colors and thick lines.
In The X-Files: Funko Universe, you don’t just get one great story, but four! And what truly makes this comic standout is that each of the four mini-narratives are unique in terms of the writing and the art. While the four stories do not progress linearly, it was a smart choice to arrange them in the way they did so as to highlight how they differ from each other. And, again, there is not one truly remarkable or less than impressive narrative, each one in The X-Files: Funko Universe is memorable in its own right.
The Verdict
Buy it! If you are a fan of Mulder and Scully, The X-Files: Funko Universe is a must! The stories feel like they came right out of an episode of The X-Files, but with a whole lot more humor and cuteness. Trust me, you definitely want to see a Funko form Mulder making fun of a Funko form Skinner. If you aren’t a fan of The X-files, there is still a whole lot to appreciate here in terms of writing and art, but you’ll definitely enjoy it better if you are at least familiar with the iconic TV couple.
