Review: Millennium #2

Details: Written by: Keva Andersen | Deputy Editor-in-Chief; Category: Reviews; Published: March 21, 2015

032215-ka-mlm1 It's been a long wait but Issue 2 of IDW's Millennium comic from Joe Harris is finally here. The first issue brought together Mulder and Frank Black after the release of Monte Propps, the serial killer who was captured with the help of Mulder's monograph in 1989. The issue ended with a murder and a few clues. Do Frank and Mulder get any closer to finding the killer in Issue 2?

Find out after the jump.

The issue opens with Mulder and Frank looking over Monte Propps, who has been drowned in the bathtub of his apartment. All of Propps' victims were also drowned. Frank sees that Propps wasn't pushed into the water, but rather dragged under. He believes the woman he had seen previously at the court hearing had something to do with it. Mulder pushes him on the symbols painted around the tub but Frank can't make sense of them. That's when Mulder spots a teenager lurking in the doorway. The boy runs when the men try to confront him. He eventually leads them to another body outside, a woman who has the familiar ouroborous on her neck.

Mulder realizes the dead woman is the same one they believe killed Propps. While he makes a phone call, Frank speaks with the boy who is not at all what he seems. The boy is actually Legion, who fans of the show Millennium know is actually a manifestation of evil. One of the most popular versions of Legion is Lucy Butler.  This version of Legion is once again enjoying taunting Frank over the Millennium Group and what they wanted with Propps. Legion also claims he knows where Frank's daughter is. An officer interrupts the confrontation and Frank takes off.

Frank then heads to the home of the murdered government agent, but has visions of taking his daughter on the way there. Once inside the house he finds a laptop with what looks like a program from the Millennium group that asks for voice authorization. But before he can attempt to log in, someone else enters the house. A man approaches Frank and holds him at gunpoint. After a struggle, the man insinuates he knows Frank, and that Frank can answer his own questions about what forces are at work here. In the end, Frank wins the struggle for the gun, shoots the man in self defense, and leaves with the laptop.

Mulder arrives at the scene but Frank has already slipped away. The issue ends with Frank at a coffee shop with the computer. He logs on and provides his passphrase "Soylent green is people."  We end on a welcome screen that says "It's been 5,527 days since the new Millennium".

Millennium #2 is written by Joe Harris, with art by Colin Lorimer and colors by Joana Lafuente. Letters by Chris Mowry, edited by Denton J. Tipton and executive produced by Chris Carter.

I enjoyed Issue 1 a lot but have to say I found Issue 2 more difficult to follow. I'm new to Millennium as a whole, and right now I'm almost finished watching Season 1, so I know there are some mythology aspects that are going over my head. For instance, I didn't understand who Legion was on my first read. I'm assuming that would be a no-brainer moment to a long time fan. As an X-Files fan I like having Mulder around, but at the same time I'm starting to feel like he's intruding on Frank's story a bit. But then again, Mulder's moments of levity seem to be the only thing keeping Frank from being completely in the darkness so one could argue his presence is a good thing. I'd like to spend even more time with Frank to better understand what's going on with him, so a little less Mulder in Issue 3 would be fine with me.

The most chilling moment of the issue? Not the murders, but watching Frank log on at the very end.

As in Issue 1, I think the coloring of the art is great. The use of the deep reds and blues makes for an intense atmosphere and sharpens the shadows the Millennium group operates in.  Overall, I think Issue 2 will be more interesting to long-time Millennium fans than newbies, but it's an entertaining read and worth the time.

Visit your local comic shop to check out Millennium Issue 1 or Comixology for a digital copy.

If you want more Frank Black while waiting for the next issue, join XFN's online Millennium Rewatch! Catch a different episode each Sunday 10:30 PM GMT, 5:30 EST. Follow along with veteran Millennium fan Sophie Brown @easyqueenie and myself @Synergy3k and of course @XFilesNews on Twitter. We're nearing the end of Season 1 and things are starting to take a very interesting turn for Frank. Chat along with us using #XFNMLM.

Review: Millennium #2

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