Joe Harris (1) (1973–)

This graphic novel is about spontaneous human combustion. This was almost a DNF because the start is slow and trying to figure out what’s going on takes too long. But sticking with it means you get to the end of a pretty fantastic story. There’s a teenage boy Melvin, and two different time periods where Melvin has not been born yet, and the one he is experiencing right now. There’s a new journalist following him around trying to get to the bottom of all the fiery deaths. This is a horror graphic novel, so it is a bit bloody and a bit dark but if you like that, give this a shot. The artwork is unique, and at first, I didn’t like it, but it grew on me, as well as the story. By the end this all works well together to make a very interesting and well worth the graphic novel story.… (meer)

I wanted to like this. I really did. I bought in to the hype and excitement of finally seeing the X Files resurrected...then totally forgot audible was a thing. Which, in the long run, is great because now I can come back to Cold Cases with a clean slate without needing to worry about the popularity push influencing how I saw things.

Hated it.

Don't get me wrong, Duchovny and Anderson are very talented along with the other key narrators/actors but something about this volume is just....off. The story itself feels overly hokey and cheesy which I know is part of the fun of the X Files to begin with. But it's not in the same way as the show was/is but in an underdone production kind of way. The narration is unemotional, reading like the first read through on a script that no one is sure they want to be involved in. The story itself doesn't flow, lacking any real personality which only makes the hammy voice acting stick out even more. I see many reviewers commenting on how close it is to a radio show which yes, I'll give some credit, the sound editor did well. However years of podcasts and audiobooks on streaming/demand have conditioned us away from the more obvious exposition and audio devices and in to focusing on the quality of the voice actors themselves. A plotline that didn't develop characters, motive or personality left it feeling as if the author was trying to shoehorn in every popular character as a means to just have them there. Fanservice instead of quality.

It just made for a disappointing listen and a hope that the next chapters are better....if I decide to buy them.… (meer)