IDW's 'Millennium' #5 Review: David Duchovny/Fox Mulder, Lance Henriksen/Frank Black Epic Finale!

With the success of The X-Files: Season 10, IDW Publishing closes a major chapter in the comic book adaptation of Chris Carter's Millennium. Frank Black (played by Lance Henriksen) races against the clock to save Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) in the epic and chilling Millennium #5 finale, by writer Joe Harris and artist Colin Lorimer.

Based on the the Millennium TV series, the comic book series picks up Frank's pursuit in stopping the Millennium Group after they have brought about the apocalypse. As we previously mentioned, the fourth issue ended on a major cliffhanger as Frank discovered his estranged daughter, Jordan, is working willingly with the Millennium Group. Their reunion is put on hold as Mulder finds himself setup in a deadly trap. 

In our MStars interview, Harris revealed the use of flashbacks within the narrative to fill in the blanks between the TV show and the comic book, "Some things have in fact gone wrong in the world that may in fact be attributable to Millennium. And a guy like Frank Black who's always right in the middle of both this overarching fanatic struggle between good and evil, he was also pursued by this Illuminati type group, the Millennium Group, and all of that has taken its toll."

Harris continued, "So we are seeing a Frank Black 15 years after we last saw him. I think that's just the way that's going to ring the truest with the readers. We will also see flashbacks, I believe, some point along, the way to a younger day, back to when we first met the character. There are things I'd like to do in general, is kind of play with the past and go between the stitches a little bit."

In the concluding installment, Harris pays homage to the Millennium pilot and does great service to the characters themselves. Bringing everything full circle, there are visual references to certain episodes told through flashbacks. Everything connects as Frank has to make a difficult choice, save Mulder or save his daughter? 

Larimer plays around with angles and shadows, especially when Frank arrives at his climatic destination. In detailed closeups, Frank's facial expressions are tired and wrinkled, as if this supernatural war has taken a toll on his spirt. Colorist Joana Lafuente heightens the reading experience by painting the panels in surreal red and blue tones.

RATING: BUY IT NOW

A riveting finale, Millennium #5 concludes with a satisfying open-ending. Joe Harris and Colin Larimer have done a great job bringing back Frank Black into the fold. They've captured what I love about Millennium, that I never want his adventure to end.