IDW (2017+)

After the 2016-2017 series, a two-issue special will follow in October-November 2017, JFK Disclosure, written by IDW editor Denton J Tipton and drawn by menton3 (who did More Musings of a CSM).

IDW will announce its plans for beyond that in October 2017, in light of the news of the continuation of the live series returning in 2018.

The X-Files “Ongoing” (2016-2017)

The last story arc, Resistance, launches with #14 and will last 4 issues, so May-August 2017. Joe Harris leaves the series after that.

In February 2017, Joe Harris said he delivered his 50th X-Files script. If my calculations are correct, that corresponds to #14 of the on-going series, which should be out in May 2017.

There are no plans for another Millennium run, or a Lone Gunmen run.

Season 11 (2015-2016)

Joe Harris, July 2013: We’ve got outline material for a couple years at this point. I don’t think there’s any plan to end it after that.

Season 11 starts after Season 10 #25, in August 2015.

Will it last 25 issues as well? Will it follow the 5-issue story arc structure of Season 10?

The airing of the X-Files Revival episodes should coincide with the publication of Season 11 issues 6-7 (January-February 2016).

Season 10 (2013-2015)

Collected volumes of Season 10 come out in bundles of 5 issues, alternating between one volume with a five-issue mytharc story and one volume with multiple stories that can mix stand-alones and mytharc.

So what comes after Pilgrims? Harris gave an interview to Bloody-Disgusting on the future of Season 10, well worth a read. Some excerpts:

Bloody-Disgusting: The most recent issue focused heavily on the Cigarette Smoking Man to great effect. Do you have plans for some of the other secondary characters?

Joe Harris: I Do. I’d like to spend an issue with John Doggett and Monica Reyes. That’s a huge ambition I have. A spotlight issue on Skinner would be awesome. I think we’re all in agreement on that one. I’m looking at this as we’re doing three kinds of stories. The multiple part myth arc stories, monsters of the month, and characters spotlights. I wouldn’t mind Arthur Dales involved, but he’s almost tertiary. There is a wealth of characters you can explore within this canon. So I think I’m pretty set for the next year.

BD: Because the canon is so big, how do you choose what you actually work with and are there any restrictions?

JH: I don’t have many restrictions. We haven’t kept it a secret that there are two things Chris Carter feels near and dear with the X-Files. One is the “invasion” that was prophesized for 2012. He has plans that he would like to tackle at some point. Two is more with Scully’s son William. Those are things he wants to keep for himself. We wanted to find ways to address these things, because fans want to see what’s happening with these threads. The creator of all this still deserves his day, but we’ll tease you along the way.

BD: What’s your favorite part of contributing to that mythology?

JH: This idea that there is a conspiracy within the government means something a little different in the 21st century. Now its all about who owns the government, who’s wiring profit out of it, who does it really serve and work for? In a post citizens united world where we have corporations who own everything and the NSA operating without restraint. We conduct warfare by remote control. It brings the stuff that is paranoid about the X-Files into this brand new spectrum. The concept updates itself pretty well. I don’t want to be retro. I want to spin the story into something that feels really current.

Mytharc, MOTM, and “guest” characters, it sounds like a good combination that could stretch Season 10’s run for a while. Also,  Harris teased us with another type of episode:

I’ve decided year two of The X-Files: Season 10 will include an… *off-beat* story (that’s being kind). Really excited to pull this off.

Humorous XF on print? Challenging!

That might be the “X-Files X-Mas Special” coming out in December 2014.