Happy Ten Thirteen, happy birthday Mulder, happy birthday Chris Carter! 67 years old, already — retirement age, one could say — but that didn’t stop Marty, Francis, Sir Ridley…

And what’s this? A book announcement for something that comes out 22 October 2024, one year from now? Paul Terry’s “The X-Files: The Official Archives: Volume II: Extraterrestrial Activity and the Syndicate“! YES! We had found listings for this back in May that it would come out in December this year — so whatever the reason for the delay is, the making of this must be already well advanced if not completely finished. Says Terry:

“volume two covers the entire mythology—from seasons one all the way through to season 11, including Fight the Future, with some surprises—reading through it, and studying it, will feel a little different. Because I wanted volume two to be an even more immersive experience. So, while Agent Leyla Harrison is collating and preserving the reports and evidence, let’s just say that some strange things happen… things that, in spirit, will be familiar to X-Files fans.”

Can’t wait to see if Dr They rewrites Leyla Harrison’s memory to make sense of the revival mythology in a coherent way with the earlier years. Regardless of that, vol. 1 was such a beautifully done object that this can only be excellent!

Some things I noticed from the cover page: unlike vol. 1, this volume covers the years 1989, 1990 and 1992 as well (the years Mulder was alone in the XF division, or with Fowley) and the year 2017 (the missing year between s10 and s11). Terry’s signature reads 7/2/23, further proof that this was delayed sinificantly.

Edit: as per the author in the ETC Facebook comments (!), the date is not in any ay related to any delay, it’s an Easter egg. The hunt is on, what does it mean? “FBW”?

Interview with Paul Terry at Gizmodo