Comic-Con 2016: Saucer Country To Return As Saucer State

By D. Goodman | Jul 23, 2016

Paul Cornell’s Saucer Country, formerly published by Vertigo/DC is coming back, this time as Saucer State and from IDW.

Back in 2012, DC made another of their halfhearted attempts to breathe new life into their failing Vertigo imprint, which by then was a shell of its former self. With the success they had just experienced with the New 52, I guess they thought they could catch magic in a bottle twice.

Like the last time they tried this, DC launched a number of new Vertigo ongoing and limited series by some of the best talent currently working for the publisher and then proceeded to not promote any of them. And just like last time, almost all the various projects died a very early death with little or no fanfare.

One book that I was heartbroken to see end was Paul Cornell’s Saucer Country. The series, which told the story of Arcadia Alvarado, a former Governor of New Mexico and current presidential candidate who happened to be abducted by aliens, was a huge favorite of mine. The series featured art by Ryan Kelly and lasted 14 glorious issues before meeting its untimely end.

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Since the book was published by Vertigo, the chances of seeing it return at the time it was cancelled were slim to none. So I would reread my issues every once in a while and wonder what might have been.

Now, I can wonder no more.

Announced Friday at the IDW panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Saucer Country is miraculously coming back from the dead.

Renamed Saucer State, the new ongoing series will debut from IDW in the spring of next year and will see the return of the entire creative team, including Cornell as writer and Kelly on art. In addition, IDW will collect the entire first series as The Complete Saucer Country which will go on sale at the same time as the first issue.

In the press release announcing the return of the series, Cornell sounds thrilled to see his creation return.

"“I’m hugely delighted that Saucer Country lives again! I’m even more delighted that Ryan Kelly is once again drawing it. And my delight overflows that it’s at such a good home as IDW.”"

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Now, this will be your second chance to read this incredibly good series, so don’t pass it up. It is one part X-Files, another part West Wing with a dash of Game of Thrones thrown in. In fact, I challenge all of you to read the new series and not enjoy it.

Go ahead. I dare you.

Saucer State as well as The Complete Saucer Country will arrive in your local comic shop and on Comixology in the Spring of 2017.