Saucer Country

This caught my eye; a new political UFO/Alien ongoing comic series coming from DC's Vertigo imprint starting in March, called Saucer Country. Here's how they describe the first issue:

Arcadia Alvarado, the leading Democratic candidate for President of the United States, says she was "abducted by aliens."

As the Mexican-American Governor of New Mexico, she's dealing with immigration, budget cuts and an alcoholic ex. She's about to toss her hat into the ring as a candidate for President in the most volatile political climate ever.

But then…a lonely road and a nightmarish encounter have left her with terrible, half-glimpsed memories. And now she has to become President. To expose the truth – and maybe, to save the world.

Arcadia's quest is at the heart of this new monthly series from writer Paul Cornell (DEMON KNIGHTS, ACTION COMICS, Doctor Who) and artist Ryan Kelly (NEW YORK FIVE, NORTHLANDERS). With the help of her quirky staff, Arcadia will pursue the truth of her abduction into danger, mystery and awe. SAUCER COUNTRY is a dark thriller that blends UFO lore and alien abduction with political intrigue, all set in the hauntingly beautiful Southwest.

The writer described it, on his blog, as: "The West Wing does The X-Files", and released this second piece of art:

Pre-order: Things From Another World, Forbidden Planet.

Jurassic Park Dangerous Games #5 preview

This week see's the release of the fifth and final issue of IDW's latest Jurassic Park comic series, Dangerous Games. Here's how IDW describe the finale:

Agent Espinoza has done the unthinkable and survived 24 hours on an island full of predators who want to kill him- both human and dinosaur. Now the end is near, and drug kingpin Cazares is the only thing standing in the way of Espinoza's freedom. Cazares, and an entire island of angry, rampaging dinosaurs thst is! It's a crazy, chaotic, climactic finish to Dangerous Games!

Continue after the jump for a seven-page preview:

Stargate novels switch to ebooks

Fandemonium Books, publisher of Stargate novels, have announced (in their last email newsletter) a change in their publishing, with a shift to ebook releases taking priority over print editions:

Some of you might have noticed that times are changing in the publishing world, and after much deliberation we at Fandemonium Books have decided that now is the right time to make the move to ebooks as our prime publishing media.

All our new books will be available for download from Amazon and all major ebook distributors, and in the coming months we’ll be releasing our entire back catalogue in ebook format.

I'm not an ebook convert yet, but this does at least been some of the stupendously expensive out-of-print books will become much easier to get hold of in some form. And there is an option to get print-on-demand copies of new releases too:

But, for those lovers of all things paper, we’re not abandoning you. We will offer all of our new titles as print-on-demand books, so you can still get hold of a paperback copy of our books including the newly released STARGATE SG-1: Transitions.

The two most recent Stargate novels have launched this model. The third book in the post-finale Atlantis series, Legacy: Allegiance:

Reeling from the shocking discovery of Rodney McKay's fate, Colonel Sheppard and his team retreat to Atlantis to regroup. With Rodney not only in the hands of the Wraith, but apparently working for them, Atlantis faces a new danger - their own man, turned against them.

While Zelenka and Colonel Carter work frantically to crack the security protocols McKay embedded in Atlantis's computer system, Ronan revisits his past and finds much is changing on Sateda. Meanwhile, Queen Death prepares to make use of her most valuable prisoner; with Rodney still unaware of his true identity, the fate of Atlantis hangs in the balance…

Set after the TV series' exciting finale, STARGATE ATLANTIS: Allegiance is book three of the gripping new Legacy series.

           Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it.

And the new crossover novel, Transitions:

After her mother’s death, Cassie Fraiser is moving on. So she thinks. But there are dangerous forces at work and she soon finds herself caught up in a situation far beyond her control. It’s a good thing Colonel Carter was keeping an eye on her.

But while Carter rallies SG-1 to Cassie’s aid, events on Atlantis are going from bad to worse. Facing a deadly plague and a computer virus that’s shutting down the city, it looks like Colonel Sheppard’s team will provide rich pickings for the incoming Wraith hive ship.

But sometimes events galaxies apart are connected in unexpected ways— and help comes from the most surprising of places. In this action-packed story, Sabine C. Bauer brings together the heroes of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis in the fight of their lives…

           Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it.

Jurassic Park Dangerous Games #4 solicitation

IDW's solicitations for December are out, which include the penultimate issue of the Jurassic Park series, Dangerous Games. Here's how they describe it:

Agent Espinoza has evaded near death on Jurassic Park countless times over the past 24 hours. Now he's looking to payback the man behind it all- drug kingpin Cazares! That means breaking into Cazares' headquaters in the Jurassic Park hotel... which is fortified with countless gun-toting goons! How can Espinoza storm the compound? A herd of triceratops might not hurt, for starters!

The issue will be available in a standard cover or black white retail incentive:

 

Out this week was the second issue of the series; if you haven't got it yet Comic Book Resources have a seven-page preview. Here's one page:

Dinosaur film coming from Pixar!

At the recent D23 expo Pixar annouced a couple of future projects, one of which features dinosaurs! Here are the descriptions, care of io9, plus the desritpion fo the next Toy Story short:

The Untitled Pixar Film About Dinosaurs

What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? This hilarious, heartfelt and original tale is directed by Bob Peterson (co-director/writer, "Up;" writer, "Finding Nemo") and produced by John Walker ("The Incredibles," "The Iron Giant").

The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside the Mind

Pixar takes audiences on incredible journeys into extraordinary worlds: from the darkest depths of the ocean to the top of the tepui mountains in South America; from the fictional metropolis of Monstropolis to a futuristic fantasy of outer space. From director Pete Docter ("Up," "Monsters, Inc.") and producer Jonas Rivera ("Up"), the inventive new film will take you to a place that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen: the world inside the human mind.

Small Fry

In the latest Toy Story Toon, Buzz Lightyear is left behind at a fast food restaurant when a kids' meal toy version of Buzz takes his place. While Bonnie's toys are stuck with the annoying 3-inch-tall Buzz impersonator, the real Buzz is trapped in the restaurant at a support group for discarded toys. As Woody and the gang devise a way to rescue their friend, Buzz tries to escape the toy psychotherapy meeting.

More information and coverage on io9, First Showing and /Film.

Jurassic Park: Dangerous Games

IDW have just released their solicitations for November, which include the third issue of their latest Jurassic Park series: Dangerous Games, written by Greg Bear and Erik Bear, with art by Jorge Jimenez. Here are blurbs and covers for that series to date:

Dangerous Games #1

The time has come... to return to Isla Nublar! The famed original Jurassic Park island has become overgrown and wild after years of being stuck in United Nations limbo. A major criminal overlord has moved in and started using the island as a base of operations. Undercover agent Espinoza tries to bring down the drug cartel- but when he's found out, there's only one place to run... the dino-infested island interior! It's survival of the fittest at Jurassic Park!

 

Dangerous Games #2

The hunt begins! Detective Espinoza is on the run in the deadliest of locations... Jurassic Park! With well-armed goons on his trail, this is a seemingly impossible game to win. Luckily Espinoza meets Dr. Frances White, an animal behaviorial expert also trapped on the island. But how much help will Dr. White be when she leads him directly to a hungry T-Rex? This is the dino action you've been craving!

Dangerous Games #3

Agent Espinoza is being hunted on Jurassic Park, both by dinosaurs and a blood-thirsty drug cartel. Tired, hungry and sick of being the prey, a desperate Espinoza decides to flip the tables and start getting crafty! The end result is a battle to the death at the top of a waterfall with deadly dinos on all sides. It's maximum Jurassic action in this issue of Dangerous Games!

If you make your way to Chris Ryall's blog you can also see some interior artwork, and some of the cover artwork without titles. Like this beauty: