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.

New Jurassic Park reprints

Check out this beautiful omnibus of Jurassic Park and The Lost World. I'm very tempted to replace my mismatched copies with this pretty version:

Amazon's description:

From master thriller writer Michael Crichton: Two imaginative masterpieces of speculative science, full of adventure and larger-than-life characters. In Jurassic Park, scientists of today clone dinosaurs of the prehistoric past to serve as attractions in a modern theme park. When a rival biogenetic firm attempts to steal the scientists secret, the stage is set for a nightmare of science and dinosaurs run amok. The Lost World picks up the story six years later, with scientists scrambling to find the jungle island that served as the dinosaur production factory for Jurassic Park. Once again, rivalry and subterfuge combine to create life-threatening dangers for the scientists, who must contend with the rampaging dinosaurs as well as their cutthroat competitors. This volume contains the full text of both of Michael Crichton s bestselling novels. Featuring a beautifully stamped bonded leather cover, gilt edging, colorful endpapers, and a satin-ribbon bookmark, this collectible edition is a fine addition to any home library.

The novel omnibus is out already, while coming in January from IDW is their fourth omnibus of classic Jurassic Park comics: Return to Jurassic Park, Part One. With another nice cover:

Amazon's description:

The fourth volume of Classic Jurassic Park stories continues with Return to Jurassic Park #1-9, which contains the lead-in story to the four-issue adaptation of The Lost World. It also contains the two part stories "Heirs to the Thunder" and "Photo Finish" ending with the final issue, "Jurassic Jam," which featured multiple artists such as John Byrne and Walter Simonson.

And IDW's solicitation blurb:

The fourth volume of Classic Jurassic Park stories continues with Return to Jurassic Park #1-4. When a U.S. soldier is found floating, dead, off the coast of Costa Rica word makes its way to InGen headquarters in Palo Alto. Before long, Grant, Ellie, and Muldoon are headed back to Isla Nublar! And they're not going to like what they find on the island... Fills in the story between the first JP and The Lost World.

Bookshelf for your bookshelf

One of my favourite obscure-subject blogs is Bookshelf, a blog dedicated to showing the world the many varied bookshelves you can get, or make, to put your books on. They blew-my-storage-space-obsessed mind recently with an incredible stairs/drawers post. Due to being so awesome and unique the blog is being turned into something to be kept on its own subject matter, a book! And they have recently been showing off the cover, featuring, of course, a quirky bookcase:

So go check out the blog, or pre-order the book; should be good!

Doctor Who complete season six box set

Doctor Who News has reported details of the forthcoming Doctor Who complete season six boxset. All thirteen episodes will be included, plus cutdown versions of Doctor Who Confidential. Also included will be the last christmas speical, A Christmas Carol, the comic relief mini episode, Space & Time, the five webisodes that were released before episodes this season, and audio commentaries for four episodes. Additionally there will be a special five-miniepisode story just on the DVDs and blurays, called Night and the Doctor, with an accompanying Confidential episode.

The UK release will also be available in a limited edition Silence edition, with four lenticular prints (gifs of which are after the jump):

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:

Super 8 bluray and DVD cover

The cover for the bluray and DVD releases of Super 8 (which if you haven't seen it, is rather brilliant) have been released. They're based on the old super 8 film packets, and while the extra blue bars of the bluray cases rather butcher the design, it looks quite nice on the DVD:

 

The Muppet Show song cover video

Check out this awesome cover of The Muppet Show theme by OK Go:



It's from a new album of Muppets song covers called The Green Album, which you can read about and listen to on NPR. Or you can listen to samples right here, via this thingy from Amazon:



Has a neat cover too:

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: