X-Files Meets The Diplomat In This 21-Part Sci-Fi Masterpiece

Published Sep 26, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT

Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.

Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.

Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.

The spooky UFO mythology of The X-Files meets the political intrigue of The Diplomat in a sci-fi masterwork that pays off its premise like few others. Here's what you need to know about the Hugo Award-nominated series and its newly announced adaptation.

The series in question is Saucer Country and its sequel series Saucer State, launched in 2012 by Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, The Witches Of World War II) and Ryan Kelly (Lucifer, Northlanders.)

The initial Saucer Country ran for fourteen comic issues beginning in 2012, followed by six issues of Saucer State in 2017 and a bumper finale issue in 2024. Here's why no fan of sci-fi storytelling should miss it - especially with a television adaptation officially in the works.

Saucer Country Combines Political Intrigue and Spooky Sci-Fi

Saucer Country follows New Mexico governor Arcadia Alvarado - a presidential nominee who is mysteriously abducted by aliens right as she begins running for the highest office in the country. Traumatized and outraged by the experience, Alvarado decides she has to find out more while also fearing she's being manipulated by unknown adversaries.

Alvarado's search for the truth draws in side characters such as her alcoholic ex-husband Michael, cynical strategist Chloe and diehard bodyguard Fausto, with the group learning more about the abduction and the part played by Alvarado's opponent Senator Kersey, who may be a knowing agent of the extraterrestrial antagonists... or simply another of their victims.

What makes Saucer Country special is the skeptical nature of its characters, with even Alvarado herself not being totally sold on the reality of her experience.

The story plays with real-life alien archetypes, asking how much of Alvarado's experience was real and how much was informed by what pop culture has primed her to expect. The story even delves into Arrival-like questions of communication, and whether the aliens' seemingly threatening messages are being warped by context.

All the while Cornell and Kelly depict rounded, complex characters who have conflicting opinions and goals, making Alvarado's search for the truth feel both personal and urgent. Fans of Keri Russel's Kate Wyler from The Diplomat will find a lot to like in Alvarado.

Saucer Country Is About Why We Believe

Saucer Country is a great story about a small group of people fighting the system to discover a hidden truth, but it's also a sincere examination of the nature of belief and folklore. The comic includes a number of non-fiction accounts of real life 'alien encounter' experiences, examining both the incidents themselves and how they influenced the wider image of aliens.

In one of the series' best twists, Michael's investigation into the potential of alien life leads him into psychedelic trips where the extraterrestrial and folkloric combine, raising the question of whether 'aliens' are just one face worn by something that's been trying to communicate with humanity for eons.

If that all sounds too heady, don't worry. Saucer Country's most high-concept ideas are all married to the personal journeys of the characters, and Alvarado's political ambitions ensure there are always real, significant stakes, from the political to life-threatening situations.

Factions are steadily revealed, and Alvarado's search for the truth is balanced with her need to maintain a compelling public image and her suspicions about which powerful people already know the truth. The story also emphasizes that whatever happened to Alvarado, it was a traumatic assault, and one for which she wants justice.

Saucer Country Boasts One of the Best Endings In Comic History

Saucer State and Saucer Country had a rocky publication, starting out with DC's Vertigo Comics before moving to IDW Publishing and then crowdfunding its finale issue, with the complete collection now published by Image Comics. Despite these bumps in the road, Cornell and Kelly stay the course for a fantastic ending that satisfyingly ties up loose ends.

Compared to The X-Files, Saucer Country ties up pretty much all its loose ends. Readers find out the truth of alien life on Earth as well as exactly what happened to Alvarado and why. The story even manages to pay off its sense of scale, leading to a conclusion big enough to justify Alvarado's fight for the presidency.

At the same time, the comic's non-fiction elements converge with the story, exploring how the folklore around extraterrestrial life has built up over time and how it's consciously wielded by those who seek to use the mythos to accrue money and power.

Crucially, Saucer Country manages to thread the needle of 'explaining' alien lore without sapping the subject of wonder or possibility, with the final page delivering an image that you won't see coming, despite how earned it is.

A Saucer Country Television Adaptation Is Coming Soon

Saucer Country is a perfect graphic novel for those who don't usually read comics, with Saucer Country: The Completed Edition collecting the entire story in one place. There are no spin-offs or pre-existing lore, just a great story that weaves a presidential run, alien abductions and psychedelic visions of talking bunnies into a compelling human story.

However, for those who want to experience that story a different way, the good news is that a TV adaptation of Saucer Country is in early development, having been optioned by Plot Point 1 Productions just a few months ago. Deadline reports that producers Hamzah Jamjoom and Alberto Lopez will handle a multi-season premium television drama adaptation.

Regarding the adaptation, Cornell states:

Saucer Country is about how a mythology can be weaponised and how the search for "the truth" can be used to obscure it. That’s a story we’re seeing played out in the headlines right now. I’m incredibly excited that my comic is going beyond the printed page, especially with a creative team that understands and loves the material.

The show is in the early days of production, with little known about the cast or its eventual home known so far.

Saucer Country Is The Ultimate Spiritual Successor to The X-Files

One of the most exciting sci-fi comic series ever created, Saucer Country is a compelling sci-fi and political narrative that explores the search for truth and the temptation of conspiracy.

While a TV adaptation is coming soon, the original comics already nailed the story, and any fans of the creepy mystery of The X-Files or the strategic political action of The Diplomat should make Saucer Country their next read.

Saucer Country: The Completed Edition is available now from Image Comics.