America is widely considered an odd place to live, especially to those who don’t live within its borders. Undiscovered Country ups the ante with a speculative, future version of the United States that has locked off its borders, both figuratively and literally, with a massive wall that has made the land a black box, with no information about it going in or out.

As this series continues, more of this altered version of the U.S. is revealed to the reader, as our intrepid crew of adventurers make their way inside the sealed-off country with the goal of finding a cure for a deadly disease called the Sky Virus. Inside, things are an incredible mix of dystopia and authoritarianism, with many zones overseen by different faction leaders. While only some of this newly divided land has been revealed, it seems there is much to discover behind the great American border.

Co-creators and co-writers Scott Snyder and Charles Soule are titans in the comic book industry, and their work together here should not be underestimated. Their incredible talents are on display with the concept itself, let alone its execution. This is a sprawling, twisting story that looks like it’s going to have a lot going for it. It’s likely that readers won’t have any idea what this series has in store for several more years, as issues continue to be published.

Focusing most of this issue on America “expert” Ace Kenyatta, this issue of the series has been one of the more interesting ones, as it places Ace at the center of an experiment that could define the entire nature of the expedition. Ace’s characterization brings to mind something that is common in current American society: conspiracy theory. While Ace’s research is much different than his expectations, all of it is seen to be the ramblings of an irrational person, with no real sense of reality. Despite his own proof, he is not believed, and many other ideas are brought into play without any real sense of truth. This fictionalization compares to how facts are presented in the today’s world, though in this case its the truth viewed as falsehood, instead of the other way around.

This series wouldn’t be where it is without its incredible art team of Giuseppe Camuncoli, Daniele Orlandini, Matthew Wilson, and Crank! adding to the work of Snyder and Soule. With Camuncoli leading the charge as penciller and co-creator with Snyder and Soule, this series has been a playground of sorts for these talented artists. Building an entirely new world is no easy task, but Camuncoli is going all out in making this a visually striking landscape. It’s going to be really exciting to see where this road leads.

Though we haven’t seen much of what this team has planned for Undiscovered Country, there’s been enough to really get me excited. So far, for the premise and potential alone, this series is worth a read.

Creative Team: Scott Snyder, Charles Soule (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli, Daniele Orlandini (artists), Matthew Wilson (colorist), Crank! (letters)
Publisher: Image Comics
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