Comic book writer Tom King will write a dystopian drama series called States of America. This news comes after King claimed the 2018 Eisner Award for Best Writing.
States of America takes place in a profoundly divided U.S. that is now occupied by foreign forces to maintain peace. It takes a look at some of the very real deep divisions that already exist in the country and creates a dystopian world where those differences have created an America that is no longer united in standing but divided in falling. It will tackle issues that are very real in modern society in a fictional way, including the War on Terror. King is writing the show for Topic Studios and Golden Globe award-winning producer Playground.
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In a press release, Scott Huff, EVP, Development and Production at Playground, spoke about the company's excitement in working with King on the new project:
"Tom King is one of the most successful writers working in comics today, and we’re excited to be bringing his unique voice to television. With States of America, he has created a thrilling and provocative alternate reality, grounded in his firsthand knowledge of counterterrorism and global politics."
Although most comic book fans know King as a writer for DC Comics, what they might not know is that he is a former CIA officer. This gives him some specialized knowledge about counterterrorism and the behind-the-scenes workings of world governments. King also has multiple Eisner awards and nominations under his belt. States of America gives him a chance to combine his CIA knowledge with his storytelling talent to create a series that already sounds like nothing TV viewers have seen before.
In addition to writing Batman and Mister Miracle for DC Comics, King also writes The Vision for Marvel and the recently announced Heroes in Crisis for DC. He is also the author of A Once Crowded Sky, a graphic novel about a world of superheroes who have become powerless, both literally and figuratively. Some DC fans only know King as the writer of Batman #50, though, which was one of the most anticipated comic book titles for DC since it launched Rebirth in 2016. That comic book's storyline became so controversial King received death threats. In response to these threats, he had a bodyguard looking after him at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.
Although King's work on Batman is considered stellar (in spite of #50), Mister Miracle is where his storytelling techniques really shine. It is this kind of writing that makes States of America seem like the perfect project for King. It's also now a series that fans of his work will really want to see.