Camp Launchpad would seem on the surface to be every nerdy science kid’s dream: a space camp built on an actual, working shuttle launch pad. The reality, unfortunately, is not so glamorous. Due to a lack of funds, the once great camp (or at least, the once fairly decent camp) has fallen into disrepair.

Most of the equipment that was actually worth using had to be sold to keep the lights on. What they have now is usually on the verge of breaking. Fred, who runs the camp with his niece, Becca, knows that every year they manage to stay open could well be their last. Nowadays, those with money and influence prefer instead to go to Star-X, the space camp run by a glamorous, publicity-loving tech billionaire who’s definitely not based on any real person. Why would you even ask that?

So, who are the kids still going to Camp Launchpad instead of the better-funded option? There’s Val: boisterous, exuberant, and a bit bossy, who knows everything about the space program and is super excited to talk about it with anyone who will listen (whether they’re actually listening or not). There’s Pete: quiet and reserved, who doesn’t have any kind of formal training, but seems to know exactly how to fix just about any piece of equipment in the camp—even if the official instructions say something different. And then there’s bored, sullen Mark, whose father is Vice President of the United States. He should have the resources and connections to go to Star-X Camp, where the rest of his friends are going, but his dad was a camper at Camp Launchpad years ago, during its glory days, and he wants to pass those valuable experiences on to his son—whether Mark wants them or not.

Together, the three of them make up Pod A-Zero (what would be a cabin in a regular, non-space camp). Unfortunately, that’s about the only thing they do together. Clashing from the start and arguing about every single decision, just about every exercise they’re given (or “funtivity,” as camp counselor Becca calls them) results in disaster. Can these Absolute Zeroes get it together enough to win the end-of-camp Space Race against the other space camps in the area, which would net them enough money to revitalize the failing camp? Can anyone other than Val even be bothered to compete in it?

Seeing the kids excel in their individual areas of expertise but struggle to come together as a group makes you root for them even harder after each failure they endure. Though for my money, the really fun characters are the adults in charge of the camp.

I especially love Fred, who’s overly optimistic despite every disaster and tries to solve problems by pulling out his guitar and having a sing-along. And on the other end of the scale, we have Colonel McGuff, a military pilot who’s trained his entire life for the space program and wants to make sure you know that absolutely everything you encounter in space is trying to kill you. These and other colorful characters lead our heroes through a variety of training exercises that teach them important lessons, not just about space, but about life.

All in all, it’s the characters that make this comic worth reading. The story itself is fairly standard and even a bit predictable, but the characters get us invested. Kids will enjoy this comic and most will probably find someone in it they can relate to.

Additionally, the last few pages contain an illustrated interview with NASA scientist Dr. Darlene Kim about what it’s like at NASA, the future of space travel, and more—which should be fascinating to readers of any age.

If you have or know any kids who love space, science, or just a good underdog adventure, you should definitely have them check out Absolute Zeroes: Camp Launchpad.

Creative Team: Greg Smith and Michael Tanner (writers), Gabrielle Gomez (illustrators)
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
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