Review: A Troubling Mystery Brews In ‘Stranger Things- Science Camp’ #1
by Brendan M. Allen
Terror at Camp Know Where!
Dustin arrives at Camp Know Where to navigate the new social hierarchy without the support of his Hawkins adventuring party. While also faced with nerdy bullies, a new menace haunts the young scientists and camp counselors.
A mysterious figure with sinister intent arrives to disrupt the serene woodland scene. The solution won’t take rocket science, but Dustin will have to get on the same wavelength as the other campers before tensions reach a boiling point.
Stranger Things: Science Camp #1 takes place somewhere between the events at the end of season two and the beginning of season three of the Netflix series. Dustin is off at Science Camp, where we know he’ll meet Suzie, [SPOILERS] who ends up killing Hopper and Billy at the end of season three. Bitter? Why, yes. Yes, I am. Why do you ask?
Anyway, Dustin is shocked to learn that even in a group of science geeks, there’s a social hierarchy that includes bullies. Sticking up for the smaller kids, Dustin makes himself the primary target. The counselors show typical levels of concern, as they place bets on the fights will inevitably break out.
Jody Houser is obviously comfortable with the kids from Hawkins, having already penned scripts for several of the Stranger Things comics series.
Dustin’s character really comes through in his actions and dialogue. I’m pretty sure that Cleidocranial Dysplasia line is uttered almost verbatim in the series, which makes perfect sense. It’s the kind of line someone who’s used to being constantly picked on for one specific feature would use over and over again when the situation called for it.
Edgar Salazar, Keith Champagne, and Marissa Louise do an excellent job of bringing the tone and flavor of the show to these pages. The likenesses are fantastic. The story is primarily focused on Dustin, but the other kids make cameos in his memories and flashbacks.
Stranger Things: Space Camp does lean heavily into nostalgia and 80’s horror tropes, but that’s kind of the point isn’t it? The turn looks like it could have been lifted straight out of Friday the 13th. Satire of satire. I’m here for it.
Stranger Things: Science Camp #1, Dark Horse Comics, 30 September 2020. Written by Jody Houser, pencils by Edgar Salazar, inks by Keith Champagne, color by Marissa Louise, letters by Nate Piekos of Blambot, covers by Viktor Kalvachev, Kyle Lambert, and Francisco Ruiz.
Summary
Dustin arrives at Camp Know Where to navigate the new social hierarchy without the support of his Hawkins adventuring party. While also faced with nerdy bullies, a mysterious figure with sinister intent arrives to disrupt the serene woodland scene.
