Skye’s parents are no longer together. That means every school year Skye lives with her Mom and every Summer she goes to spend time with her Dad and “Step-Monster.” While her mom goes to Rwanda for a Doctors Without Borders trip, Skye gets the surprise of her life as her Step-Mother and Father drop her off at a bus labeled “Camp Midnight.” Skye makes an odd friend on the bus, but when the entire bus is full of strange kids that isn’t hard to do. Activities at her Camp start at midnight and the food looks like something out of a horror movie. When all the campers take their “true forms” Skye knows she is not meant to be at this camp. While her Father and Step-Mother ignore her call home, Skye makes the best of a bad situation, learns what she’s made of, and helps the campers learn more about themselves in the process.
Camp Midnight’s writing comes from Steven T. Seagle, creator of Ben 10 and Big Hero 6. The eerie artwork is from New York Times Cartoonist Jason Adam Katzenstein. Like all good books intended for a younger audience, there are just enough hooks to keep an adult interested when reading through for the 4th time. For any child of divorce who has done visitation trips, especially after meeting their parent’s new beau, this book will ring true with memories. Katzenstein’s artwork is filled with panels that could honestly stand on their own for memes or moments of great frustration. He keeps the characters sympathetic, save for the Step-Monster who is always shaded and appears to not have visible eyes.
Camp Midnight is a fun read, whatever age you are, provided you like your share of ghosts, witches and werewolves.
Camp Midnight is available April 12th from Image Comics.