About Absolute Zeros

Meet Val, Mark and Pete as they attend Camp Launchpad! Once one of the top space camps in the country, it’s now run-down and just barely scraping by. Can the space campers learn to work together as a team and defeat the well funded and technologically advanced Camp Star X to win the annual “Space Race” Competition, and save their camp!?

Val: An energetic firecracker who’s obsessed with outer space – and makes sure everyone knows it. As an only child she’s used to getting her own way and with such a strong personality she can, at best, be a little off-putting, and at her worst be derided as “bossy.” She is the daughter of an astronaut on the space station and has been, on some level, “training” since birth. Her mother had a spot for her at Camp STAR X, but Val wanted to go to LAUNCHPAD for a more “hands-on” experience. She’ll need to learn that leadership isn’t just telling people what to do and that to get things done, you can’t just do it by yourself.

Mark: Son of the Vice President, Mark has come of age in the public eye and has bristled at the constant attention. He is always challenging adults and causing problems in order to have some measure of personal control over his life, especially after his mom’s death. He lives in a bubble and his economic and societal privilege are almost invisible to him and just about everything comes easily. It’s no secret that he’s unhappy that he’s not at one of the more elite camps. He’s very unhappy at having to be at this camp just because his dad went there. He gets enough of people comparing him to his father – he doesn’t need it at summer camp. He’ll need to learn about hard work and how to connect with others in order to succeed.

Pete: From a large working-class family, Pete is only able to attend the camp with a scholarship. The truth is, he applied for a lot of science camp scholarships and this is the only one he got that was within driving distance for his folks. In an age where electronics are seen as disposable, he has an appreciation for older tech and a keen mind for gadgetry. His family’s economic status often makes him feel like an outsider and disregarded whether he’s treated like that or not. It has also made him more practical in his expectations for the future. He’ll need to assert himself and break down his own protective walls in order to ensure mission success. He’ll also learn that sometimes our only limitations are those we put on ourselves.

Credits:

“ABSOLUTE ZEROS” TEAM:

Created and Written by: Greg Smith and Michael Tanner

Illustrations  by: Gabrielle Gomez

Back Matter Illustrations by: Alex Graudins

Coloring: Meaghan Carter

Letters: Andworld Design

Editor: Stephanie Cooke

Assistant Editor: Laura Martin

Senior Editor: Megan Logan

Producers: Heather Einhorn & Adam Staffaroni

Produced by: Einhorn’s Epic Productions & LB Ink