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Camp Midnight
Camp Midnight Volume 1
Ben 10 and Big Hero 6 creator Steven T. Seagle returns to comics with New Yorker Magazine cartoonist Jason Adam Katzenstein for a new graphic novel!
Reluctant Skye is accidentally sent to the wrong summer camp. Not wanting to please her "step monster," Skye is dead-set on not fitting in. That won't be a problem, as everyone at Camp Midnight-with the exception of fellow camper and fast-friend Mia-is a full-fledged monster!
The perfect book for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Smile, but wish it had more bowls of gooey eyeballs.
Reluctant Skye is accidentally sent to the wrong summer camp. Not wanting to please her "step monster," Skye is dead-set on not fitting in. That won't be a problem, as everyone at Camp Midnight-with the exception of fellow camper and fast-friend Mia-is a full-fledged monster!
The perfect book for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Smile, but wish it had more bowls of gooey eyeballs.
248 pages, Paperback
First published April 27, 2016
12 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Steven T. Seagle
499 books50 followersSteven T. Seagle is an American writer who works in the comic book, television, film, live theater, video game, and animation industries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
November 10, 2015
When your parents care enough to not give two hoots and a holler what bus you get on as long as you're gone.
Dale and Gayle are ridiculous and totally understandable as mock worthy. Lolz on the Munch homage when Skye finds out about summer camp plans that her parents have concocted without her knowledge. So, we have the heels dug in and determined to show the dingleparents wrong--when the unexpected happens.
Ahem, you kinda can tell from the cover that Camp Midnight isn't your average summer camp. But, you'd be surprised how relative problems can be. Forget messing with the parents. Skye's objective is to survive camp!
Big surprise, not. It turns out to be a learning experience chockfull of self-realizations and an epiphany all while being snarktastic. Plus, you get to find out how politically incorrect the term "monster" can be.
Great use of color and composition in this comic. The palette is a muddy one filled with putrid greens, mustard yellows, oranges, browns and a range of reds to lend an air of gore and decay. Really suits it. Additionally, the "monsterized" humans in the first part of the book really contrast both visually and thematically with the humanized monsters.
Pretty freaking cool. The whole find yourself theme is well done. Good for a sassy tween or an adult to chuckle over, but I wouldn't recommend it for people who really are looking for the book to bridge the step-parent gap.
~Copy provided by Netgalley~
Dale and Gayle are ridiculous and totally understandable as mock worthy. Lolz on the Munch homage when Skye finds out about summer camp plans that her parents have concocted without her knowledge. So, we have the heels dug in and determined to show the dingleparents wrong--when the unexpected happens.
Ahem, you kinda can tell from the cover that Camp Midnight isn't your average summer camp. But, you'd be surprised how relative problems can be. Forget messing with the parents. Skye's objective is to survive camp!
Big surprise, not. It turns out to be a learning experience chockfull of self-realizations and an epiphany all while being snarktastic. Plus, you get to find out how politically incorrect the term "monster" can be.
Great use of color and composition in this comic. The palette is a muddy one filled with putrid greens, mustard yellows, oranges, browns and a range of reds to lend an air of gore and decay. Really suits it. Additionally, the "monsterized" humans in the first part of the book really contrast both visually and thematically with the humanized monsters.
Pretty freaking cool. The whole find yourself theme is well done. Good for a sassy tween or an adult to chuckle over, but I wouldn't recommend it for people who really are looking for the book to bridge the step-parent gap.
~Copy provided by Netgalley~
March 20, 2017
Skye's mom is going away for the summer, so Skye has to live with Dad and a wicked step-mom, but no! They don't want her around, so they send her to camp, but she gets on the wrong bus, for Camp Midnight, where all the campers and counselors are monsters. Skye manages to make friends with a ghost named Mia, and crushes on a boy, too, of course, so she actually comes to like it somewhat, which we of course expect. The art of Jason Adam Katzenstein is spookily age-appropriate and fun, darkly colorful. It bears little resemblance to another (more popular) summer camp comic series, Lumberjanes, but is edgier and just as fun.
January 28, 2022
Strong 7 out of 10
This book is about a girl named Skye who is forced by her parents to go to a summer camp. Skye is against going to the summer camp, but her step-monster forces her to go. Skye ends up boarding the wrong bus and ends up in a different summer camp than intended. The summer camp she accidentally goes to is named Camp Midnight, and it is full of monsters and paranormal creatures.
Camp Midnight was a really enjoyable experience. Skye is a smart, funny, and overall well-written character. The art style is really interesting, it is full of neon colors, exaggerated movements, and creative texturing. I loved the art and I loved the wacky characters.
I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel. My brother was a big fan of this one and even created his own fan comic to accommodate this. I heard that there's a sequel, so this book is high on my re-reading list, so I can read the sequel. Great book!
This book is about a girl named Skye who is forced by her parents to go to a summer camp. Skye is against going to the summer camp, but her step-monster forces her to go. Skye ends up boarding the wrong bus and ends up in a different summer camp than intended. The summer camp she accidentally goes to is named Camp Midnight, and it is full of monsters and paranormal creatures.
Camp Midnight was a really enjoyable experience. Skye is a smart, funny, and overall well-written character. The art style is really interesting, it is full of neon colors, exaggerated movements, and creative texturing. I loved the art and I loved the wacky characters.
I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel. My brother was a big fan of this one and even created his own fan comic to accommodate this. I heard that there's a sequel, so this book is high on my re-reading list, so I can read the sequel. Great book!
January 5, 2016
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Thank you to NetGalley & Image Comics for providing me with an ARC for review!
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I’m pretty sure everyone knows how much I love Image Comics. All of my favourite graphic novels and comic series come from this wonderful publisher. While browsing through NetGalley, I came across Camp Midnight, the story of a young girl who gets sent to the wrong summer camp by mistake. Instead of a summer camp for young teens, Camp Midnight is specialized for teens of the paranormal variety. First of all, I will read anything Image Comics publishes. Second of all, a summer camp for paranormal teens? Sounds like it’s right up my alley. Third of all, IT WAS FREE! So of course I picked it up!
Camp Midnight is a quirky and humorous story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is definitely no secret that I love all things quirky and off kilter and Camp Midnight was definitely both of those things. I really enjoyed the artwork and the use of a monotoned colour scheme. I loved the sketchiness of it which I think added to the fun and humorous tone of the story.
Camp Midnight is the perfect blend of creepy and humorous. Two very different styles that can be hard to blend together, but when it is done right, can be very effective and entertaining. I found our main character Skye to be hilarious. I know some found her a little to snarky and cynical, but I must say, those are two of my most prominent characteristics! I related to Skye and I found myself chuckling as I related to her and her humour.
My only small and minor issue was that Camp Midnight ended a little too abruptly. There was a really good lesson to be learned throughout the story and I feel as though it kind of just came to a sudden halt towards the end. I wish the last moments of bonding between Syke and her new friend Mia were expanded a little longer. Their story, as well as the graphic novel itself, just kind of ended and that was it.
I will say that I did really enjoy Camp Midnight and I think that it’s genre fit perfectly with my general interests. It was funny and smart and ultimately did have a good moral lesson that was taught throughout the story and especially towards the end. I think young readers will love this story, especially if they are venturing into the world of graphic novels for the first time!
November 18, 2019
A girl is sent to the wrong summer camp . . . which turns out to be just the right summer camp for her. It's a familiar theme of belonging and friendship: this time around monsters have been added to the mix. And, though I liked the color palette, the "ugly" artwork got on my nerves.
November 29, 2016
I would like to thank NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Introduction:
Ever since I started using NetGalley to read some new books online, I have been on a NetGalley reading binge ever since I started and this book “Camp Midnight” by Steven T. Seagle along with artwork by Jason Adam Katzenstein were among my reads from NetGalley that I wanted to read through and I must say that I was quite impressed with this story!
What is this story about?
The story starts off with a young girl named Skye being taken to her divorced dad’s house by her mom as Skye is going to spend her summer vacation with her dad and his new wife Gayle, who Skye takes an immediate dislike to and even calls her “step-monster.” Things get worse when Skye discovers that her dad and her “step-monster” are going to make her go to summer camp for that year in order for her to discover herself and even though Skye was against the idea, they still forced her to go to summer camp. When Skye got on the bus to camp, she discovers that something is weird about the bus she went on as all the campers are monsters such as vampires, werewolves and witches and it was then that Skye realizes that she went on the wrong bus and is heading to the scary and mysterious camp, Camp Midnight. While Skye spent some time at Camp Midnight, she found that she did not belong in that camp due to her being human, even though she became fast friends with a shy and mysterious girl named Mia. It was then that Skye has to prove to everyone that she is happy with being herself even if she is different from everyone else.
What I loved about this story:
Steven T. Seagle’s writing: When I found out that Steven T. Seagle was involved in big animated projects like “Ben 10” and “Big Hero 6,” I was like “OH GREAT!!! We have not had a big time TV writer writing comic books since Joss Whedon’s run on “Astonishing X-Men!” So, I was quite interested to see what kind of story Steven T. Seagle was going to write for this comic book and I was quite impressed by how this story turned out! I liked the way that Steven T. Seagle combine both horror and slice of life elements into this story as it made the story unique to read since it is rare that I read horror stories that mostly focus on the characters’ personal lives rather than trying to scare the readers. I also like the way that Steven T. Seagle wrote most of the characters, especially Skye and Mia and even though there were times where I was a bit annoyed with Skye’s attitude, I can actually sympathize with her situation as she was thrown into a new experience that she did not want to be in at the first place and she is having trouble trying to cope with being in a new environment and trying to discover herself in the process. Steven T. Seagle has also done a great job at providing humor in this story as I found myself laughing at some of Skye’s sarcastic remarks about her situation as it made her experience much funnier to read about!
Jason Adam Katzenstein’s artwork: Jason Adam Katzenstein’s artwork is quite expressive, especially whenever the artwork goes through different shades of color to convey the mood of the scenes, such as most of the artwork being shaded in blue when Skye’s dad and step-mom tell her that she is going to summer camp, conveying the sad mood of the scene; also another scene when Skye goes on the Camp Midnight bus and the artwork is shaded in green to convey the horrifying mood of the scene. I also like how zany Jason Adam Katzenstein’s artwork is as the characters are drawn in an exaggerated way that makes the story both humorous and creepy to read through.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
The reason why I gave this book a four star rating was because I felt that the story was a bit rushed and the artwork was a bit too chaotic at times. In regards to the story being a bit rushed, I felt like we did not get enough information about why Skye’s parents divorced and when her father met Gayle, his new wife. Also, I would have liked to know where Camp Midnight came from since it seemed a bit odd to have Camp Midnight show out of nowhere. As with the artwork, as much as I like how zany Jason Adam Katzenstein’s artwork is, I felt that there were many scenes where the artwork got a bit too chaotic and I often had trouble trying to figure out what was going on in the scene due to the artwork being all over the place.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Camp Midnight” is a great comic book about the importance of being yourself that comic book fans will enjoy!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
March 31, 2016
What this book is about:
Skye, yes it's sounds like sky but with an "e" thank you very much, is forced to go to a summer camp called "Camp Midnight" because her mom is busy with the doctors without borders and her dad is under the influence of her stepmother or should I say...step-monster! Skye, of course, doesn't want to go to the stupid camp but she might even surprise herself at the end..
This is a middle-grade graphic novel in which we follow a girl named Skye whose parents make her go to a summer camp despite her will to spend the summer with her mom. Appearance-wise, this graphic novel has colourful, lively illustrations and it read as if I was watching a TV show for kids. The way the pictures are drawn is as if they are moving sketches, which is great because it flows very fast and gets the imaginations of the reader going! One thing that I think I should mention though is that the illustrations might be a bit too scary for very young readers. Steven T. Seagle in an effort to create drawing that come to life, induces a sense of exaggeration into the drawings which can sometimes feel a bit too much for the younger eyes.
Despite the creepy illustrations, the story itself is not actually scary. There is a strong message in this comic to just be yourself and not care what others will think of you which is a great message for young kids who might feel different than their peers or be ashamed to express their true selves and stand out from the norm. This novel insists that being brave to be yourself and to stand up for your friends are qualities that a kid should be proud to have even if other children don't understand it sometimes.
The main character Skye is funny and has many smart lines where she is trying to get through tough situations that she is put in. Humour is always a great weapon in situations that are too overwhelming for anyone to handle. Skye's parents are divorced and her stepmother is presented as a manipulating woman who doesn't really like Skye and wants her out of her and her husband's life. She actually managed to get into my nerves at some point. But that's a realistic representation of a real-life scenario. Some stepmother (certainly not all!) can be mean and difficult.
Overall, this is a fun, very quick read that deals in a creepy but funny way with some important messages about self-acceptance and being devoted to your real friends. I would recommend it for kids who don't get easily creeped out by scary creatures and weird illustrations as this graphic novel might be a bit overwhelming for very young readers. But this book is definitely funny to read especially for these ages.
Skye, yes it's sounds like sky but with an "e" thank you very much, is forced to go to a summer camp called "Camp Midnight" because her mom is busy with the doctors without borders and her dad is under the influence of her stepmother or should I say...step-monster! Skye, of course, doesn't want to go to the stupid camp but she might even surprise herself at the end..
This is a middle-grade graphic novel in which we follow a girl named Skye whose parents make her go to a summer camp despite her will to spend the summer with her mom. Appearance-wise, this graphic novel has colourful, lively illustrations and it read as if I was watching a TV show for kids. The way the pictures are drawn is as if they are moving sketches, which is great because it flows very fast and gets the imaginations of the reader going! One thing that I think I should mention though is that the illustrations might be a bit too scary for very young readers. Steven T. Seagle in an effort to create drawing that come to life, induces a sense of exaggeration into the drawings which can sometimes feel a bit too much for the younger eyes.
It's natural for new wives not to like old wives.
Despite the creepy illustrations, the story itself is not actually scary. There is a strong message in this comic to just be yourself and not care what others will think of you which is a great message for young kids who might feel different than their peers or be ashamed to express their true selves and stand out from the norm. This novel insists that being brave to be yourself and to stand up for your friends are qualities that a kid should be proud to have even if other children don't understand it sometimes.
It's 'doctors without borders', not 'teenagers without boundaries'
The main character Skye is funny and has many smart lines where she is trying to get through tough situations that she is put in. Humour is always a great weapon in situations that are too overwhelming for anyone to handle. Skye's parents are divorced and her stepmother is presented as a manipulating woman who doesn't really like Skye and wants her out of her and her husband's life. She actually managed to get into my nerves at some point. But that's a realistic representation of a real-life scenario. Some stepmother (certainly not all!) can be mean and difficult.
I'm planning on having a rotten time and friends would only mess that up.
Overall, this is a fun, very quick read that deals in a creepy but funny way with some important messages about self-acceptance and being devoted to your real friends. I would recommend it for kids who don't get easily creeped out by scary creatures and weird illustrations as this graphic novel might be a bit overwhelming for very young readers. But this book is definitely funny to read especially for these ages.
May 16, 2018
This graphic novel is about a young girl who is angry at having to spend the summer with her Dad and Step Monster, but turns out they don't want her either, so she's shipped off to summer camp. Only she gets on the wrong bus and ends up at a camp with real monsters. The art is cute and the themes explored, while appropriate for tween readers, don't cover any new ground (at least this for this curmudgeonly old woman!). It would however make a fun halloween read aloud if you have littles in your house.
February 19, 2017
3.5 Stars
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Skye was going to spend the summer with her Dad and step-monster, but instead they send her off to summer camp. Caring parents as they are, she ends up on the wrong bus and is forced to spend her holidays in Camp Midnight, a summer camp of the paranormal variety.
While this is certainly a middle-grade graphic novel I wanted to read it as Steven T Seagle was involved with Big Hero 6, an animation movie that took me completely by surprise and ended up on my all time favorites. I also enjoyed Camp Midnight a lot, and while marketed to a younger audience, I'm quite confident it is not meant to scare even them. The art worked really well with it.
My only problem with it was that the ending felt a bit rushed, but of course it is difficult to put too much story in a limited number of pages.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Skye was going to spend the summer with her Dad and step-monster, but instead they send her off to summer camp. Caring parents as they are, she ends up on the wrong bus and is forced to spend her holidays in Camp Midnight, a summer camp of the paranormal variety.
While this is certainly a middle-grade graphic novel I wanted to read it as Steven T Seagle was involved with Big Hero 6, an animation movie that took me completely by surprise and ended up on my all time favorites. I also enjoyed Camp Midnight a lot, and while marketed to a younger audience, I'm quite confident it is not meant to scare even them. The art worked really well with it.
My only problem with it was that the ending felt a bit rushed, but of course it is difficult to put too much story in a limited number of pages.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
November 13, 2015
My reading experience with Steven T. Seagle has been very limited to say the least but what I read of his work, I loved. So, I took it as a sign when I saw one of his titles up for review on netgalley and after finishing this in one sitting I can tell you that, if nothing else, it's quite gripping.
What took me by surprise though was the illustration and the colouring, they were quite atmospheric and helped set the mood for the story from page one.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this as a 24 year old but I am pretty sure middle school aged me would have loved this. I will definitely keep an eye out for more collaboration from these two creative humans.
What took me by surprise though was the illustration and the colouring, they were quite atmospheric and helped set the mood for the story from page one.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this as a 24 year old but I am pretty sure middle school aged me would have loved this. I will definitely keep an eye out for more collaboration from these two creative humans.
November 9, 2018
So close!!! to being all the things I like, but can't quite stick the landing in any of its events. (I don't think I just stuck the landing in this extended gymnastics metaphor.)
Sometimes the art is moody and expressive, sometimes it's just messy and hard to follow. Some of the symbolism is lovely, some is anvilicious. Plot challenges were overcome way too easily. Could have used at least one twist that wasn't massively telegraphed. Could have used better dialogue.
But the brave human girl and her scared ghost BFF were adorable.
(I want a BFU AU.)
Sometimes the art is moody and expressive, sometimes it's just messy and hard to follow. Some of the symbolism is lovely, some is anvilicious. Plot challenges were overcome way too easily. Could have used at least one twist that wasn't massively telegraphed. Could have used better dialogue.
But the brave human girl and her scared ghost BFF were adorable.
(I want a BFU AU.)
August 2, 2016
One part creepy paranormal summer camp, one part hilarious snarky tween angst, Camp Midnight was a fun quick read. There's more here than immediately meets the eye, though, and kids will fall in love with Skye as she struggles with her divorced parents, being different, and camp bullies. Highly recommended.
March 27, 2017
Originally posted on: The Quirky Book Nerd
*I received a copy of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I’ve been in the mood to read some new graphic novels lately, so when I saw this one, I figured I would give it a go—and I am incredibly glad that I did. Camp Midnight is a fast, wacky, and highly enjoyable read for both the young and young at heart. Bizarre creatures and humorous dialogue fill the pages, creating a story about the power of friendship and the importance of acceptance, with a clever supernatural twist. It is truly one of those simple, feel-good novels, perfect if you are in the mood for something light and positive.
The story begins as the protagonist, Skye, is very reluctantly heading to spend the summer with her distant father and obnoxious stepmother while her mother is away. She is not at all excited about the prospect of staying there, but finds out that they have concocted an even worse plan behind her back—summer camp! Wanting to punish her family for this shocking betrayal, she is determined to have as horrible a time as possible. But fate has other plans. Turns out, they have put her on the wrong bus, and Skye is in for an unusual and far more monstrous summer than she originally expected.
I thought the writing itself was fantastic—everything about it was absolutely spot on. The dialogue was often quite hilarious and the humor was right up my alley. It was clever and witty, and had me smiling to myself many times throughout my reading of it. In addition to the humor and silliness, however, there was also a much deeper message underneath it all that I was not expecting to get out of this novel.
The plot deals with some themes that everyone will be able to easily relate to. This is a story that makes you think about what the true definition of a monster really is, and does it in the most literal way possible. As Skye finds out, sometimes humans can be far more monstrous on the inside than those who are on the outside. This less than realistic story focuses on the very real topic of tolerance and acceptance of others based on what’s on the inside, not on outer appearances.
Seagle and Katzenstein have worked together to create a cast of wonderfully quirky and memorable characters. Sassy, sarcastic, and hilarious, Skye makes a solid protagonist. Though certain aspects of all the characters were a bit exaggerated for the purpose of the story, she was exceedingly relatable—we have all been through similar experiences and realizations in some form or another.
Mia is lovely and absolutely adorable, playing an extremely important role in both Skye’s life and in the plot as a whole. The parents and the stepmother are all written to be ridiculously horrible, either in their behavior toward Skye or in terms of taking care of her. After all, they didn’t even notice that she had gotten on the wrong bus for camp. They are all a bit of a caricature, but the over-the-top way they act fits with the atmosphere of the comic. It is supposed to be exaggerated and amusing, and their personalities serve as a means to convey this feeling.
The art in this novel is absolutely phenomenal and works brilliantly well with the text of the story. The design of it is very reminiscent of what I normally think of as classic comic style. It is simple and cartoon-like, very much like sketches, with various marks and patterns used as accent details. Certain features of both the setting and characters are amplified in order to exhibit what Seagle wants the reader to see as most important, furthering that caricature-like feel. This type of drawing matched perfectly with the comedy and quirkiness of the story, while still portraying the creepier, monstrous aspect of the setting and supporting characters.
The multihued color palette varied from vibrant shades to darker or more muted shades, corresponding flawlessly with changes in mood, setting, and time of day. On numerous occasions, Katzenstein juxtaposes the vibrant and muted tones to further bring out the atmosphere of each panel and current emotions of the characters. As a whole, the art was incredibly effective when it came to breathing life into every aspect of the story.
The only real complaint that I had was that I felt the ending came rather abruptly. I would have liked to see a little more regarding how Skye’s experiences at camp changed her ways of thinking about and acting toward others. I would have even liked to see just a tiny bit more of her final days at the camp. Everything finished rather suddenly following the climax, and it felt like I had missed out on some important events in the plot. Though there was an adequate wrap up to the story, it was lacking a bit when it came to tying in the main message.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this graphic novel, and I think I would have loved it even more had I been reading it back in elementary or middle school. Camp Midnight was a charming story, brought to life with colorful art and equally colorful characters. Seagle puts a wacky spin on a common theme, conveying the message in a unique and intriguing way. This ended up being a quick, satisfying read that hooked me from page one and kept a smile on my face until the very end.
*I received a copy of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I’ve been in the mood to read some new graphic novels lately, so when I saw this one, I figured I would give it a go—and I am incredibly glad that I did. Camp Midnight is a fast, wacky, and highly enjoyable read for both the young and young at heart. Bizarre creatures and humorous dialogue fill the pages, creating a story about the power of friendship and the importance of acceptance, with a clever supernatural twist. It is truly one of those simple, feel-good novels, perfect if you are in the mood for something light and positive.
The story begins as the protagonist, Skye, is very reluctantly heading to spend the summer with her distant father and obnoxious stepmother while her mother is away. She is not at all excited about the prospect of staying there, but finds out that they have concocted an even worse plan behind her back—summer camp! Wanting to punish her family for this shocking betrayal, she is determined to have as horrible a time as possible. But fate has other plans. Turns out, they have put her on the wrong bus, and Skye is in for an unusual and far more monstrous summer than she originally expected.
I thought the writing itself was fantastic—everything about it was absolutely spot on. The dialogue was often quite hilarious and the humor was right up my alley. It was clever and witty, and had me smiling to myself many times throughout my reading of it. In addition to the humor and silliness, however, there was also a much deeper message underneath it all that I was not expecting to get out of this novel.
The plot deals with some themes that everyone will be able to easily relate to. This is a story that makes you think about what the true definition of a monster really is, and does it in the most literal way possible. As Skye finds out, sometimes humans can be far more monstrous on the inside than those who are on the outside. This less than realistic story focuses on the very real topic of tolerance and acceptance of others based on what’s on the inside, not on outer appearances.
Seagle and Katzenstein have worked together to create a cast of wonderfully quirky and memorable characters. Sassy, sarcastic, and hilarious, Skye makes a solid protagonist. Though certain aspects of all the characters were a bit exaggerated for the purpose of the story, she was exceedingly relatable—we have all been through similar experiences and realizations in some form or another.
Mia is lovely and absolutely adorable, playing an extremely important role in both Skye’s life and in the plot as a whole. The parents and the stepmother are all written to be ridiculously horrible, either in their behavior toward Skye or in terms of taking care of her. After all, they didn’t even notice that she had gotten on the wrong bus for camp. They are all a bit of a caricature, but the over-the-top way they act fits with the atmosphere of the comic. It is supposed to be exaggerated and amusing, and their personalities serve as a means to convey this feeling.
The art in this novel is absolutely phenomenal and works brilliantly well with the text of the story. The design of it is very reminiscent of what I normally think of as classic comic style. It is simple and cartoon-like, very much like sketches, with various marks and patterns used as accent details. Certain features of both the setting and characters are amplified in order to exhibit what Seagle wants the reader to see as most important, furthering that caricature-like feel. This type of drawing matched perfectly with the comedy and quirkiness of the story, while still portraying the creepier, monstrous aspect of the setting and supporting characters.
The multihued color palette varied from vibrant shades to darker or more muted shades, corresponding flawlessly with changes in mood, setting, and time of day. On numerous occasions, Katzenstein juxtaposes the vibrant and muted tones to further bring out the atmosphere of each panel and current emotions of the characters. As a whole, the art was incredibly effective when it came to breathing life into every aspect of the story.
The only real complaint that I had was that I felt the ending came rather abruptly. I would have liked to see a little more regarding how Skye’s experiences at camp changed her ways of thinking about and acting toward others. I would have even liked to see just a tiny bit more of her final days at the camp. Everything finished rather suddenly following the climax, and it felt like I had missed out on some important events in the plot. Though there was an adequate wrap up to the story, it was lacking a bit when it came to tying in the main message.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this graphic novel, and I think I would have loved it even more had I been reading it back in elementary or middle school. Camp Midnight was a charming story, brought to life with colorful art and equally colorful characters. Seagle puts a wacky spin on a common theme, conveying the message in a unique and intriguing way. This ended up being a quick, satisfying read that hooked me from page one and kept a smile on my face until the very end.
July 4, 2017
This is a great reading choice for summer, when kids are being packed away to camp, some more willing than others.
I loved the artwork and humor of Camp Midnight, and the story was very sweet. I'm not sure if Seagle and Katzenstein have collaborated on anything else, but if they have, I'll be checking it out.
I loved the artwork and humor of Camp Midnight, and the story was very sweet. I'm not sure if Seagle and Katzenstein have collaborated on anything else, but if they have, I'll be checking it out.
December 29, 2015
I love the art in this comic.
And omigosh, Skye is hilarious. (I think she’s the same age as my daughter – and has the same level of sarcastic output).
The story itself is enjoyable, and the art is pretty simple. But I love expressive characters with simple sequential art and this artist does really well with it. The coloring is well-done, too, and perfect for this book.
And the story’s not so subtle message about being who you are, and that people will (should?) love you for who you are is important.
Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley, Diamond, and Image Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
And omigosh, Skye is hilarious. (I think she’s the same age as my daughter – and has the same level of sarcastic output).
“Thank God.”
“Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.”
“How is thanking him vain?”
The story itself is enjoyable, and the art is pretty simple. But I love expressive characters with simple sequential art and this artist does really well with it. The coloring is well-done, too, and perfect for this book.
And the story’s not so subtle message about being who you are, and that people will (should?) love you for who you are is important.
Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley, Diamond, and Image Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
May 9, 2016
I loved this way more than I had expected going in. First, we are presented with an aggressive, obnoxious teenager who can't stand her "step-monster" and is pretty frightful in her own behaviour against her parents. But she gets shipped off to summer camp mistakenly, I wonder, to a camp for monsters, where Skye quickly finds out that looks can be deceiving and that she's the odd one out for a change. She learns about accepting differences and makes new friends. The book's lesson is easy to see but it's not forced with the fun, monsterish friendships and a budding romance all taking main plot points. The characters had depth especially Skye and Mia and the creepy, spooky art by Katzenstein is fantastic. Much more my kind of summer camp comic than say, Lumberjanes, which bored me.
April 14, 2016
Camp Midnight is an enjoyable graphic novel great for children and also older audiences. I really liked the art in this one, especially the scenes with the monsters and the writing as well. The colour scheme is quite dark and bold which suits the story, and I was immersed in the scary camp vibe the whole way through. The protagonist Skye is very snarky and funny and I enjoyed the way that all of the characters were portrayed. Again, this is another children's graphic novel with a message, which isn't necessarily the purpose of the story but ties it out nicely.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2015
”It takes time for things to make sense, Skye. Give it time.”This was such a fun read with a surprising depth in it. It’s about accepting who you really are, about not being afraid to show others the real you and what you’re made of. It teaches readers to stay strong and not to be afraid of the monsters or obstacles around you. Great great read! The illustrations were simple yet very eye-catching too!
Definitely recommend reading this!
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
October 24, 2021
Not really my cup of tea, but the illustrations are great. I think my students who love graphic novels would enjoy it.
Reread: October, 2021. I can’t believe I reread a book that I only gave 2 stars, but I needed a “horror” book for my school library’s Bingo challenge. I do not enjoy horror books, but I remembered this one and knew it wouldn’t be a long read. I think I enjoyed it more this time because my expectations were so low. LOL
Reread: October, 2021. I can’t believe I reread a book that I only gave 2 stars, but I needed a “horror” book for my school library’s Bingo challenge. I do not enjoy horror books, but I remembered this one and knew it wouldn’t be a long read. I think I enjoyed it more this time because my expectations were so low. LOL
December 21, 2019
The parents in this are a little too neglectful. Loved the camp parts.
I received an e-copy of this through Net-Galley for an honest review.
I received an e-copy of this through Net-Galley for an honest review.
May 15, 2016
I loved this.
A full review to come soon.
A full review to come soon.
November 26, 2016
I didn't have high expectations for yet another camp story "with a twist," but this far surpassed such expectations with its humor and drama. Skye's acerbic wit was the highlight of the whole story.
December 16, 2017
A camp full of spooky monsters that party at Midnight!! Where do I sign up?
Camp for a lot of kids is the most terrifying part of enjoying the summer, but what happens when you get onto the wrong bus with a bunch of mutants, ghouls, witches, and even a foxy wolf man!?
I really enjoyed this one. It was so much more than a campy story. It has heart, support, and a meaningful message.
I believe we are all living in a camp nightmare! Our camp counselor is the orange Cheeto!
Camp for a lot of kids is the most terrifying part of enjoying the summer, but what happens when you get onto the wrong bus with a bunch of mutants, ghouls, witches, and even a foxy wolf man!?
I really enjoyed this one. It was so much more than a campy story. It has heart, support, and a meaningful message.
I believe we are all living in a camp nightmare! Our camp counselor is the orange Cheeto!
May 22, 2023
Super cute!
March 16, 2018
This was tons of fun. Skye is sent away to summer camp against her will but it is not your typical summer camp.
June 20, 2023
Cute graphic novel that middle schoolers will enjoy. I wasn’t sure how long the metaphor would go on… (lol her step-mother aka step-monster sends her to a monster summer camp, we get it!) but I guess that doesn’t really matter!
May 31, 2017
Fun graphic novel for elementary. Creepy, without being too creepy. It also had a nice underlying theme about acceptance and being true to who you are.
September 20, 2018
It’s ok. I liked the background color changing from panel to panel to help illustrate character expressions. I like that the witch had a large head. The little monsters carving pumpkins were cute. The humor was flat. The story was less interesting and more simple than I had hoped for from the free preview comic.
What I learned: If a Wear-wolf gets shrinkage from swimming in a cold lake his donger won’t show through the fur.
What I learned: If a Wear-wolf gets shrinkage from swimming in a cold lake his donger won’t show through the fur.
January 31, 2016
I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Skye is on her way to her fathers house for the summer, since the seperation of her parents she spends the holidays with him while her doctor mother travels to Rwanda. Skye really hates staying with her father and not because she doesn’t love him, it’s the evil step-mother (Gayle) or in Skye’s terms step-monster! Skye’s father, step -monster and even mother have a suprise in-store, instead of staying with her dad she is to go to Summer Camp! To Skye this is worse than staying with the Step-monster, but to make her father happy she agrees to go. Only when they arrive at the station they are very late and buses are starting to leave, in haste her father sees the bus ‘Camp Midnight’ and informs Skye thats her ride. Upon stepping on the bus Skye soon realises that some of these other kids are not normal and she is clearly on the wrong bus. She befriends Mia and they plan to stick together throughout their time at camp. Camp Midnight is full of witches, werewolves and other monsters of the night, Where the regime is to sleep through the day and wake at midnight. There are all sorts of activities which Skye is set that she is not participating, the group want her to reveal her inner monster but can she?
I enjoyed this book it was an easy quick read and humourous in places even when there were no words the pictures alone were comical (no pun intended) The writing text that was used was sometimes hard to read i.e. Mia looked a lot like Ma because it was so close together. I wasn’t a massive fan of the artwork it had a retro feel to it, the colours were mostly blue, red, orange and green but did complement the story well.
Skye obviously never took her parents separation well and with becoming a teenager, along comes the bitterness and sarcasm which is ineveitable in this stage of life. She is hostile towards her step mother and generally not a nice kid to be around. But true to its form a story like this would’t be worth telling if it didnt have, self discovery, friends, a love interest and also that can people can be different to what they appear to be.
Mia is the timid friend that Skye meets on the bus. Discovering that Mia has been here before and that she has enjoyed it they vow to stick with each other to ride the time out. Mia is very shy, appears to being picked on at the camp for being different and likes to be by herself but will not reveal her true-self to Skye as she believes that she will leave and once again become friendless.
The parents were just vulgar and neglectful, the step-mother was a bitch (sorry had to be said) and the father was easily persuaded by her and backed down and obeyed her demands like a dog…….THIS IS YOUR FRIGGIN KID FOR GOD SAKE!!!. Though I have to say, why is the step mum always evil? I know some great step mums! Annoying trope alert.
This book is not scary whatsoever, yes it has witches, werewolves and other mosters in there but the monster is used as a metaphor for teenagers, with them being confused of who they really are, moodswings etc etc….you get what I am getting at.
I would say this is for middle-grade to teens – it’s not scary but send out an important message.
Overall I rated this 3 stars
Skye is on her way to her fathers house for the summer, since the seperation of her parents she spends the holidays with him while her doctor mother travels to Rwanda. Skye really hates staying with her father and not because she doesn’t love him, it’s the evil step-mother (Gayle) or in Skye’s terms step-monster! Skye’s father, step -monster and even mother have a suprise in-store, instead of staying with her dad she is to go to Summer Camp! To Skye this is worse than staying with the Step-monster, but to make her father happy she agrees to go. Only when they arrive at the station they are very late and buses are starting to leave, in haste her father sees the bus ‘Camp Midnight’ and informs Skye thats her ride. Upon stepping on the bus Skye soon realises that some of these other kids are not normal and she is clearly on the wrong bus. She befriends Mia and they plan to stick together throughout their time at camp. Camp Midnight is full of witches, werewolves and other monsters of the night, Where the regime is to sleep through the day and wake at midnight. There are all sorts of activities which Skye is set that she is not participating, the group want her to reveal her inner monster but can she?
I enjoyed this book it was an easy quick read and humourous in places even when there were no words the pictures alone were comical (no pun intended) The writing text that was used was sometimes hard to read i.e. Mia looked a lot like Ma because it was so close together. I wasn’t a massive fan of the artwork it had a retro feel to it, the colours were mostly blue, red, orange and green but did complement the story well.
Skye obviously never took her parents separation well and with becoming a teenager, along comes the bitterness and sarcasm which is ineveitable in this stage of life. She is hostile towards her step mother and generally not a nice kid to be around. But true to its form a story like this would’t be worth telling if it didnt have, self discovery, friends, a love interest and also that can people can be different to what they appear to be.
Mia is the timid friend that Skye meets on the bus. Discovering that Mia has been here before and that she has enjoyed it they vow to stick with each other to ride the time out. Mia is very shy, appears to being picked on at the camp for being different and likes to be by herself but will not reveal her true-self to Skye as she believes that she will leave and once again become friendless.
The parents were just vulgar and neglectful, the step-mother was a bitch (sorry had to be said) and the father was easily persuaded by her and backed down and obeyed her demands like a dog…….THIS IS YOUR FRIGGIN KID FOR GOD SAKE!!!. Though I have to say, why is the step mum always evil? I know some great step mums! Annoying trope alert.
This book is not scary whatsoever, yes it has witches, werewolves and other mosters in there but the monster is used as a metaphor for teenagers, with them being confused of who they really are, moodswings etc etc….you get what I am getting at.
I would say this is for middle-grade to teens – it’s not scary but send out an important message.
Overall I rated this 3 stars
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