Strip 873 -- First Seen: 2012-01-20
Escape From Terra is updated with new pages every Monday through Friday.

One Dollar Sale Continues!

Hard to believe it, but Big Head Press published it's first novel, over 20 years ago. To commemorate our stubborn longevity, we continue to stubbornly offer each of our non serialized graphic novel stories for just one mere American dollar (plus shipping). Start your holiday shopping early and light up some body's mind with one or more of these titles.

Offer only available in the United States.

Kickstarter Success!

The Not-Safe-Space 2 Kickstarter Campaign has ended successfully. Thanks to all who pledged!

Now we get to wait 2 weeks while Kickstarter transmits the funds, and Scott can order the books, and send surveys to backers to get current e-mail addresses for the .PDF versions and mailing addresses for the physical books.

All of this should show up in June.

The Transcript For This Page

Panel 1

A young Leon looking up at the night sky with wonder.

Narration: Leon Ball had always wanted to go into space...

Panel 2

A snapshot of Leon in rocket club with other kids. He and other kids are holding a large-ish rocket. A caption reads "Rocket Club."

Narration: When his family moved to Australia, he discovered a rocket club, which his parents reluctantly let him join.

Panel 3

Leon doing math homework and looking forlornly at a group of loud guys and a few girls who are holding things like a soccer ball and soccer jerseys, one is holding a surfboard. A girl or two, one with a bathing suit on to make it look like she's a surfer, too.

Narration: Leon had a real gift for science and math, but he made few friends among the typical raucous, sports-obsessed Aussies.

Narration: His parents thought the club would help him find friends who were more like himself.

Panel 4

Leon talking and pointing at a blueprint as he and other kids figure out how to make a rocket.

Narration: It did.

Narration: Though it brought him some trouble, too.

Panel 5

A rocket is on fire on a shed roof and the kids start panicking as the home owner is looking out his door at the fire on his shed.

Narration: The first incident that got him in trouble was when one of his rockets started a fire on a neighbor's shed.

Narration: It didn't stop him, though, just made him more cautious.

Panel 6

Leon showing his colleagues a drawing of his rocket.

Narration: Well, more or less.

Leon: Guys! Let's build this!

Kids: Yeah!

Kids: Woah!

Kids: What is it?

Panel 7

Large establishing shot panel. The kids at a construction site on a cliff overlooking the Tasman sea.

Narration: It was a three-meter rocket powered by magnesium and aluminum powder.

Narration: It would be extremely powerful, but they thought it would be safe, because they planned to launch it out to sea.

Caption: The Tasman Sea. Sunday.