This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the
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Copyright © 2017 by Drew Brockington
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First Edition: April 2017
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Brockington, Drew, author, artist.
Title: CatStronauts : race to Mars / by Drew Brockington.
Description: First edition. | New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2017. |
Summary: “With national pride and valuable scientific research on the line, the
CatStronauts race against the CosmoCats and others to be the first cats to
Mars”— Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016042317| ISBN 9780316307482 (hardcover) | ISBN
9780316307505 (trade pbk.) | ISBN 9780316435215 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Graphic novels. | CYAC: Graphic novels. | Astronauts—Fiction. |
Space flight to Mars—Fiction. | Cats—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.7.B76 Caw 2017 | DDC 741.5/973—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016042317
E3
FOR
SIMON & MARCELINE
CHAPTER 1
Due to their heroic
performance saving the
world from a catastrophic
crisis, on behalf of the
Global Energy Council,
we’d like to present
the first ever Gold
Star Award to the
CatStronauts.
Here we
go again.
A recipe for leadership: Take 3 parts
“duty,” 2 parts “responsibility,” and
1 part “heroism.” Mix together well
with teammates.…
Pom Pom, aren’t you
excited to get this award?
Waffles, we’ve been
given so many awards
recently. You must have
100 of them.
At least the
food’s good, right?
Keep it down, guys,
he’s getting to the
good part.
Sorry.
We were faced with
an incredibly delicate
task in the harshest
environment known
to cats.
When duty calls,
you have to
answer.
The CatStronauts accepted the Gold
Star Award earlier this week, making
CATSUP* the most decorated space
program on the planet.
* Center for Aeronautical Technology
and Space Underlying Programs
Just last week, Blanket, the team
Technical Specialist, accepted a
large grant to form a new division
at CATSUP for experimental
rockets and robotics.
Pom Pom, the Chief Science
Officer, has been nominated
to be head of the Global
Physics Council.
Waffles, the team pilot,
received the Pilot of the
Year award at last month’s
annual pilot picnic.
And the team’s Commander,
Major Meowser, has been seen
instructing the next generation
on the finer points of leadership.
You can almost
feel his bravery!
There’s no
telling what the
CatStronauts
will do next.
Though one thing
is for sure—they
aren’t slowing
down.
Blech! Turn it
off, Bianca!
I can’t stand to
listen to this garbage.
Everywhere you
go, it’s always
CatStronauts this, or
CatStronauts that.
It’s true, Petrov!
They sell T-shirts
with their dumb
faces on it!
I am so over these
CatStronauts.
We are the
CosmoCats. We
were the first
cats in space.
But no one
remembers us
anymore.
Now we are
nothing.…
No, Petrov,
we’re not.
Come with me.
Where are
we going?
Last night, I had a
special meeting with our
Prime Minister.
Operation
Zdorovo is
clear to move
forward.
But I thought
that program
was terminated
months ago?
Now that every cat in the
world is excited about space
travel again, things are
different.
The Super
Rocket will
actually launch?
Yes, Petrov. The
CosmoCats are
going to Mars.
Come.
There is much
to be done.
*SOCKS:
Society Of Cosmic Kittens
CHAPTER 2
HERE THEY
COME!!!!!
Hiya,
everybody!
Always remember,
anyone can be a
leader.
Waffles, I don’t
know how you can
eat so much.
I like dinner.
I’m in a food coma.
Well, rest up,
everyone.
Tomorrow we have a
dedication in the morning,
and then a meeting with the
directors of CatStronauts:
the Mewsical.
You going to bed,
Pom Pom?
Do you ever
miss space,
Blanket?
Sure do. How
could you not?
All we’ve been doing
lately is going to
award dinners and
dedications.
We never even
talk about space
anymore.
I miss it. I miss
my experiments.
Don’t worry; I’m sure
Mission Control is
working out
our next
mission as we speak.
Don’t stay up
too late.
Glumdalum, isn’t
this the best?
Sure is, Ozzie!
Work is so slow,
we’re getting
paid to dance!
You guys mind keeping it
down? Some of us are
still working here.
Elvis! Buddy! What
are you working on?
It’s a new booster rocket
prototype. It uses less fuel much
more efficiently, allowing for
faster travel in space.
It could get us to the
moon and back within
a few days, instead of
a week.
Come on, Elvis. The next
mission hasn’t even
been announced yet!
Yeah, quit working so
hard! Take a break and
have a little fun.
Don’t you two ever think
You mean like
flying cars and
cyborg fish?
Forget it. I’ll
find somewhere
else to work.
Aww, c’mon,
Elvis.
I didn’t mean it
like that, buddy.
Forget him. He was messing
with our groove anyway.
C’mon, Ozzie,
shake your tail!
That’s more
like it!
Ha-ha,
OK!
CHAPTER 3
With great pleasure,
I declare Spaceland
open to the public.
And remember, if you
shoot for the stars, you
can definitely land on
the moon!
Major, will the
CatStronauts join
the space race to
Mars?
What is the
plan to beat the
CosmoCats?
What are you
talking about?
I assure you, if something
was happening, we would
know about it.
CatStronauts,
you are needed.
Yes! Back
to work!
Sorry to butt in like
that, but we’ve just been
handed a real doozy.
What’s the problem,
World’s Best Scientist?
We’ll telecommunicate
with Flight Director
Maisy in Mission
Control to bring you
up to speed.
Hi, CatStronauts. We’ve just
received confirmation that
the CosmoCats are planning
a mission to Mars.
Their preparations
are well under way.…
They’ve already
launched an unmanned
vessel of supplies to the
Martian surface.
From our data, we
estimate the supplies
contain extra food,
water, and habitat
shelters for living on
Mars.
It’s clear that they not only
want to set the first paws
on Mars but they want to
stay for a while.
That’s not all: Two other space
programs have also announced their
plans for going to Mars.
The newly formed
MEOW* is sending
Über, an engineering
genius, and Gemelli,
a science wiz.
* Modern Explorers
of Other Worlds
COOKIE* will be represented by
Yogi, an up-and-coming ace pilot,
and Uma, one of the most brilliant
minds in the space industry.
* Center Of Obvious Knowledge
and Interstellar Exploration.
So, we’re already
in last place?
If you want to think of
it in those terms, yes.
Wait. Are we
going to Mars?
You bet your tail we are.
CATSUP is currently the
world’s most trusted
space program.
If we lose this race,
we could be looking
at some major
budget cuts.
It’s Mars or bust,
CatStronauts. Our best
minds are on the job.
But we’ve got a lot of
catching up to do.
Thank you, Flight.
We’ll be there
shortly.
All right, kitties, we’ve
got a lot to do and no
time to do it. I want
Mars pronto!
Let’s build a
transporter!
Let’s build a
space elevator!
Let’s build a
bridge to Mars!
Let’s stow away
on the other
team’s ship!
Cats! I need
viable solutions.
Flight, I’ve been
working on a new
booster rocket
prototype.
If we retrofit the existing
Saturn VII rocket with new
boosters, we should be able
to make the journey.
These prototypes use
less fuel and produce
more thrust. So we
won’t have to store as
much fuel on board.
The unused portion of the
hull can be converted into
a larger spacecraft for
interplanetary travel.
But these boosters are very
experimental. There have
been no tests done on them.
Ever.
Anyone got a
better idea?
What about a
giant slingshot?!
Congratulations, Elvis.
You just got promoted. I
want you working around
the clock on this.
You can count
on me, Flight!
CHAPTER 4
I have just
received word
from SOCKS.
Everything is
progressing as
scheduled.
The supply units
have arrived at
our landing site
on Mars.
Oh, Bianca! This
is wonderful!
Soon we will be
setting our paws on
the red planet…
…And the world
will know that the
CosmoCats are still
the best.
When will the
launch be ready?
In a few
days’ time.
That will not work.
We want to stay
ahead of the other
space programs!
Attention, workers
of SOCKS…
To increase productivity, you
will now be required to work
through your lunch break.
You will be given
only 1 litter box
break a day.
And anyone caught standing still for
more than 47 seconds will be fired.
That is all.
Petrov, aren’t you
being a little harsh?
I AM NOT
BEING HARSH!
I am not going to lose
another important
discovery to the
CatStronauts or any
other space team!
The Red Planet is
within our grasp.
I can feel it.
Fear not,
Petrov...
We will be
the first on
Mars.
We will not be ready!
There is no way.
If the CosmoCats are
launching in a few
days, we must too!
Gemelli, this is our first
space mission ever!
We don’t have the
resources that the
other programs have.
It’s true, Über. But
we have the brains