STRANGER THINGS: KAMCHATKA #1 is the debut issue of Stranger Things: Kamchatka, the eleventh Stranger Things comic series published by Dark Horse Comics. It was released on March 23, 2022.
Synopsis[]
A Russian scientist is kidnapped by Soviet troops, leaving nothing for his two teenage children but a mysterious case and a whole lot of questions. While their father is dragooned into weaponizing a monster brought back from the US, the two teenagers embark on a harrowing and perilous journey to find him, with help from an unlikely ally
Plot[]
In Kamchatka, Russia, a man named Dr. Boris Orlov is taken to a base by Dr. Natenko and tasked to examine a supernatural monster taken from the U.S. Boris is tasked to keep it alive under the guise that he would be honoring his country. Horrified, Boris rushes back to his home, where he instructs his daughter, Anna, to take her brother, Leonid, and hide in their neighbor's apartment. Giving her a box, he tells her not to open it no matter what and tells her to leave now as the apartment door begins to be pounded on. As the apartment is invaded, Anna hides with her brother as they watch their father be arrested by Russian officers. Boris lies to Natenko and says that he destroyed the device, but he is knocked unconscious and taken away, with Natenko believing he can recreate the device since his life will depend on it. Three days later, Anna and Leonid sit in the apartment's park. Leonid believes opening the box could benefit rescuing their father, but Anna insists that opening it would taint her father's trust in her. The children have been staying with their neighbor, Mrs. Sidorova, who attempts to comfort the children by saying their father is helping the state, while also warning them of how much they say publicly since they're always being watched. After Mrs. Sidorova leaves to run some errands, Anna and Leonid agree not to open the case but do plan to sneak into the lab Boris works and find out where he is located. Meanwhile, a beaten Boris has now been imprisoned and taken to see Natenko's supervisor, Dr. Karine. She gives Boris two options: he can recreate the device and be decorated as a hero for the country, or be sacrificed to the monster being withheld under the prison. Karine demonstrates the latter option by having a prisoner be sacrificed to the creature behind a fence. Anna and Leonid search through their father's office for names of the labs he worked at, with Anna only finding letters addressed to Boris. Their search is cut short when Natenko and his armed comrades invade the office as well. Leonid, in a fit of rage, runs out of his hiding spot and demands for Boris to be released, but is put into a chokehold by one of the guards. Natenko attempts to exchange the case Anna for his brother's life, but the children are saved by their observant and stoic neighbor, Mr. Frost, who breaks one of the guard's neck. Knocking the rest of the guards and Natenko unconscious with the butt of a gun, he explains to the children that he is former agent for the Soviet Union that retired due to being ashamed of their tactics, and tells them that he will assist in rescuing Boris.
After the trio escape, Natenko and his guards regain their consciousness and are about to collect whatever documents remain in Boris' office, but are interrupted by a large officer named Ivan Kolochev, who is relieving Natenko of his duties. Going over security footage, Ivan is infuriated to see Frost becoming involved in the situation, labeling him as one of the most dangerous men in the country.
Creative Team[]
- Writer: Michael Moreci
- Artist: Todor Hristov
Trivia[]
- The Soviet Union is revealed to once have mind-controlling machinery developed by Boris Orlov.