High school is all about tribes, so the story of Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong, the new graphic novel out this week from writer Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks (published by the inimitable First Second), will ring true to a lot of readers: It pits the robotics team against the cheerleaders. Life is never quite as simple as that, though, and it’s the complications that make the story interesting.

You wouldn’t expect Nate and Charlie to be friends. Charlie’s the laid-back captain of the basketball team, and Nate is the neurotic, scheming president of the robotics club. But they are friends, however unlikely — until Nate declares war on the cheerleaders, and the cheerleaders retaliate by making Charlie their figure-head in the ugliest class election campaign the school as ever seen. At stake? Student group funding that will either cover a robotics competition or new cheerleading uniforms — but not both.

Bad sportsmanship? Sure. Chainsaws? Why not! Nothing can possibly go wrong.

First Second has been serializing the story online, and the print edition goes on sale this week. In the meantime, here’s a preview to whet your appetite.