Tweet
Released by: Dark Horse Comics
Released on: April 02, 2014
In this, the final issue of this mini-series, finds Billy, Lizzy and Charlie are trapped in Billy's makeshift elevator, being attacked by the aggressive “potato bugs.†But Billy is if anything one very prepared individual and, soon, the threat dealt with, he's outside the elevator, using a propane torch to try and free the stuck transport.
Above ground, Mr. Kettleborne is dealing with the kids who broke into his house to see if he was Dempsey's father. But, worse than that, Dr. Silva comes in and informs the squeezers that there's a huge upswing in bug activity underneath the farm that Billy and his dad live on. Dr. Silva recommends using the “orange shield,†a poison for the bugs that's also pretty toxic for humans. Just then, though, jealous Eric runs in and tattles on Billy, accusing him of brainwashing Lizzy and taking down his secret tunnel in the elevator.
As Billy works to free the elevator his good bug Tooter shows up and warns him of an impending attack from a massive worm. Billy manages to free the elevator and duck out of the way just in time as the worm crashes upward, ejecting the elevator top-side but leaving Billy still trapped in the tunnels below. But Tooter and the other peaceful bugs are able to convey him along to safety, down to the very bottom of the shaft where he finds the spectacular setting these bugs have made for the top-dwellers. Billy also finds that someone named Arnie Milbrooke had been living there and keeping a journal.
Back up top, all the squeezers show up, following Eric. Others gather, informing them that the bugs are starting to spill out like never before. Eric takes the next logical step and drops the canister of orange shield down the shaft, unaware that Billy is still down there. Billy, though, has his hands full as more potato bugs are attacking. The canister's contents released, he's able to escape, trying to get Tooter and his good bugs to safety. He collapses but Eric's on the spot with a rebreather. Billy gets him to see what the good bugs have done and Eric pockets the diary as well. Safe at last, Eric offers to train Billy to be a proper squeezer, even though his crush Lizzy appears to prefer Billy over Eric. But they all make a pact to work together to discover what, exactly, was going on down there and what good vs. bad bugs could mean.
David Lapham's series ends the way it's been running all along, with a youthful, frenetic energy that constantly entertains. Well worth picking up this short run and here's to hoping it comes back in another run soon.
