Danger Lurks Below
The Adventures of Sunset and Meteor: Danger Lurks Below. Book One of Sunset and Meteor. Published by Mascot Comics. Copyright 2025 Mascot Comics. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. All characters, their distinctive likenesses and related elements featured in this publication are trademarks of Mascot Comics. For information regarding permission, write to Mascot Comics, Attention: Permissions Department, 530 E McDowell Road #107-80, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Names, characters, places, and incidents featured in this publication are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
978-1-967422-00-5
All characters created by Matthew Solberg and Travis Hanson, except: Sunset and Meteor created by Matthew Solberg, Travis Hanson, and Anthony Jude Hernandez La Integridad created by Matthew Solberg, Travis Hanson, and Valentino Moreira
World”, music written by Ray Henderson and lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. Published 1925.
Sunset?!
As are you! our components connect upon landing!
Meteor! you’re fully built!
Landing?! this is an explosive crash into hard terrain.
i’ve located a small spring near our anticipated crash site. Where are we and how did we get here?
my memory systems are turning on now.
Story created by Matthew Solberg & Travis Hanson
Written by Matthew Solberg
Art by Travis Hanson
color flats by Catherine Hanson
Deep into space, far, far away...
...is a planet that specializes in building robots.
Sunset and Meteor are two special robots that were created for a special client.
Soon they were finished and packaged for their trip.
Then loaded on to a special delivery ship.
Entering Coordinates and ready for launch.
this caused the ship to be thrown off course.
3, 2, 1... lift off! and launched off to their destination.
but not everything went as planned.
there was a malfunction in the navigation system.
heading to a planet called earth.
In a spectacular blast of energy and fire the ship smashed through the atmosphere...
finally crashing near a traveling carnival.
...over the arizona landscape in 1925.
who curiously went to investigate.
Sunset and Meteor lay unharmed in the wreckage.
well, i’ll be.
let’s help them out. easy now.
they look like mechanical men.
thank you for your assistance. we sure appreciate it.
why hello, i’m Sunset and this is my companion Meteor.
i think we are a little lost.
welcome my friends. welcome to our traveling circus. as you can see we are all unique here.
feeling kindred spirits Sunset and Meteor decide to join this band of adventurers.
we would love for you to join us.
... what is ringleader kirby barks thinking? bringing mechanical men into our carnival. Has everyone already forgotten what happened last time he did this?!
it’ll be an adventure.
Cyclopean Canyon, Arizona. A sleepy town with big personalities.
home to the oneeyed bandit copper and turquoise mine that Sustains their lives.
the spring warmth is thawing the chill of winter.
Anticipation builds as the carnival approaches to break the doldrums of small town life.
Soon there will be empty peanut shells on the floor, cotton candy on the lips, and dots of color that spark love in eyes of the children as the grand carnival arrives.
...by using this pole as a fulcrum we can more easily move the tent beams into place. isn’t that right, sunset?
see, they’re smart and funny. i knew they would fit in.
Wooden you know it, meteor.
...our performing lineup is strong.
“...We have our strongman Baron bearbear, who knows true strength comes from within...”
So as you see, Sunset and meteor, we all have special talents and skills we use to entertain.
“...Our Magician, odai sayf kashif, who wields a wand and a kitchen knife with expert precision...”
Which we use to make people happy as we perform.
some of us have been performing for years, while others have only recently discovered their talents.
i’d rather see you make audiences laugh than move wooden beams.
that’s amazing. you nailed it.
“...and edith searle, our captain clown, who has skill with practical jokes and writing poems alike...”
Do you have a skill or talent you’d like to share with an audience?
we are all different from each other.
i don’t know why we crashed here, but let’s make the most of it.
i’m... not sure. our memory and skill banks were damaged in the crash.
so we don’t know what we are capable of doing.
i’m nervous about being in front of a crowd.
or what we might enjoy doing?
you’re accepted as you are in our carnival.
sunset, i know you have something to offer.
Ringleader kirby barks is right. we must have a talent we can share.
just like captain clown or Baron BearBear.
you’re my bestfriend, Meteor, even if you are older than me. we can do this together.
what if i fail? what if the audience doesn’t laugh? or laughs in the wrong way?
plus, we are so different than everyone else.
our learning banks are still active, and you’re the best robot i know.
aren’t i the only robot you know?
MR.Baron BearBear? we’re seeking our talents.
being strong simply requires discipline and practice.
Could you demonstrate how to be so strong?
ASking for guidance is already a great strength.
is today a good day to join the carnival?
I bet we have the strength to be baron botbots of the carnival.
the temperature does seem ideal.
this truck looks to have the same dimensions and weight distribution as a third generation capek rocket thruster.
too much Force, not enough Piston.
that’s my truck!
Could our hidden gears and motors be used for illusions?
So strength needs practice and discipline for proper movement and lifting capacity? Gotcha.
i’ll call in a favor. the town has a great mechanic. he’ll take care of it.
i’ve got deliveries to make. this town needs me.
we need a good teacher.
ah, robots, i am excited to meet you!
is today a good day to join the carnival?
the wind conditions seem optimal. we are in wand-erful spirits.
you and i will become great friends, sunset.
now, you are here to learn magic?
Lotus Opus, Fresco pesto, let salad reappear.
i can teach you magic.
Magic that has the power to work on an audience and performer alike.
magicians create or manipulate actual light, sound, and scents to create a believable illusion.
I shall create light and warmth out of thin air.
Focus, twist the wrist... ...aim the flame to entertain!
sleight of hand requires fine motor skills to entertain.
it’s a five alarm Fire! but it’s only noon.
I’M REALLY SORRY I lit YOUR TENT ON FIRE.
Water honor, thunder blunder, cloud the tent with rain to drain.
hey look, it’s the evening showers.
magic should be performed in outdoor, wide open spaces away from tents and rabbits.
Just as sunrise needs a sunset, so too does success need failure,
from which we learn.
performing magic brings me joy and i believe it can for you too.
i have yet to lose salad, my faithful sidekick.
as I’ve set my own tent on fire multiple times.
but it’s only halfpast noon.
Maybe we can learn from the clowns?
Afternoon question
A famous carnival join at the good of day?
And then i said to sunset, those carbon fiber enhancements really bring out the blue in your optical input relay sensors and then They said...
the key lime pie is more aerodynamic, the apple pie has greater impact, but the blueberry pie explodes with the greatest color.
jokes are best when they surprise and delight your audience. dad jokes are best when they are predictable and make your audience groan.
did you know that france is actually smaller than every other country combined?
for goodness bakes, you occu-pie my thoughts!
Disappointment stage shiny metal, clumsy laugh watching the quiet.
Later that evening in the ringleader’s wagon.
...and our weight was too much for aerial acrobatics....
...and the big top tent collapsed...
“...we then tried laying on a bed of nails...”
“...and we roped danced...”
“...and we bent all the nails...”
i...i...i think that’s enough lessons for today.
for the performance tonight, let’s keep you on the ground, away from heavy objects.
...but we reinforced the main support pole with composite reinforcement glue we made.
so it’s ready for tonight’s show.
“...and broke the rope...”
...and no use of pyrotechnics or fire. Right, Sunset? we flame to please, Meteor.
back in their tent, sunset and meteor clean up as best they can.
they want to look their best for opening night.
I cannot believe all we got to do today, Sunset!
and everyone we got to meet.
you look good dressed in pies. you were very a-pie-ling. no wonder your puns are bad because you are older than me.
no wonder your puns are so bad because you are shorter than me.
for our performance tonight let’s just do what kirby barks says we should do.
Sounds like a plan to me.
I wish we could have found something we are good at.
the 5un53t robot chassis is more agile standing lower to the ground.
FRESH LIKE LETTUCE!
“Come one, come all to the greatest show in cyclopean canyon!”
“we come from all across the southwest, from the ruins of the ancient hohokam, to the castle of montezuma, through verde valley and deep within the grand canyon.”
“We are the grand carnival fusion and we come with smiles on our faces, goodwill in our hearts, and a desire to amaze!”
“we have all your favorite performers, so hop on in like salad the magic bunny and grab a seat.”
It’s been years since the carnival last came to town. i can’t wait to see Baron bearbear. I hear the great majesto is magical!
my favorite is captain clown and her riddles! i want popcorn! can i have popcorn? please!!!
Mommy, do you remember the last time the carnival came to town?
i do,my sweet isabel. it was before the great mine opened, when i was a little girl just like you.
will i be old like you one day, mommy?
As the crowd settles down, the lights dim and the magic of the carnival begins!
it is your father’s and my wish for you that you grow old.
wow! you were alive before the great mine opened? you must be old.
that’s funny, dear.
when kirby barks smiles, the fun is about to begin.
we’re not clowning around when baron bearbear plants his feet on the ground and pushes strength towards the sky.
lay down your tools, shake off that mine dirt and hold your family’s hand tight.
grab food-on-astick, dip it in cheese, and get ready for the greatest night of your life!
the carnival begins now!
audience delight.
a dollop of cream, a pinch in thyme, let butterflies soar like your dreams in rhyme.
meow! Meow!
meow! Meow!
Tired, weary face clown frown now turns upside down
from the outer reaches of space! they tear trucks in half like paper mache!
i’m sitting on top of the world....
I’m rolling along, yes, rolling along.
and I’m quitting the blues of the world.
i’m singing a song, yes, singing a sooooonnng!
they throw fire from the palms of their hands! they’ll bring the roof down around our heads! nobody clapped? do you think they didn’t hear us?
I give you... the musical stylings of sunset and meteor.
so that didn’t go as expected.
...i thought our singing and dancing stopped the show...
why the interruption? they weren’t that bad.
Our mine is under attack! locusts on the horizon!! the sheriff needs all hands!!!
WE MUST defend the mine!
NOt the locust! we must go quickly!
We must get there in time!
Run with haste!
There’s no time to waste.
Locust? don’t locust only eat crops?
they crave geranium crystals! you can only find them in our mine.
these are geranium-crystaleating winged megalodon locust!
we got to stop them!
Megalodon? Large tooth?
the winged megalodon locusts are back.
it’s been so long since they last attacked.
We’ve got to stop them. we must go. our mine means everything to us and cyclopean canyon. we must help our sheriff.
What can we do to help?
you can help us defend the mine!
these locusts destroy mines and towns like ours!
We do not know of these locust.
We accidentally break trucks in half and set structures on fire.
we cannot sing, dance or tell jokes. but we’d like to help.
we should run to the sheriff.
the one-eyed bandit mine, on the outskirts of town.
hey, sheriff i brought help!
the whole town and the carnival came!
Ok, buckaroos! we’re out-manned, out-winged and outtoothed to face these locustS!
great job, skip!
we make our stand at the fence line perimeter.
A locust scout patrol is on its way. they will be followed by the larger locust swarm, their army, their locust swarmy.
we do not know how to destroy the locusts, be we can knock them out and send them back to locustville.
We stop these locusts from entering the mine at all costs. we know what’s at stake. let’s go.
i hear buzzing in the distance. it’s getting louder.
can anyone see anything?
enhancing my optical input relay sensors for greater clarity and resolution.
they’re here!
our battle begins.
those don’t look like any locust i’ve ever seen.
robots! protect the entrance at all costs!
we must do something! you block, I punch.
Don’t let up! take the fight to them.
they bit me!! their teeth punctured my metal. ouch!
strength from within, Pistons locked in, i aim the train to fulfill our mission.
we’ll hold the entrance! push the locusts back!
you got this, Meteor!
for cyclopean canyon! for the one-eyed Bandits! FIGHT!
WE did it! the locust retreated and we did it together! Cyclopean one, Cyclopeans all. let’s regroup, assess our situation, and make our next plans.
there must be a spy! I saw a mysterious figure snooping around town.
we’ve worked hard to keep our geranium crystals a secret.
it must be a spy! I saw that mysterious figure lurking around my store. yea! i saw them near the cafe! and i have not received word of locust attacks on the other mining towns.
i saw this shadow at the carnival!
The carnival brought the creepy shadow!
homer, be still. we’re all worried about the shadow.
Woah, hold on to your saddle, my friend. we’re not in cahoots with the shadow.
I’ve lived here longer than you, my friend. and we all saw that figure before the carnival came.
We’re a simple, struggling, traveling carnival. Our trucks break down, supplies are scarce, and the crowds aren’t always kind.
excuse me, sheriff? we are not familiar with geranium crystals. why are they desired by the locust that you want to protect them?
Kirby, edith, and i have known each other for a long time.
we do our best to entertain and we try to do right by the towns we visit.
they are my friends and i trust them. so can you.
Geranium crystals are extremely rare and possess many known and unknown qualities.
most people believe that this is simply a copper mine. but they are wrong.
this mine is full of special crystals, which are rare byproducts of mining, just as turquoise is a byproduct of copper mining.
“These unique crystals grow in our mine. while they are valuable we leave them alone,”
“for they also provide life energy and nutrients for others.”
the locust consume the geranium crystals for an accelerated rush. like caffeine.
why not simply leave out geranium crystals for the locust, and avoid the battle?
you need to see why we fight.
but they don’t need them to survive.
you’re right, sheriff, i think they do.
we need to get into the mine.
robots, can you create an opening?
...what secrets have you yet to share with us, buff?...
two friends together and strong,
the door, boxcar be gone.
wow! they’re so strong. and they talk fun, too!
opening
buck-a-robots! What i would give to have you by my side during the annual jackalope stampede!
we can reuse these for fortification.
there is no need.
i know the way. it just looks foreboding and dark at the entrance.
we would have so much fun together.
Jackalope stampede?
sounds riveting.
hasn’t this mine always been off limits to outsiders?
the mine looks dark. sunset, can your eyes see in the dark?
yup.
we have lanterns and electric light bulbs inside to guide our way.
our mine may not look like much on the outside, but we pride ourselves on the ingenuity of our mine on the inside. wow.
kids only get to come in once a month with our parents.
i see stalagmites and stalactites and rectangles forming tetragonal crystals, oh my!
Just cross this bridge and through that door.
lies the one-eyed bandits, and why we fight.
welcome to the land of the Gurgles.
buck-a-rooroos! uptown sunlighters emerge!
look! it’s buff titanium!
gurgles! it’s so great to lay my eye on you!
i’m sorry to surprise you like this.
the strong door has opened. and shiny metal knights in orange and gold. buff is back!
hold on! we turned back these locust scouts!
together we can stop the incoming locust swarmy!
sheriff buff! we weren’t expecting you for two more weeks.
are things ok up top?
No. we just repelled a scout patrol of winged megalodon locusts.
Not the locust!
run away! we’re all gonna dry! and gurglelitos too!
Gurglemamas first!
for the land of the gurgles! for cyclopean canyon!
The threat may be great, but our combined strength is even greater!
WE know our town! we know the mine... and we know this land of the gurgles!
they are all worth fighting for!
...we kid gurgles may be small, but we can fight too.
we shall protect our home for all time! with strategy, concerted effort, and help from our new deputies...
sunset and meteor.
we’re with you, buff! we are gurgles!
we’ll bucka-rock those locust!
do not underestimate the threat these locusts pose to the life we have rebuilt here.
Rebuilt? have the locust been here before? what happened to this land in the past?
many harvests ago our land was consumed by the appetites of the locust, as they ate the crystals that sustain us.
these crystals create nourishment in our water and soil. without them we would cease to exist as gurgles.
you’re one of the last living gurgles from long ago. i know we haven’t always seen eye to eye.
would you remind us how our land and life were back then.
it was like a fairy tale. our land shimmered from the radiance of crystals and turquoise as they reflected off the river’s surface. though not as opulent as the grand gurgle city of lore, it was spectacular to our eye.
it was home and we were happy.
i was so young then. my days were filled swimming in our river discovering hidden jetties and underwater caverns.
at night, under the glow of a geranium lantern, my mother and i would read together.
my friends and i would wage epic water battles until the geranium’s light dimmed and it was time to go home. it was harmonious.
then the locust came. they came for the crystals.
no gurgle alive had seen a living locust. we thought they were myths.
they devoured everything.
We fought. they were unrelenting. our geranium crystals were depleted.
we tried to defeat them in so many ways. but it was in vain.
they left once their bellies were full.
there was so much dust at the end.
many gurgles left thinking life could be better elsewhere. they went in search of the promised land of gurgletopia.
we were unprepared.
other families like ours stayed. “this town is ours and our life is here.”
the work was constant and the days were long. but we were together.
amidst the destruction of our land and the loss of our crystals, my family and i chose to stay and rebuild.
my mother was such a proud gurgle that she could never bear to leave.
some returned to help. new families were created and baby gurgles were born.
and when the gurgle bell chimed again...
we sang and flung our tentacles around til the luster faded from the geranium tower!
well, much of that information was lost over time.
you said you “tried to defeat them in many ways?” do you remember anything that worked?
...maybe our singing and dancing could drive them away?
dust? dust!? now that’s an old fairy tale!
We battered, swatted, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, and capped locust.
dust! they can be turned to dust! but nothing works. only then are the locust defeated.
locusts cannot be turned to dust.
i was there! i saw it with my own eye! it’s true!
i still think it’s an old myth. there is nothing written about it and no one can verify your story.
we are ready to fight too!
We must prepare. the locust swarmy draws near.
we will marshall our resources and people to protect cyclopean canyon and the land of the gurgles.
we will not give up.
we can hit a fly between the eyes from five to fifty feet.
kid gurgles! do not shoot the deputies! Do not shoot uptown sunlighters with your water pistols!
i’ve about had it with your water Balloons and pistols!
you are not joining the fight! you will stay out of the way to be safe!
heh, heh, heh...uh, sorry, mayor. we were just showing that we were not afraid of the locust.
have i made myself understood?!
Yes, Mayor gurgle, sir.
...it was a long time ago... and my memories are fading...but i know locusts can be turned to dust.
sheriff titanium, we must divert all our resources and personnel to search the gurgle libraries for information on how to defeat the locust.
i know it must be written down. it’s just a fairy tale, i say.
it was how we defeated them before.
mister mayor gurgle, sunset and i are able to quickly read vast amounts of books.
you are going in search of a fairy tale.
like your fairy tales of the lost maps of the caverns, the warriors samurai saguaro, the books of cyclopia, and birds made of fire.
while i could use sunset and meteor’s strength uptown.
the townsfolk and i can begin preparing defenses on our own.
i should get zola and florence out of detention too...
we can help the elder gurgle search for information, and when the locust return we can join the fight.
...i know i have seen it with my eye...i have seen it all.
the carnival will set up defenses in the mine and protect the entrance to the land of the gurgles.
gurgles will protect our city.
off we go to prepare the defenses of cyclopean canyon and the land of the gurgles!
they left unexpectedly quick.
...and we didn’t even sing or dance.
cyclopeans all! carnival fusion power on!
gurgles eye to eye!
we should get to the gurgle library and begin reading books. especially since we don’t have much time before the locust arrive.
the mayor is right. the information won’t be in our current library. the truth is written. but it is hidden.
yet I remember a place from my youth.
you want us to get in that!?! it has more patches than the cyclopean kid rangers!!
...will it even float with two robots?...
meteor, my internal sensors are spinning wildly.
where are we going?
to the boat landing. we can only reach our destination by the river, not by walking.
many days of my youth were spent on this river, exploring the caverns and secret places. i remember a place that may yet still exist and have the information we need.
this raft is made of a rubberized compound infused with trace amounts of geranium and turquoise
as built by zola and florence and developed by me. it’ll hold...
...i hope.
Do you remember how i struggled with and did not pass our directional liquid submersible trials?
you mean you don’t know how to swim?
...well, sure, except for the drop...
i churn water and make waves to tread.
you’re doing great, sunset. i’ll keep you afloat. my sensors indicate it is clear sailing ahead.
even better than riding the colorado through the canyon.
watch out for the crystals. they can be sharp!
let me know when i can open my optical sensors again.
like what?
we’ve survived worse.
well, we crash landed in the hard rock and desert of arizona.
...and so that’s the story of how Meteor and i met and we’ve been bestfriends ever since. even though their M3t30r robot casing isn’t as sleek as mine...
...they must have run out of metal in creating the height of 5Un53t robot casing.
...teardrop bot...
...antenna head...
i think i need to reset my optic sensors.
i need to reset mine as well.
you saw it too?
hey, look up there... it looks like a ruined city.
...we must be arriving.
Meanwhile, back up topside in town...
great job on fortifying the mine entrance, roger; be proud of your work and what it means to the town.
can we get more sandbags and tools for defense to the carnival troupe inside the mine?
i trust kirby barks to hold the line should the locust break through. we’ve heard from other towns that the locust swarmy is on its way. and it’s growing. all hands on deck.
we are running out of time. where are those robots?
can someone get zola Nia and florence kitt out of detention and bring them here?
i need their unique skill sets.
really?! you want them? to do what? electroshock us?!
sheriff buff titanium! we’re here!
we can create a dinosaur catapult! we just need a catapult!
florence and i have ideas of how science can help defend the town!
giant fly paper! elevated! in the Air! Then the locust will stick to it.
or cover us all in lava?!
hey,zola! you gonna spark us today? i wore my hat just in case.
step off, john james. wouldn’t want to hear you shriek when your hair gets messy again.
or what?! you going to go volcano on us and cover us in sticky goo?
water, vinegar, and sodium hydrogen carbonate never made anybody cry, george joseph.
alright boys, you have your assignments. go.
zola and florence. we all have a part to play in this town’s defense. i need your skills.
you need our skills?
i did spark everyone with my van de graaff machine. i did volcano everyone with baking soda and vinegar goo...
...the smell lasted for weeks...
look, Zola nia and florence kitt, you are wildly imaginative and highly passionate about science. we must defend this town and our mine.
i need your most outlandish, farfetched, harebrained, ridiculous, stupefying, and cockamamie science idea you can create to stop the Locust.
and once you have that idea, Can you make it even bigger?
you have your assignment. Now go.
holler if you see anything!
elmer! be on the look out!
nuthing yet, sheriff! an ain’t nuthin’ gonna get past my good eye. them locust don’t stand a chance.
everyone is working hard. everyone is exhausted. i can see it in their faces.
our defenses grow. will it be enough? have we done enough?
this town and the gurgles have meant so much to me, i don’t want to let anyone down.
While deep underground in a ruined city of a forgotten name...
what is this place? it looks... dusty.
as old as my childhood was long ago.
you can say old, meteor. it looks old.
this is what remains of our capital city. i grew up nearby.
and just what are we looking for? does anything remain of your old home?
This place makes me feel sad.
do you see that opening?
could that be what we are Looking for?
only rubble. my favorite place as a kid gurgle should be nearby.
if it still stands, it may hold the answers we seek.
is the elder gurgle right?
wow this must be it.
sunset! meteor! elder gurgle! come Quickly!
i should have brought my reading monocle.
there sure are a lot of books in here.
ahhh, it’s been a lifetime since i have been here...
...and it has the same smell of paper, parchment, ink, and glue that i remember.
this is gonna be tough, a lot of these books are ruined.
these are the old texts. stories accumulated from throughout the time of the gurgles. these books were forgotten after the war. the elders refused to come back. so much was lost.
i have now read this book cover to cover.
it contains no locust information, but now i know how to woo a fair maiden on a midsummer day.
we can’t give up now. i can feel it in my tentacles that we are so close.
what do you think we are looking for?
i dunno, maybe a book about locusts or wars?
look what we found, guys!
the great locust wars! is this it? is this what we’re looking for?!
We kid gurgles are ready to fight!
hey! if we get hit in the face with water every time they’re ready to fight, i am not sure i’m ready to see them in battle.
the river water really makes your armor shiny.
What was your quip again about the M3T30R Robot casing not being as sleek as yours?
i...i...i remember reading this book in my childhood.
“dedicated to all the gurgles who fought and sacrificed for our land. may our kid gurgles always find this book and remember.”
what’s it say?
“...these locusts consume solidified geranium crystals...”
“...can sustain direct blunt force... but are susceptible to...to...”
“it is important to remember that there are many types of locusts, including herbivore locust, carnivore locust, omnivore locust, and the dreaded crystalivore locusts”
jumping josephat! I knew there was a way!
a locust! on my nose! i see it with my good eye!
Sheriff!! the locust are here! look there out in the distance. hold your positions buck-arogers! the locust are coming!
ulp!
zola and florence! engage Science!
Dinopult lava electricity flow! They call me Zola sparks! my name is volcano kitt! hold steady, here come the rest.
they’ve breached our outer wall!
there’s too many of them, sheriff!
we can’t hold them back!
jab, cross, hook, knock them out!
we’ve got to try! J.R.R.! Stop them!
they passed!
they’re coming for the wood barricade!
thou shalt not pass!!
inside the mine the carnival and gurgles wait...
sounds like things are getting desperate out there.
after the great war, i never thought i’d ask you all to fight by my side again.
kirby, my love, we would not want to be anywhere else.
captain barks, my strength is yours to lead.
not so tight, cascaveL. just like at the battle of belleau wood, lady hercules and Cascavel are ready.
Remember LAdy hercules, we met during that campaign. and just like then we can do anything we put our minds and wands to.
we must buy more time for the gurgles inside the cave.
hurry! let’s get more rocks and lumber in place.
elder gurgle, we have connected the tubes to the canisters, and meteor has condensed the crystals.
do you think this will work?
where are those robots?
back At the abandoned library in the ruined city.
that’s correct Sunset. we have also mixed the copper and turquoise in the formula you described.
now we just need to add in the solution as described in the text.
we followed the text just as elder gurgle described it.
oh no! i just realized we forgot something important!
we came by raft! how are we going to get back in time? it will take us too long to paddle back!
not only are we strong...
right, the river took us miles away from the town.
sunset and i may be able to help with transportation.
...but meteor and i have flame and combustion propulsion boot systems.
you mean you can fly!?!
grab our packs and supplies! Suit up!
...let’s go save our land... Gurgles EYE to EYE! Cyclopean all! carnival fusion power on!
meanwhile, a lone figure strides into the now deserted and abandoned library of the ruined city.
this library is right where mother book told me it would be.
long-lost secrets are never buried forever.
i fear what comes next.
that which i seek is now in my possession.
may i get back in time to give it to the ones i know will use it best.
at the entrance of the mine... the scene looks grim!
we can’t hold them back!
they’re gonna break through. stand your ground!
is today a good day to join the carnival??!!
Carnival troop! hold the line! Stand fast, my friends!
they’re overpowering us! Gurgles! fall back to the strong door!
we’re barely slowing them down!
knock them out, Cascavel!
hiss
we’re overwhelmed! Fight for your gurgle friends and family inside!
prepare for tentacle to wing fighting! may your eye’s gaze be true!
the locusts have broken through! train your eye and harden your tentacles for the battle is now ours.
there’s more than we thought!
we stick together and we survive! Promise?
promise! battle them twice as tough to break through!
their buzzing is deafening.
we cannot see through the locusts! there’s so many!
we’re outnumbered! we are outsized!
throw everything we have at them!
circle together! protect each other’s backs!
get the kid gurgles to safety! our land is about to fall!
the elder was wrong! there is no way to stop them.
we’re not going to make it, are we?
i don’t think we’re going to make it.
Geranium liquid brigade is on The scene!
steady!!!
kid Gurgles? Robots? Elder Gurgle?!!
geranium liquid brigade! on my mark and as i taught you!
dust those locusts!
i’ll get the largest locusts! pour it on!
for cyclopean canyon!
for the land of the gurgles!
i’ll get those closest to the mayor! it’s dusting time!
eye to eye!
these balloons contain liquefied geranium crystal concentrate!
mix with river water and attack the locusts!
do as elder gurgle says! grab buckets, hoses, and geranium concentrate!
get the locust!
us kid gurgles have been training for this day our whole lives!
deputy meteor is on the job!
we’ve got them now!
hitting ‘em right between the eyes from five to fifty feet!
The locust are defeated!
The locusts have been defeated!
we saved our land!
deputies sunset and meteor dusted them!
they’re our sunlight knights in shining armoR!
take the fight to the land of the... WhaT?!?
where are the locusts??
what happened? we did good?! This makes me want to sing and dance.
Elder gurgle, you were right!
But...How?
How did they turn to dust?
winged megalodon locust crave solid geranium crystals.
but when those crystals are liquefied along with turquoise and copper, and mixed at specific ratios, the resulting concentrate turns locusts to dust.
it’s all in this book.
our land and stores of geranium crystals provide for our lives.
they nourish us. they heal us.
and they provide the means for us to defend ourselves.
Sunset and Meteor were the missing ingredients.
their pistons provided the strength to liquify the crystals and minerals.
their flame hands welded the storage tanks together, while their eyes ensured the concentrate was mixed properly.
and their friendship makes for great adventure companions!
i’m sorry i doubted you, old friend.
with the gurgles safe, let’s head topside and see about fixing up the mine.
the town is saved. that is what is most important.
yes, that is a good idea, meteor.
you can have all the water that you need, sheriff.
sheriff, you might want to bring river water up top to protect the mine if the locust ever come back.
we can help get the first batch up there.
Mayor? why are you called gurgles?
when the townsfolk first met us, our spoken language sounded like gurgle noises.
it’s their term of endearment for us that we embraced.
they have an incredible capacity for languages and deciphering text, in addition to being fierce fighters.
topside, the remnants of the mine smolders, as townsfolk begin clearing debris.
the kitt family home.
it begins, my friends.
here they come. bring water and blankets.
it’s good to be topside again.
LoLa Flores, reporter for The Daily Postscript. I heard there was a locust attack.
our readers will be thrilled hearing how you stopped locust from destroying your crops and harming your town.
can i ask some questions and get a photo for my readers back in phoenix?
the townsfolk were happy to talk. and all preserved their secrets of the mine.
it’s not much but it should be enough to test and get a complete chemical analysis...
...along with a durability test, longevity test, color composition test, smell test...
it’s sure nice we didn’t have to go back to detention.
i can’t believe sheriff titanium gave you locust dust to test and experiment on.
he also gave me a small vial of liquified geranium crystals.
he said if i can make it last, and if my findings prove useful, he would see about getting me more, so i want to put this to good use.
add a pinch of locust dust.
a drop of liquified geranium crystal water.
well, i guess it just turns to smoke. I’ll write notes about this later.
want to grab lunch, on me? you paid last time, i got our lunch tab today.
sounds great! let’s go.
Meteor, there are times, like when we performed, or on the river, or during battle that my input relays and sensors get overwhelmed and go really fast and they get really hot, burn, and it hurts me.
i just know that throughout it all, you are right here with me.
i want to understand how my input relays and sensors work so they don’t spin out of control really fast and hurt me.
well, sure, why would i not be here?
we chose to fly together in space and we continue to fly together here in arizona.
you are my bestfriend.
by one octillionth of a second...
you’re my bestfriend and i love you. we also just had this amazing adventure.
the raft ride. buff titanium!
the mysterious figure. that was creepy. agreed.
even though you are older than me.
still older...
and the geranium liquid brigade!
meteor, you’re my bestfriend and i love you.
sunset, is today a good day to join the carnival?
every day is a great day to join the carnival.
and then when the locusts turned to the dust! Dust! I’ve seen it with my one eye!
let’s get back, the carnival is ready for us.
i’m gonna get you, locusts! you’ll never turn me to dust.
next time i get to be meteor!
will you look at that?!
the clown Said, “it’ll be an adventure.”
bye! see ya next time! see you real soon!
thanks for everything.
I wonder where we are going next? hopefully someplace quiet.
phoenix, Arizona a bustling metropolis...
Thanks, JOE. hard work and dedication pays off. say Hi to Clark and Gemini for me.
another great article and photo, lola!
at the daily postscript building...
exciting read in today’s paper, ms. flores. always putting yourself in danger for a story.
it’s what my readers want, hector.
ya know lola, that was my scoop/ you stole that from me.
Tell her i am out of the office under cover.
hey lola! the editor is looking for you!
*“if you put yourself in danger once again...”
you never heard of cyclopean canyon til you read my article, raymond walter. so don’t even try to say it was yours.
*”will you give me a raise?”
lola flores! si te pones en peligre una vez mas...*
?Me daras un aumento?*
hi, ms. flores!
hi sammy.
how do you manage to get these scoops? it’s always an adventure.
one day i hope to be just like you. it takes dedication, a little mystery, and integridad.
Somewhere on the road...
...they fly through caves! they’re sharpshooters with water pistols!
I give you... the robot band of sunset and meteor.
just like humpty dumptyyyy, I’m going to fallll, yeah!
i’m sitting on top, top of the worllld.I’m rolling along, rolling along.
bring out the clowns!
Hi guys. it sure looks like you could use some help.
we sure could.
we sure have a lot of laundry here.
ok, sunset, you wash and i will dry. sounds good, meteor.
Now to dry
with a little bit of fire.
i knew we shouldn’t have given everyone the day off.
with our robotic abilities we can take care of this.
then you two can take the day off.
that would be amazing.
Time for Hydraulic water power.
i think i might have overdone it.
but at least the clothes are dry.