What if there’s more to bugs?
That’s a fundamental question posed by Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar in Bug Wars, an ongoing title from Image Comics.
As 90s kid, I would pester my parents to get me that month’s “Bugs!” Magazine when it came out. Afraid as I was of insects — cockroaches still terrify me — I found the insect world endlessly fascinating. Bombardier beetles (which deploy a hot, foul-smelling spray against predators), bullet ants (with the most painful of all insect stings), emperor scorpions (that glow green under UV) were some of the exotic species that I enjoyed learning more about.
So when I came across Bug Wars it was as though I was a kid again. (Although I should add that this is definitely not a comic meant for kids or teens!) Asrar’s illustration brings to life a world where different bug clans are at war. Aaron’s story weaves themes of trauma, family, and redemption, all while not forgetting to tell a compelling and fun story.
If you can’t stomach the idea of superhero comics, or if you just want to explore a different genre — give Bug Wars a try. The world-building within its pages will draw you in and keep you there.
(Good news, if hunting down single issues isn’t your thing, a paperback volume collecting issues #1 - #6 is coming out early next month!)