Bug Wars Vs Jules

BUG WARS Book One: Lost in the Yard brings vibes of Conan the Barbarian, A Song of Ice and Fire, and Honey I Shrunk the Kids in a full color book… don’t skip this one.

I dove into book one of Bug Wars not really knowing what to expect. A few months back I’d gotten that little sneak peak from Image Comics for the cover reveals of the issues, but I got my hands on the full, put together book…and it is FUN. Sometimes, there is a lack of cohesion when the full volume is smashed together. This doesn’t happen with Lost in the Yard. Jason Aaron’s writing is smooth and bleeds from one chapter to the next so smoothly that I completed the full 208 page collection in just a few hours. Taking my time. Admiring the art. Dyslexia and all.

The writing really does put you through a range of emotions. Grief, shock, humor, anger, and more. I am truly impressed with the way the story developed. We also see the Slaymaker Brothers, complete opposites of one another, go through completely different journeys and growth arcs. One brother is stuck in a box, while the other jumps between worlds, showing us the talent Jason Aaron brings at not only story-building, but world making, too.

Then we have the composition of the pages.

The artwork is so beautiful. Mahmud Asrar worked on the drawings while Matthew Wilson brought color to the pages, reminding me of much beloved cartoons from my youth such as Thunder Cats and He-man with some of the stylistic choices. However, the panels and full page spreads show the modern element of art, leaving behind the older, grainy choices we used to see. These pages are bright and dynamic, bringing just as much emotion as the words. Becca Carey lends a hand in this with her lettering and design.

The one thing that may catch some people off guard is some of the more adult content. While the main character is a teenager and the theme could arguably have a coming-of-age element, there is a high level of violence, war, and sexual content… don’t worry. For appropriately aged characters on the latter and with consent. I mention this since the younger character may attract a younger crowd. I wouldn’t let the younger kids read this one. Older high school? Sure.

Anyway, it did activate my nerdy side more than usual. There are notebook like pages that made my heart happy and made me want to bust out the old notebooks. At any rate, I may delve into spoilers if I keep going. Book One will be available on Tuesday, 21st October of 2025 wherever you can buy books and comics. Don’t sleep on it, and definitely keep your eyes peeled for the next Volume. Book Two: The Fellowship of the F*cked-Up will be out in 2026!