BUG WARS #3 – Review

BUG WARS #3, by Image Comics on 4/23/25, finds Slade fighting for his life in an arena filled with mosquitoes when he learns the secret of the amulet and the influence his father had on the Mytes.

Credits:

• Writer: Jason Aaron
• Artist: Mahmud Asrar
• Colorist: Matthew Wilson
• Letterer: Becca Carey
• Cover Artist: Mahmud Asrar, Matthew Wilson
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: April 23, 2025
• Comic Rating: Mature (language, gore, nudity)
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 32
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of BUG WARS #3:

Recap:

When we last left Slade Slaymaker in Bug Wars #2, he found himself in an arena to be sacrificed to a hungry swarm of mosquitoes for sport, accompanied by a Spyder Syster and an Anturion General. As the frenzied spectators cheered on, the Syster implored Slade to use his amulet to fight. In the taunts and cheers of the spectators, Slade deduced the tribes were coming together to fight the Annihirazer. To the Mytes, Annihirazer was a foul giant god who brought the devastating Death Strom. To Slade, the Annihirazer was his older brother Syd running a lawn mower.

Plot Analysis:

In Bug Wars #3, Slade fights for his life against a swarm of hungry mosquitoes… and loses. The Spyder Syster and Anturion General hack and slash through the swarm, but Slade doesn’t know how to fight or get his amulet working. When a group of mosquitoes latches onto him, they quickly bleed him dry. At the moment of death, Jim remembers a happy time as a child with his father, and in that moment, Jim Slaymaker taught his son a special phrase, “Sectae Grammaton.” Near death, Slade repeats the phrase, waking the amulet’s power. Now, Slade remains the size of a Myte, but he has all the power and strength of a human. He has become a Worldstomper.

Slade easily smashes all opposition, flips over the Bludhole, and frees his beetle, Pac. Suddenly, the Barbarian Myte leader recognizes Slade as The Son of The Jim, a trusted advisor, warrior, and leader who died years ago – Slade’s father. The Barbarian leader believes Slade’s arrival is a sign that the time to destroy their enemies is at hand. What follows is a night of drunken debauchery and plenty of sex. However, Slade sneaks off with Pac to find a way to get back to his normal size and home.

Meanwhile, the Spyder Syster, Wysta, is ordered by her coven to bring the amulet and the boy to them. The amulet must be protected, even if they have to kill Slade to get it. The issue ends with Wysta knocking out Slade with a drug and the Anturions going to war with the Beetle Riders.

First Impressions:

You’ve got to check out Bug Wars. It’s awesome.” That’s the reason we’re reviewing Bug Wars #3. Word of mouth is a strong indicator of entertainment value, so here we are. So far, it’s not bad. Mix Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) with the Sectaurs, set in a Rated-R battle action comic with more penises than you’d ever expect to see in an action fantasy comic, and that’s what you get. It’s not for everyone, but those who like Hard-R Sword & Sandal adventures will love it.

Artwork and Presentation:

Mahmud Asrar is one of our favorite artists since he delivered a killer end to Conan when the license was still at Marvel. Asrar has an iron grip on visuals that rely on heavy shadows and whimsical movement to make every panel a work of art in motion. Asrar’s Bronze Age-inspired aesthetic is a perfect fit for the material.

Art Samples:

Story Positives & Negatives:

The Positives:

Drawing inspiration from Hard-R Sword & Sandal fantasy actioners from the 70s through the 90s, Jason Aaron’s tale of a big bloody adventure in a very small world is both fantastical and terrifying. Aaron’s concept is imaginatively entertaining, and, depending on your tastes, the wordplay involving names is somewhat amusing.

The Negatives:

The story works out, but the creative choices may be excessive enough to be off-putting. For example, if you don’t like wordplay or punny names, your annoyance filter is going to get a workout. Also, the displays of full frontal nudity, particularly the males, could be seen as gratuitous or excessive. Is it really necessary to see an axe-swinging barbarian charging into battle with a raging hard-on? Probably not.

Final Thoughts:

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BUG WARS #3 continues Slade’s discovery of a miniature world at war when he’s discovered to be the son of a revered figure. Jason Aaron’s imaginative script gives you everything you like about Hard-R Sword & Sorcery from the 70s through the 90s, and Mahmud Asrar’s art is gritty greatness. That said, Aaron’s script gets excessive in the wordplay and nudity when it’s not relevant to the story, so some readers may be put off.

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