BUG WARS: THE COMING OF THE WARDOOM #1 (IMAGE COMICS)
It’s time to return to the Yard and catch up with what’s going on with the Worldstomper! Book Two of Bug Wars picks up 6 months after Book One left off. There may be peace in the yard now, but there is a dark cloud on its way. Will Slade Slaymaker be able to survive this new threat and succeed where his father failed? Or will this new threat take out another Worldstomper on their way to total domination of the Yard?
Bug Wars: The Coming of the Wardoom #1 – Written By Jason Aaron – Art By Mahmud Asrar – Colors By Matthew Wilson – Letters By Becca Carey – Edited By Heather Antos - Published By Image Comics
Credit: Image Comics
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
STORY OVERVIEW:
Six months after Slade Slaymaker the Worldstomper saved the Yard and brought peace to the bug warriors, things started to get strange. It appears that the beasts of the Woods are beginning to trespass into the Yard violating age-old treaties. Due to this the Roach Knights of the Knights of the Bulwark under the command of Sir Fergus the Mothhearted in their duty as the Wardens of the House, up their protection of the Worldstomper. This becomes harder due to Slade being in school. He is covered by bugs which make him a target of bullying. Plus, his brother Syd is still recovering from the Battle of the Mowed Lands, which has made him scared of leaving the house and overprotective of protecting the house.
Meanwhile, Wysta has been captured by the creatures of the Woods under the direction of the Squirrel King. They are planning on taking out the Worldstomper and taking over the Yard. Wysta in total defiance has faith that the Bug Warriors will overcome. However, the Squirrel King has assured her that he has already taken out the Wytches of the Weeds and she will be next. But it also appears that there is a new threat that is attacking the Yard as well.
WRITING:
Bug Wars: The Coming of the Wardoom #1 wastes no time pulling readers back into the strange, dangerous, and surprisingly emotional world of the Yard. Jason Aaron uses this first issue of Book Two to reestablish the stakes after the events of Book One while also showing how much has changed for Slade Slaymaker since becoming the Worldstomper. The six-month time jump gives the story room to breathe, but it also makes clear that peace in the Yard is fragile at best. Slade may have helped save the bug warriors, but that victory has not translated into an easier life. At school, the bugs who surround and protect him make him stand out in the worst possible way, turning him into a target for classmates who do not understand what is really happening around him. At home, his brother Syd’s lingering trauma from the Battle of the Mowed Lands adds another layer of pressure, forcing Slade to deal not only with threats from outside the house but also with the fear and damage left behind by the last war.
Aaron also does a strong job expanding the conflict beyond Slade himself. The Roach Knights and the Knights of the Bulwark are no longer simply background protectors; their dwindling numbers and fear of repeating past failures give their role more urgency. Their duty to guard the Worldstomper becomes increasingly complicated because Slade is still a child who has to move through an ordinary human world while carrying an extraordinary burden. That tension is one of the most effective parts of the issue. The bug warriors need Slade, but Slade is not fully prepared to become the weapon they need him to be. At the same time, the Beasts of the Woods, led by the Squirrel King, immediately establish themselves as a much larger and more organized threat than anything the Yard has faced before. Wysta’s capture raises the stakes even further because it removes one of Slade’s most powerful allies and shows just how confident the enemy has become. The mention of the Wytches of the Weeds being taken out also hints that the Squirrel King’s campaign is already well underway before Slade even understands the scope of the danger.
What makes this opening chapter work so well is the way Aaron balances recap, character development, and escalation. The issue reminds readers why Slade matters, but it also makes the Yard feel more unstable than ever before. The introduction of the Raze Exterminators adds another mystery to the mix, suggesting that the coming war may not be limited to the bugs and beasts already on the board. By the time Slade makes his unplanned return to the Yard, the issue has built a strong sense of momentum. There are personal stakes, political stakes, and looming threats all colliding at once, making this a confident and exciting kickoff to the next major chapter of the Bug Wars saga.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this issue continues the strong visual standard that readers have come to expect from Bug Wars. Mahmud Asrar once again makes the Yard feel like a massive, dangerous fantasy kingdom hiding inside an ordinary backyard. That contrast is one of the biggest strengths of the book’s visuals. Everyday spaces like grass, dirt, school, and the area around Slade’s home are drawn in a way that makes them feel huge, unpredictable, and full of danger once the story shifts into the perspective of the bug warriors. Asrar’s sense of scale helps sell the idea that this is a war epic happening in miniature, where a squirrel, a patch of weeds, or a stretch of lawn can feel as threatening as a battlefield in a traditional fantasy story.
Asrar’s character work is just as impressive as the larger world-building. The bug warriors all have distinct designs that make them feel like part of a rich and complicated society rather than background creatures. The Roach Knights have a worn-down, battle-tested quality that fits their role as protectors who have already survived too much, while Sir Fergus the Mothhearted and the Knights of the Bulwark carry a sense of duty that comes through in their posture and presence. Slade also looks convincingly caught between two worlds. He is still a young kid dealing with school, family, and fear, but the way the bugs gather around him constantly reminds readers that he is also the Worldstomper. That visual contrast helps reinforce the central tension of the issue without needing the dialogue to explain everything.
Matthew Wilson’s colors give the issue a lot of its energy and atmosphere. His palette keeps the world vibrant and strange without making it feel too bright or soft for the danger being shown. The colors help separate the different corners of this world, from the more grounded human spaces to the darker, more threatening areas connected to the Woods and the Squirrel King’s forces. Wilson’s work also gives the violence and action a sharper impact. When the issue leans into danger, the colors become more intense and dramatic, making the threat feel immediate while still maintaining the adventurous tone of the series.
Together, Asrar and Wilson make this issue feel bigger than its setting should allow. The artwork captures the fun of seeing insects and backyard creatures treated like warriors, monsters, and legends, but it also supports the darker direction of the story. The result is a visually exciting issue that matches Jason Aaron’s escalating script and makes the coming war feel like a threat the reader can see building on every page.
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Final Thoughts:
Bug Wars: The Coming of the Wardoom #1 is a strong start to Book Two, bringing readers back to the Yard with bigger threats, sharper stakes, and plenty of momentum. Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, and Matt Wilson quickly remind readers why this world works so well, blending strange fantasy, emotional character drama, and high-energy action into one exciting opening chapter. If this issue is any indication, the coming war is going to push Slade and the Bug Warriors into their most dangerous fight yet. If you did not read the first book in this series grab a copy of the Trade Paperback and catch up, it’s well worth it. Well you’re at the shop, grab this issue and add this new chapter to your Pull List so you don’t miss any of the exciting issues ahead.
FINAL GRADE: 10/10
Let me know your thoughts on Bug Wars: The Coming of the Wardoom #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
