Publisher: DC Comics
Written By: Lee & Micael Allred
Art By: Lee & Laura Allred
Letters By: Nate Piekos of Blambot
Ever since last fall when DC Comics launched its new Young Animal imprint fans have been eagerly awaiting to see what would come from it once it expanded beyond its initial four premiere titles. Well this week the fifth series and first mini to launch from the line has begun and it is a rip-roaring adventure through time, space and the Multiverse with the best hero you’ve never heard of Bug The Forager. So get your mother boxes ready and let the journey begin.
The book starts out by giving us some brief flashbacks to Bug’s previous and supposedly final adventure before having the titular hero wake up and find himself encased in a cocoon inside of a basement. He looks around and finds a mysterious talking teddy bear that is quickly snatched by an equally mysterious ghost girl whom he follows up the stairs until he runs into a group of monsters that he must fight off before meeting up with the girl once more in a room full of dominos that mimic a motherbox switchboard diagram. The dominos drop and our hero is given multiple vision of other heroes in need of help throughout the Multiverse. After this ordeal Bug is found by two more creepy creatures who happen to be servants of the silver age Sandman. He explains there are here to find “The Dreamer” whom he believes Forager to be and that he needs BUG to wake up if he isn’t already dead that is. The reason for this is because he needs BUG to help him find one of the rarest metals in all the Multiverse, one that can make dreams reality. Shortly after being awoken the group is attacked by General Electric a mad scientist in search of the same power as Sandman & BUG. The first issue ends with BUG stepping through a dimensional portal to parts unknown.
Overall in terms of story the book is the highly enjoyable retro surrealist kind of tale we have come to expect from both the Young Animal Line and Allred himself. The book pays tribute to what has come before while still paving the way for something new while setting up an interesting story and mystery for the rest of the series to follow-up on. The inclusion of lesser known characters like the Silver Age Sandman are a nice plus and really help showcase the scope of the DCU even when the majority of your book takes place in a dream house. General Electric while a somewhat cheesy villain is introduced in a very fun and bombastic way and the magical McGuffins of the metal and dream whistles actually fit into the story quite well. The art is also fantastic as it to features Allred’s unique form and style that manages to make the characters feel lively and dynamic and making each one feel unique while still being a working homogeneous part of the same story and world. If there are any complaints to be had it would be the book does seem to jump around a bit but that only adds to the surrealist feel and style of the work.
Overall I would say BUG! The Adventures of Forager is a worthy addition to any DC/Young Animal fans collection.
Final Score
Story: 8.5
Art: 8
Overall: 8.5
A Slice of Comics 