Review - Bed Bug #1

"Yeah, I could've thought this plan through a little better..."

Need a hero in the night? Need a parent in the day? How about one who can handle both roles with ease? Maybe you need someone like the main character in Bed Bug #1 from Bed Bug Comics.

The work features mostly Scott Rogers, with an art assist by Sam Ellis and writing assists by Chad Jones and Erik Burnham.

Buddy Sprang is a man who's become a hero in Bed Bug. Relying on his intelligence and entrepreneurial spirit, he takes to the streets as Bed Bug, fighting crime. During the day though, he's a single father struggling to raise his daughter the best way he knows how. Somewhere at the intersection of superhero and father does Buddy find himself and make an impact on those around them.

Bed Bug is an interesting character. Rogers created him out of a desire to have less gritty superheroes on the comic book shelves and Bed Bug definitely fits that description. Superheroes always have to manage multiple lives, but mixing in raising a child is quite a complex twist to have to contend with. Over the course of the first issue, Bed Bug deals with a crime spree, a car chase, a meeting with his daughter's teacher and allowing her to go to a sleepover. All in a day's work for a man like Bed Bug.

The art in the first issue is varied, but effective. Probably the most vivid illustrations are those done with what appears to be crayon, adding to the innocence attempted to be conveyed in the book. There is a maturity in the story, but the art really pitches it in a brighter light, which does meet up with the expectations of the author. Bed Bug himself is convincing as a superhero, giving the book the capes and tights feel without all the depression.

If you're looking for a new superhero to get behind, then Bed Bug #1 might be for you. It's got a lot that parents in particular will find something that resonates with them. Often, being a parent is much like being a superhero in terms of the plurality of identities assumed. Watching Bed Bug and Buddy move back and forth between superhero and parent should be an enjoyable read and something that will appeal to all ages.

Bed Bug #1 is available now with interiors below. Check out more about the issue here.