bug burger batch 1 strips. contains strips 1-13.

BUG BURGER 01 - A TYPICAL DAY AT BUG BURGER p1: A shot of the bug burger. A group of bugs are walking in. p2: Shot of the interior. It is ungodly busy, and a bug is sucking the juices out of a burger with its proboscis. p3: Shakra is flipping burgers and The Hollow Knight is squirting some kind of condiment on a bun. Both seem tired and stressed. p4: Lace is yelling about something or other on the phone. Hornet stares forward with a depressed look on her face. A bug in a 'silly world' hat is drooling with its big 'ol eyes while its mother points aggressively at the two cashiers.
Lace is thinking about pouring ice in the deep-frier while Hornet attempts to calm the raging customer. Hornet: As I have already- Customer: HE WANTS A TOY!! A BOY TOY!! Hornet: -Already stated, Ma'am, we do not sell toys here. We have never sold toys. We simply do not carry them. I'm very sorry for the in- Customer: (cutting her off) COULDN'T YOU JUST CHECK THE BACK? Hornet: ...we have NEVER carried toys, Ma'am. There wouldn't be a point in checking the back. Customer. CAN'T YOU JUST GO LOOK?!
7/20/2026
the very first bug burger strip. the only one i signed with a month as well as my signature. then i realized i was taking too long, so i stopped doing that because the dates would be inaccurate to when i was posting them. a slow start, it all barrels downhill from here.

BUG BURGER 02 - A SMALL SIBLING PRANK p1: phantom silksong has come up to the register dressed far too fancily for what is essentially Insect Mcdonalds. lace is behind the register. they wave to each other. the photoshopped-in head of fuzzy wuzzy wizzerd is beneath the desk for some reason. p2: phantom orders.'Can i get uhhh...' '3 large bug burger meals, each with a shake for the drink, and then can i ALSO have two 20 piece craw nuggets' 'and also 3 kids meals' 'uhhhhhhmmm...and....ONE FAMILY COMBO!' 'yeah that should be it' p3: MEANWHILE, IN THE KITCHEN... The Hollow Knight and Shakra look up in horror at the monitor displaying phantom's order. p4: Shakra, thinking: 'Oh we're FUCKED' p5: Lace is in shock that her sister would do this to her. THK and Shakra glare at Phantom from the BOH. Lace: 'I' 'Phantom my dearest beloved sister' 'What the FUCK is this' Phantom, keeping the bit going: 'don't forget about the 20 extra bug sauces btw'
p1: Lace is very upset over this. She yells at phantom while they put on their best poker face (a very good one). Lace: 'You-WE can't even EAT food what the hell are you doing? WHO is this FOR?!?!' 'You KNOW i work here!! Why didn't you just place a call-ibn order?!?!?!' 'Do you REVEL in the SUFFERING of SERVICE WORKERS??' 'You're going to have to start sleeping with one eye open for this shit i swear to GOD' p2: Phantom puts their claw on their mask and laughs. p3: Phantom quickly turns and points a claw at their sister, a gleam in their eye: 'I'm ordering for' 'Your Mother.' p4: lace is floored by the audacity of this awful joke
p1: Lace is still in shock. Hornet finds the yo mama joke a little funny (or perhaps she finds Lace's misery funny), and snickers while walking by with a clipboard in her claws. p2: Lace hears this and turns angrily towards Hornet, saying: 'THIS-THIS ISN'T FUNNY!!! DON'T LAUGH!!' Hornet flippantly waves a claw and responds, 'I'm not, I'm not...' In the background, Shakra is at fry station and seems to find this whole exchange a little humorous.
p1: Phantom waves a claw as if to wave away their monstrosity of a joke order. 'I'm not ACTUALLY ordering all of that, you can cancel that order.' 'I'd just like one large cup, please.' p2: The kitchen breathes a sigh of relief. Sly is on the floor drinking an asahi super dry, which is illegal to do at work, but he's really good at his job so they let it slide. p3: Lace sighs and punches in her sister's order. 'You're paying full price for this, by the way. that was a terrible joke...' Phantom pulls out their wallet: 'That's fine' p4: Phantom approaching the definitely-not-a-coca-cola-freestyle-machine. p5: They're punching in some bullshiiiit. the machine says SLOP 4 ALL at the top
p1: Phantom holds up their cup joyously. Text in the foreground reads: 'SUICIDE* MIXED SUCCESSFULLY!' *A 'suicide' is a slang term for when you mix every drink in the soda machine p2: Phantom walks off, happy with their monstrosity. Lace wonders why the hell they even entered the building today. (perhaps the suicide was just that good)
7/27/2026
much longer than the previous one, still not the longest in this batch. that award goes to...no...i shan't say....

BUG BURGER 03 - A NEW HIRE quetzaldotdog.art/bugburger p1: Bretta is walking in the bug burger (and has an extra pair of arms for a total of 4 because i fucked up and forgot she only had 2). the bell that indicates someone has entered has rung, she looks towards the sound. p2: she waves happily while The Stench approaches her. Bretta: 'Hello, welcome to Bug Bur-' p3: The Stench has hit. she covers her mouth, tears springing in her eyes. 'I-' 'ACK-' 'GHGK-*' p4: she runs off quickly.
p1: narrator text reads 'SHORTLY...' Lugoli and Elderbug are here. Elderbug: 'This is our new back of house member! Everyone say 'hello' to them!' Lugoli nods in confirmation of this. p2: Hornet, The Hollow Knight, Lace, Shakra and Sly just stare blankly. Bretta is hiding behind Shakra, shaking and crying a little. p3: Hornet voices her displeasure. To her right is her sibling Hollow, who has their arms crossed. Hornet: 'Elderbug with all due respect this bug smells like ASS' 'Is this not a blatant HYGIENE ISSUE?' p4: Elderbug silently approaches Hornet.
This page is just one panel, with Hornet and Elderbug looking at each other in somewhat dramatic lighting. Elderbug: 'Hornet we are so chronically understaffed it's KILLING us. The only bug who has submitted any application forms in the past 9 MONTHS was this bug. and despite their...OBVIOUS issues, they have past experience in the industry.' 'I don't care for them or their stench any more than YOU do, but we need to put up with them, at least for a little bit. I've already asked them to clean up before their next shift...if they don't do that, WRITE THEM UP.' Hornet, full of dread: '...Heard.'
8/3/2026.
accidentally mandela-effect'd myself into giving bretta an extra pair of arms and by the time i realized this it was too late and i didn't wanna redo the whole thing. sorry

BUG BURGER 04 - THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE 'BREAK ROOM' quetzaldotdog.art/bugburger page 1 background by rabbitmortician instagram.com/rabbitmortician one panel takes up the whole page. it shows a big box in the right corner, a coffee machine on a table with a stool to the left, and an entrance/exit in the center, with boxes of stuff visible on a shelf beyond it. one box says 'BUGS'. to the bottom right of the door is a moldy ketchup stain narration: 'The break room isn't very big. There's a table, chair and coffee machine, but you have to bring your own grounds if you want anything.' 'There is also a ketchup stain on the wall that is beginning to grow mold. Nobody has cleaned it up yet.' 'Various STRANGE and MYSTERIOUS activities happen in this room, such as...'
p1: Narration: 'Inappropriate knife usage' Lace is playing the knife game with a bigass knife. It hits the table between her suddenly-present fingers with a loud 'THNK'. An arrow pointing to her reads in handwritten text, 'Knife game until she stabs herself and is injured enough to be required to leave work' p2: Narration: 'The writing of mysterious manuscripts' Bretta, presumably writing fanfiction or something in the breakroom, slams her book shut quite quickly while Hornet walks by, wondering why the hell Bretta did that. p3: Narration: 'Paperwork.' The Hollow Knight is sifting through paperwork. p4: Narration: 'More paperwork.' The Hollow Knight is In The Zone and is still sifting through paperwork. p5: Narration: 'Listening to customer complaints (this room is the quietest and so you can hear through the shitty phone easier).' Sherma is on the phone, distressed and on the verge of tears while someone screams at him, '...FOR A SHITTY LITTLE PATTY THE SIZE OF MY *CLAW*! I'D BETTER GET A REFUND NEXT TIME I'M DOWN THERE, OR ELSE!!!' p6: Narration: 'Staring at the wall and trying not to cry.' Hornet is staring at the wall and trying not to cry.
p1: Narration: 'Staring at the wall and being unable to stop crying.' hornet is in a void of despair. head in her hands, static overlay, the works p2: Narration: 'Contemplate the consequences of arson.' Sly is having some beautiful thoughts about the Bug Burger burning down. p3: Narration: 'Wonder what would happen if you ate the mold off the wall. (It couldn't possibly be worse than today's rush, right?)' Ghost/The Knight is intensely looking at the mold on the wall (which has been there so long it has evolved eyeballs), crying a little with a small crack on the back side of their mask from stress. p4: Narration: 'Write-ups.' Lugoli is being written up for something-or-other. Hornet: 'Sign there.' Lugoli: 'Okay.' p5: Narration: 'Feeding whatever addictions you have.' Lace is drinking her 3rd 300mg energy drink of the day. Shakra is smoking at night behind the building. Sly has cracked open a Cold One (asahi super dry). Sly: 'I'm off the clock it's fine.' Elderbug: '...It's not fine, Sly.'
8/10/2026. page 1 background by rabbitmortician
first one with a background by rabbitmortician, won't be the last. "break room" in quotations because nobody really feels like they're taking a break.

BUG BURGER 05 - DON'T EVER EAT THE BURGERS AT BUG BURGER quetzaldotdog.art/bugburger p1: pilby, wearing a weird shirt that has the cover of the book 'snowed in with grandmother silk' and the text '4 2028' edited over that, walks up to the register. he is short as hell p2: pilby is at the register. sherma is manning it. sherma is also short as hell and needs a stool to reach the POS system Pilby: 'Hello! I would like one BUG BURGER combo, please! For to go, please!' p3: Sherma smiles down at Pilby. Sherma doesn't have a mouth but you can still tell he's smiling. Sherma: 'Your total is $12.49, sir!' p4: Pilby walks off to go sit somewhere. In the background is an advertisement for the NEW CLEARWATER SHAKE. the menu above Sherma is inexplicably screaming. Sherma: 'We'll call out your order number as *soon* as it's ready!'
p1: Pilby is sitting at the table. Due to being short as hell, he is eye-level with the edge of the table. p2: Menacing shot of Disgraced-Yet-Employed Shef Lugoli putting the bun on the top of the burger. There are maggots.... p3: Sherma, offscreen: 'ORDER NUMBER 101!' Pilby looks towards the sound, alert. p4: Pilby takes his bug burger meal. Text on the bag reads, 'Scan below for 1 FREE burger combo' Sherma: 'Thank you! Please come again soon!
One panel page. Narration: 'ONE HOUR LATER...' Pilby is violently throwing up into the toilet, the seat of which is about to descend and hit him on the head. Let's hope he doesn't fall in, he needs a stool to reach the toilet bowl. short ass In the background there is a painting of a Skull Tyrant hanging up for some strange reason.
8/17/2026. page 3 background by rabbitmortician
inspired by the costco chicken bake incident of 12/7/2025

BUG BURGER 06 - JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE quetzaldotdog.art/bugburger p1: phone messages app layout. this is consistent throughout the whole comic Shakra: 'Heard.' (yesterday 5:00 pm) ------ Hornet: (sent an image) (10:30 pm) Lace is in the family guy death pose by the dumpster. some silk has been strewn about like stuffed animal stuffing. p2: (image from before again) Hornet: Just so you're aware, a savage beastfly has been lurking around the dumpster lately. (10:33 pm) Hornet: We drove it off today but it'll be back. if I get the time I'll track it down and kill it. Be careful when taking out the garbage, do it in pairs. (10:35 pm) Hornet: Can I get a 'Heard' from everyone in this group chat? (10:35 pm) (scroll to see more messages)
p1: several messsages from bug burger employees. HK, as (not) Hollow: okay heard. (10:40 pm) Ghost(ly): k. also can i come with you to kill it its been so long since ive tasted blood please sister please (10:40 pm) Shakra: Heard. (10:42 pm) Sly: Heard (1:30 am) Lugoli: heard! (3:30 am) Sherma :) : Heard but is lace ok???) p2: same messages as before, but Ghost's has been removed by the group chat admin. hornet has sent a new message, shown at the bottom of the panel: 'Eventually.'
8/24/2026.
bug burger bugsapp group chat

BUG BURGER 07 - ASS HAZARD quetzaldotdog.art/bugburger p1: Shakra is looking around for someone worriedly. p2: Shakra is still looking, this time checking the dumpster out back. The Knight/Little Ghost is sitting against the dumpster and smoking. p3: Shakra approaches Hornet and lowers herself to her eye level. Shakra: 'Hey, hornet-wielding-headset?' Hornet, tired: 'mm?' p4: Shakra, worriedly: 'Have you seen Sly-Handling-Fry-Station ANYWHERE recently?' 'His break ended over an hour ago and he's still NOWHERE to be found!'
p1: Hornet: 'Sorry to say that I haven't, but rest assured that i'll be writing him up for not coming back from break.' Shakra, straightening up: 'Hmm...' p2: Shakra, pondering: 'I suppose it is possible that he just walked out...' 'But he's not exactly the kind of bug to DO that. He needs the money just like everyone else here.' p3: Menacing shot of lugoli's upper back and head from behind. Shakra, offscreen: 'I wonder where he could be?' p4: Horrifying shot of Lugoli's ass. Sly is caught between their cheeks.
8/31/2026.
last one of august. this one brings me nothing but shame

BUG BURGER 08 - FIRST EMPLOYEE TO EVER GET FIRED (or, 'the straw that broke the beetle's back') (based on a true story [this is a lie]) (quetzaldotdog.art/bugburger page 3 ad by @hum4nboard on twitter) p1: closeup of a calendar, on the month of March. on the third, 'TRUCK' is written. on the 6th, 'NEW PROMO triple triples burger :(' is written. the week of the 9th to the 12th is circled, labeled as 'INSPECTION WK'. on the 12th a note is also written, 'call a guy to investigate source of smell in freezer' p2: Hornet claps her hands, making an announcement. 'Okay, everyone...' 'It's inspection week. they could be here any day now... any hour...' 'and if we fail it...well, you know what that means for ALL OF US, right?' p3: Hornet, nervously: 'A-And we don't want th-THAT to happen!!' '...so! follow procedure, stay in position. Put on a happy face no matter how you feel inside.' 'Can i get a 'heard' from everyone here?' p4: Lace, The Hollow Knight, Little Ghost, Sly, Shakra and Bretta are all present. Everyone: 'Heard!'
This page is a montage of fast food bullshit. p1: Drive-thru POS system displaying a big order. the order is: -3 triple triples burger combos large drink xtra fries for all -4 vanilla milkshake -2 kids burger (continues on...) p2: An angry customer tosses their drink at Lace while at the drive-thru window. p3: Hornet, depressed, working the lobby POS system. p4: Burgers sizzling on the grill. p5: Menacing, terrifying shot of Lugoli adding maggots to a burger for flavor. p6: Narration: 'Meanwhile, the inspector, who had posed as a regular customer...' A bug is vomiting in the toilet. but, little does anybody know, this is the health inspector! A bug outside the stall hears the noise and nervously scoots away.
p1: The health inspector, who is revealed to be an anthro muckroach, storms out of the bathroom, slamming the door. Hornet is in the lobby and sees this. On the wall is an ad depicting a human hand with bug spray that reads, 'BUG SPRAY - For when you've had enough.' (this was made by my friend @hum4nboard on twitter, aka @entropyfanatic on tumblr). a plaque beneath it reads, 'historical ad'. p2-p3: These two panels are connected by a shock line that goes from Hornet to the health inspector. In panel 2, Hornet is nervous to the point of shaking. The health inspector glares at her from panel 3. He says, 'YOU.' 'Are SO. FUCKED.'
This is one panel that takes up a whole page, depicting the health inspector holding a burger that has received the Lugoli Treatment while ranting about all the problems the store has. Hornet appears smaller and the inspector appears larger for dramatic effect. Muckroach inspector: ' THE TABLES ARE FILTHY, THE TOILETS ARE FILTHY, THE FIRE EXIT IS BLOCKED, THE FLOOR IS EXTREMELY STICKY...' 'THE FRIERS NEED CLEANING, SOMETHING DIED IN THE FRIDGE AND I THINK IT'S A BUG, THE PARKING LOT IS DIRTY, DRIVE TIMES ARE HIGH, YOUR CASHIER* CUSSED SOMEONE OUT ON THE PHONE...' (*cashier in question is Lace) 'AND THIS BURGER IS ROTTEN, BURNT, HAS MAGGOTS IN IT AND MADE ME SICK!!' 'ALL IN ALL-THIS IS THE WORST STORE I'VE EVER BEEN IN! NEVER IN MY 20 YEARS OF INSPECTING HAVE I SEEN A STORE THIS BAD!'
p1: Hornet, apologetic: 'Sir I am so deeply sorry about all thi-' '...wait did you say someone DIED in the fridge?' p2: Inspector, thinking: 'Yeah its uh...it was a ladybug? The proper authorities HAVE been contacted. There's no inspection marker for 'dead bug in freezer', but it PERSONALLY bothers me so that's 20 points off for y'all. Do better.' Hornet, freaking out, thinking: 'OHHHH SHIT *THAT'S* WHAT HAPPENED TO LODDIE' p3: Inspector, pulling out a cigar to smoke (yes, indoors): 'Anyway who the fuck made this burger it's the worst shit I've ever tasted in my 20 years of life.' Hornet, still thinking about the 20 point loss: 'we are SO FUCKED' p4: Hornet turns and points to someone off-panel (and, coincidentally, pointing at the viewer): 'IT WAS' 'THEM.'
p1: Several arrows point at Lugoli, who is sweating bullets. p2: close-up of the muckroach health inspector's cigar-smoking mouth. furiously, he says 'YOU.'
p1: The muckroach raises his hands, summoning a beam of light from the sky to strike down Lugoli. Hornet is shocked by this display of divine power. p2: Lugoli is screaming as every atom of their body is dragged towards the heavens individually. p3: Lugoli and the health inspector are both gone, with nothing but smoke being left in Lugoli's wake. p4: Hornet turns towards the camera, traumatized.
9/7/2026. page 3 ad by hum4nboard
this is it. this is my personal favorite one from this batch. i hope you like it too.
muck roach health inspector concept art (+ name reveal?!?!?!?!!?!!) available on the extras page

BUG BURGER 09 - OH GODS IT'S HIM AGAIN quetzaldotdog.art/bugburger p1: Image of the menu and the drive thru speaker at a slightly curved angle. On the speaker pillar it is written, 'SPEAK TO THIS (arrow pointing at speaker) NOT THE MENU' p2: closeup of a car's wheels, rolling with a 'vrrrrm' sound p3: Zote of Hollow Knight Zoteboat fame is in his busted up shitbox, pulling up to the drive thru speaker. A light is busted, there is a dent in the center, the back window is cracked, and it is loudly 'putt putt'-ing.
p1: Lace is at headset and answers it cheerfully, clueless as to what's about to happen to her. Lace: 'Hi, welcome to Bug Burger, what can I get started for you today?' (music note) p2: Closeup of Zote as he begins his Order. Zote: '*KOFF* *KAFF* AGHEM-I would like...' p3: Zote is placing his order. A couple of trash bags are visible in the backseat of his car. Zote: 'Two classic bug burger meal combos, one of those with NO sauce, NO lettuce, NO tomato, NO drink, just PLAIN AND DRY...' 'The second needs a large milkshake, and add on ONE MORE of those...' 'THEN i'd like a 10-piece CRAW NUGGET...'
p1: Lace instinctively senses that she's in for some utter bullshit. This is visible in her face. Lace, tapping away on the POS system: 'What flavors would you like for those milkshakes sir?' p2: Zote gets in a huff about this question for some reason. Zote: 'Just MILKSHAKE FLAVOR please.' 'Y'know, I don't understand why you bugs keep asking me that every time I come here.' p3: Zote rattles on while Lace looks at the POS system, which shows that they do not, in fact, have milkshake flavor milkshakes. Zote: 'I'm a regular paying CUSTOMER, you creatures should know EXACTLY who I am by now. Hell, it's a wonder you didn't know who I was BEFORE I arrived here!!' p4: Shot of Zote's car. The exhaust is sputtering. Zote: 'The ROAR of my mighty vehicle's engine heralded my arrival. ALL OF BUG COUNTY KNOWS MY NAME! How this paltry establishment does not recognize me, I do not know. You're all BENEATH me-and yet, I seem to be unable to stop myself from coming back...'
p1: Zote is looking uncharacteristically worried, and seems to be thinking about some oddity that bothers him. Zote: '...Hrm. It's like...Some sort of possession...' p2: Zote quickly gets over it. Zote: '...Hmf. Regardless, that will be it for my order, KNAVE!' p3: Lace looks with worry at the drive-thru monitor above her. There are 5 cars backed up behind Zote, and the monitor reads, '5 CARS HURRY UP!!!!!' p4: Lace does the dreaded 'explaining to the customer that we don't have X' song and dance. Lace, pulling at her face and sighing loudly: '...Sir we do not have 'milkshake flavor' milkshakes. I'm going to need a specific flavor from you, please. We have vanilla, strawberry, craw, mossberry, and our new clearwater flavor...'
p1: Shot of the backed-up drive-thru. Cars are honking while Lace and Zote bicker. Zote: 'What do you MEAN you don't have regular 'ol milkshakes?' 'I GET THOSE *EVERY TIME* I COME HERE!!' Lace: '...Do you mean...VANILLA milkshakes...SIR?' Zote: 'NO!!!' 'I MEAN *REGULAR* MILKSHAKES!!' p2: Shot of Hornet, Lace, and The Hollow Knight sitting at the dumpster behind the building in the dead of night. Lace seems especially upset. Narrative text reads, 'THE BUG BURGER CLOSES AT 10PM. DUE TO THIS INCIDENT, CLOSING DUTIES DIDN'T START UNTIL 10:45. THE EARLIEST ANY EMPLOYEE WAS ABLE TO LEAVE WAS 12 AM.'
9/14/2026.
this one has zote in it. this strip also gave me genuine secondhand pain when i was writing it.
I think that's a sign that I wrote it accurate to life.

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