The Lucky Devils #3 is written by Charles Soule and published by Image Comics. Artwork is by Ryan Browne, letters by Christopher Crank and colours by Ryan Browne and Kevin Knipstein.
The Lucky Devils #3 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
The third circle of Hell is where they stick the gluttons—the folks who just want more! Cam and Starr have seen their lives greatly improve since they began working with their shoulder devils, Collar and Rake. But enough is never enough, and the higher they go, the more temptation they face. PLUS: two devils make out at a beatnik bar!
Review
So far, The Lucky Devils has proven itself as a unique and unashamedly risqué series that continually finds new ways to outdo itself. This third issue, which focuses on gluttony, may just be the most insane instalment yet, and at this point, we wouldn’t want it any other way.
This issue chooses to develop the relationship between Collar and Rake, more so than it has done in the last two instalments. We get a clear glimpse at their friendship as a whole as well as how they first met. One thing that Soule does here, and at multiple points in the series, is treat the conversations between Rake and Collar as if they were two regular human friends having a chat. This allows the otherworldly nature of these characters, and the setting of Hell, feel generally more relatable and helps readers connect with these two devils despite the havoc they want to unleash.
However, where this issue comes to life is with Browne’s artwork. The further Collar and Rake’s plan begins to unfold, the more opportunities this gives Browne to go as creative and bizarre as he wants with his illustrations. For example, after the initial chat between the two devils, Collar rushes off to find his human, Cam. Whilst we get a few pages showing us what Cam and Starr are currently up to, Collar’s race to get to his human is playfully visualised in the blank gaps between panels and around the edge of the pages.
Something this simple, quite literally, thinks outside the box and breaks the fourth wall in a manner I’ve personally not seen before in a comic. On top of this, we get to see some truly deranged but incredibly fun visuals during the latter half of the comic that complement the fast-paced nature of the events which occur but also add to the world-building of this iteration of Hell. From a grotesque tongue slide to a baseball player riding a winged tiger, the imagery just gets stranger with every page and if this is a sign as to the level of insanity we can expect to see as the series goes on then boy are we in for a treat.
Cam and Starr do take a bit of a backseat here, but by focusing more on Rake and Collar at this point in the story, does a great job of reinforcing their motivations for doing what they’re doing and further justify the chaos that unfolds now and later down the line.
All of the individual elements are starting to show themselves, and how Soule and Browne weave between them is becoming more masterful with every issue. The humour and playfulness of it all are continually taking centre stage, only for things to get more over the top as the story progresses. The first two issues were great at establishing the character dynamics, the core premise and weirdness of its humour but from this point on, the story will only continue to get more engaging as twists lurk on the horizon.
Verdict
Every part bonkers as it is fun, The Lucky Devils continues to be one of the most entertaining series out there. This third instalment pushes Soule’s creativity and Browne’s artwork to chaotic new heights, bringing out the absurdity of this premise in the best way possible.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
