The Lucky Devils #5 Review

 

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist & Designer: Ryan Browne

Colorists: Ryan Browne & Kevin Knipstein

Letterer: Christopher Crank

Logo: Thomas Quinn

Production Design: Erika Schnatz

Cover Artists: Ryan Browne & Jonski

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 15, 2025

 

Hell is in an uproar. Good deeds on the surface are inflicting spike-lightning, lava boils, and shakequakes on the lower levels of Hell. While the hierarchy of Hell represses the lower classes, Wrench Fortune grows concerned about what is happening to his kingdom. So, he calls the other Nine-Zed devils to his Hell City office to find the fiendish do-gooders.

 

Sandpaper Pinch doesn't know Collar and Rake, the rising Four-Zed devils with their eyes on the Five-Zed prize. Still, Sandpaper Pinch promises to find which shoulder-demons are encouraging their Humans to do good instead of evil. Will Sandpaper Pinch discover how Collar and Rake have improved Cameron Stane and Starr Winslow's lives? And what will Sandpaper Pinch's investigation cost her? Let's hang onto our halos, leap into The Lucky Devils #5, and see!

 

Story

Collar was a nobody. Even Rake didn’t think much of the lowly, three-million-year-old devil when they met. But Rake’s poetry slam about changing the system got him thinking. What if he could change the way Hell worked? He was not alone in this. As Wrench Fortune told his fellow leaders, the devils at the lowest ranks of society take solace in a fable about good on Earth nearly destroying Hell. But Collar drew inspiration from this popular tale. And as he and Rake rise through the ranks, success boosts his confidence that he can fulfill prophecy and upend Hell again.

 

While The Lucky Devils #5 follows Rake and Collar’s story, it also looks in on Cameron Stane and Starr Winslow. Cam is a philosophy professor, a college dean, and a burgeoning author. Starr has risen through the nursing ranks to oversee the Lazarene Healthcare hospital network in Chicago. At first, Cam didn’t want to believe in Collar’s existence. But Starr, a preacher’s daughter, always knew Rake was real. Cam and Starr’s shared experience unites them. They wonder if it's right to retain the success they've achieved at their rivals' expense.

 

While Rake, Collar, Cameron, and Starr find themselves at turning points in their lives, Sandpaper Pinch has already passed through the crucible that could have torn her apart. Instead of fast-tracking her investigation, the bounty hunter tried to turn the short-term gig into a meal ticket. Then she came home one night to find it gone. Sandpaper Finch may be mourning. But in Charles Soule’s story, she’s determined to find the no-good, do-gooders who caused the lava boil that vaporized her family.

 

Art

She used to watch TV with her family. Now, Sandpaper Pinch perches on a barstool and stares up at the devil-framed flatscreen in a bar. Fen, the bartender who reluctantly serves her, belongs to the same devil-species as Wrench Fortune and Collar in The Lucky Devils #5.

 

As he throws balls at targets wearing fiendish faces, Cameron insists that Satan can go to Hell. When Starr pulls him away from the Down The Devil carnival game, Ryan Browne shows Cam waxing lyrical about eradicating evil at the Beer booth. After the philosophy professor purchases a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle popsicle, the preacher’s daughter clasps her soft serve ice cream cone, points her finger upward, and tells him the best way to defeat evil.

 

While Ryan Browne and Kevin Knipstein lavish a loaded palette on The Lucky Devils #5, colors prove significant in both domains. Collar's orange skin matches the nearby lava and explosions. Rake's pink skin matches the sky above her home. Like the inverted pentagram window looking out on their deck, the air grows red as Collar confesses. Yellow fire burns above Collar’s head as he justifies his actions, while yellow energy surrounds Cam’s face as he does likewise. Pink fire rises from Magenta’s head amid her wrath, while Starr, clad in a dark magenta suit, refuses to compromise.

 

White uppercase letters in red banners introduce locations in Chicago and Hell City. Uppercase letters inhabit white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The letters grow bold for inflection, enlarge for volume, and never shrink. White letters in red balloons signify Hellish outrage, while sound effects arise as devils destroy the trophies marking their success. Thanks to Image Comics and Silent E Productions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Cameron Stane and Starr Winslow reap the fruits of the status they've attained. Yet Collar and Rake discover the differences between them are as formidable as the streams of lava flowing past their suburban home. If all of them don't destroy their lives on their own, a bounty hunter discovers a key to bringing their dreams crashing down in The Lucky Devils #5.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

The Lucky Devils #4 Review

 

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist & Designer: Ryan Browne

Colorists: Ryan Browne & Kevin Knipstein

Art Breakdowns: Zander Cannon

Letterer: Christopher Crank

Logo: Thomas Quinn

Production Design: Erika Schnatz

Cover Artists: Ryan Browne & Andrew MacLean

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 30, 2025

 

“Imagine there’s no Heaven,” Rake sang. (Or perhaps it was John Lennon?) Collar and Rake may not believe in Heaven. Still, they're climbing through the ranks of devil society so they can bring Hell crashing down.

 

Cameron Stane didn’t believe Collar existed. Still, he followed the little devil's advice. Cameron has ascended from an assistant professor to the head of his department. As the daughter of a Baptist preacher, Starr Winslow believes in Rake’s existence. Yet she has let the devil help her become the director of nurses at her hospital. Can Collar and Rake keep rising through the ranks? And how are Cameron and Starr enjoying success? Let's grab our Bibles and The Discourses of Epictetus, leap into The Lucky Devils #4, and find out!

 

Story

Every person influences others. As they grow in influence, Hell assigns a devil to them. The leaders of Hell, who belong to the Nine-Zed, want to protect their realm. They need Humans to spread evil for Hell's continued health. But that relationship carries dangers. If Human influencers flip the script and do good, that anti-evil provokes "natural" disasters in Hell.

 

In The Lucky Devils #4, Wrench Fortune summons the other Nine-Zed. He wants to investigate recent disasters. Instead of working through governmental channels, Wrench drafts in an outsider. But Sandpaper Pinch may not share his sense of urgency.

 

In Charles Soule's densely written story, the higher Rake and Collar advance, the more their supervisors trust them. Three years have passed since Rake and Collar started helping Starr and Cameron. The Humans cannot believe their success. Yet Starr and Cameron aren't sure they like who they are becoming.

 

When the influencers meet in The Lucky Devils #4, Starr and Cameron discover their common bond. By advancing their careers, they help Rake and Collar achieve greater wealth and importance. What seems a philosophical dilemma to the Humans confirms Wrench Fortune's worst fears.

 

Art

Lightning arcs from clouds to charge the high-rises of Hell City. Wrench Fortune pounds the conference table while his contemporaries regard him with doubt and disinterest. Sandpaper Pinch exudes confidence while sitting in a conference chair upholstered with faces. But when she returns home, Sandpaper Pinch summons her nesting eyeball and initiates a three-way on her faded sectional.

 

While colorful fires burn from each devil’s horned head, Sandpaper Pinch’s left arm glows with light blue fire. The sky above Struggle Beach matches Collar’s orange and Rake’s pink skin. Compared with the vibrant colors of Hell, Ryan Browne and Kevin Knipstein apply muted tones to an evening in Chicago. Cameron signs a white and red book for customers in a gray store. Starr sits in a grayish-purple cushioned booth and dines surrounded by brown. But Cameron and Starr’s faces glow pink when their devils join them for dinner in The Lucky Devils #4.

 

White uppercase letters in red banners announce the time and locations as Rake and Collar contemplate joining the Five-Zed ranks. Uppercase letters inhabit white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The letters grow bold for inflection, enlarge for volume, and rarely shrink. Hammer Wrench writes yellow and white letters in the red air to assert why he believes Hell may come crashing down. Thanks to Image Comics and Silent E Productions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Charles Soule, Ryan Browne, Kevin Knipstein, and Christopher Crank's beautifully told comic asks if evil and power are mutually exclusive. In an era when many confuse material success with virtue, the Lucky Devils #4 reminds us that what we do in the world can hurt our loved ones.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

The Lucky Devils #3 Review

 

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist & Designer: Ryan Browne

Colorist: Ryan Browne & Kevin Knipstein

Letterer: Christopher Crank

Cover Artists: Ryan Browne & Tradd Moore

Logo: Thomas Quinn

Production Design: Erika Schnatz

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 26, 2025

 

As hard as they try, Collar and Rake can't tempt their assigned humans into spreading evil. So, Collar and Rake break the rules to get their humans promoted at work without performing harmful acts. Then, they push the acceptable bounds of hellish behavior by inciting Cam and Starr's rivals to bad behavior. Sure, the devils risk eternal punishment by breaking Hell’s laws. But the benefits outweigh the risks. Besides, Collar and Rake want to overturn the corrupt system that keeps so many devils repressed.

 

Cameron Stane doesn’t believe in Collar’s existence. Still, the philosophy professor argues that his subconscious must be talking to him. Starr feels like Rake is her special friend. But as the preacher’s daughter cares for her patients, she dislikes profiting from others' misery. How will Cam adjust to life as a professor on the tenure track? And how will Starr's life improve as a nurse attending the Emergency Room instead of Code Browns? Let's grab our Bibles and The Discourses of Epictetus, leap into The Lucky Devils #3, and find out!

 

Story

Rake realized her superiors rigged the system years ago. So, she sang the repression blues to everyone who listened. Meeting Rake made Collar look around and rethink his life. The two devils hooked up, and the rest is hellish history.

 

Unlike their human charges, Collar and Rake aren't trying to make anyone's life better. Any power they get, they use to hurt others in Hell. But in The Lucky Devils #3, Rake and Collar are in denial. They have bought into Hell’s credo that Heaven doesn’t exist. They wonder at the haloes that appeared over their head one day. But they only use that as a license to make their world worse for everyone.

 

As for their human charges, success has come too swiftly. Cameron Stane once decried his students' disinterest in history. But he isn't using his increased influence to get his students to learn and write thoughtful essays. Cam provokes argument and discussion but fails to help his students appreciate the philosophers who inspired him.

 

If Cam struggles with Collar's existence, Starr Winslow struggles more in Charles Soule’s story. Starr has not escaped her religious upbringing. She believes devils are evil. The preacher's daughter knows she should have nothing to do with Rake. But then, her parents have put her in a box, and Starr is desperate to escape.

 

Art

Rake perches on a stool in a nightclub with a hat on one horn. While another demon keeps time on the tom-toms, devils sip their drinks and smoke cigarettes. Collar rests his chin on his hands at the bar. The devil's eyes fix on Rake in this prelude scene of The Lucky Devils #3. When Ryan Browne fast-forwards to the present, Collar and Rake sit on their patio, playing footsie, drinking beer, and eating pizza. As a lesser demon snags a slice of pepperoni, Collar tosses his can toward the street. Then, he displays plans that are “intricate as heck.”

 

Ryan Browne and Kevin Knipstein enliven the church interior. As Starr's father preaches, she wears casual pink and white attire. Her mother and sister dress to the nines in more colorful clothes. Cam and another professor dress in gray as they walk through the snow toward an olive-green tent. As Collar scurries between panels, battling monsters to reach his human charge, Dean Vesuvius welcomes guests to his fundraiser. The red fabric-covered tables and the red, yellow, and orange food in the chef's tray link with Collar as the fiery demon surprises Cam with an embrace.

 

White uppercase letters in red banners announce the time and locations in The Lucky Devils #3. Big uppercase letters inhabit white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The letters grow bold for inflection, enlarge for volume, and never shrink. Sound effects enhance the underworld nightlife as Starr imagines standing up to her parents, Cam does something he regrets, and Rake makes a cat purr. Thanks to Image Comics and Silent E Productions for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Collar and Rake are climbing the pyramid scheme of Hell. Cameron Stane and Starr Winslow gain influence thanks to their fiendish little helpers. The devils celebrate their success while sabotaging the pillars that uphold their infernal society. Cam and Starr begin to wonder if their promotions come at too high a price. And while the devils and the humans prosper, none appreciate what they have in The Lucky Devils #3.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

The Lucky Devils #1 Review

 

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist & Designer: Ryan Browne

Colorist: Ryan Browne & Kevin Knipstein

Letterer: Christopher Crank

Cover Artists: Frank Miller & Alex Sinclair; Ryan Browne

Logo: Thomas Quinn

Production Design: Erika Schnatz

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 8, 2025

 

Are good and evil only philosophical or religious concepts? Can anyone be completely good or evil? Or are they spectrums within which we all live? Enough with pondering the imponderable! Let's grab our iron crosses and bloodstones, leap into The Lucky Devils #1, and find out!

 

Story

Cam teaches a college philosophy class. He urges his students to ponder the societal ethics that drive historical movements. His students complain the classroom is hotter than hell. Cam yearns to inspire the next generation of Mahatma Gandhi's and Mother Teresa's in Charles Soule’s story. His students use ChatGPT to write their essays. And all the while, Cam’s low-paying job leaves him feeling like a failure in his professional and private life.

 

While Cam toils at Mies Van Der Rohe Community College, Starr changes soiled sheets in Mastrantonio Memorial Hospital. Her coworker gets a new Mercedes. Like Janis Joplin, Starr wishes she were more successful in The Lucky Devils #1. While listening to her husband preach from the pulpit about the joys of serving others, her mother insists that the nurse stop going the extra mile to give her patients joy and dignity. Instead, Starr must concentrate on securing a better-paying job.

 

In The Lucky Devils #1, there is a reason Cam and Starr struggle to get ahead. Okay, two reasons. Their names are Collar and Rake. Like Cam and Starr, the devils are trapped in a system that disrespects their contributions. Collar and Rake have a plan to change that, and it involves the Humans under their care. The devils vow to make Cam and Starr happy and successful even if they must make their lives a living hell to secure their agreement.

 

Art

Purple and orange burn hottest thanks to Ryan Browne and Kevin Knipstein. Starr's uniform looks purple when not greened by fluorescent light. Orange warms Cam when things inevitably go wrong. So, when their tempters appear, Collar burns with an Orange Crush while Rake sizzles with a Purple Haze. Rich coloring infuses this hyperreal fantasy where, like Buzz and Woody, the devils break the rules to teach Humans a lesson.

 

Collar and Rake climb into panel borders as the devils explain how they guide their charges. The devils never learned it is impolite to point, as they extend bony fingers and long nails at Cam and Starr. Ryan Browne sets each infernal invasion in the ultimate safe zone of the bedroom, with only one bedside lamp to banish the demonic darkness. Then, like Sulley and Mike Wazowski, the devils travel through portals. Collar and Rake enter locker rooms, pass a satanic Sucker in a 3 Piece, and squeeze onto upholstered seating like Beetlejuice.

 

Red banners announce locations in this update to the most demonic novel C S Lewis ever wrote. Screwtape uppercase letters inhabit white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The letters grow bold for inflection, enlarge for volume, and never shrink. Lowercase red letters reveal Cam's classwork and responses in The Lucky Devils #1. Sound effects enhance hellish manifestations, a Biblical smash hit, and devils fighting over the remaining drops in broken beer bottles. Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Ever have a day when nothing goes right? Don't blame God or cosmic chance. The Lucky Devils #1 reveals the infernal physics that balances our efforts to be good with temptations to be evil.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more about this series, quotes from the creators, and a look inside, see my preview of The Lucky Devils #1.