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.
