Throughout the history of comics, there have been creative partnerships that have produced legendary stories. Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko formed the foundation of the Marvel Universe. Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly put a unique spin on the DC icon with JLA: Earth-2 and All-Star Superman. Charles Soule and Ryan Browne definitely have one of those partnerships, and The Lucky Devils #1 only solidifies it.
Lucky Devils centers around a day in the life of two seemingly ordinary people living in Chicago: Cam, a philosophy professor, and Starr, a nurse. It looks like they’re both having the worst day of their lives. Starr is passed over for a promotion, while Cam goes on a date south, followed by a stressful night of grading papers (and his cat doesn’t help matters). Things take a turn when he encounters two demons, Color and Lake.
Culler and Lake reveal that, like other demons, they are tasked with focusing on one of the Seven Deadly Sins and using it to incite the humans of their choosing. So why have they chosen to reveal themselves now? It turns out they want to help Cam and Starr actually succeed. But that may be easier said than done…
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Soul’s script is fun to read. In addition to being full of comedic gags, he comes up with some really neat explanations for how all of life’s inconveniences are the devil at work. Forgot your credit card? Did you miss an important promotion? Did a car drive by and splash a puddle on you? The devil may be at work. But what really got me hooked is the idea that Lake and Culler are actually trying to do good. This is an interesting idea. If there are fallen angels, why not let the devil overcome the darkness? That’s further strengthened by the fact that Cam and Starr refuse to give in to their dark impulses.
Brown’s art brings the story to life and keeps it playful and lively. What I like is not only how Brown draws actual words to accompany the characters’ actions (Cam’s typing on the computer actually accompanies the words “type, type, type”), but also how the devil The design of the Devil is what makes it completely unique. Although Kara’s stocky build is the complete opposite of Lake’s lanky frame, both share similar traits, including a fiery crown, sinister smile, and long tail. The pages also move, going back and forth from Cam and Color to Star and Lake without missing a beat.
But what really makes The Lucky Devils a #1 hit is the variety of colors that Brown and Kevin Kipstein have employed. Red stands out throughout. It’s in Lake and Kara’s skin, it pops up every time Cam and Star get annoyed, and it even appears in Christopher Crank’s captions. It also pairs very well with shades of blue and black, creating an eerie effect when the demon first appears.
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The Lucky Devils #1 is a witty, well-crafted comic that cements Charles Soule and Ryan Braun as a top-notch creative team. It’s the type of concept that works well in their hands, and the kind of comic that reminds readers that the image is ground-breaking comics. Fans of “Cursed Words” and “8 Billion Genies” should definitely pick it up.
“The Lucky Devils” #1 brings you a unique story from an amazing creative team
Lucky Devils #1
The Lucky Devils #1 is a witty, well-crafted comic that cements Charles Soule and Ryan Braun as a top-notch creative team. It’s the type of concept that works well in their hands, and the kind of comic that reminds readers that the image is ground-breaking comics. Fans of “Cursed Words” and “8 Billion Genies” should definitely pick it up.
Soul puts a clever twist on Hell and its denizens.
Brown’s art is still vibrant, unique and captivating.
Combining different colors creates gorgeous artwork.
At 32 pages and $3.99, this is a very easy read (absolutely kidding).
A book that reminds you why Image is a top comics publisher.
