By Zack Quaintance — It’s hard to write about Lonely Receiver #3 without writing about the ending. Hell, it’s hard to think about Lonely Receiver #3 (and a number of other things, for that matter) without thinking about the ending. It’s the type of twist (although that word seems wrong…but we’ll get into that in a moment) that reminds you of how thrilling it can be to read monthly comics, the type of development that leaves you badly wanting another issue, simultaneously blown away by the narrative you just consumed while wondering how you’re going to make it until you find out what happens next.

And the word twist seems wrong here, because the ending to this issue is so natural, honest, and organic, that it’s the type of major plot point that while surprising, is perhaps something readers should have known was coming all along. I know I felt like something more was bound to crop up in this book, something unexpected and dark, but I obviously couldn’t so much as guess at the specifics. And as for those specifics — this is a spoiler-free advanced review, so I won’t go too far into them, but I will note that this issue essentially incorporates touches of a new genre, one that writer Zac Thompson in particular is well-versed in, if not outright known for within comics.

Okay! So, yes, the ending of this issue was fantastic, so good I’m compelled on the strength of where the book ends to give it a glowing review. I should also note, that the journey to get there is compelling as well (I just heard David Lynch in my head with one of his best Lynch-isms, “Enjoy the doing!). The craftmanship in this book has been staggering from the first issue, and it’s something I’ve written about at length in prior reviews, praising the brutal and often painful honesty of Zac Thompson’s first person captioning, the gorgeous and starkly poignant neon-pastel artwork by Jen Hickman, and the seamless-yet-bold lettering of Simon Bowland.

What I enjoyed about the artwork in particular in this issue, is this is the most we’ve seen our central character out of her immediate post-breakup depression bubble. We’ve gotten to know this character primarily in the context of a mix of idealizing, self-loathing, anger, sadness, and manic oscillation between all of the above. Lonely Receiver #3 is, essentially, the rebound issue, in which we get to see our character riding the (also manic) high of the first post-breakup rebound, which anyone who’s ever been there can attest is basically guaranteed to end in a fresh and searing pain. What this issue does is use the themes about tech reliance and near future sci-fi dystopia to encapsulate and emphasize just how fresh and searing post-breakup rebound pain can feel. More about this in a moment, but first I’d like to note there’s a two-page spread of dancing in a club that is a visual feat, and both artist Hickman and letterer Bowland do wonderful work to make it so engaging and rich to the eye.

Anyway, ultimately this is the type of comic I love the most: the one that takes the fantastical touches the medium excels at and turns them on a pain, a thought, an obsession, or a concern most (if not all) readers will find familiar, using it immerse us in a complex and imaginative world. The last thing I’ll note before I wrap up here is that this is also that rare type of comic I enjoy that recontextualizes the narrative in earlier issues with new developments, thrilling readers with new bits of information that make us rethink or even straight up question all that has come before.

Overall: Lonely Receiver #3 continues to establish itself as one of the best new comics of 2020, a must-read book that takes advantage of the smart and discerning readership in modern indie comics, never afraid to be challenging. Simply put, you should all be reading this series. 10/10

Lonely Receiver #3 - REVIEW

Lonely Receiver #3
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Jen Hickman
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: AfterShock Comics
Price: $3.99
Finally putting the shards of her life back together, Catrin finds a new reason to live. A new set of eyes occupy her attention, and obsession grows, love blooms. It's not a rebound if you found the one you were truly made to love.
A month // of long days/
// Finding the one you lost
In her / you chase away
/ tell truth // pay a cost.
Release Date: November 4, 2020
Buy It Digitally: Lonely Receiver #3

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Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.