The Lonesome Hunters #3 finally has our heroes meet the queen of the creepily cute magpies. She wants her shiny back, and she wants it back now. Only, now she may want more shinies to boot.

The Lonesome Hunters #3: Details

"The Lonesome Hunter #3" cover art by Tyler Crook.
I know they’re supposed to be creepy, but all I see are cute birds playing puppeteer with people. Cover artist: Tyler Crook.

The Lonesome Hunters #3 is the 3rd issue (you can read reviews for issues #1 and #2 here) of this dark fantasy horror action-adventure comic book series. Tyler Crook (B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth, Harrow County) remains the writer and artist behind it. Crook is even the cover artist, so he has full control over this entire comic book. Lastly, Dark Horse Comics remains the publisher behind this comic book series.

The Lonesome Hunters #3 was released on August 24, 2022, for a retail price of $3.99. You can purchase it directly from the Dark Horse Comics webstore.

Warning: spoilers for The Lonesome Hunters #3 are below. If you want to see how dangerous some cute magpies can be, then stop here, and come back once you’ve successfully negotiated for your release with shinies.

The Lonesome Hunters #3: Plot Summary

"The Lonesome Hunter #3" preview page 1.
Yeah, I think Lupe beats Russell in terms of depressing backstory.

The Lonesome Hunters #3 doesn’t immediately pick up from where we last left off in the previous issue. Instead, we get a taste of Lupe’s backstory. We learn that her parents died one after another in mysterious circumstances, and her only remaining relative was her uncle. You know, the uncle who died after a magpie tried to possess him? Yeah, Lupe is officially an orphan now, so she has even further reason to latch onto Howard like a drowning cat.

Speaking of Howard, he has actually returned to his and Lupe’s apartment building to retrieve the shiny watch the magpies want. He also takes the time to see if any magpies are searching the apartment and discovers one who has apparently forgotten all about its mission and was just raiding an open chips bag for snacks. Howard tries to capture it to negotiate with it, but magpies have sharp beaks and escapes…right into Lupe’s open and waiting jacket. As it turns out, Lupe escaped from Tina’s place to help Howard. As it turns out, right in the nick of time as well.

We’re Off to See the Queen, the Wonderful Queen of Magpies!

"The Lonesome Hunter #3" preview page 2.
My, isn’t that the very picture of a strained smile?

Now that they have a magpie prisoner (and ironically in a cat carrier, no less), Howard and Lupe can finally get some answers. They find out from the magpie that their queen just wants the shiny watch back. So Howard figures that they might as well, since it might get the magpies off their backs. Unfortunately, the directions the magpie gives to their queen places her pretty far outside the city. Fortunately, Lupe’s uncle has a car, and Lupe has a learner’s permit.

The drive to the magpie queen is pretty uneventful, with Howard and Lupe learning more about each other along the way. It’s when they get there that the action starts. Howard goes along with a bunch of magpie puppeteers (serving as adorably creepy bird bouncers) to see the queen. Howard tries to strike a deal with the queen to return her shiny watch in exchange for his and Lupe’s safety. Unfortunately, the queen rejects it. Furthermore, now she wants the sword too. What will happen now that Howard is a prisoner himself? Well, we’ll presumably find that out in The Lonesome Hunters #4.

The Lonesome Hunters #3: The Good

"The Lonesome Hunter #3" preview page 3.
Can anyone say “trauma”?

The best part of The Lonesome Hunters #3 is the story, as it has been for the previous 2 issues. As I have said before: it strongly reminds me of the Pixar film Up. Just if it took place in a dark fantasy horror setting instead of the more colorful jungles of South America. We even have an intergenerational friendship going on between Howard and Lupe, just like the one between Carl and Russell. I don’t know if Tyler Crook actually took inspiration from Up though. If he did, then I definitely approve.

Tyler Crook’s artwork for The Lonesome Hunters #3 is the other best part of it. He brought the same skills he performed on Harrow County to this comic book, and the result is impressive. In particular, I like the characters’ facial expressions. Crook is very good at drawing facial expressions that perfectly convey what the characters are feeling. Even when the faces are just simplified chibi faces. Especially so, in those cases.

Also, I’m putting down the magpies as another plus for The Lonesome Hunters #3. I know they’re supposed to be the evil villains, but I can’t help but see them as cute birds. Especially with that one magpie deciding to stop for a chip snack instead of searching for their queen’s shiny. That made my day.

The Lonesome Hunters #3: The Bad

"The Lonesome Hunter #3" preview page 4.
Not a bad idea for Howard really. It’s just a shame the magpie queen wants just another shiny.

Honestly, I’m thoroughly enjoying The Lonesome Hunters #3 too much to complain about it. I’d put my level of enjoyment of this comic book on the same level as Flavor Girls. My only complaint was that the story stopped right on a cliffhanger, but that will get resolved in the next issue.

Source: Dark Horse Comics