IF DESTRUCTION BE OUR LOT #3 (IMAGE COMICS/ASHCAN PRESS)

Humans still exist! Abe and Speed run into a real human girl as they try and escape the robot prison. This may prove that Abe isn’t crazy, but that doesn’t change their current circumstances. Worst of all, even if they get out of the prison this new revelation will still put them at risk.

If Destruction Be Our Lot #3 - Written By Matthew & Mark Elijah Rosenberg – Art By Andy MacDonald – Colors By Francesco Segala – Letters By Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou - Published By Image Comics/Ashcan Press

Credit: Image Comics/Ashcan Press

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

Abe and Speed find a young human girl which proves Abe isn’t crazy, but also that humans may not be extinct. However, before this can really sink in, they still need to escape the prison. Luckily for them it seems the girl knows her way in and out of this prison. So, all they have to do is follow her out, but she doesn’t really want their company. They follow her anyway and eventually make it out to her dismay. But now they must go their separate ways, and Abe can’t rid himself of the knowledge that at least one human still exists. Is this the solution to his loneliness or another wedge between him and others of his kind?

WRITING:

This issue continues to build on the major revelation that humans, or at least one human, still exist in this world. Matthew & Mark Rosenberg use that discovery to push the story beyond Abe’s personal fears and into something much larger. Up to this point, Abe’s belief that humans may not be gone has made him seem isolated, unstable, or unwilling to accept the world as it is. The appearance of the young girl changes that immediately. It gives Abe proof, but it also creates a dangerous new problem because proof of humanity surviving is exactly the kind of truth this society seems designed to suppress.

The Rosenbergs continue to reveal more about this post-apocalyptic setting in a way that feels deliberate rather than rushed. Each new detail opens another door and makes it clear that readers have only scratched the surface of how this robot-controlled world works. The issue also does a strong job showing that this is not the clean, orderly utopia some characters might want others to believe it is. The way the robots treat one another, the hierarchy within the prison, and the casual cruelty built into the system all suggest a society that has replaced one form of oppression with another. That mirror to reality gives the world more weight because it is not just strange or futuristic; it feels recognizable in how power is protected and how uncomfortable truths are buried.

That is what makes the reveal of the human girl so threatening. Her existence does not simply give Abe hope; it threatens to expose the lie holding the current status quo together. If humans survived, then the story everyone has been told about the world is incomplete at best and intentionally false at worst. This puts Abe in an even more dangerous position because he is no longer only chasing an idea. He has seen the truth with his own eyes, and that truth could make him a target for anyone invested in keeping the past buried.

This is also why Speed’s warning for Abe to let it go carries so much weight. Speed understands that knowing the truth and surviving long enough to do something with it are two very different things. His concern adds tension to the issue because it forces Abe to choose between self-preservation and the possibility that he is not as alone as he believed. The writing works best in these moments, where the larger world-building connects directly to Abe’s loneliness, curiosity, and need for connection. Humans existing could change everything, but it could also bring everything crashing down around him if the robot overlords refuse to admit what that discovery means.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this issue matches the tone and vibe of the story perfectly. Andy MacDonald brings the robot prison to life by making each level feel distinct, crowded, and dangerous in its own way. As Abe and Speed move through the prison, the environments do more than simply provide a backdrop for the escape. Each area feels like another layer of this broken society, with its own visual identity, its own population of robots, and its own sense of threat. MacDonald’s layouts help sell the feeling that Abe and Speed are moving deeper through a system that was built to control, punish, and dehumanize anything that does not fit within its rules.

One of the strongest parts of the issue is the variety in the robot designs. MacDonald gives the different robots enough personality that the prison never feels visually repetitive. Some designs feel strange and awkward, while others appear more intimidating or authoritarian, which helps show how each level has its own intensity. That variety also reinforces the larger idea that this world has a rigid hierarchy. The robots are not just machines filling space; they reflect the class, function, and power structure of the prison itself. Because of that, the escape has more energy, and every new area gives the reader something new to study.

Francesco Segala complements the artwork with color choices that sharpen the mood of each environment. The colors help separate the prison levels from one another while still keeping the entire issue visually connected. There is a harshness to the palette that makes the setting feel mechanical and oppressive, but it also allows certain details to pop when the story needs the reader’s attention. The colors bring out the personality of the robot designs, add weight to the prison’s atmosphere, and make the world feel lived-in without losing the darker tone of the story.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF IF DESTRUCTION BE OUR LOT #2

Final Thoughts:

If Destruction Be Our Lot #3 continues the revelation that humans exist in this world and this reveal sets the table for what’s to come. The more we learn about this world, the more we realize that it mirrors our own reality. This series is really deep and thought provoking, well still being easy to follow and enjoyable. It isn’t too late to get on board with this series. Pick up this issue and the first two and buckle in for one heck of a ride.

FINAL GRADE: 9.2/10

Let me know your thoughts on If Destruction Be Our Lot #3 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!