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Lobster Johnson
Lobster Johnson, Vol. 3: Satan Smells a Rat
Hellboy’s favorite gun-blazing vigilante takes justice to the skies aboard a Nazi-filled zeppelin and to the gritty alleyways of Chinatown against an army of monkeys. Collects The Prayer of Neferu, Caput Mortuum, Satan Smells a Rat, A Scent of Lotus #1–#2, and “Tony Masso’s Finest Hour” from Dark Horse Presents #9.
144 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2014
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,836 books2,573 followersMike Mignola was born September 16, 1960 in Berkeley, California and grew up in nearby Oakland. His fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age (he doesn't remember why) and reading Dracula at age 13 introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore from which he has never recovered.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
April 29, 2015
I’ve got a lot of respect for Mike Mignola. He’s an extremely talented artist and writer who created an original character called Hellboy back in the early ‘90s that now, some 22 years later, he’s been able to successfully build an empire off the back of. Besides the main Hellboy title and its many iterations, the extensive Hellboy universe takes in BPRD, Abe Sapien, Witchfinder, Baltimore - and they’re mostly pretty good. That said, I think Lobster Johnson is one title too many, or at least it’s a good one-off concept that doesn’t work as a series.
Lobster is Hellboy’s favourite comic book character. A pulp vigilante hero from the early 20th century, he dresses a bit like the Rocketeer, has a gun, and uses a brand in his palm to burn an image of a lobster claw onto the foreheads of his enemies. Three volumes in, have we learned anything more about the character? Nope.
And that’s the major failing about Lobster Johnson which is how static the character is. With Hellboy, his rich history was already developed by the third volume and has only gotten better since. Lobster? He’s still just the one-note hero he always was. He barely speaks, he has almost no backstory and he’s just a guy on the page - there’s no presence, no actual character to engage with.
Satan Smells a Rat is a collection of short stories where Lobster takes on: Nazis who’re trying to unleash a flesh-eating virus over New York via a zeppelin; mad scientists conducting unholy experiments in their basements; a Lovecraftian monster; and a supernatural Japanese assassin and his monkeys.
Like the protagonist, there just isn’t much to these stories either. Lobster punches/shoots the bad guys, wins, moves onto the next. They leave almost no impression because they’re so generic and play out so predictably. I know these are stories based on the pulps of yesteryear so aren’t aiming to be sophisticated, but isn’t the saving grace of the pulps that while they’re badly written, they’re dumb fun? These comics are the opposite of that!
We’ve seen Lobster do these same kinds of things for three books now - is he ever going to change? Is any of this building up to anything and will we see a purpose for the character emerge? No, because that’s not the nature of the series - and that’s why it was never that good to start with and has only become more stale since.
The art varies from story to story but overall it’s very strong. I liked Sebastian Fiumara and Tonci Zonjic’s work the best from A Scent of Lotus and Caput Mortuum, and Dave Stewart and Kevin Nowlan’s colours are exemplary, but I didn’t dislike any of the artists’ pages.
It’s amazing to me that Mignola has gotten three volumes out of this barely-even background character (and I think there’s even a Volume 4 and maybe 5 as well) but it really isn’t a series that’s worth following, especially not when you’ve got the calibre of books like Hellboy to be reading instead. Satan Smells a Rat? I smell a rotten turkey!
Lobster is Hellboy’s favourite comic book character. A pulp vigilante hero from the early 20th century, he dresses a bit like the Rocketeer, has a gun, and uses a brand in his palm to burn an image of a lobster claw onto the foreheads of his enemies. Three volumes in, have we learned anything more about the character? Nope.
And that’s the major failing about Lobster Johnson which is how static the character is. With Hellboy, his rich history was already developed by the third volume and has only gotten better since. Lobster? He’s still just the one-note hero he always was. He barely speaks, he has almost no backstory and he’s just a guy on the page - there’s no presence, no actual character to engage with.
Satan Smells a Rat is a collection of short stories where Lobster takes on: Nazis who’re trying to unleash a flesh-eating virus over New York via a zeppelin; mad scientists conducting unholy experiments in their basements; a Lovecraftian monster; and a supernatural Japanese assassin and his monkeys.
Like the protagonist, there just isn’t much to these stories either. Lobster punches/shoots the bad guys, wins, moves onto the next. They leave almost no impression because they’re so generic and play out so predictably. I know these are stories based on the pulps of yesteryear so aren’t aiming to be sophisticated, but isn’t the saving grace of the pulps that while they’re badly written, they’re dumb fun? These comics are the opposite of that!
We’ve seen Lobster do these same kinds of things for three books now - is he ever going to change? Is any of this building up to anything and will we see a purpose for the character emerge? No, because that’s not the nature of the series - and that’s why it was never that good to start with and has only become more stale since.
The art varies from story to story but overall it’s very strong. I liked Sebastian Fiumara and Tonci Zonjic’s work the best from A Scent of Lotus and Caput Mortuum, and Dave Stewart and Kevin Nowlan’s colours are exemplary, but I didn’t dislike any of the artists’ pages.
It’s amazing to me that Mignola has gotten three volumes out of this barely-even background character (and I think there’s even a Volume 4 and maybe 5 as well) but it really isn’t a series that’s worth following, especially not when you’ve got the calibre of books like Hellboy to be reading instead. Satan Smells a Rat? I smell a rotten turkey!
December 14, 2015
The stories in this collection are OK. They're pretty standard proto-superheroic noir (I do love that I live in a world where 'proto-superheroic noir is a thing) and tick all the standard boxes.
The artwork though! Oh, man, there is some absolutely beautiful artwork on display here! You have an issue of Wilfredo Torres (which is the weakest artwork in the book and, considering how good Torres' work is here, that should give you some idea of how good the rest of it is) an issue of Tonči Zonjić (who has to be the best thing ever to come out of Croatia... but I still don't know how to pronounce his name), two fantastic issues of Sebastian Fiumara (whose stuff blows me away every time I see it) and an issue of Kevin Nowlan (is he a semi-recluse these days or is he just drawing books I'm not reading?), so all-in-all this is a visual treat of the highest order.
Based on the stories alone, I'd give this a three. Based on the artwork alone, I'd give this a five. I'm averaging it out and giving it a four overall, because I'm, like, totally a mathematical genius and stuff.
Recommended to those of us who are more interested in da pretty pick-a-tures than da woids.
The artwork though! Oh, man, there is some absolutely beautiful artwork on display here! You have an issue of Wilfredo Torres (which is the weakest artwork in the book and, considering how good Torres' work is here, that should give you some idea of how good the rest of it is) an issue of Tonči Zonjić (who has to be the best thing ever to come out of Croatia... but I still don't know how to pronounce his name), two fantastic issues of Sebastian Fiumara (whose stuff blows me away every time I see it) and an issue of Kevin Nowlan (is he a semi-recluse these days or is he just drawing books I'm not reading?), so all-in-all this is a visual treat of the highest order.
Based on the stories alone, I'd give this a three. Based on the artwork alone, I'd give this a five. I'm averaging it out and giving it a four overall, because I'm, like, totally a mathematical genius and stuff.
Recommended to those of us who are more interested in da pretty pick-a-tures than da woids.
January 1, 2019
This volume is a collection of a bunch of Lobster Johnson shorts. Standouts include the one drawn by Kevin Nowlan. There's also a story where Lobster takes on Japanese gun-toting monkeys and it is Fantastic! I love when these stories lean into the absurd.
August 19, 2020
That Lobster Johnson, he's like a more shitty captain america on prozak, with a corrupted view on ethics and morality. A pulp hero playing in manichaeistic stories that are, well, outdated. This spin-off is just what you need for a relaxed afternoon, though it can't compare to other titles of the Hellboy Universe.
May 31, 2025
This was my favorite volume so far. It's mostly a series of one shots, but this character thrives in those type of stories. From a terrorist plot involving a zeppelin to a Halloween plot involving dead bodies to assassin monkeys, there's a lot going on here. I am officially a Lobster Johnson fan.
October 30, 2021
The third volume of Lobster Johnson is a collection of short stories, my favorites being the "Satan Smells a Rat" and "A Scent of Lotus."
The main drawback of the overall series so far is the titular character, himself. Three volumes in and the character still feels one dimensional.
The main drawback of the overall series so far is the titular character, himself. Three volumes in and the character still feels one dimensional.
May 30, 2017
These stories combine the best of noir pulp adventure and '30s superheroes and horror comics and all such cool things as that. If those aren't your things, then the book isn't for you. The title is a perfect fit; Satan Smells a Rat reflects the tone of the book absolutely. The five stories each have a different artist, and I liked them all, particularly Tonci Zonjic and Sebastian Fiumara. They all seemed to stay true to the Mignola vision while offering enhancements of their own. A couple of the stories were too brief, but the overall work is just terrific.
November 9, 2020
(4 of 5 for a few short stores expanding the Lobster's realm)
I like short stories. And I like anthologies of them. They are like a sack of shards of some forgotten antic mosaic. So I like how they create the world around without being too directive - a little bit here and a little bit there. Sadly this book is only a few shards. But they are good. Change in artists, as tradition goes, is pleasant even if I really like Zonjic (not mentioning Steward, he's the best) and his art. There is an only annoying stereotype - the story composition. Lobster stumbles over a crime situation, he investigates, makes strategy, goes for clash with the main villain and walks away for a repeat. Thankfully all around is colourful so with that thrill of reading I usually barely notices.
I like short stories. And I like anthologies of them. They are like a sack of shards of some forgotten antic mosaic. So I like how they create the world around without being too directive - a little bit here and a little bit there. Sadly this book is only a few shards. But they are good. Change in artists, as tradition goes, is pleasant even if I really like Zonjic (not mentioning Steward, he's the best) and his art. There is an only annoying stereotype - the story composition. Lobster stumbles over a crime situation, he investigates, makes strategy, goes for clash with the main villain and walks away for a repeat. Thankfully all around is colourful so with that thrill of reading I usually barely notices.
June 11, 2022
Hellboy universe with noir feeling. Great mix!
May 7, 2026
Honestly I’m a little surprised at how lukewarm I was on this one. The previous volume was a real hit for me and I remembered reading all the Lobster Johnson stuff a few years ago and feeling like it was all of similar high quality. I can only assume that past-me was a buffoon of some kind, because this volume at least is pretty strongly in “yeah it’s ok I guess” territory.
Anyway this is a short story collection. Mike Mignola and John Arcudi write most of it, with one story written solely by Mignola. As is usual with these short story collections the art is done by a different artist on each story. There’s not much to any of these stories plot wise, so they all end up living or dying by their art.
Sebastián Fiumara turns in the best work here with A Scent of Lotus, a story that follows up on a bit of throwaway lore from BPRD and that features the return of the noh-monkeys from that same book. There’s usually some kind of supernatural or horror element thrown in to a Lobster Johnson story. The stories in this volume are no exception, but Fiumara is really the only one of the featured artists here who manages to make the genre mashing actually work. His noh-monkeys really are creepy little nightmares, and the villain of the piece is satisfyingly unsettling.
The other highlight of the collection is Caput Mortuum, illustrated by Tonči Zonjić. This is about as close as a Lobster Johnson comic gets to just being a straight up superhero story, in the vein of Batman or Daredevil or something. The Lobster has to fight his way through a bunch of bad guys on an airship, but since he’s mostly a shoot-somebody-in-the-face-with-a-gun type of guy, and you can’t really do that on an airship, he ends up having to work a little bit harder to get a win here than he normally would.
Can’t say the rest of the collection did much for me. It’s artists I really don’t care for doing stories I forgot about almost as soon as I finished reading them.
Overall there’s nothing here that’s terrible, but nothing here worth going out of your way for either. As I said up top it’s very much a “yeah it’s ok I guess” kind of book.
Anyway this is a short story collection. Mike Mignola and John Arcudi write most of it, with one story written solely by Mignola. As is usual with these short story collections the art is done by a different artist on each story. There’s not much to any of these stories plot wise, so they all end up living or dying by their art.
Sebastián Fiumara turns in the best work here with A Scent of Lotus, a story that follows up on a bit of throwaway lore from BPRD and that features the return of the noh-monkeys from that same book. There’s usually some kind of supernatural or horror element thrown in to a Lobster Johnson story. The stories in this volume are no exception, but Fiumara is really the only one of the featured artists here who manages to make the genre mashing actually work. His noh-monkeys really are creepy little nightmares, and the villain of the piece is satisfyingly unsettling.
The other highlight of the collection is Caput Mortuum, illustrated by Tonči Zonjić. This is about as close as a Lobster Johnson comic gets to just being a straight up superhero story, in the vein of Batman or Daredevil or something. The Lobster has to fight his way through a bunch of bad guys on an airship, but since he’s mostly a shoot-somebody-in-the-face-with-a-gun type of guy, and you can’t really do that on an airship, he ends up having to work a little bit harder to get a win here than he normally would.
Can’t say the rest of the collection did much for me. It’s artists I really don’t care for doing stories I forgot about almost as soon as I finished reading them.
Overall there’s nothing here that’s terrible, but nothing here worth going out of your way for either. As I said up top it’s very much a “yeah it’s ok I guess” kind of book.
April 20, 2019
Short stories with different art. Some were good some were pretty average.
November 3, 2019
Repetitive and seemingly unconnected short stories.
As great as can be the visuals and the overall pulpish look of the book, the "Feel the claw!" line is getting old rather quickly.
As great as can be the visuals and the overall pulpish look of the book, the "Feel the claw!" line is getting old rather quickly.
January 19, 2021
The Cthulhu monster with a Brooklyn accent was really the best part of this volume.
December 27, 2022
Pět skvěle napsaných a dobře nakreslených povídek. Povídky většinou moc nemusím, ale tyhle se vážně povedly. Mají spád, napětí a potřebnou dávku mystična.
August 24, 2015
A wild ride that focuses back on the weirdness that is Lobster Johnson!
Man o man I am enjoying these Lobster Johnson tales, not only are they building the greater Mignolaverse with so many Easter eggs but the era, the team and the stories are just super fun and much more action packed than the standard HB and BPRD tales, it's a good fit.
World: The art is once again very strong in providing a beautiful world in which for the story to take place in. This time around with the collection of many one and dones and multiple artist it's a wonderful tapestry of looks and styles. All of them I enjoy, there is no odd weird artists that I get pulled out of the story from. It's all good. The world building is all over the place in a good way, due to the nature of the many single issue stories. The locales, people, events, myths there is a lot of variety. There is even some greater world building thrown in. Great great stuff!
Story: Stories! I love one and dones, they are such a rare thing nowadays as writers and editors are writing for the trade. These single issue gems have lost their place in the comic book world. Here they are displayed in full glory. So many stories, where do I start? All paced well, unique in their stories, odd in their nature due to the subject matter, it's all so very good! I don't want to go into detail so as to reduce you're enjoyment. It's all good, all the stories slowly and little by little build not only the legend that is Lobster Johnson but also the greater Mignolaverse (monkey in a jar!).
Characters: Surprising a lot of development considering the single issue nature of the bulk of the stories. I think the main reason we see some great development is because each story does focus on a different character, sure Johnson is there and he is still just as enigmatic, but characters like Cindy and others get a little of a spotlight. Great dialog, interesting scenarios we find the characters in, these are fun characters and the story is just a great play for them to be in.
A wonderful collection of tales that not only build on Johnson and crew but also the world of Mignola, I am biased yes, I am a fanboy yes, but it does not mean that this series and the stuff that he writes is not AMAZING!
Onward to the next book!
Man o man I am enjoying these Lobster Johnson tales, not only are they building the greater Mignolaverse with so many Easter eggs but the era, the team and the stories are just super fun and much more action packed than the standard HB and BPRD tales, it's a good fit.
World: The art is once again very strong in providing a beautiful world in which for the story to take place in. This time around with the collection of many one and dones and multiple artist it's a wonderful tapestry of looks and styles. All of them I enjoy, there is no odd weird artists that I get pulled out of the story from. It's all good. The world building is all over the place in a good way, due to the nature of the many single issue stories. The locales, people, events, myths there is a lot of variety. There is even some greater world building thrown in. Great great stuff!
Story: Stories! I love one and dones, they are such a rare thing nowadays as writers and editors are writing for the trade. These single issue gems have lost their place in the comic book world. Here they are displayed in full glory. So many stories, where do I start? All paced well, unique in their stories, odd in their nature due to the subject matter, it's all so very good! I don't want to go into detail so as to reduce you're enjoyment. It's all good, all the stories slowly and little by little build not only the legend that is Lobster Johnson but also the greater Mignolaverse (monkey in a jar!).
Characters: Surprising a lot of development considering the single issue nature of the bulk of the stories. I think the main reason we see some great development is because each story does focus on a different character, sure Johnson is there and he is still just as enigmatic, but characters like Cindy and others get a little of a spotlight. Great dialog, interesting scenarios we find the characters in, these are fun characters and the story is just a great play for them to be in.
A wonderful collection of tales that not only build on Johnson and crew but also the world of Mignola, I am biased yes, I am a fanboy yes, but it does not mean that this series and the stuff that he writes is not AMAZING!
Onward to the next book!
February 20, 2015
I thought volume 3 of "Lobster Johnson" was a bit of a step back compared to previous installments. The previous trade, "The Burning Hand," offered a great gangland tale blending mystic forces and gritty, street-level revenge. It offered the pulp hero and his crew mysteries to solve, setbacks to overcome and a sense of loss blended into the finale.
"Satan Smells a Rat" tells several anthology-style stories, and most of them are limited to Lobster discovering a threat and going in guns blazing. He takes out Nazi terrorists, mad scientists, elder gods and mummies in a series of single-issue tales. The action and the plots are all pretty straightforward, though, and it's hard to get excited about the Lobster's triumphs when there aren't really any obstacles in his way.
One exception is the book's longer story, "A Scent of Lotus," which has Lobster facing down a mystical Japanese spy who's come to the United States to stop the flow of funds to freedom fighters in occupied Japan. The extra space lets the story stretch out some, providing an actual mystery. Our heroes have to figure things out, deal with some hassle from the cops and solve the problem in a way that doesn't just involve shooting it. This story feels like a throwback to the strengths of the previous volume, and it offers a connection to a later B.P.R.D. story, which is nice.
"Satan Smells a Rat" calls on a roster of artists to illustrate Mike Mignola and John Arcudi's stories. They all do nice work, capturing the shadows and pulp-era setting that Lobster calls home.
"Satan Smells a Rat" tells several anthology-style stories, and most of them are limited to Lobster discovering a threat and going in guns blazing. He takes out Nazi terrorists, mad scientists, elder gods and mummies in a series of single-issue tales. The action and the plots are all pretty straightforward, though, and it's hard to get excited about the Lobster's triumphs when there aren't really any obstacles in his way.
One exception is the book's longer story, "A Scent of Lotus," which has Lobster facing down a mystical Japanese spy who's come to the United States to stop the flow of funds to freedom fighters in occupied Japan. The extra space lets the story stretch out some, providing an actual mystery. Our heroes have to figure things out, deal with some hassle from the cops and solve the problem in a way that doesn't just involve shooting it. This story feels like a throwback to the strengths of the previous volume, and it offers a connection to a later B.P.R.D. story, which is nice.
"Satan Smells a Rat" calls on a roster of artists to illustrate Mike Mignola and John Arcudi's stories. They all do nice work, capturing the shadows and pulp-era setting that Lobster calls home.
July 22, 2016
Since this volume is a collection of shorter stories, I'll go over my thoughts for each one and then the volume as a whole.
Satan Smells A Rat - Excellent title but a standard pulp, crime story with a nice twist. The art has nice linework and style but coloring was brighter than I expected. Overall, a fun read.
The Prayer of Neferu - An Egyptian themed story with a pretty standard plot. While entertaining enough, the art is the highlight with a remarkably clean and retro style.
Capuut Mortuum - A better and more complicated plot with some nice tension and clever ideas. The talented Tonci Zonjic does the art which makes this the strongest story yet.
Scent of Lotus - My favorite story of the bunch. Having the story be two issues long added some complexity to the plot and made this the highlight. Using a mixture of crime, history, and cool Japanese designs made this really stand out. It also made me wish every story was at least two issues long. That probably would have helped this volume overall.
I would give this volume 3.5 stars overall and it is definitely the weakest Lobster Johnson volume yet. The problem is that the stories are so short that it is hard to do something fresh. Only Capuut Mortuum and Scent of Lotus were able to be original and really engaging. The true highlight is the art which varies from great to fantastic. I hope the next volume is able to capture the pulpy goodness we expect from this title.
Satan Smells A Rat - Excellent title but a standard pulp, crime story with a nice twist. The art has nice linework and style but coloring was brighter than I expected. Overall, a fun read.
The Prayer of Neferu - An Egyptian themed story with a pretty standard plot. While entertaining enough, the art is the highlight with a remarkably clean and retro style.
Capuut Mortuum - A better and more complicated plot with some nice tension and clever ideas. The talented Tonci Zonjic does the art which makes this the strongest story yet.
Scent of Lotus - My favorite story of the bunch. Having the story be two issues long added some complexity to the plot and made this the highlight. Using a mixture of crime, history, and cool Japanese designs made this really stand out. It also made me wish every story was at least two issues long. That probably would have helped this volume overall.
I would give this volume 3.5 stars overall and it is definitely the weakest Lobster Johnson volume yet. The problem is that the stories are so short that it is hard to do something fresh. Only Capuut Mortuum and Scent of Lotus were able to be original and really engaging. The true highlight is the art which varies from great to fantastic. I hope the next volume is able to capture the pulpy goodness we expect from this title.
September 1, 2016
So far I haven't liked either of the other Lobster Johnson books as much as I did the first one. They're both good, but they never quite captured the exact blend of pulp and Mignolaverse that Iron Prometheus nailed so well.
I like this one, because it's a collection of short stories, some of them more in the pulp detective vein, some of them more in the supernatural monster vein, some of them hitting that sweet spot in the middle. The artists assembled here are all pretty great. Tonci Zonjic has sort of become the Lobster Johnson artist, while Sebastian Fiumara and Joe Querio also acquit themselves nicely. Querio does my favorite story in the book, the one that feels the most Mignola-y to me. As usual, there's some sketchbook material in the back, with a great rejected trade cover by Mignola that I actually like better than the real one.
I like this one, because it's a collection of short stories, some of them more in the pulp detective vein, some of them more in the supernatural monster vein, some of them hitting that sweet spot in the middle. The artists assembled here are all pretty great. Tonci Zonjic has sort of become the Lobster Johnson artist, while Sebastian Fiumara and Joe Querio also acquit themselves nicely. Querio does my favorite story in the book, the one that feels the most Mignola-y to me. As usual, there's some sketchbook material in the back, with a great rejected trade cover by Mignola that I actually like better than the real one.
July 31, 2024
Hellboy Reading Guide #31
Stories
Caput Mortuum (1 issue, 1st pub Sept 2012)
Timeline: New York City, 1932
Team: The Lobster
Antagonist(s): German saboteurs
Summary: After a man literally melts on the streets of New York, The Lobster links him with a group of passengers aboard the maiden voyage of a German zeppelin, and sets out to foil their dastardly plot.
Satan Smells a Rat (1 issue, 1st pub May 2013)
Timeline: New York City, 1933
Team: The Lobster, Harry, Lester
Antagonist(s): Benjamin Cossaro, Wes Podell, Dr. Andres
Summary: Homeless vagrants are vanishing from the streets, and only The Lobster notices or cares enough to search for answers.
Tony Masso's Finest Hour (1st pub in Dark Horse Presents #9, Feb 2012)
Timeline: Long Island, 1933
Team: The Lobster
Antagonist(s): Tony Masso, Ogdru Hem
Summary: The Lobster seeks justice against a mob boss who has eluded the justice system, but he finds more than he bargained for when his target makes a deal with a powerful being.
A Scent of Lotus (2 issues, 1st pub Jul-Aug 2013)
Timeline: New York City, 1933
Team: The Lobster, Harry, Lester, Cindy Tynan
Antagonist(s): The Crimson Lotus
Summary: Members of a Chinese gang are being murdered, but mysteriously, the gang doesn't seem to be retaliating. The Lobster and his crew investigate, and find themselves drawn into a struggle against an incredibly powerful enemy.
The Prayer of Neferu (1 issue, 1st pub Aug 2012)
Timeline: New York City, 1933
Team: The Lobster
Antagonist(s): Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra, Princess Neferu, Ptahmos, High Priests of Anubis
Summary: A murder and a museum robbery catch The Lobster's attention, leading him to a group of occultists and a plan to tap into an ancient power . . . with his own blood as one of the required materials!
Review:
I would have thought, before beginning this run, that a collection of mostly 1-issue stories would play better to Lobster Johnson's strengths as a character. I find, however, that I much prefer longer arcs. By far the standout story here is the 2-issue "Scent of Lotus," a fantastic and thrilling ride that ties in with some fun history. The art in this story is the best, as well.
The rest of these range from fun to forgettable, depending on the mood you're in. I kind of hated the final story, even though it wasn't markedly different in tone or content from the rest, just because the gimmicks started to feel a bit shallow. There were so many good ideas in there, as with several of the other stories, plus some fun connections to other parts of the Mignolaverse . . . why not spend some effort to develop this a bit more into something with substance? It feels like a waste to make it just another story where a Mignola protagonist crashes an enemy gathering, finds himself in over his head, and then trades major blows (or gunfire) with the antagonist(s) until enough pages have gone by that it just ends. Meh.
And yet this is kind of exactly what happens in most of the other stories, and none of them rubbed me the wrong way like this one did. I appreciated how the final panel of "Satan Smells a Rat" underlines The Lobster's core ethos, and his lack of agency in "Tony Masso's Finest Hour" showed a surprisingly vulnerable side to the character. There's plenty to like here, but it's a must-read for "Scent of Lotus" alone.
Stories
Caput Mortuum (1 issue, 1st pub Sept 2012)
Timeline: New York City, 1932
Team: The Lobster
Antagonist(s): German saboteurs
Summary: After a man literally melts on the streets of New York, The Lobster links him with a group of passengers aboard the maiden voyage of a German zeppelin, and sets out to foil their dastardly plot.
Satan Smells a Rat (1 issue, 1st pub May 2013)
Timeline: New York City, 1933
Team: The Lobster, Harry, Lester
Antagonist(s): Benjamin Cossaro, Wes Podell, Dr. Andres
Summary: Homeless vagrants are vanishing from the streets, and only The Lobster notices or cares enough to search for answers.
Tony Masso's Finest Hour (1st pub in Dark Horse Presents #9, Feb 2012)
Timeline: Long Island, 1933
Team: The Lobster
Antagonist(s): Tony Masso, Ogdru Hem
Summary: The Lobster seeks justice against a mob boss who has eluded the justice system, but he finds more than he bargained for when his target makes a deal with a powerful being.
A Scent of Lotus (2 issues, 1st pub Jul-Aug 2013)
Timeline: New York City, 1933
Team: The Lobster, Harry, Lester, Cindy Tynan
Antagonist(s): The Crimson Lotus
Summary: Members of a Chinese gang are being murdered, but mysteriously, the gang doesn't seem to be retaliating. The Lobster and his crew investigate, and find themselves drawn into a struggle against an incredibly powerful enemy.
The Prayer of Neferu (1 issue, 1st pub Aug 2012)
Timeline: New York City, 1933
Team: The Lobster
Antagonist(s): Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra, Princess Neferu, Ptahmos, High Priests of Anubis
Summary: A murder and a museum robbery catch The Lobster's attention, leading him to a group of occultists and a plan to tap into an ancient power . . . with his own blood as one of the required materials!
Review:
I would have thought, before beginning this run, that a collection of mostly 1-issue stories would play better to Lobster Johnson's strengths as a character. I find, however, that I much prefer longer arcs. By far the standout story here is the 2-issue "Scent of Lotus," a fantastic and thrilling ride that ties in with some fun history. The art in this story is the best, as well.
The rest of these range from fun to forgettable, depending on the mood you're in. I kind of hated the final story, even though it wasn't markedly different in tone or content from the rest, just because the gimmicks started to feel a bit shallow. There were so many good ideas in there, as with several of the other stories, plus some fun connections to other parts of the Mignolaverse . . . why not spend some effort to develop this a bit more into something with substance? It feels like a waste to make it just another story where a Mignola protagonist crashes an enemy gathering, finds himself in over his head, and then trades major blows (or gunfire) with the antagonist(s) until enough pages have gone by that it just ends. Meh.
And yet this is kind of exactly what happens in most of the other stories, and none of them rubbed me the wrong way like this one did. I appreciated how the final panel of "Satan Smells a Rat" underlines The Lobster's core ethos, and his lack of agency in "Tony Masso's Finest Hour" showed a surprisingly vulnerable side to the character. There's plenty to like here, but it's a must-read for "Scent of Lotus" alone.
July 30, 2023
Reading all of Mike Mignola's Lobter Johnson Series for Reddit Fantasy's 2023 Bingo Square Superheroes. The whole series qualifies for hard mode as it is not related to DC or Marvel. This review is covers issue #11-#15 three stories and a 2 story Crimson Lotus arc.
The Prayer of Neferu - 3⭐
You Are Invited To Join Lord Belson
At The Sphinx
A Mummy from Egypt To Be Unrolled
Midnight, April 4th
Lobster Johnson goes to bring a murderer (who stole a mummy) to justice, and ends up embroiled in an Egyptian Death Cult priestess's plans.
Caput Mortuum - 3⭐
< Each piece, each man essential for a stronger Germany, Yes? >
Lobster Johnson must foil a Nazi plot after a man "melts" on the streets of New York! There's a Zeppelin and all kinds of excitement, but you know they can't use guns because, well you know.
Satan Smells A Rat -5⭐
I tell you, he's dead. That's one thing I know how to do, and I did it.
It's Halloween, the perfect time for kids to dress up while adults play a deadly game of hide and seek as mysterious deaths occur. But Lobster Johnson is on the case, pulling a string, and following the leads back to ... well. Part of me is horrified, the other part of me kind of understands why, but it's still, too much.
A Scent of Lotus #1 - 4⭐
Last week a little girl got killed in a car-bomb explosion. Up until then, nobody would talk. Tong Business has a way of shutting folks up -- but dead children, not a lot of folks stay quiet for that.
Detective Eckerd may be talking to Reporter Cindy, but he's counting on her to lead him to the Lobster, who he knows will be investigating! He hasn't figured out who robbed the Tong or why they're not retaliating.
A Scent of Lotus #2 - 5⭐
Triad Big Wig Mr. Sai Wing < How is he? >
Triad Doctor < Very lucky, your new friend. Stupid, but lucky men often are.>
We get the story on why the tong is sending cash, and how the Japanese have hired an infamous assassin, the Crimson Lotus! This might be the most exciting issue of Lobster Johnson yet. The ending panel had me laughing out loud. Now this is how you end a story! With a little piece of evidence, in the locker, that reminded me powerfully of the ending scene from that famous movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Bravo.
The Prayer of Neferu - 3⭐
You Are Invited To Join Lord Belson
At The Sphinx
A Mummy from Egypt To Be Unrolled
Midnight, April 4th
Lobster Johnson goes to bring a murderer (who stole a mummy) to justice, and ends up embroiled in an Egyptian Death Cult priestess's plans.
Caput Mortuum - 3⭐
< Each piece, each man essential for a stronger Germany, Yes? >
Lobster Johnson must foil a Nazi plot after a man "melts" on the streets of New York! There's a Zeppelin and all kinds of excitement, but you know they can't use guns because, well you know.
Satan Smells A Rat -5⭐
I tell you, he's dead. That's one thing I know how to do, and I did it.
It's Halloween, the perfect time for kids to dress up while adults play a deadly game of hide and seek as mysterious deaths occur. But Lobster Johnson is on the case, pulling a string, and following the leads back to ... well. Part of me is horrified, the other part of me kind of understands why, but it's still, too much.
A Scent of Lotus #1 - 4⭐
Last week a little girl got killed in a car-bomb explosion. Up until then, nobody would talk. Tong Business has a way of shutting folks up -- but dead children, not a lot of folks stay quiet for that.
Detective Eckerd may be talking to Reporter Cindy, but he's counting on her to lead him to the Lobster, who he knows will be investigating! He hasn't figured out who robbed the Tong or why they're not retaliating.
A Scent of Lotus #2 - 5⭐
Triad Big Wig Mr. Sai Wing < How is he? >
Triad Doctor < Very lucky, your new friend. Stupid, but lucky men often are.>
We get the story on why the tong is sending cash, and how the Japanese have hired an infamous assassin, the Crimson Lotus! This might be the most exciting issue of Lobster Johnson yet. The ending panel had me laughing out loud. Now this is how you end a story! With a little piece of evidence, in the locker, that reminded me powerfully of the ending scene from that famous movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Bravo.
April 12, 2023
Let's get one thing straight – Lobster Johnson isn't that great a read. Like the old Bat character, like any flippin' dust-em-up inter-war vigilante, he's dark and brooding, and while he's allowed to know all about and fully expect the occult side of his world, he never really engages with it that successfully. The Burning Hand, for one thing, has an unkillable source of black flame – and a hoard of cannibals sitting around in a mansion just waiting for someone to crop up, by the sound of things – and he does nothing himself to counter it but shoot and kick and thump.
This collection has Caput Mortuum, where dastardly Nazis think of using dirigibles for a nuclear bomb-styled poison gas attack, the title story, involving dodgy medical experiments and our unkillable Lobster finding a stash of murder victims, Tony Masso's Finest Hour, which clearly is nobody else's, A Scent of Lotus, with a 'witch' affecting some Japanese gangsters' slightly better intentions, complete with her gang of gun-toting monkeys, and the Prayer of Neferu. And once again – no surprise – it's the occult (resurrected Egyptian priests) countered by grenades and shooty-shooty stuff.
Oh and you also get the feel these monster-of-the-month shorts were never the right way for the books to go, either – while the longer Burning Hand had stereotypes galore it felt richer than these over-too-quickly little pieces, which really are on the more forgettable side.
This collection has Caput Mortuum, where dastardly Nazis think of using dirigibles for a nuclear bomb-styled poison gas attack, the title story, involving dodgy medical experiments and our unkillable Lobster finding a stash of murder victims, Tony Masso's Finest Hour, which clearly is nobody else's, A Scent of Lotus, with a 'witch' affecting some Japanese gangsters' slightly better intentions, complete with her gang of gun-toting monkeys, and the Prayer of Neferu. And once again – no surprise – it's the occult (resurrected Egyptian priests) countered by grenades and shooty-shooty stuff.
Oh and you also get the feel these monster-of-the-month shorts were never the right way for the books to go, either – while the longer Burning Hand had stereotypes galore it felt richer than these over-too-quickly little pieces, which really are on the more forgettable side.
March 22, 2021
Series: Lobster Johnson #3
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
In this volume, Lobster Johnson takes on a Nazi-filled zeppelin, an assassin with an army of monkeys, and an Egyptian high priestess.
This was an interesting collection of pulp stories because it had very diverse villains. I liked the stories in this one, but I didn’t enjoy them as much as I have previous volumes. I think part of the problem is I felt some of the stories just abruptly end. They needed more development.
Lobster Johnson is still a ridiculously great antihero and I still really enjoy watching him kick ass. The artwork was wonderful, as always. This series has some of my favorite artwork from the Mignolaverse comics (at least from what I have read.) I can’t wait to see what shenanigans the Lobster will get into next.
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
In this volume, Lobster Johnson takes on a Nazi-filled zeppelin, an assassin with an army of monkeys, and an Egyptian high priestess.
This was an interesting collection of pulp stories because it had very diverse villains. I liked the stories in this one, but I didn’t enjoy them as much as I have previous volumes. I think part of the problem is I felt some of the stories just abruptly end. They needed more development.
Lobster Johnson is still a ridiculously great antihero and I still really enjoy watching him kick ass. The artwork was wonderful, as always. This series has some of my favorite artwork from the Mignolaverse comics (at least from what I have read.) I can’t wait to see what shenanigans the Lobster will get into next.
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
November 24, 2020
Bastante hemos hablado ya sobre este personaje en el blog, incluyendo la reseña de la única novela protagonizada por él y una ficha para adaptarlo a Spirit of the Century en esta entrada, así como la reseña de los anteriores tomos de sus aventuras en comic (El Prometeo de hierro y La mano ardiente), para necesitar mucha más presentación.
Este volumen contiene los números 11 al 15 de la colección del personaje, continuando tras lo narrado en el Prometeo de Hierro y La Mano Ardiente, y una historia breve aparecida en Dark Horse Presents nº9. Sin explicación el orden de los relatos no sigue su aparición en la colección original pero al tratarse de historias mayormente independientes este cambio de orden no resulta evidente.
http://aventurasextraordinarias.blogs...
Este volumen contiene los números 11 al 15 de la colección del personaje, continuando tras lo narrado en el Prometeo de Hierro y La Mano Ardiente, y una historia breve aparecida en Dark Horse Presents nº9. Sin explicación el orden de los relatos no sigue su aparición en la colección original pero al tratarse de historias mayormente independientes este cambio de orden no resulta evidente.
http://aventurasextraordinarias.blogs...
February 27, 2023
Let's explore the adventures of Lobster Johnson! This is Volume 3 but again, I am reading it second.
Lobster Johnson is a character you probably aren't reading about unless you're already familiar with Hellboy. I think he was kind of a throwaway pulp hero character that Mignola designed for fun, but he's now been incorporated into the larger mythos and has a really complex backstory and a whole support team.
This collection is a series of short-stories drawn and written by different artists. They're ok, the writing and art vary widely. There's one very good story that relates somewhat to the BPRD plague of frogs arc, explaining some of the origins of certain elements in a past story.
Good for completionists, but unless you really like Lobster Johnson specifically this is a particularly skippable volume.
Lobster Johnson is a character you probably aren't reading about unless you're already familiar with Hellboy. I think he was kind of a throwaway pulp hero character that Mignola designed for fun, but he's now been incorporated into the larger mythos and has a really complex backstory and a whole support team.
This collection is a series of short-stories drawn and written by different artists. They're ok, the writing and art vary widely. There's one very good story that relates somewhat to the BPRD plague of frogs arc, explaining some of the origins of certain elements in a past story.
Good for completionists, but unless you really like Lobster Johnson specifically this is a particularly skippable volume.
March 3, 2020
After an uneven start - Vol. 1 felt like a soft retreading of tales already told from the Mignolaverse and Vol. 2 felt like a journeyman effort to recapture pulp adventure - Lobster Johnson really hits its stride in Vol. 3, with a set of standalone tales that seek to do little else other than expand the record of the Lobster's war on crime, and immerse us modern readers into the fun and fury of a modern take on pulp storytelling. Every tale here is a winner, and we really get a sense that the creative forces behind Lobster Johnson are finally familiar enough within the Lobster's own world to bring it to life, and to make this character as fun as it was always supposed to be. Spoiler alert: it only gets better from here.
March 2, 2022
Antología de aventurillas de este héroe de la Era Dorada Pulp del Hellboyverse bastante inconexas aunque divertidas y emocionantes. Solo una parece querer avanzar con la "trama" más fija de los anteriores volúmenes. Pero en conjunto es una lectura de "leer y tirar", lo cual es una lástima porque puede ser el espíritu primario de las publicaciones originales que homenajea. Pero desde luego no sienta bien que forme parte de la colección intercalándose de cualquier forma y sin tener un verdadero formato de "bolsilibro".
October 8, 2023
This collection of Mike Mignola's pulp hero, Lobster Johnson's exploits is a handful of stories that are pretty uneven. There is a standout tale though and its the Scent Of A Lotus two-parter involving an incredibly interesting Japanese assassin. It was excellent. The rest of the tales were pretty by the numbers and nothing will probably be remembered down the line. There was some really good artwork in the entire book especially that of Tonci Zonjic. Great stuff. Overall, not the best example of the character but an okay read.
December 24, 2017
A rousing good time to be had with this anthology from collected Lobster stories. Nazi blimps, machine-gun monkeys, a mad scientist, and a mummy - this volume has got it all! A collection of fantastically moody artists is headlined by Kevin Nowlan, but even if you don’t know their names, you will tremble as they present The Lobster! These stories may not be particularly deep or character-driven, but they proceed with rousing gusto and are delightful diversions.
May 12, 2025
A diferencia del anterior volumen, que contenía un arco de 5 números, aquí nos encontramos con una serie de números con historias individuales dibujadas por distintos artistas, que es seguramente el hábitat natural de Bogabante Johnson.
Tono muy pulp, investigación (la justa), peleas, explosiones y disparos, monos con pistolas, seres paranormales, monstruos Lovecraftianos... poco fallo le puedo ver.
Tono muy pulp, investigación (la justa), peleas, explosiones y disparos, monos con pistolas, seres paranormales, monstruos Lovecraftianos... poco fallo le puedo ver.
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