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Lobster Johnson #2-4
Lobster Johnson Omnibus, Vol. 1
Collect the adventures of Mignolaverse enigma Lobster Johnson!
After years of captivating fans’ imaginations from the pages of Hellboy and B.P.R.D., the pulp-style adventures of Lobster Johnson took the limelight in his own series of comics adventures. From gangsters to Nazis to an army of monkeys, the Lobster faces classic foes in strange new ways. His adventures are now collected for the first time in a hardcover edition, collecting trade volumes The Burning Hand, Satan Smells a Rat, and Get the Lobster and the short story “Lobster Johnson: The Empty Chair” featuring writing by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Tonci Zonjic with art by Zonjic, Joe Querido, Sebastián Fiumara, and more!
After years of captivating fans’ imaginations from the pages of Hellboy and B.P.R.D., the pulp-style adventures of Lobster Johnson took the limelight in his own series of comics adventures. From gangsters to Nazis to an army of monkeys, the Lobster faces classic foes in strange new ways. His adventures are now collected for the first time in a hardcover edition, collecting trade volumes The Burning Hand, Satan Smells a Rat, and Get the Lobster and the short story “Lobster Johnson: The Empty Chair” featuring writing by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Tonci Zonjic with art by Zonjic, Joe Querido, Sebastián Fiumara, and more!
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2022
19 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,873 books2,543 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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April 3, 2024
З усіх спін-офів всесвіту Геллбоя "Лобстер Джонсон" читається найлегше і загалом написаний найдинамічніше.
Всі події мають місце в 1930-ті в Нью-Йорку. Головний герой - таємничий практично що безсмертний віджиланте, котрий несе Клешню Справедливості на переповнені криміналом та злочинами вулиці міста. Він має свою власну команду сайд-кіків, своє таємне підземне сховище, використовує рації, бомби та македонську стрільбу. Здавалося б - набір кліше. Але з легкої руки Міньйоли, Аркуді та когорти талановитих художників, читач отримує справжнісінький динамічний шедевр, де серед супер-злочинців з'являються Чорний Вогонь чи Червоний Лотос. Перший том тільки привідкриває таємниці походження героя, більш детально про це розказано в другому томі.
Відірваність та обособленість комікса роблять його абсолютно самостійним чтивом, тому легко можете заскакувати на нього, навіть якщо ще не читали нічого із Геллбойверсу.
Всі події мають місце в 1930-ті в Нью-Йорку. Головний герой - таємничий практично що безсмертний віджиланте, котрий несе Клешню Справедливості на переповнені криміналом та злочинами вулиці міста. Він має свою власну команду сайд-кіків, своє таємне підземне сховище, використовує рації, бомби та македонську стрільбу. Здавалося б - набір кліше. Але з легкої руки Міньйоли, Аркуді та когорти талановитих художників, читач отримує справжнісінький динамічний шедевр, де серед супер-злочинців з'являються Чорний Вогонь чи Червоний Лотос. Перший том тільки привідкриває таємниці походження героя, більш детально про це розказано в другому томі.
Відірваність та обособленість комікса роблять його абсолютно самостійним чтивом, тому легко можете заскакувати на нього, навіть якщо ще не читали нічого із Геллбойверсу.
January 5, 2024
From the pages of Hellboy...
Mike Mignola has built a huge universe for lots of writers and artists to play in, the so called Mignolaverse has Hellboy, The B.P.R.D, Ape Sapien, Sir Edward Grey, or Witchfinder, and Lobster Johnson ! This will be my first hardcover featuring The Lobster, i have seen him before in Hellboy where he died, and there was a fantastic cameo in the last Hellboy movie. Lobster Johnson is 30s pulpy noir crime fighter and has him fighting Gangsters, Nazi's and Zombies.. Yes its your typical Mignola stuff and i love it. The artwork is always phenomenal and this book is no different.
Mike Mignola has built a huge universe for lots of writers and artists to play in, the so called Mignolaverse has Hellboy, The B.P.R.D, Ape Sapien, Sir Edward Grey, or Witchfinder, and Lobster Johnson ! This will be my first hardcover featuring The Lobster, i have seen him before in Hellboy where he died, and there was a fantastic cameo in the last Hellboy movie. Lobster Johnson is 30s pulpy noir crime fighter and has him fighting Gangsters, Nazi's and Zombies.. Yes its your typical Mignola stuff and i love it. The artwork is always phenomenal and this book is no different.
August 10, 2025
Mroczny Homar w Mieście Pełnym Zła
Zacznijmy od tego, że Homar Johnson to komiks, który mnie totalnie wciągnął. Mignola + współka nie bawi się w żadne rozważania na temat moralności, psychologii postaci czy nadmiernych dylematów. Od razu rzuca nas w akcję, gdzie bohater zamaskowany mściciel nie czeka na odpowiedni moment, tylko wyciąga broń i strzela. Zero zbędnych pytań. To nie jest Daredevil, który rozmyśla nad tym, jak ocalić dusze przestępców. Nie, to Homar Johnson po prostu zrobi to, co trzeba, bo dla niego sprawiedliwość to nie dyskusja, a czyn.
A kiedy powiem, że Homar nie bierze jeńców, to nie przesadzam.
Chłopak, Który Woli "Załatwiać" Problem
Homar w tym tomie jest jak prawdziwy detektyw w klimacie lat 40., ale… bardziej drastyczny. Jeśli myślisz, że akcja opóźni się chociaż na moment, to się mylisz. Mignola nie bawi się w budowanie napięcia, on od razu wrzuca nas na głęboką wodę. Chcesz wiedzieć, co dzieje się z przestępcami? Otóż Homar ich zabija. Bez zbędnych rozmyślań, rozterek czy podtekstów. Jest sprawiedliwość, jest broń, i to wystarczy. Bo nie chodzi o to, by rozmawiać, tylko by działać. I mimo, że na początku byłem trochę znudzony tym podejściem, to później zaczęło mi to pasować. Mniej tekstu, więcej akcji. W sumie to było odświeżające.
Pulpowa Estetyka, Jakiej Nie Widziałeś Od Dzieciaka
Mignola w tym komiksie nie idzie na łatwiznę choć historie są proste, to mają ten niesamowity klimat, który kojarzy się z pulpą sprzed lat. Zło jest wyraźnie złe, bohater jest wyraźnie bohaterem, a wszystko to dzieje się w latach 40., gdzie mroczne rytuały, przestępcze syndykaty i zjawiska nadprzyrodzone są na porządku dziennym. Lubię to. Mimo że Homar nie jest wybuchowym bohaterem w stylu współczesnych filmów, to czuć w nim tę starą szkołę czystą sprawiedliwość, brutalną, ale skuteczną.
Za Szybko, Ale Właśnie O To Chodzi
Nie oszukujmy się: ta historia to szybka jazda bez trzymanki. Mignola nie bawi się w rozwlekanie pędzi od jednej strzelaniny do drugiej, a zagadka nie jest rozwiązana w jakiś odkrywczy sposób, tylko po prostu rozwiązuje się na drodze przemocy. Nie ma tu wielkich filozofii, tylko działania.
Tak, wiem, że to może być dla niektórych minus momentami miałem wrażenie, że brakuje tu trochę głębszej narracji. Czasami przeskok z jednej sceny do drugiej wydaje się być trochę za szybki, jakby brakowało kilku stron, by spokojnie przejść do kolejnego aktu. Ale w sumie? Może to dobrze. W końcu to nie jest historia, która chce nas zanudzić na intelektualnych rozważaniach. To opowieść o gościu, który rozwiązuje problemy kulami.
Obojętność Homara to Jego Siła
Jednym z aspektów, które naprawdę doceniam w Homarze Johnsonie, jest to, jak Mignola buduje postać. Właściwie, nie buduje. W tym tomie dostajemy Homara jako postać, której nie musimy rozumieć do końca. To nie jest bohater z tragiczną przeszłością, nie ma tam wątku o zaginionych rodzicach czy motywacji związanej z chęcią zemsty. On po prostu chce wymierzyć sprawiedliwość. Jest prosto, jest męsko, ale działa z powołania nie z rozpaczy.
I to mi się podoba. Kiedy zaczynamy rozkładać na czynniki pierwsze postać, która nie jest aż tak rozbudowana, to z jednej strony to ograniczenie, ale z drugiej – homarowa siła tej postaci. Czasem lepiej nie wiedzieć wszystkiego o bohaterze, bo pozostaje tajemnica. No i nie trzeba ciągle szukać powodu, dlaczego on to robi. To czysty, nieskażony akt sprawiedliwości.
Proste, ale Skuteczne
Z jednej strony można zarzucić temu komiksowi brak głębi, ale z drugiej strony Homar Johnson to nie komiks, który chce cię porwać swoją psychologią. Mignola stawia na prostą, brutalną sprawiedliwość i to działa. Jeśli szukasz bohatera, który nie ma oporów przed pozbyciem się złych typów, to tutaj go znajdziesz.
Cała historia jest jak szybka jazda, gdzie akcja nie przestaje się zmieniać, a dialogi są cięte i proste. To sprawia, że komiks jest szybki, ale przy tym nie traci swojej mrocznej i lekko groteskowej atmosfery.
Podsumowując
Homar Johnson Tom 1 to mroczna przygoda, która nie każe ci zbyt długo myśleć o tym, co się dzieje. To komiks, który wciąga, bo nie bawi się w zbyt skomplikowane historie, ale daje to, co najlepsze w klasycznym pulpowym stylu. Jeśli nie potrzebujesz wielkich dramatów i moralnych rozterek, a po prostu chcesz postać, która ratuje świat lub przynajmniej robi porządek w Nowym Jorku to jest to coś dla ciebie. wciągnie.
Zacznijmy od tego, że Homar Johnson to komiks, który mnie totalnie wciągnął. Mignola + współka nie bawi się w żadne rozważania na temat moralności, psychologii postaci czy nadmiernych dylematów. Od razu rzuca nas w akcję, gdzie bohater zamaskowany mściciel nie czeka na odpowiedni moment, tylko wyciąga broń i strzela. Zero zbędnych pytań. To nie jest Daredevil, który rozmyśla nad tym, jak ocalić dusze przestępców. Nie, to Homar Johnson po prostu zrobi to, co trzeba, bo dla niego sprawiedliwość to nie dyskusja, a czyn.
A kiedy powiem, że Homar nie bierze jeńców, to nie przesadzam.
Chłopak, Który Woli "Załatwiać" Problem
Homar w tym tomie jest jak prawdziwy detektyw w klimacie lat 40., ale… bardziej drastyczny. Jeśli myślisz, że akcja opóźni się chociaż na moment, to się mylisz. Mignola nie bawi się w budowanie napięcia, on od razu wrzuca nas na głęboką wodę. Chcesz wiedzieć, co dzieje się z przestępcami? Otóż Homar ich zabija. Bez zbędnych rozmyślań, rozterek czy podtekstów. Jest sprawiedliwość, jest broń, i to wystarczy. Bo nie chodzi o to, by rozmawiać, tylko by działać. I mimo, że na początku byłem trochę znudzony tym podejściem, to później zaczęło mi to pasować. Mniej tekstu, więcej akcji. W sumie to było odświeżające.
Pulpowa Estetyka, Jakiej Nie Widziałeś Od Dzieciaka
Mignola w tym komiksie nie idzie na łatwiznę choć historie są proste, to mają ten niesamowity klimat, który kojarzy się z pulpą sprzed lat. Zło jest wyraźnie złe, bohater jest wyraźnie bohaterem, a wszystko to dzieje się w latach 40., gdzie mroczne rytuały, przestępcze syndykaty i zjawiska nadprzyrodzone są na porządku dziennym. Lubię to. Mimo że Homar nie jest wybuchowym bohaterem w stylu współczesnych filmów, to czuć w nim tę starą szkołę czystą sprawiedliwość, brutalną, ale skuteczną.
Za Szybko, Ale Właśnie O To Chodzi
Nie oszukujmy się: ta historia to szybka jazda bez trzymanki. Mignola nie bawi się w rozwlekanie pędzi od jednej strzelaniny do drugiej, a zagadka nie jest rozwiązana w jakiś odkrywczy sposób, tylko po prostu rozwiązuje się na drodze przemocy. Nie ma tu wielkich filozofii, tylko działania.
Tak, wiem, że to może być dla niektórych minus momentami miałem wrażenie, że brakuje tu trochę głębszej narracji. Czasami przeskok z jednej sceny do drugiej wydaje się być trochę za szybki, jakby brakowało kilku stron, by spokojnie przejść do kolejnego aktu. Ale w sumie? Może to dobrze. W końcu to nie jest historia, która chce nas zanudzić na intelektualnych rozważaniach. To opowieść o gościu, który rozwiązuje problemy kulami.
Obojętność Homara to Jego Siła
Jednym z aspektów, które naprawdę doceniam w Homarze Johnsonie, jest to, jak Mignola buduje postać. Właściwie, nie buduje. W tym tomie dostajemy Homara jako postać, której nie musimy rozumieć do końca. To nie jest bohater z tragiczną przeszłością, nie ma tam wątku o zaginionych rodzicach czy motywacji związanej z chęcią zemsty. On po prostu chce wymierzyć sprawiedliwość. Jest prosto, jest męsko, ale działa z powołania nie z rozpaczy.
I to mi się podoba. Kiedy zaczynamy rozkładać na czynniki pierwsze postać, która nie jest aż tak rozbudowana, to z jednej strony to ograniczenie, ale z drugiej – homarowa siła tej postaci. Czasem lepiej nie wiedzieć wszystkiego o bohaterze, bo pozostaje tajemnica. No i nie trzeba ciągle szukać powodu, dlaczego on to robi. To czysty, nieskażony akt sprawiedliwości.
Proste, ale Skuteczne
Z jednej strony można zarzucić temu komiksowi brak głębi, ale z drugiej strony Homar Johnson to nie komiks, który chce cię porwać swoją psychologią. Mignola stawia na prostą, brutalną sprawiedliwość i to działa. Jeśli szukasz bohatera, który nie ma oporów przed pozbyciem się złych typów, to tutaj go znajdziesz.
Cała historia jest jak szybka jazda, gdzie akcja nie przestaje się zmieniać, a dialogi są cięte i proste. To sprawia, że komiks jest szybki, ale przy tym nie traci swojej mrocznej i lekko groteskowej atmosfery.
Podsumowując
Homar Johnson Tom 1 to mroczna przygoda, która nie każe ci zbyt długo myśleć o tym, co się dzieje. To komiks, który wciąga, bo nie bawi się w zbyt skomplikowane historie, ale daje to, co najlepsze w klasycznym pulpowym stylu. Jeśli nie potrzebujesz wielkich dramatów i moralnych rozterek, a po prostu chcesz postać, która ratuje świat lub przynajmniej robi porządek w Nowym Jorku to jest to coś dla ciebie. wciągnie.
November 28, 2022
Lobster Johnson is the Batman of the Mignola-verse. A masked vigilante whose goal is JUSTICE, he cleans up the streets of New York City, tangling with both hoodlums and the supernatural. Unlike Batman, however, the Lobster is not opposed to using guns to brutally murder the bad guys. It's, uh, kind of a big difference I guess.
It takes a story or two to get used to the "shoot first, ask questions later" nature of Lobster Johnson tales, but they're all twisty mysteries that match up well against anything you'd find in a Hellboy volume. Less Cthulhu, more gunfights - most of these stories read like updated versions of old Shadow tales from the 40s.
The shorts are weaker than the feature-length tales. "The Burning Hand" is the real winner, mostly on the back of the terrifying black fire villain. "Get the Lobster" is goofy in that old-timey comic way, though the final few issues are action-packed and exhilarating. It'd be nice to take a moment to get to know the Lobster or his compatriots, but like I noted, this is "shoot first, ask questions later" storytelling. Maybe the next omnibus will offer deeper backstory.
It takes a story or two to get used to the "shoot first, ask questions later" nature of Lobster Johnson tales, but they're all twisty mysteries that match up well against anything you'd find in a Hellboy volume. Less Cthulhu, more gunfights - most of these stories read like updated versions of old Shadow tales from the 40s.
The shorts are weaker than the feature-length tales. "The Burning Hand" is the real winner, mostly on the back of the terrifying black fire villain. "Get the Lobster" is goofy in that old-timey comic way, though the final few issues are action-packed and exhilarating. It'd be nice to take a moment to get to know the Lobster or his compatriots, but like I noted, this is "shoot first, ask questions later" storytelling. Maybe the next omnibus will offer deeper backstory.
May 23, 2022
Took me a minute to warm to this, even tho The Lobster in his mysterious appearances in Hellboy is one of my favorite parts of one of my favorite things. This series feels a little more pastichey and less its own thing than the rest of the Mignolaverse, but by the end it gets weird enough that I was back on board. The art is consistently gorgeous, too. I was initially off-put by the vicious and cartoonish morality, but eventually I realized it's actually kind of pulling a fun magic trick by getting you to root for some fairly horrible stuff in a slightly winky way.
June 6, 2022
Uhm...
FEEL THE CLAW!
I love Hellboy. Hellboy loves Lobster Johnson. I love Lobster Johnson.
FEEL THE CLAW!
I love Hellboy. Hellboy loves Lobster Johnson. I love Lobster Johnson.
September 15, 2024
He pasado un domingo genial de la mano de Bogavante Johnson
September 1, 2024
I LOVE PULP! Thank you Mike Mignola. He seems to be driven by all of my favorite storytelling concepts. Vampires, ancient rituals, mysteries, Detectives, Lovecraft, monsters, heroes, adventure, sword and sorcery, everything all mixed up. He creates new stories based on a somewhat dated genre, and does them in a fresh new way.
Lobster Johnson is a fantastic character like that of the Shadow. I was on a small Batman binge after discovering his roots were based on the Shadow, and from then I realized I needed to read the Shadow itself, along with Rocketeer, Doc Savage, Flash Gordon, and many other pulp heroes. Heroes who fight for no reason other than justice or because it's right. They often have sidekicks, gadgets, and go on deadly adventures to subdue or kill the bad guy. And boy let me tell you, Lobster kills! He ain't no Batman style vigilante.
The story is pretty straightforward and fast paced. The art is phenomenal and cinematic. I love the character design and costume, with the eerie goggle eyes and lobster claw signature branding symbol. There are occasionally some supernatural elements that I find most welcome. It's written from a mid-nineteen hundreds perspective and the characters, dialogue, environmental details all express that in a period accurate manner. I greatly appreciate when a story at least feels like the time in which it is set. I've read far too many fantasy stories and comics where the characters speak and curse like they are twelve year olds from modern day, and I can't discard the story fast enough for it.
The action, the pacing, it's all very fast and fluid and fun. My only complaint is there are occasionally things left unsaid (sometimes for the better), and some panels that jarringly jump from one scene to the next without much transition. I often got lost while ripping through the quick stories, looking for a missing page. Maybe I'm imagining things.
Regardless, I am finally glad to be jumping into the multiple Mignola-verse characters. More Lobster and Abe Sapien on the way, then Hellboy. I feel like I'm doing this backwards. I technically first read his Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories (art), and then Joe Golem. Joe was my favorite story in years, so I suspected I'd like more. Lobster Johnson hits me right in the pulp bone. I NEED characters like this. I'm sick of reading comments from readers about proper character motivations from characters like Conan. What is his motivation? In the movies it is revenge. But in reality (the original short stories by Howard) he is merely driven by adventure, conquest, treasure, mystery, and the thing of the day. Nothing particularly compels him any more than he is simply compelled by the promising pleasures of life. Lobster Johnson is compelled by justice. But don't get it twisted, it isn't revenge for a sad upbringing or dead parents. We get to know next to nothing about the man beneath the mask. I prefer it this way. I love the mystery and I don't need it solved. Mignola gets this. If this were a movie, we would have all kinds of screenwriters, executives, directors trying to suss out the character's origin story, give him a love interest, expand upon it. Well I'm not here for that. There are plenty of other characters for that. I'm saying sometimes it's nice to stop and smell the simple flowers that we've lost appreciation for. There's a reason for a huge crash in entertainment right now, and to put it bluntly it is the loss of a moral center. Even horror stories are powerful and famous because deep down there is a constant clash between good and evil on some level. Even evil heroes are interesting because sometimes you root against them, or desire their demise. It creates natural tension. The fall of entertainment right now is the utter graying out of all morals, and the extreme ambiguity of everything. It's become meaningless. There are no longer two polar opposites to be torn between, and navigate closer to or farther away from. Having some ambiguous characters can be useful, but having all characters ambiguous creatures on the hunt for power is so terribly bland. It's the Game of Thrones-ification of media after the spike in popularity, but I find Game of Thrones most punctuated moments are more from shock elements than profoundly moving events. That's a basic example, I find the same feeling comes from Joe Abercrombie's books. Entertaining, but hollow of soul. No true heroes. Light and shadow need balance, not too much of one or the other.
I digress. The pulps of old seemed to have just the right amount of adventure and heroism, which was in abundance. These stories recapture that spirit faithfully, from a modern storytelling master who understands both what the modern audience enjoys, from a niche perspective, and what stirs the heart and soul from the days of yore. It's something I've found in few other places, sword and sorcery in particular, and hope we see more of in mainstream (the heroic storytelling aspect). But hey, mainstream isn't cutting it lately, so maybe it will be our own special thing.
Lobster Johnson is a fantastic character like that of the Shadow. I was on a small Batman binge after discovering his roots were based on the Shadow, and from then I realized I needed to read the Shadow itself, along with Rocketeer, Doc Savage, Flash Gordon, and many other pulp heroes. Heroes who fight for no reason other than justice or because it's right. They often have sidekicks, gadgets, and go on deadly adventures to subdue or kill the bad guy. And boy let me tell you, Lobster kills! He ain't no Batman style vigilante.
The story is pretty straightforward and fast paced. The art is phenomenal and cinematic. I love the character design and costume, with the eerie goggle eyes and lobster claw signature branding symbol. There are occasionally some supernatural elements that I find most welcome. It's written from a mid-nineteen hundreds perspective and the characters, dialogue, environmental details all express that in a period accurate manner. I greatly appreciate when a story at least feels like the time in which it is set. I've read far too many fantasy stories and comics where the characters speak and curse like they are twelve year olds from modern day, and I can't discard the story fast enough for it.
The action, the pacing, it's all very fast and fluid and fun. My only complaint is there are occasionally things left unsaid (sometimes for the better), and some panels that jarringly jump from one scene to the next without much transition. I often got lost while ripping through the quick stories, looking for a missing page. Maybe I'm imagining things.
Regardless, I am finally glad to be jumping into the multiple Mignola-verse characters. More Lobster and Abe Sapien on the way, then Hellboy. I feel like I'm doing this backwards. I technically first read his Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories (art), and then Joe Golem. Joe was my favorite story in years, so I suspected I'd like more. Lobster Johnson hits me right in the pulp bone. I NEED characters like this. I'm sick of reading comments from readers about proper character motivations from characters like Conan. What is his motivation? In the movies it is revenge. But in reality (the original short stories by Howard) he is merely driven by adventure, conquest, treasure, mystery, and the thing of the day. Nothing particularly compels him any more than he is simply compelled by the promising pleasures of life. Lobster Johnson is compelled by justice. But don't get it twisted, it isn't revenge for a sad upbringing or dead parents. We get to know next to nothing about the man beneath the mask. I prefer it this way. I love the mystery and I don't need it solved. Mignola gets this. If this were a movie, we would have all kinds of screenwriters, executives, directors trying to suss out the character's origin story, give him a love interest, expand upon it. Well I'm not here for that. There are plenty of other characters for that. I'm saying sometimes it's nice to stop and smell the simple flowers that we've lost appreciation for. There's a reason for a huge crash in entertainment right now, and to put it bluntly it is the loss of a moral center. Even horror stories are powerful and famous because deep down there is a constant clash between good and evil on some level. Even evil heroes are interesting because sometimes you root against them, or desire their demise. It creates natural tension. The fall of entertainment right now is the utter graying out of all morals, and the extreme ambiguity of everything. It's become meaningless. There are no longer two polar opposites to be torn between, and navigate closer to or farther away from. Having some ambiguous characters can be useful, but having all characters ambiguous creatures on the hunt for power is so terribly bland. It's the Game of Thrones-ification of media after the spike in popularity, but I find Game of Thrones most punctuated moments are more from shock elements than profoundly moving events. That's a basic example, I find the same feeling comes from Joe Abercrombie's books. Entertaining, but hollow of soul. No true heroes. Light and shadow need balance, not too much of one or the other.
I digress. The pulps of old seemed to have just the right amount of adventure and heroism, which was in abundance. These stories recapture that spirit faithfully, from a modern storytelling master who understands both what the modern audience enjoys, from a niche perspective, and what stirs the heart and soul from the days of yore. It's something I've found in few other places, sword and sorcery in particular, and hope we see more of in mainstream (the heroic storytelling aspect). But hey, mainstream isn't cutting it lately, so maybe it will be our own special thing.
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, in the first big story here, 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.
The other main tale, "Get the Lobster", is pretty much a sequel, but on its merry way to being about robotised humans and a very PG kind of body horror, does all the stuff that is about the only thing we remember from Spider-Man if we just remember one thing, which is whether he's a goodie or baddie in the eyes of the cops and the press.
In between, and kind of providing touches of necessary continuity here and there, is the collection of short stories that came between these two books. And again there is a huge gap between the otherworldly villains and the mundane fisticuffs from Mr Lobby. We have 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. And for all its sins, Get the Lobster ends up feeling about as good as this Omnibus is going to get, with at least some narrative oomph just about taking things to a three star status. But the whole thing still feels rum to me. Yes it is deriving its pleasures, apparently, from a library of antecedents, an array of nocturnal vigilantes and their gung-ho spirit, but you don't have books with Hellboy in where he's investigating tax fraud, you have him do what is needed to reduce the demonic presence from our world. So why have someone in the same team, facing the same unearthly baddies, using nothing more special than a hand grenade?
The other main tale, "Get the Lobster", is pretty much a sequel, but on its merry way to being about robotised humans and a very PG kind of body horror, does all the stuff that is about the only thing we remember from Spider-Man if we just remember one thing, which is whether he's a goodie or baddie in the eyes of the cops and the press.
In between, and kind of providing touches of necessary continuity here and there, is the collection of short stories that came between these two books. And again there is a huge gap between the otherworldly villains and the mundane fisticuffs from Mr Lobby. We have 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. And for all its sins, Get the Lobster ends up feeling about as good as this Omnibus is going to get, with at least some narrative oomph just about taking things to a three star status. But the whole thing still feels rum to me. Yes it is deriving its pleasures, apparently, from a library of antecedents, an array of nocturnal vigilantes and their gung-ho spirit, but you don't have books with Hellboy in where he's investigating tax fraud, you have him do what is needed to reduce the demonic presence from our world. So why have someone in the same team, facing the same unearthly baddies, using nothing more special than a hand grenade?
April 15, 2023
Hellboy has always had a lot of pulp noir written into its dna, and Lobster Johnson, of all the many different Hellboy spin offs exemplifies this best. I was honestly pretty surprised by how much I enjoyed everything here. After reading the first Ed Grey volume, I’d expected to like this one about the same amount, but it really knocked it out of the park. The titular lobster himself isn’t much of a character as of now, he’s more a force of nature, or rather justice, but the rest of the cast really added a lot. Tynan probably was the best of the lot, I do love a reporter character in the 30’s.
Each of the stories in here was great, and I was surprised by how many elements from the volumes ended up connecting to later parts. Even one issue stories ended up having a big influence on the later bits. The art is all fantastic, which is hard with how many artists there were across everything, but Zonjic being the main artist for the big stories was a great choice, he got the vibes down immaculate.
Genuinely, this had been the spin off that I’d expected to be the least interested in, but I kinda loved it and want more
Each of the stories in here was great, and I was surprised by how many elements from the volumes ended up connecting to later parts. Even one issue stories ended up having a big influence on the later bits. The art is all fantastic, which is hard with how many artists there were across everything, but Zonjic being the main artist for the big stories was a great choice, he got the vibes down immaculate.
Genuinely, this had been the spin off that I’d expected to be the least interested in, but I kinda loved it and want more
September 25, 2022
One of the secrets to keeping a character like Lobster Johnson interesting is to avoid the character. In several of the longer stories collected here, Johnson plays only a co-starring role, with the lead belonging more to journalist Cindy Tynan and mechanic Harry McTell (and the mob boss antagonist Arnie Wald gets lots of page time too), and the story more often focused on those in Lobster's periphery than Johnson himself (although most of the stories give him one or two good action sequences). This collection is in chronological order for the character, so we're seeing early days here, and the more fantastical aspects of the stories ramp up over the length of the omnibus. There are three multi-issue arcs collected here, as well as a couple of one off short stories. It's plenty of content and it keeps the pace shifting throughout. Overall Lobster's an enjoyable character/style of story, but in some ways I found myself missing the more overtly fantastical stories that surround Hellboy. Still, it's a worthwhile read for anyone fond of Mignola's work.
July 20, 2023
I didn’t know the character called Lobster Johnson at all. Even if I have seen him in the author’s other series Hellboy (from which I’ve only read few books but liked them), I can’t remember him. As a character he seemed to be too one-dimensional, but the stories were good (except for Tony Masso’s Finest Hour, which seemed just too random and it would have needed some more flesh to its story). I guess it was supposed to be short comedic (kind of) story, like an interlude between two much bigger stories, but it didn’t quite succeed storytelling-wise.
Just like in Hellboy, I liked the world here, this had nazis and occultism and noir – how cool is that?!? I liked its art too very much. Especially in ”A Scent of Lotus” (art by Sebástian Fiumara and colours by Dave Steward). I also liked to see the sketches in the end of this book, they were interesting to see and liked the ”explanations” to them.
I wish the stories would have been a little deeper, then this would have been excellent. I’d give this a 3,5 stars if I could.
Just like in Hellboy, I liked the world here, this had nazis and occultism and noir – how cool is that?!? I liked its art too very much. Especially in ”A Scent of Lotus” (art by Sebástian Fiumara and colours by Dave Steward). I also liked to see the sketches in the end of this book, they were interesting to see and liked the ”explanations” to them.
I wish the stories would have been a little deeper, then this would have been excellent. I’d give this a 3,5 stars if I could.
February 18, 2025
Okay, so I really didn't have my hopes up for this. It seemed cheesy and ridiculous. I mean, who names a masked vigilante Lobster Johnson? I just wasn't really looking forward to this based on my previous understanding of the character, but I'm bound and determined to read the entirety of the Mignolaverse. I figured this would take forever to slog through.
Boy was I mistaken.
This was fantastic. I absolutely loved it. It covered everything from hidden earth civilizations, Hyperborea, sewer dwelling cannibals, Nazi spies, radio controlled gorillas, mobsters, and everything in between. And through it all, the most badass vigilante is branding foreheads with a claw shouting things like, "YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THE LONG CLAW OF JUSTICE!!!!"
It shouldn't be as good as it is. It sounds beyond ridiculous. And it's not like I'm a fan of the hard-boiled detective genre, which is ultimately what this is. They just do it so well and add so many crazy elements, that you can't help but love it.
Boy was I mistaken.
This was fantastic. I absolutely loved it. It covered everything from hidden earth civilizations, Hyperborea, sewer dwelling cannibals, Nazi spies, radio controlled gorillas, mobsters, and everything in between. And through it all, the most badass vigilante is branding foreheads with a claw shouting things like, "YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THE LONG CLAW OF JUSTICE!!!!"
It shouldn't be as good as it is. It sounds beyond ridiculous. And it's not like I'm a fan of the hard-boiled detective genre, which is ultimately what this is. They just do it so well and add so many crazy elements, that you can't help but love it.
January 9, 2023
Лінчувальник у Нью-Йорку 30-х років б’ється з різними мафіозі та зомбі, розслідує справу про радіокерованих рестлерів, ледь не гине від німецької убер-істоти, яку оживляє азіатська некромантка. В перервах буцається з мавпами різного розміру та ловить німецьких фашистів з їх газовою бомбою. А ще Лобстер Джонсон засвітився на сторінках епіку про Хеллбоя і як персонаж, і як вигаданий супергерой з коміксів і радіовистав.
Якщо узагальнювати, то це суцільний референс на бульварну літературу 30-х років та на наурні детективи, який занурили у містичний всесвіт Хеллбоя. Добре розважає, але глобально ні на що не впливає (хоча є питання щодо Чорного Полум'я, алі в цій історії йому трохи копняків відсипали). Та й взагалі було б краще мати більше натяків на участь Лобстера у загальних подіях Хеллбой-всесвіту. Розраховую на збірку номер два.
Якщо узагальнювати, то це суцільний референс на бульварну літературу 30-х років та на наурні детективи, який занурили у містичний всесвіт Хеллбоя. Добре розважає, але глобально ні на що не впливає (хоча є питання щодо Чорного Полум'я, алі в цій історії йому трохи копняків відсипали). Та й взагалі було б краще мати більше натяків на участь Лобстера у загальних подіях Хеллбой-всесвіту. Розраховую на збірку номер два.
August 18, 2024
I think what makes the Mignolaverse resonate so much with me is that it feels like a creator that's still acting as a funnel for every bit of pop culture ephemera that excites him, massaging them all into an aesthetically coherent whole. Basically, what happened in 1977 when some kid from Modesto threw samurai movies, westerns and WWII fighter pilot movies in a blender with Edgar Rice Burroughs space fantasy and made a scrappy low budget movie in the Tunisian desert.
Maybe in 2024, the Mignolaverse has gone the way of Star Wars, becoming an insular and stifling brand unto itself, rather than an inventive and entertaining remix of influences, but with this volume of Lobster Johnson, it hadn't happened yet.
Minor demerit: some grease monkey refers to World War 1 as... World War 1. They wouldn't have called it that in the 30s, mang.
Maybe in 2024, the Mignolaverse has gone the way of Star Wars, becoming an insular and stifling brand unto itself, rather than an inventive and entertaining remix of influences, but with this volume of Lobster Johnson, it hadn't happened yet.
Minor demerit: some grease monkey refers to World War 1 as... World War 1. They wouldn't have called it that in the 30s, mang.
August 26, 2024
Wow, what a treat. I enjoyed this even more than Hellboy. The art, story arcs, writing, and characters are consistently well-developed across the whole volume, and in a good many stories, every individual frame is a work of art. The Lobster is a pulpy vigilante from a pulpy setting: 1940s New York. The inter-war period in America is a time of Prohibition, radio, Tommy guns and zeppelins. Lobster Johnson is at times reminiscent of Batman, but with a larger supporting cast and no compunctions about killing in the name of Justice. Like a cat, he seems to have nine lives, and maybe there's some truth to this comparison based on hints uncovered throughout the volume, but nothing is revealed too far beyond the sight the main cast, leaving many details shadowy and mysterious—just like the titular hero.
April 6, 2025
Starting with postivies, the art is stunning all the way through, especially Tonci Zonjic's issues. I've read a lot of these 1920's-30's set books lately (Baltimore, Good Asian, Sandman Mystery Theatre to name a couple) and this might just be my favourite take on the setting.
At first I loved the fact we never explain anything this books throws at us. The Lobster's deal, the casual mention of cannibals apparently living in New York, stuff like this. But the further I went along, the more hollow it felt. Which is part of the pulp charm I guess, but it starts grating after a while.
The shorter stories were pretty ok. The weakest by far was the Pharaoh one, closely followed by the Lotus. Not a lot of creative ideas, and the execution wasn't all that great.
Very entertaining overall, but won't leave a mark in my mind.
At first I loved the fact we never explain anything this books throws at us. The Lobster's deal, the casual mention of cannibals apparently living in New York, stuff like this. But the further I went along, the more hollow it felt. Which is part of the pulp charm I guess, but it starts grating after a while.
The shorter stories were pretty ok. The weakest by far was the Pharaoh one, closely followed by the Lotus. Not a lot of creative ideas, and the execution wasn't all that great.
Very entertaining overall, but won't leave a mark in my mind.
May 7, 2024
I was only dimly aware of Lobster Johnson from the Hellboy comics and had quite forgotten what he was like. Well this series corrected that and then some.
What a fantastic series of comics. The art was spectacular, both like Mike Mignola's work and yet unlike it in very small but important ways. It's more violent, for one, and a different level of detail compared to his work. It really brings to life the late 20s/early 30s. The stories themselves are great fun, with fun Hellboy-esque twists on the classic pulpy noire fiction, with both gangsters trying to take over New York and evil supernatural beings.
Hugely enjoyable, can't wait to read the second collection and maybe dive more into the Hellboy universe..
What a fantastic series of comics. The art was spectacular, both like Mike Mignola's work and yet unlike it in very small but important ways. It's more violent, for one, and a different level of detail compared to his work. It really brings to life the late 20s/early 30s. The stories themselves are great fun, with fun Hellboy-esque twists on the classic pulpy noire fiction, with both gangsters trying to take over New York and evil supernatural beings.
Hugely enjoyable, can't wait to read the second collection and maybe dive more into the Hellboy universe..
July 28, 2022
A passel of writers and artists, including Mike Mignola, have created the poor man's "The Shadow". What the action, fast and bloody, and the pacing, slam bam, creates a "pulp" world of he men. The main character "Lobster Johnson" is a foil to the other major character "Jillie Rizzo" who works as a investigative reporter. Enemies include Nazis and supernatural beings. The artwork is stark and bold linework and coloring. There is a noir look to the world. Terse dialogue. The "Lobster" is almost like a deus ex machina machine of seeing only a black and white world.
Well worth a few nights to read the 400+ pages!
Well worth a few nights to read the 400+ pages!
November 19, 2024
Entertaining, but not my favourite side of the hellboy universe. Especially the one off stories are lacking in substance that made them tedious for me. I do however, love Arcudi’s classic characterization that makes the side characters feel like the actual main characters and lobster Johnson himself more like a force of nature. Unfortunately, the tie ins to the greater hellboy mythos also don’t feel like they’ve really enriched the lore to a greater degree than when I had only heard of lobster Johnson from his appearances in BPRD and The Conquerer Worm.
June 10, 2023
There was lots to love in this omnibus collection of ol’ Pulp Head, Lobster Johnson.
So many gangsters getting shot in the face. Just wonderful. No mistaking Lobster with Batman besides all the other similarities.
Pure action and more action fun here. Only thing that knocks it off a star is there’s very little time to slow down and actually learn something about Lobster or his crew. I mean, I get it. That’s the point. But it still, I would have enjoyed a little more back story, or just time to get to know the fellas better. His crew kinda all melded together into One Guy.
But if you love Mignola it’s a must read collection. The art style fits so well too. Great set all around.
So many gangsters getting shot in the face. Just wonderful. No mistaking Lobster with Batman besides all the other similarities.
Pure action and more action fun here. Only thing that knocks it off a star is there’s very little time to slow down and actually learn something about Lobster or his crew. I mean, I get it. That’s the point. But it still, I would have enjoyed a little more back story, or just time to get to know the fellas better. His crew kinda all melded together into One Guy.
But if you love Mignola it’s a must read collection. The art style fits so well too. Great set all around.
February 26, 2024
I'm sure I read some of these as individual trade paperbacks a while back, but it was nice to find a good omnibus online (Hoopla). I don't think I love the Lobster the way that I love Hellboy, but by the end of this collection, I was coming around. Or the stories were getting better. Not sure. There's a volume 2, but not sure I'm ready to jump right in for that.
July 17, 2023
My first foray into the Mignola-verse (more well known for Hellboy). It was a bit simplistic in the beginning, but grew on me with it's 1930s pulp noir feel to it. Not a very complicated tale and no origin story, but the artwork and simplicity have their own charm.
May 5, 2024
This was…fine. The art was solid and the writing was fine. I just found my self not interested at all in what was going on. The stories were very meh to me at least.
I think lobster Johnson is interesting enough in small glimpses, but in something like this doesn’t work for me
I think lobster Johnson is interesting enough in small glimpses, but in something like this doesn’t work for me
October 1, 2024
Oof, didn’t work for me. No engaging villains since lobster killed them all with a couple
Of chapters. Though I liked lobster as he was a blood thirsty punisher type, but again, the villains didn’t show much threat or replayability
Of chapters. Though I liked lobster as he was a blood thirsty punisher type, but again, the villains didn’t show much threat or replayability
March 26, 2022
I like the character, enjoyed his parts in Hell Boy and BPRD, but I’m not sure about solo adventures… seems a bit boring in a quirky intentional way… justice knows not taste…
April 10, 2022
Great pulpy fun in the Hellboy universe. Lobster Johnson dispenses Justice with his claw and he doesn't take shit from gangsters, monsters and the supernatural. Detailed review coming soon
April 1, 2023
Feel the claw!
April 29, 2023
Finally getting to read some LoJo and loving it. Looking forward to volume 2 this summer!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews