Shots From The Studio #30

So a couple of weeks ago I was on the PanelCast Podcast with AJ Herrera and Joey LaBartunek at www.forbiddenpanel.com and our topic was Mike Mignola. This subject came about because we had all recently watched the Mignola documentary, “Drawing Monsters” (which is great).

   We all talked about our moments when we first discovered his art and some of our favorite work of his. So I spoke a little about how the cover to Punisher #6  really jumped out at me and made me take notice of Mignola. I also talked about how my favorite Hellboy story, The Wolves of St. August, still gives me chills. I realized about a half hour after the podcast ended, much to my dismay, that I never mentioned my absolute, all time favorite Mignola creation, Lobster Johnson.

   From his first appearance 1999’s Hellboy: Box Full of Evil #1 I was immediately enthralled with this character. I loved his “B movie” film noir dialog and the rich blend of crime fiction and supernatural thriller story beats. But what really jumped out at me was the character design. The WWI aviator helmet and goggles, the double button panel shirt with the claw symbol, the riding breeches coupled with the knee high boots and the single .45 pistol he carried. All of this really hit a sweet spot for me as far as design aesthetics.

  The Lobster has appeared in many issues of Hellboy and BPRD comics over the years but he has also been featured in several solo mini series and one shots. All of which have been collected into 6 trade paperbacks:
The Iron Prometheus
The Burning Hand
Satan Smells a Rat
Get The Lobster
The Pirate Ghost and The Metal Monsters of Midtown
A Chain Forged in Life

   Lobster Johnson was finally featured in a live action depiction portrayed by Thomas Hayden Church in the 2019 Hellboy film starring David Harbor. The movie was not without its problems but I thought that it was excellent with a lot of really great Hellboy moments and some truly creepy antagonists and Church was perfect as The Lobster.

   If you love great pulpy heroes, creepy supernatural thrillers and film noir crime stories I definitely recommend checking some of the Lobster Johnson tales. All of them have been collected by Dark Horse Comics and are readily available at your local comic book store.