Lobster Johnson. Satan Smells a Rat. Mike Mignola, John Arcudi (Writers), Dave Stewart (Colours), Clem Robins (Letters). Dark Horse Books (2014)

Hugely enjoyable and entertaining collection of stories featuring the pulp hero from the Hellboy universe, Lobster Johnson. The stories all capture the elements of the pulp stories and use them in interesting ways. They never feel like rehashes of old ideas, there is a committed energy and drive to the cast and the plots that make them stand on their own.
Caput Mortuum, art by Tonci Zonjic opens the collection with a clear deceleration of intent that the rest of the stories follow through on. A couple of young men out for a little trouble get more than they expect when some melts on them. From there is is really a short distance to a airship and a suitably demented plot that also draws nicely on the pre-World War II American context. The art has tremendous force and drive, the action is fast and feels physical, the Lobster is the sharp and direct.
Satan Smells a Rat, art, colouring and letters by Kevin Nowlan is the most pulpy of the stories, a man fins a rotting corpse in his hotel room and more steal his car. He is pursued by Lobster Johnson and at the same time a mysterious man in a wheelchair is getting a treatment from a doctor. The neat tying up of the plot threads is a joy, the way that justice is served in the final panel is perfect. The art is clean and detailed, the cast are full of energy and the bright colours make the whole story lift off the page.
Tony Masso's Finest Hour , art by Joe Querio is a move into the supernatural that is always lurking in any Hellboy related story. It is also a very smart and sharp black joke about being very, very careful what you ask for. Getting it can prove to be a bit of a problem.
A Scent of Lotus, art by Sebastian Fiumara is the longest story in the collection and it makes the most extensive use of the context and the regular supporting cast. The USA was not involved in a war, there were a lot of others who were and they were small proxy struggles going on in the shadows in the USA. There is also a nice reminder of the very adversarial relationship that the Lobster has with the police, he is no tolerated vigilante, he is a target. The tightly wound plot plays out with great timing and juggles all the elements nicely. The art is tremendous, the need to have the utterly bizarre intrude into the concrete concerns of the time is handled with flair, the threat is both forceful and wonderfully off the wall.
The Prayer of Neferu, art by Wilfredo Torres is a very enjoyable bow to one of the enduring themes of the pulp stories in their hey day, the allure of Ancient Egypt and the mysteries of their numerous gods. A theft from a museum develops into something very considerably more sinister as the anticipated, illicit unwrapping of a mummy becomes a way to open a door to ancient power. This proves to be a very, entertainingly, bad idea. The clean art is just what the story needs to allow the cast be insane without every being stupid, and the living mummy is everything it should be.
Throughout all the stories it is extraordinary how Dave Stewart matches the tone and intent of the stories with his colouring, it gives the necessary extra push to the stories that need to be bright and bold as well as shadowy and mysterious to be successful. The lettering by Clem Robins is so natural that it is possible not to see the skill and craft. A great collection by a creative team who have taken care to honour the spirit of the originals and still be fresh and contemporary
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Lobster Johnson. The Burning Hand. Mike Mignola, John Arcudi (Writers), Tonci Zonjic (Art), Dave Stewart (Colours), Clem Robins (Letters). Dark Horse Books (2012)

Great period adventure and action story that mixes the supernatural with gangsters to great effect. Investigating an attack by low level thugs painted up to look like ghostly Native Americans leads reporter Cindy Tynan directly into the middle of a confrontation between major criminal Arnie Wald and mysterious vigilante, Lobster Johnson. Arnie Wald is working to acquire property in the area that will be ripe for re-development as New York expands, Lobster Johnston is fighting to stop him. When a direct assault Arnie by Lobster Johnson fails, Arnie calls in some unusual and very deadly allies and the fight escalates. The reveals are cleverly staged, the action is forceful and the mix of the elements tightly controlled to create the maximum impact.
One of the problems with trying to write a pulp story is that the surface details are so obvious that they distract from the structural elements that actually drive the story. It is a considerable tribute to Mike Mignola and John Arcudi that they have created a story that is both true to its roots and happily contemporary. They get the two most important elements exactly right, the period and the cast. The story is set in the the late 1920s against the rise of organized crime after the the introduction of Prohibition and their need to expand and diversify. The cast feel natural in the context, in particular Mr Isog who is clearly based on Peter Lorre who acts as a subtle key to giving the period atmosphere needed.
The plot mechanics are striking and effective, a relatively straightforward struggle between a very resourceful villain and a masked vigilante is given a lift and a twist by clever details and an engaging cast. Cindy Tynan is a capable and confident reporter who is concerned about the story and her career, supporting cast around Lobster Johnson and Arnie Wald are also capable and confident. Mercifully none are stupid, they resourceful and willing to act creating a smart and very satisfying climax.
Tonci Zonic's art is lovely, it quietly suggests the details of the period without forcing them, the supernatural actors are given a great presence, they move through the context easily and naturally, they do not conflict with it. The action is loud, bright and fast, everything it should be, ambiguity has no place in a story like this, the lines have to be clearly drawn and observed. The mystery about Lobster Johnson and the resourcefulness of Arnie Wald are a nicely judged updating of the formula .
Dave Stewart colours with unassuming flair and a keen eye for detail that serves the story without ever drawing attention to itself, Clem Robins delivers sound effects that are pleasure to read.
A great pleasure to read, a comic that wears its considerable craft with easy assurance.

Lobster Johnson: The Satan Factory. Thomas E. Sniegoski. Dark Horse Books (2009)

This is a very enjoyable pulp style thriller. Jonas Chapel was a doctor whose taste for drink and gambling left him in the grip of one of New York's most fearsome gangsters. Fleeing Rocco Fazzina after a botched medical job, Chapel goes to Mexico where he stumbles upon a skeleton with very unusual properties. Seizing the opportunity Chapel returns to New York and sets in motion a plot by a evil creature to return to life and dominance in the human world. Opposing Chapel is Lobster Johnson, a mysterious vigilante. The plot races along at great speed, the supernatural elements are nicely integrated with the Depression era underworld New York aspects. The action is very well set and the conclusion is thoroughly satisfying.
This is a very nice updating of pulp stories, it has the essential flavour without feeling forced or self-consciously retro. Lobster Johnson is given enough exposure to be a significant character, his essential mystery is retained. There is no explanation for who or why he is, he simply exists and carries out his mission with credible single minded ruthlessness. The surrounding cast are well developed, they carry the weight of the story easily and in a very engaging fashion. The context of the mass unemployment of the Depression and the power of the rising tide of gangsters is well done, it provides a solid base for the supernatural elements.
Thomas E. Sniegoski manages to align the supernatural elements very closely to the activities of the gangsters so that they reinforce each other rather than intrude on each other. The steady matter of fact way that the rising threat is dealt with means that the action escalates in a natural and credible fashion. This book is very well crafted, thrills and spills and the smokey flavour of the period abound, great fun.