Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat
Now that Hellboy's taking some R&R in Hell, the rest of the Mignola-verse have wasted no time in filling the void on the comic shelves left by the big red guy. After last week’s excellent B.P.R.D., it’s Lobster Johnsons turn to step back into the lime-light with a delightful little one-shot called Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat.
With homeless people turning up dead and no one seeming to care, it’s up to Lobster Johnson and his gun-toting brand of justice to save the day. After Lobster finds a lone gun-shell with a fingerprint on it, he does some investigating and traces the bullet back to its owner, a two-bit thug named Wes Podell. Knowing Podell isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, Lobster puts the fear of the claw in him and follows Podell right to his bosses mansion. But some secrets are just to horrifying to be revealed, something Lobster Johnson may find out the hard way.
Mignola & Arcudi have crafted a nice little package. Satan Smells a Rat is a great stand-alone story that wraps up all its loose ends nicely with a satisfying conclusion. By placing Lobster on the side-line for the majority of the book, the reader never really knows what’s going on or who the antagonists are. But thanks to the clever twist and quick pacing, the story unfolds in such a way that by the end, the reader will be screaming for vengeance, with Lobster Johnson all too happy to oblige.
Kevin Nowlan’s distinctive comic style is a perfect match for the pulpy adventures of Lobster. The thick lines and muted tones sell the vintage era aesthetics perfectly. One area of note is the liberal use of sound effects. It helps lighten the books dark themes and really drives home the impact of the gun fights.
Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat is a great read for a rainy day. A self-contained story that requires nothing more than 2 eyes and a noggin’. The book would be a throw-away to anyone else, but the creative team managed to convey a number of powerful themes in just 22 short pages making this book definitely worth a grab.
Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat (One Shot)
Story: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi
Art: Kevin Nowlan
With homeless people turning up dead and no one seeming to care, it’s up to Lobster Johnson and his gun-toting brand of justice to save the day. After Lobster finds a lone gun-shell with a fingerprint on it, he does some investigating and traces the bullet back to its owner, a two-bit thug named Wes Podell. Knowing Podell isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, Lobster puts the fear of the claw in him and follows Podell right to his bosses mansion. But some secrets are just to horrifying to be revealed, something Lobster Johnson may find out the hard way.
Mignola & Arcudi have crafted a nice little package. Satan Smells a Rat is a great stand-alone story that wraps up all its loose ends nicely with a satisfying conclusion. By placing Lobster on the side-line for the majority of the book, the reader never really knows what’s going on or who the antagonists are. But thanks to the clever twist and quick pacing, the story unfolds in such a way that by the end, the reader will be screaming for vengeance, with Lobster Johnson all too happy to oblige.
Kevin Nowlan’s distinctive comic style is a perfect match for the pulpy adventures of Lobster. The thick lines and muted tones sell the vintage era aesthetics perfectly. One area of note is the liberal use of sound effects. It helps lighten the books dark themes and really drives home the impact of the gun fights.
Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat is a great read for a rainy day. A self-contained story that requires nothing more than 2 eyes and a noggin’. The book would be a throw-away to anyone else, but the creative team managed to convey a number of powerful themes in just 22 short pages making this book definitely worth a grab.
Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells a Rat (One Shot)
Story: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi
Art: Kevin Nowlan
A Look Inside
