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In my quest to catch up on my Hellboy-related reading, I recently took a look at “Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus.” The collection stars mysterious hero Lobster Johnson as he helps protect a scientific discovery from the falling into the hands of Nazi agents and even worse foes. A pulp style infuses the whole series, from Johnson’s attitude to his network of assistants to a faux “yellow peril” archenemy. The creative team of Mike Mignola and Jason Armstrong weave these elements into a solid, but nonessential, read.

It is easy to compare “Lobster Johnson” to its cousins “Hellboy” and “B.P.R.D.” which is a real shame. Few comics have the mood and nuance pacing that Mignola can deliver in a Hellboy comic and “B.P.R.D.” combines great dramatic dilemmas with stellar art. This long-shadow cast by the line-mates of “Iron Prometheus” makes its solid execution and adventure-heavy story feel forgettable. The collection packs more action into its pages than most other Mignola work, giving book a slightly brisk pace. All of this lends to giving the story a fun mood, something that the art of Jason Armstrong surely helps. Although Armstrong pages lack the eeriness found in other Hellboy-related books, his style still manages to fit well into the cadre of artists who have worked on them. The art may not be as subtle or refined as some of his peers, but the pages pack an energy that keeps this pulp tale vital.

“Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus” should prove most memorable to “B.P.R.D.” readers, as the collected miniseries references and fills in many elements currently featured in “B.P.R.D.” storyline. I was caught off guard by how much so, in fact. For other readers, if they look for “Lobster Johnson” to deliver an action-adventure straight from the pulps then they won’t leave its pages anything but satisfied.

-Nick

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