The Mike Mignola verse is a tough nut to crack. Hellboy is a lot of fun to read whether we have an epic story in the making or a random one-shot. But the B.P.R.D. is really complex for me what with a new mini seemingly coming out every five minutes. I know, I know, I could easily catch up in trade but I feel like that will take time considering how epic that series is compared to everything else. Then you have other series like Baltimore and Witchfinder is something I struggle to follow. Then you got another character that I immediately feel in love with in Hellboy: Lobster Johnson.

This is the first time I’ve bought a Lobster Johnson comic since the very first mini. Why I didn’t pick up the last mini? Budget constraints but considering how much every gushed over ‘The Burning Hand’ I know I’m gonna buy that sucker once it comes out. I love Lobster Johnson because he’s suck a simple character. Put a ridiculous concept for a pulp, WWII type of hero and you sold me. (Probably why I loves Marvel heroes like ‘Phantom Reporter’.)

Anyways, in regards to this one-shot it’s a lot of fun and it feels like something you would read from the 1940s. We got Lobster shooting up some gangster and then suddenly we go into a bizarre, ancient Egyptian cult that you could only see in a comic book. Lobster Johnson is Punisher-lite, in that he only kills but it isn’t as over the top as Punisher. Again he’s a simple concept but in this issue simple is really all you need. It’s an endless parade of gunfire and magic and really, in a Mignola-verse comic, what more do you want?

It looks like they decided to bring a new artist to do this one-shot with Wilfredo Torres. (Actually, he did a short story for CREEPY but if we’re talking about a full issue this is his first.) His style reminds me a lot like Phil Noto, but much more cartoony. There’s a looseness with his lines but everything looks shockingly natural or realistic. But when he’s asked to do something like mummies or floating skeletons, he’s able to do that as well. Once again a lot of praise should go to Dave Stewart because he brings so much to the Mignola-verse as a colorist. Everything is bright and colorful so the issue stands out from the normal, ‘drab’ setting most of these books have.

With a light week I picked this one-shot up for a lark. I love Lobster Johnson and any Mignola-verse one-shots are usually worth the time to read. This issue is no different with a great, pulpy story and some great art to boot. I’m not sure if Wilfredo Torres’s style could work on all Mignola series but if we get more Lobster Johnson stories in the future I definitely think we have a perfect fit for such a fun character.