Lobster Johnson: Get the Lobster #4

By Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Tonci Zonjic & Dave Stewart

Get the Lobster picks back up this month with issue #4 in this five issue miniseries. As already mentioned in previous reviews, this has been one of the most interesting and exciting story arcs from Lobster Johnson. While the overall story didn’t develop too deeply in the latest installment, it was another damn fine addition and a very exciting read.

Given that the more recently introduced dynamic of the Lobster versus the police has added another highly enjoyable dimension to an already great series, it was particularly intriguing to see the unexpected plot twist Mike Mignola and John Arcudi introduced in this context. This issue was also packed with action throughout, from the continuing police encounter at the beginning, to the protagonist’s brawl with the bionic-limbed man towards the end. All of the neat technology that has been slowly introduced over the course of this arc really breaks out even more in the latest installment, and adds a subtle steampunk feel to a few scenes. Furthermore, the isolated conversation between the unsavory gentlemen trying to track the Lobster was especially interesting as they continue to comb through Ms. Tynan’s notes on the title character’s potential background. While this historical aspect of Lobster Johnson was covered in greater depth in a previous issue, it’s wonderful to see this mysterious information cropping up again, and we’ll hopefully see more in the future. Overall, this particular book was largely about the action with a few unexpected surprises along the way.

As usual, Tonci Zonjic’s illustrations are pitch-perfect for the type of story being told here. Everything is perfectly suited to the specific era of the book, as well as the overall pulp/noir vibe. The subtle minimalism is punctuated by a terrific attention to detail throughout, while the fast-paced, action-oriented nature in most of issue #4 was excellently illustrated. The fight scenes in this series often feel quite cinematic, and this was again the case for the latest installment of Get the Lobster. Of course, Dave Stewart adds a lot to the general tone of each scene and the book as a whole. His always-perfect colors really enhance the noir feel of this series and bring extra depth to each panel.

It’s kind of a given that anything from the Mignolaverse is going to be excellent, but the latest Lobster Johnson miniseries has really started to branch out into some interesting directions for this character. While issue #4 was a little lighter on overall plot development, there was a lot to enjoy about this book. This was another exciting addition that flowed perfectly, and had some great surprises and plenty of action.