Pulp of the Week - The Burning Hand

Cover art by Mike Mignola with Dave Stewart

The second Lobster Johnson graphic novel is out in one volume and it is a good one. Set concurrently with my own "The Horn," in 1932, this book sees mobsters in New York pitted against the Lobster and his crew. 

However, since this is the Hellboy universe, it is not that easy and the gangsters have some unusual help. Throw in a plucky reporter and a mess of bullets and you get a pile of fun.

Gangster Arnie Wald is looking to make a killing in real estate by killing. All is going fine with his "haunted Indian burial ground" scheme until the Lobster steps in and reporter Cindy Tynan starts digging around. When the 'Indians' turn out to be gangsters, Wald brings in some help. Some 'Weird Tales' kind of help. Well, this being a Mignola universe story, you had to know that was coming.

There is some major mayhem and a bit of tragedy as the story unfolds. I really dig these Lobster Johnson stories. They have the perfect blend of horror, macabre, character, and pulp action.

I am pleased as can be with the New Pulp action in comics and books that is happening. There is more New Pulp than I can afford at this point, so I can pick and choose - but that is the topic of a future article.

Buy all things Lobster! Support New Pulp in comics and in prose.

For this review I read The Burning Hand trade paperback. The story is by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi. The Art is by Tonci Zonjic and the color is by Dave Stewart.

I'll give The Burning Hand a 9 out of 10. Check it out.

Tannhäuser Tuesday - Lobster Johnson Revised

Hellboy & The B.P.R.D.

Part 1

The Lobster

I Just Can't Stop the Uchronic!!!

Pulp of the Week - Lobster Johnson #1

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July, 2009 - The Satan Factory

Dark Horse Books has just released the first book in what I am hoping is a series of Lobster Johnson novels. Tom Sniegoski has written a tightly crafted thriller that places the Lobster into the heart of prohibition era New York.

The story starts off a bit roughly, mixing past and present tense and coming off a little clunky. But read on, because that passes quickly and there is so much to love in this book and the writing really smooths itself out. That, or I just got used to it.

There are three main characters in the book; Dr. Jonas Chapel, a mob surgeon, on the lam, Jake Hurley, a disgraced former cop with a heart of gold whose life ruined by corrupt cops, and the Lobster, who invited Hurley to join his crew. Hurley really is the focal character of the book as the Lobster remains a man of mystery.

Gangland tensions have reached a crescendo when the doctor introduces a new element to the inter-mob warfare. Demons. There are strange things going on in this New York and the Lobster with his crew of assistants, snitches, and look-outs are determined to make it better.

In one scene, when he is offered great power and influence, "the Lobster had no interest in anything more than the total eradication of evil from the world."

There are little bits of many classic pulp characters in the Lobster. In one scene he is riding outside the car on the running board,

ala Doc Savage. But the Lobster is far more savage than Savage, mercilessly killing his enemies in a number of bloodbaths. He blasts villains with a Colt .45 like the Shadow. He is a ruthless killer of evil like the Spider. But he is a fully enjoyable character as well. I would have like to have gotten a couple of little hints into his back story, but no such luck in this novel. The Lobster is already going strong, with his assistants and his secret lair and his grenades and night vision goggles. And I better not forget the Lobster's claw. It plays an unexpected and important role here.

The Satan Factory is a bit gory, a bit blood-thirsty, and very much pulpy fun. It starts off slow, but once Sniegoski gets the plot going and the Lobster take center stage, it is a real page turner. I give The Satan Factory an 8 out of 10.

Congratulations to Tom Sniegoski and Mike Mignola. I look forward to reading more of the Lobster.


For this review I read the Dark Horse Trade Paperback, First Edition, July, 2009.
The cover is by Gregory Manchess. The book is © 2009 Mike Mignola.


© 2009 W. Peter Miller

Tannhäuser Tuesday - Lobster Johnson Tokens

Here is an updated version of Lobster Johnson's Two Page Character Sheet. It had numerous aesthetic issues so I have corrected those. The only thing that would affect future game play is the addition of "Pulp Hero" to the card. This will be used in the future to allow the Pulp Heroes to combine into one team. If the occasion arrives, I will do the same for Pulp Villains.



Next week, Savage Tales is on Holiday in Puerto Rico, so look for Tannhäuser Tuesday in two weeks!



I FEEL U-CHRONIC!!!



© 2009 Peter Miller


My custom additions to Tannhäuser are not created by, distributed, or endorsed by Take on You, Asmodee, or Fantasy Flight. Tannhäuser and all related characters are trademarks of Take on You and © Take on You LTD. Lobster Johnson is trademark and © Mike Mignola. All Rights Reserved.

Tannhäuser Tuesday - Lobster Johnson!!!

With the recent release of both the Hellboy Companion and the Lobster Johnson graphic novel, "The Iron Prometheus", the time seems ripe to add the Lobster to Hellboy's BPRD faction. There are hints in the comics that Lobster worked along side US forces prior to the US involvement in WWII, so it seems quite plausible to add Lobster to the U-Chronic BPRD. Though he is considered a Mercenary, he is a true-blue patriot and will never fight for the enemies of America.

The U-Chronic History of Lobster Johnson

No one knows the true identity of the Lobster, but he had the resources to gather a team of assistants in his fight against organized crime, Reich saboteurs and spies in the 1930s. Over 100 victims were found bearing the Mark of the Lobster - a claw insignia burned into their forehead.


As the war lingered on, the Lobster found himself facing the Reich and especially the agents of the Obscura Korps more and more often. Because of this he was eventually contacted by Trevor Bruttenholm and invited to join the newly formed BPRD. The Lobster declined, but that contact turned into a friendship that lasted many year. The Lobster served many missions with the BPRD, but he never joined, preferring his freedom and anonymity.


The Lobster is a tough, formidable opponent who can be recruited only by the BPRD, the Union, and other Pulp Heroes - Doc Savage, the Avenger, the Shadow, the Spider, etc.

In his time with the Union forces, the Lobster has fought on land, sea and air to stop the Reich menace from invading American soil. The Lobster is freely available to join the BPRD, however, other factions must pay 1 Victory Point to recruit the Lobster.

Tokens -

Special - Heroic Spirit
If Lobster takes lethal damage, instead of removing his figure from the board remove this token instead. Move Lobsters life to its bottom row. Lobster is now a heroic spirit on the board and may no longer heal wounds through any means. If he takes 2 or more wounds from a single attack, remove him from the game.

The Lobster's Mark - If the Lobster is within 2 circles of an opponent he eliminates, he scores 1 victory point.

Spectral Movement - If the Lobster is alone on a path he may move to any circle on any unoccupied adjacent path. If Lobster moves this way, he may not use an action phase.

The Lobster's Claw
This custom made Colt .50 automatic is loaded up with Lobster's experimental hollow point bullets. Any natural 10's that are not countered with defensive natural 10's result in lethal damage. If the target is more than 5 circles away, ignore this bonus.

Goggles - Lobster can see normally through smoke and in darkness.

Grenades - Lobster gets 3 total and may stack them all in the same slot. He may never have more than 3 and won't use anyone else's grenades.
-Grenade
-Smoke Grenade
-Tear Gas Grenade - Figures on this path have their movement reduced by 3 and fight using their lowest stats. They may not attack figures more than 2 circles away.

Gas Mask - Ignore the effects of tear gas.

Infiltration - The Lobster may use any Entry Point on the game board, regardless of the Entry Points chosen by either team after the Deployment Roll. He can therefore enter through his enemy's Entry Point if he wishes.


I FEEL U-CHRONIC!!!



© 2008 W. Peter Miller

HELLBOY, ABE SAPIEN, BPRD, LOBSTER JOHNSON, and related characters are trademarked TM and © by Mike Mignola. All rights reserved.

My custom additions to Tannhäuser are not created by, distributed, or endorsed by Take on You, Asmodee, or Fantasy Flight. Tannhäuser and all related characters are trademarks of Take on You and © Take on You LTD. All Rights Reserved.