After taking May off, everyone’s favorite pulp hero is back, delivering justice to man and primate alike!
Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Illustrated by Tonci ZonjicAfter shooting a gung-ho NYPD chief right through the head, Lobster heads to the villains’ massive laboratory, where he’s attacked by two huge steampunk cyborgs!
Brian: After an extended hiatus, “Get the Lobster” is back with its fourth installment. Admittedly, it took me a few pages to shake the two-month old cobwebs off my brain and get back to the story. Once I did, however, the issue’s combination of detective work and (especially in the back-end) crazy action was really satisfying. What did you think?
David: The cobwebs were definitely an issue for me, as it felt like 20 years since I read this comic. Generally speaking though, it was a fun issue, mostly because Tonci Zonjic continues to be an art god and Mignola and Arcudi are bringing enough insane ideas to the table that it’s a blast to read. The Lobster versus super…robo arm man was a particularly great segment, as it really felt like LoJo may lose, but it ended up just being a very visceral and surprisingly violent showdown. Zonjic remains the showcase, though, as honestly, the story in this comic has already faded a bit from my brain, but his art and some of the bigger moments – the aforementioned fight, the robo gorilla charging the Lobster, the reveal of the police captain’s true nature – stand out visually to me.
Elaborate on your thoughts though. What stood out so much to you about this issue?
Brian: Well, there were a few really fun sequences, as you alluded to – the robot-arm battle and the Gorilla attack, all set on top of the model of NYC, gave a kaiju-esque feeling of giants towering over the fair city. Those were the clear highlights for me.
However, I also liked the idea that everyone in the story is a bit of a sleuth. Everyone is searching for “truth,” although the validity of their definition of truth is up for debate. Whether trying to unmask the Lobster, or figure out why there are brain implants happening, or attempting to use technology to solve the problem of how to bring down LoJo – the entire cast is struggling towards truth.
Another aspect of the more recent LoJo stories, but especially this one, is showing the cracks in his armor – not just showing him physically being bested, but also showing that his methods aren’t always the smartest or most efficient way to go about what he wants to do. He is fighting for “right,” but seems to care very little about collateral damage, or the value of human life for those he doesn’t care for. The Lobster is the protagonist, but he’s not really the hero of the story.
David: You could quite often make the case that he’s hardly even the protagonist, at times! This isn’t one of them, but in some issues, he barely even appears. It’s part of his allure, of course, but he’s an especially beguiling character because he’s such a mystery to everyone, including us, the reader.
But there’s one subject I wanted to bring up, and it’s maybe a dark direction, but it’s something we’ve talked about before. Clearly you enjoyed this issue quite a bit, and I was a bit less enthusiastic if only because it was either action or bits that I feel like we as readers have already been privied to (the Lobster legacy concept and Cindy’s articles), but one thing we’ve talked about in the past is how Lobster minis tend to run out of steam, and I feel like this one is doing the same to a degree (although perhaps a bit less intensely than previous arcs). Do you agree with that idea at all? If so, why do you think that is?
Brian: Well, I don’t disagree, but I think part of that, in this case, has to be blamed on the delay. These are books that are totally sold on mood and ambiance, and when there’s an elongated break in that spell, it can be hard to slip back into the fog of the issue.
Continued belowThat said, I think LoJo is a character best served in 3 issue doses. While I could look at Zonjic illustrate anything and be pleased, these stories, precisely because of your point about the character being shrouded in such mystery, are usually a bit overstretched. It would be one thing if the mystery of the lobster was getting solved – even incrementally – but that isn’t really the point here – the point is fun, pulp stories that look gorgeous. And while I am happy to support that, I’d rather support 3 3-issue minis than 2 5-issue minis.
David: When I think of my favorite LoJo stories, it’s actually Caput Mortuum, the one-shot on the zeppelin, that I enjoyed the most. I almost think tons of one-shots work the best, as ultimately, the minis tend to be stories that get stretched (like you said) to fit a five issue span. LoJo and his air of mystery works far better for me in one-shots or those three issue minis that you mentioned, and as you said, the delay did not help things. I still can’t believe that was only two months.
This comic definitely has value, and it is mostly good. There are cool elements, like backstory to The Iron Prometheus coming here with Dr. Waxman and the foundation for Herman Von Klempt’s cyber gorillas being laid here, but given its place as a periphery book, it often feels like it’s just never destined to progress, making those five issue runs a bit of a slog.
Do you have anything else to add about this issue?
Brian: You know, I had written something about it being a periphery book and removed it, but I think you’re spot on. I like spending time with these characters, but I also want some forward progress, and I feel like we get far more world building (in a world that is already pretty well established) than we get actual story.
But, and not to sound like a broken record here, Zonjic’s art makes almost all of those feelings go away. I particularly loved his last panel of the bloodied and beaten – but never broken – Lobster just uttering “justice.” His work is of such an insanely high quality that it can transcend the flaws with (seem to be inherent) the book.
David: Yeah, it’s still a very good book because of Zonjic’s astonishingly great art, and it is a fun read, but it ultimately feels a bit empty overall. Which makes sense, I guess, as it is emulating pulp novels which never were really about forward momentum or building a greater whole, and in a lot of ways, we’re displacing our wants and desires upon the book.
But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop doing that!
Either way, it’s a really, really solid issue that is starting to feel the weight of the length of this mini, for better or worse. I’ll give it a 7.0, mostly for the art, as Tonci is an absolute genius. What about you?
Brian: 7.0 sounds about right.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – Buy
