Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus #2

Much like Cartoon All Stars vs. Drugs, Lobster Johnson #2 is one cool thing after another. Tibetan yeti-ninjas, electro battle suits, Nazi cyborgs, and giant demon snakes. There are small, hyperactive children who might actually explode on seeing this many cool nerd things together. Thank god I’m coated with Kafkaesque ennui, or my roommate would be scraping me off the carpet right now.

In Iron Prometheus #2, Lobster Johnson and Jim Sacks assault the headquarters of a group of ancient warriors, get separated, and even hypnotized by a much younger version of the “YOU HUNGRY FOR HOT POCKETS” guy. Worst of all, the highly powerful V.E.S. battle suit is now in his greasy, delicious, hot pockety hands.

Like George Lucas, Mike Mignola excels at action sequences and creating vast, fascinating mythologies for his characters to play in. Also like Lucas, he misses out on details. For Lucas, it’s dialogue. For Mignola, it’s making sure things make sense. He never explains why Lobster Johnson knows everything, or can survive being squeezed in a giant claw. Still, if you’re willing to switch your rational side off, Lobster Johnson is sheer fun.

Jason Armstrong continues his fine performance. The villains are creepy, the women are ethereal Annabel Lees, and the Lobster looks fantastic spreading justice to evildoers everywhere. My only complaint is that the boys at Dark Horse have picked an artist whose style resembles B.P.R.D. regular Guy Davis. It might have been nice to pick an artist with a different look to interpret Mignola’s cosmos.

Worth the money? Sure--a healthy dose of gun-toting, forehead-burning fun.