Lobster Johnson: A Chain Forged in Life

[middenway]

I agree. It was a great issue.
Which reveal at the end of the book are you referring to?

The corpse that is not the Lobster...

[thwhtGuardian]

I don't know if it increases his myth, the only person who would have thought the Lobster came back from the dead(as it first appeared) is dead himself.

[middenway]

I don't know if it increases his myth, the only person who would have thought the Lobster came back from the dead(as it first appeared) is dead himself.

I didn't mean his in-universe mythology, I meant for us, the readers. We're getting more and more hints at what he really is.

[thwhtGuardian]

I didn't mean his in-universe mythology, I meant for us, the readers. We're getting more and more hints at what he really is.

Eh, I didn't get that from it; it didn't seem really any more resourceful than what he's done in the past. It was a fun one shot, and I liked how the narration had a similar cadence to "The Night Before Christmas" but over all I don't think it added much.

[Kirby101]

I enjoyed it, thought it was a fun story. The art was okay, but those weird noses put me off.
Also why was this released in Summer? More appropriate for December.

[LobsterJohnson]

The Lobster first appeared 16 years ago today! Happy birthday Lobster Johnson!

[LobsterJohnson]

Does anyone know if Tonci Zonjic did the coloring on this issue's cover (like he did for Get the Lobster)?

[middenway]

I'm pretty sure he did, but not certain. You'll need to check the inside cover.

[jeremypowell]

(SPOILERS throughout!)

Mark --

I'm not sure we're meant to glean anything regarding the Lobster's true nature from this issue. Isn't the corpse at the end supposed to be the character called "Bags," whom LoJo dispatched earlier in the story? I think LoJo simply took advantage of the similarity between this fellow's glasses and LoJo's own goggles by standing (or hanging, or whatever) his corpse in front of the window. Gangster inside sees what looks like LoJo, shoots an already dead man, and is thus deceived into a false sense of triumph. There's no need to read in anything supernatural; you don't have to be descended from pirate werewolves to prop a dead guy up against a window.

I admit it took me a second read-through to reach this conclusion. The corpse outside the window is almost certainly Bags's (the clothes are identical), but that's not immediately evident because Nixey's and Nowlan's styles are so different. Mignolaverse titles have been experimenting a lot lately with multiple artists in a single issue (or a single artist mimicking other styles), mostly to great effect, but I think this is the rare case when the experiment interferes with story clarity.

Love "Hellnotes," BTW.

[thwhtGuardian]

(SPOILERS throughout!)

Mark --

I'm not sure we're meant to glean anything regarding the Lobster's true nature from this issue. Isn't the corpse at the end supposed to be the character called "Bags," whom LoJo dispatched earlier in the story? I think LoJo simply took advantage of the similarity between this fellow's glasses and LoJo's own goggles by standing (or hanging, or whatever) his corpse in front of the window. Gangster inside sees what looks like LoJo, shoots an already dead man, and is thus deceived into a false sense of triumph. There's no need to read in anything supernatural; you don't have to be descended from pirate werewolves to prop a dead guy up against a window.

I admit it took me a second read-through to reach this conclusion. The corpse outside the window is almost certainly Bags's (the clothes are identical), but that's not immediately evident because Nixey's and Nowlan's styles are so different. Mignolaverse titles have been experimenting a lot lately with multiple artists in a single issue (or a single artist mimicking other styles), mostly to great effect, but I think this is the rare case when the experiment interferes with story clarity.

Love "Hellnotes," BTW.

I don't know if it was a case where the art experiment didn't work, it seemed pretty straight forward to me that the Lobster had used the other criminal to fool the last shooter. It was telegraphed pretty hard to the reader and was only meant to be compelling to the characters in the story.

[middenway]

(SPOILERS throughout!)

Mark --

I'm not sure we're meant to glean anything regarding the Lobster's true nature from this issue. Isn't the corpse at the end supposed to be the character called "Bags," whom LoJo dispatched earlier in the story? I think LoJo simply took advantage of the similarity between this fellow's glasses and LoJo's own goggles by standing (or hanging, or whatever) his corpse in front of the window. Gangster inside sees what looks like LoJo, shoots an already dead man, and is thus deceived into a false sense of triumph. There's no need to read in anything supernatural; you don't have to be descended from pirate werewolves to prop a dead guy up against a window.

I admit it took me a second read-through to reach this conclusion. The corpse outside the window is almost certainly Bags's (the clothes are identical), but that's not immediately evident because Nixey's and Nowlan's styles are so different. Mignolaverse titles have been experimenting a lot lately with multiple artists in a single issue (or a single artist mimicking other styles), mostly to great effect, but I think this is the rare case when the experiment interferes with story clarity.

Love "Hellnotes," BTW.

I'm likely blinded by my own theory in this case. I have this crazy idea that the Lobster is a spirit that possesses the body of his last kill.

[thwhtGuardian]

I'm likely blinded by my own theory in this case. I have this crazy idea that the Lobster is a spirit that possesses the body of his last kill.

An interesting theory, and I 'll have to reread it to be sure, but I think you could see the ropes suspending him from the window; the same rope the Lobster used to drag him up the chimney.

[middenway]

An interesting theory, and I 'll have to reread it to be sure, but I think you could see the ropes suspending him from the window; the same rope the Lobster used to drag him up the chimney.

You're probably right. I don't remember seeing a rope, but I know I tend to miss details when I read digitally. I much prefer reading the trades.

[LobsterJohnson]

What artists would you guys like to see draw future Lobster Johnson one-shots?

[thwhtGuardian]

What artists would you guys like to see draw future Lobster Johnson one-shots?

Chris Samnee is a favorite of mine so I'd love to see more from him, or possibly Francesco Francavilla