I mean, the fact that he's a hard-nosed 1930s pulpy action-adventurer New York City crime fighter with a bitching costume, a loyal crew, and one hell of a deadly touch doesn't hurt. Neither does the fact that he's a Mike Mignola creation (which is always a good sign), co-written by the extremely skilled John Arcudi, or drawn by such talented artists as Jason Armstrong, Sebastian Fiumara, and Tonci Jonjic. And let's not forget the many equally colourful characters he's met while fighting fiendish foes, including mystical robots, ancient spirits, superpowered gangsters, black flamed men, space faring Nazis, and many, many more (without even getting into his numerous affairs in the afterlife).
While firmly entrenched in the pulp idiom, the Lobster is a flexible figure who is able to fit into all manner of genre and story. So I heartily encourage one and all to try their hand at penning their very own one-page tale of action, derring-do, or whatever else may catch one's fancy.
There is, after all, any number of reasons to be a Lobster Johnson fan.
Although the name is still the best one.
LOBSTER JOHNSON: Dilemma
ReplyDeletePanel 1
Night. We see a teenager running frantically. He (or she, can go both ways) is a STREET URCHIN. He carries with him a sack, filled with things that he stole. Note that he stole only bread, but it shouldn't be that obvious yet. Behind him (chasing after him) is a man wearing a WHITE APRON who is yelling. Up on the roof of a nearby building, we can see the silhouette of LOBSTER JOHNSON running.
WHITE APRON: STOP THAT THIEF!!!
CAPTION: Some nights are like this. A random crime is committed on the streets, and I happen to be nearby so I respond.
Panel 2
The view is with LOBSTER JOHNSON, as he looks down on the street. The STREET URCHIN climbs over a fence in an alleyway, meanwhile the WHITE APRON is still on the adjacent sidewalk, clearly tired and resting and breathing heavily.
CAPTION: I'd chase them down without their knowledge, until they feel safe enough to stop...
Panel 3
The STREET URCHIN is on another street and is now calmly walking and about to turn to another alley. LOBSTER JOHNSON looms overhead.
CAPTION: Safe enough to think that they've gotten away with their crime...
Panel 4
Close in on LOBSTER JOHNSON's right hand drawing a gun.
CAPTION: By then, I'll be there to deliver their just punishment.
Panel 5
We see LOBSTER JOHNSON swing from a graple gun into the alley where the STREET URCHIN turned to.
CAPTION: But sometimes...
CAPTION: Nights like these...
CAPTION: I wonder...
Panel 6
We see the STREET URCHIN open the sack and reveal the bread he stole, sharing it with three siblings. They basically live in that alley, using an assortment of cardboard boxes and some dirty and torn bedsheets for tents and shelter. LOBSTER JOHNSON is a little far behind them, shadowed, but we can see that he still has his gun out.
CAPTION: ...should I?