Boss Fight Studio’s Hellboy Ghost of Lobster Johnson Glow in the Dark Exclusive

Only Two Weeks Left to See Mike Mignola's Circus of Bones

Over the past several weeks, we've shared a series of conversations with Mike Mignola about Lobster Johnson, his characters, and some of the influences behind his work.

Now that we've wrapped up that series, we wanted to share something else Mike has been working on.

Circus of Bones: The Art of Mike Mignola is currently on display at the Philippe Labaune Gallery in New York City, with just two weeks left before the exhibition closes on October 24.

The show features 53 new watercolor paintings created specifically for the exhibition, along with original ink drawings, comic pages, and cover art.

If you're a fan of Mike's work and happen to be in New York, it's worth checking out. And if you're like most of us and won't be making the trip, the gallery has put the exhibition online so you can take a look.

Check out Circus of Bones at Philippe Labaune Gallery

We want to thank Mike again for taking the time to participate in our Lobster Johnson Q&A series, and we're excited to be working with Boss Fight Studio to bring this Ghost of Lobster Johnson figure to collectors.

Welcome to the final installment of our four-part Q&A series with Mike Mignola for the Boss Fight Studio’s Hellboy Ghost of Lobster Johnson Glow in the Dark Exclusive!

To close things out, Mike reflects on Lobster's lasting influence across the timeline, how the vigilante inspired a young Hellboy, and the sheer curiosity of discovering a ghost with twin pistols.

Here is what Mike had to say:

Q. You've continued to return to Lobster Johnson over the years. What is it about the character that continues to hold your interest?

Mike Mignola: “He represents an era that is important in the Hellboy world. And more and more we are seeing how he inspired the young Hellboy. It’s important for a boy to have a hero.”

Q. Visually, what makes Ghost of Lobster Johnson still unmistakably Lobster Johnson while also communicating that he has become something supernatural?

Mike Mignola: “He still looks like Lobster Johnson. But he’s a ghost.”

Q. For a collector who encounters Lobster Johnson for the first time through this figure, what would you hope makes them curious enough to go explore more of his world?

Mike Mignola: “Well, Ghost Lobster is a pretty curious object. I would like to think you look at him and say ‘What the hell is this’ and then you are curious enough to go find out who he is and what he’s all about. If he invites you into the larger Hellboy world so much the better.”

Welcome back to Part 3 of our four-part Q&A series with Mike Mignola for the Boss Fight Studio’s Hellboy Ghost of Lobster Johnson Glow in the Dark Exclusive!

Following our look into the supernatural freedom of writing ghosts, this round digs into the brutal pulp DNA of Lobster Johnson: the origin of the claw brand, the ruthless edge that separates him from standard heroes, and his ability to jump between mobsters and mad scientists.

Here is what Mike had to say:

Q. The lobster claw symbol is one of the character's most recognizable visual elements. What does that symbol represent to you when you think about Lobster Johnson today?

Mike Mignola: “The Lobster symbol… Well, all the best comic book characters have something on their suit that represents them. He had to have that. But beyond that, he burns that into the foreheads of his victims. That was inspired by the pulp ‘hero’ THE SPIDER, who I think stamped a spider symbol in the head of his victims with his ring. It was something like that. That’s ruthless. I wanted Lobster to be that kind of ruthless. Doc Savage was a Boy Scout. Lobster is no Boy Scout.”

Q. Lobster Johnson exists somewhere between pulp adventure, mystery, superhero fiction, and supernatural horror. What is it about him that lets him move so naturally between those different kinds of stories?

Mike Mignola: “I like characters to have range. And the pulp adventure heroes had that range. Criminals one week, mad scientists and mutants the next.”

Q. When you think about Lobster Johnson today, are there particular pulp characters, films, books, artists, or other influences that you still associate with the character and his world?

Mike Mignola: “As answered above, he represents the pulps and the old comic book heroes that grew out of the pulps.”

Welcome back to Part 2 of our four-part Q&A series with Mike Mignola for the Boss Fight Studio’s Hellboy Ghost of Lobster Johnson Glow in the Dark Exclusive!

Following up on our look into Lobster’s pulp origins, this round digs into what changes when the vigilante crosses over from mortal justice to the supernatural, and the creative freedom that comes with an undead legend.

Here is what Mike had to say:

Q. There's a real distinction between Lobster Johnson when he was alive and Ghost of Lobster Johnson. What changes about the character once he becomes this supernatural presence?

Mike Mignola: “I always say that once my characters die they become more interesting.”

Q. Does Ghost of Lobster Johnson become something larger than the man himself, almost the legend of Lobster Johnson taking on a life of its own?

Mike Mignola: “Sure. Lobster in life was always a mystery to the public and mysteries are always interesting, but to die fighting Nazis to prevent them from having a space program… That makes you a legend.”

Q. What does the Ghost version of Lobster Johnson allow you to do with the character that the living version doesn't?

Mike Mignola: “Once you’re a ghost there are no end of things you can do. No rules for ghosts.”

To celebrate bringing the Ghost of Lobster Johnson to life on BigBadLaunchPad, we sat down with legendary creator Mike Mignola to dive deep into the origins, evolution, and supernatural legacy of the character.

This is Part 1 of an exclusive four-part series where Mike shares his insights on what makes the Lobster such an enduring, ruthless icon in the Hellboy universe. Make sure to hit the Follow button on this project page to receive automatic updates as we roll out the rest of the Q&A and other interesting production milestones along the way for this project.

Q. For someone who knows Hellboy but may not be as familiar with Lobster Johnson, how would you describe who Lobster Johnson is and what makes him such an interesting part of that world?

Mike Mignola: “Lobster is a Pulp era (20s and 30s) crime fighter. He made war on mobsters and died fighting Nazis.”

Q. What does Lobster Johnson bring to the Mignolaverse that Hellboy doesn't?

Mike Mignola: “I love the old Pulp magazine characters, Doc Savage, the Shadow, the Spider. I needed somebody like that in the history of the Hellboy world, just as I had Edward Grey to be my version of all the Victorian Era Occult Detectives. Basically I needed to create my own version of everything that inspired the Hellboy world.”

Q. Lobster Johnson has such a distinctive pulp-adventure identity. How important is that pulp sensibility to the role he plays in the larger Hellboy universe?

Mike Mignola: “It was important for me to establish some kind of a role model for Hellboy. He was raised by a professor but that would be boring to a kid. But the adventures of THE LOBSTER would inspire little kid Hellboy as he would read about him in comic books and pulp magazines. But as the Pulp characters inspired me when I was a kid.”