Hellboy Lobster Johnson (The Iron Prometheus)

Lobster Johnson — (Hellboy: The Iron Prometheus)

Lobster Johnson, known as “The Lobster,” is a legendary vigilante and pulp hero within the Hellboy universe. His adventures are brought into the supernatural spotlight in Hellboy: The Iron Prometheus, where his legacy and mythos intersect with occult threats and Nazi conspiracies.

Origin and Role

Active in 1930s New York, Lobster Johnson began his crime-fighting career by targeting mobsters but soon expanded to battle mystics, spies, and paranormal threats. Though widely thought to be an urban myth or comic-book invention by the public, he was in fact a real man—a relentless and often deadly crusader who burned his claw-shaped emblem into the foreheads of his enemies as a mark of justice.

The Iron Prometheus Story

• Ally and Adversary: In The Iron Prometheus, Lobster Johnson is drawn into conflict with Memnan Saa—an ancient and powerful sorcerer—while seeking to protect the mysterious Vril Energy Suit. Alongside his trusted group of operatives, he faces Nazi agents, robots, and occult horrors, embodying the intersection of pulp adventure and supernatural terror.

• Tragedy and Burden: This adventure is a turning point—losses among his allies weigh heavily on him, further fueling his stoic demeanor and driving his solitary, almost haunted pursuit of justice.

• Legacy: As The Lobster, he leaves behind a myth that blurs the lines between pulp fiction and dark reality, inspiring countless stories and legends even after his death.

Death and Ghostly Return

Lobster Johnson’s mortal life ends during a doomed mission against Nazi occultists, but it is in death that his legend truly grows. His ghost retains corporeal form at will, manifests his signature pistols, and continues his fight against evil alongside Hellboy and the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.).

Skills and Traits

• Master Combatant: Expert marksman, unarmed fighter, and strategist, wielding both firearms and period-appropriate gadgets.

• Supernatural Resilience: In life, seemingly capable of surviving grievous injuries; in death, his ghost is a powerful force able to interact with the physical world and inflict mystical harm.

• Iconic Symbol: The “Lobster Claw” burned into the foreheads of his foes is both his calling card and a lasting mark of justice—feared by criminals and notorious among his enemies.

Significance

Lobster Johnson is both a pulp-era crusader and a restless avenger—a symbol of Hellboy’s fascination with folklore turned reality. In The Iron Prometheus, his tireless battle against the occult cements his status as a Hellboy universe icon: eternal, unyielding, and forever marked by his quest for justice.