Lobster Johnson: The Proteus Club (Dramatized Adaptation)

From the World of Hellboy

By: Christopher Golden

Narrated by: James Konicek, Jonathan Lee Taylor, Ken Jackson, Laura C. Harris, Marni Penning, Wyn Delano, Zeke Alton, Rayner Gabriel, Torian Brackett, Robb Moreira, Jenna Sharpe, full cast

It’s 1933. Reporter Cynthia Tynan finds herself drawn into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of several prominent New Yorkers and seeks the aid of the Lobster…but that grim vigilante is investigating break-ins and thefts in a number of science research labs in the city. The two cases quickly intertwine, bringing the Lobster and his associates into contact with German spies, religious lunatics, and monstrously transformed people who have been subjected to hideous experimentation. The Lobster will soon learn what can make a man into a monster! Introducing Doctor Thorne—but will he be hero, or villain?

Written exclusively for GraphicAudio and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music!

©2023 Mike Mignola (P)2023 Graphic Audio LLC

Decent

There are other reviews that gripe about political messages and the bad guys hating black people... In this story, set in the 1930s, where the bad guys are literally nazis... These reviewers are idiots.

The main perspective in the narrative is a reporter woman, but written as a fast-talking sassy spitfire type of the time. Which some may find grating, but I think only fed into the atmosphere of this story. We love the Lobster partially for his mysteriousness. It makes sense that he wouldn't be 100% of the focus.

Yes, the story is very similar to The Satan Factory, another Lobster Johnson novel. But, this radio drama presentation is a nice little atmospheric novella that is wholly enjoyable and fun. Not too long, not too short.

My only complaint is the sound editing in a scene where characters talk to each other through an adjoining wall. The voices were mixed a little too quiet. A petty complaint.

Overall, it was decent. A fun pulpy radio drama in five parts. A nice addition to Lobster Johnson related media.

Not what I expected.

Overall it's okay, I listen at work and I work in a metal shop so it's loud. I didn't like that the story was told from the female reporters point of view. the story is a decent homage to detective fiction of the time period in which it's set. repetitive introduction of contemporary politics took me out of the story and made me say to myself, not again. I probably wont buy another loberster Johnson story.

Fun listen.

The performances here are really great, and this is an overall fun listen. Unfortunately, I had very recently finished reading the Lobster Johnson novel, The Satan Factory, and this story is uncannily similar. So, what would have been an otherwise enjoyable story just seemed a little repetitive. I recognize that there’s only so much you can do with the time and place of this Hellboy-related vigilante, but this one just seems too much like the Lobster tales that have come before it.

Excellent voice acting from everyone involved!

I’m over the moon with this production! It absolutely captures the mood of the comic book series Lobster Johnson. JUSTICE!

Hellboy is incognito in this one: wearing a flight cap with goggles he never exposes himself at all in this book.

The setting is far in the past with rampant racism, Nazis and speakeasies. Prohibition happened from 1920-1933 and World War 2 with Nazis happened in the 1940's. Just consider that this story takes place in an alternate reality and don't worry about the details. As far as the story, most of the time Hellboy takes a back seat to the other characters. This reads more like a detective story and the reporter and actress take the stage front and center with Hellboy showing up for a handful of scenes where he is incognito. The story itself definitely has the Hellboy vibe with the monsters and Nazis just be prepared to have him in the background for much of the story.