Hellboy: 10 Flaws That Prove Hellboy 3 Would've Been Better

Were you excited to learn that Lobster Johnson was going to be in the Hellboy reboot? Too bad, because he barely appears. Mike Mignola was excited to have Lobster stand in for the Torch of Liberty in the revised origin story - and they couldn't have used the Torch anyway - but to hardcore fans of the character, it may feel like brief fan-service without much of a real payoff.

The disappointing flash of an appearance feels especially egregious considering that Thomas Haden Church was one of the best casting choices they could have made next to Bruce Campbell, as evidenced by the fairly decent mid-credits scene. While still short, this scene shows Lobster Johnson in ghost form, which will be familiar to comic fans who remember his early days of consulting with the BPRD. Nonetheless, it still feels as if a great character was shoehorned in just for the sake of being there, despite serving no greater purpose to the story.

When del Toro and Mignola considered centring Hellboy II on Roger the Homunculus though, they switched gears after they had trouble writing a decent story for the character. If they couldn't use the character well, they weren't going to use him at all. Del Toro did want to use Lobster Johnson in Hellboy 3, but presumably would have made a similar choice if the character's appearance didn't feel earned.

By contrast, the reboot throws a great character at you and expects you to be happy with the fact that he's there, despite Lobster doing nothing to earn his presence in the movie. Those unfamiliar with the hero will probably wonder why Lady Hatton's voiceover dialogue makes such a big deal of "the Lobster" just for the sake of a two-minute appearance. Then again, those who love the character will wonder the exact same thing.