The mini-series comes to an end. It's here that the writing pays off a few threads set in place throughout the story. None will blow your mind. There are no revelations or twists. Whatever mystery hung in the air was dispelled last issue. Issue three of the mini is just a decently entertaining conclusion to a decently entertaining story. We finally get a monster battle. And its passable. The action is hampered by the clunky, solid builds of the titular metal monsters. They're inorganic and not especially well articulated. As a result, the brief fight looks like a couple of figurines slamming together impotently. Tonci Zonjic's art typically serves the tone of the book well, however. I appreciate the downplayed Lovecraftian qualities of the story. Arcudi focuses mainly on the robots attacking rather than diverting too readily into alien mysticism. Most of the unknowable geometry and impossible whatever is contained within issue two. In fact, the most amusing element of this issue (and this goes for the mini as a whole) is the casual attitude with which the Lobster and his cohorts investigate the robot threat. This feels like a police procedural revolving around ancient technology. It's a quality the writing borrows from Hellboy and it serves to grant some personality to an otherwise very straightforward work of science fiction. Issue two had a bit of melodrama padding that has thankfully subsided by issue three. Still, I can't say Metal Monsters of Midtown earns its three issue length. Overall, it's lot of plot without much character. Never is there a sense of a sprawling narrative that needs room to develop multiple sub-plots or character interactions.

Zonjic's art holds together for the most part, subtle when needed and explosive when called upon to inject excitement. However, there's a stiff and restrained quality to gestures and expressions. Zonjic gets to let loose a bit when we're treated to the horrifying results of the bizarre technology powering our Metal Monsters.

Again, decent and entertaining. But nothing crucial.

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Lobster Johnson: Metal Monsters of Midtown #3 Writer: John Arcudi and Mike Mignola Artist: Tonci Zonjic Colorist: Dave Stewart Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

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